Biplanes - how to attach the upper wing?!

[Guest]

Help! I'm progressing through the Eduard 1/48 Airco DH-2, and I'm now reminded why in hate building biplanes - how do you attach the upper wing?! Every time I try to get the struts lined up, the whole lot collapses. I'm in danger of ruining the whole kit - any tips gratefully received. And I don't have a jig!

[Ian M]

Very carefully! lol

Joking aside, there are many that make up a jig to hold things in place. I have seen them made out of everything from card to lego!

The few biplanes that I have built, I have just winged it, scuse the pun. Yes its a pain and yes it is a case of one strut falling as the next goes in. That is why they invented super glue, it isn't? Oh!

After a bit of faffing, you should be able to get the rigging in and that will hold everything in place.

I dropped an SE5 and expected it to be a wreck. It actually stayed together!

Ian M

[john i am]

Andy I feel you pain but I've never found an easy way just an immense amount of patience hope all goes well with yours and good luck and I will be watching just in case someone comes up with an easy way as I have about 6 biplanes at the bottom of my stash and it's exactly this reason why they preside there as I know all the heartache and pain they will bring me.

[papa 695]

Andy I've had the same problem from time to time but the last one I did I cut some sponge to size and used that as a jig you can rest the upper wing on

[eddiesolo]

I have a set that is on a base with two clamps like this one, although this one seems to be a just a clamp, but you get the idea.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pack-of-5-F-clamp-Blue-Plastic-Childs-Educational-Hobby-/260792716533?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item3 cb8750cf5

Si

[Guest]

I have used this method with some success. I used the clear plastic disc you get with stacks of cd/dvd's for the computer to cut out the shape. If nothing else you can see whats happening.

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/72714-fitting-struts-rigging/

[The Migrant]

I used the same method as Barry suggests, using thick acetate from some old blister-packaging, then used Lego to prop everything in place (I added more blocks later to hold the upper wing in place). Because it was clear i could see all the struts at once and work from above, instead of trying to do it from below the upper wing. Once the struts had set in place I just popped off the temporary clear wing and dropped on the solid wing:

Old fashioned polystyrene cement in a tube is useful here; its slow drying properties give you time to make fine adjustments while lining things up.

[Gern]

Maybe you could make some supports using a block of polystyrene held with bluetac top and bottom to hold the top wing in place? If you make them slightly too tall, squeeze the bluetac on one side until the wing meets the outermost strut then do the same with the other side.

Gern

[Guest]

Thanks for all the ideas - I might just give it another go! Mike - on second thoughts, I might just give up; it'll never turn out like your DH-2; superb!

[Guest]

I used the same method as Barry suggests, using thick acetate from some old blister-packaging, then used Lego to prop everything in place (I added more blocks later to hold the upper wing in place). Because it was clear i could see all the struts at once and work from above, instead of trying to do it from below the upper wing. Once the struts had set in place I just popped off the temporary clear wing and dropped on the solid wing:Old fashioned polystyrene cement in a tube is useful here; its slow drying properties give you time to make fine adjustments while lining things up.

This is a fantastic idea (or rather, ideas) - with fantastic results. If there was an 'absolutely brilliant' button I'd click it!

[Guest]

However you do it, and it could be nothing more than a pile of books, 12 inch rulers, Blu Tac, selotape etc...etc...etc.. but you must make a secure jig. It is easier than it first appears. I have always rigged up the top wing with just the fuselage mountings in place first then touched the joints with Liquid Poly. When it is all firmly secure you can play around with getting the wing tip struts in place. They, of course shouldn't be allowed to move the wing in any way so they should be carefully trimmed before dropping in place with tweezers and again applying a spot of Liquid Poly. I used to hate the Airfix type where the struts were held by a section of wing to give you a parallelogram piece as it always looked ugly afterwards. The big advantage though was that they did remain in the correct attitude but then you were left with gaps in the wing to fill. I did once cut the struts off the spacer pieces, put the spacers in the wing first then filled and smoothed accordingly before finally adding the individual struts carefully one at a time. More effort but a better end result.

[colin m]

I built a DH 2 a few months back. I feel your pain. One thing which might help is, forget the cabane struts for now, just concentrate on the interplane struts. The cabane can be fitted later. I use little 'U' shaped bits of blu tak to hold the struts upright. Then lego to line the upper wing up. The nice thing about the DH2 is the upper wing and the lower wing are in line both vertically and horizontally.

Colin M...

[Guest]

Plunge taken; I made a jig from a polysteyrene block and cocktail sticks to hold the lower wing in place, and used the clear plastic method as shown above to make a template top wing. Outer struts in place and drying - breath being held...

[eddiesolo]

Plunge taken; I made a jig from a polysteyrene block and cocktail sticks to hold the lower wing in place, and used the clear plastic method as shown above to make a template top wing. Outer struts in place and drying - breath being held...

Fingers crossed Andy.

Si

[Guest]

I removed the template top wing, and 7 out of 8 struts...fell off

The dog has learned some new words.