Issue 97-The undercarriage struts.

[wonwinglo]

ISSUE 97-UNDERCARRIAGE STRUTS

This issue contains one set of undercarriage struts,ie one side,unfortunately the struts are handed so we will have to wait until next week to fully complete this assembly,what can be done is firmly araldite the legs of the struts together,there will be a lot of weight on these so make sure you do a good job,to see what the model will look like standing on its undercarriage I have mocked it up by just resting the gear against the fuselage as seen here.

You will need to run a file around the axles that go into the brass tube,the tube runs between the undercarriage mini-aerofoil then through the ends,springing comes from four rubber o-rings attached to the tube and looped around the undercarriage bracket itself,this is called bungee springing and was used on most early WW.1 aeroplanes.

So hopefully next week she will be sitting on her wheels properly,here she is just resting on books,but it shows what the model will look like when assembled.

[Guest]

Hey Barry it's looking quite good, despite your grumbles .

I've emailed Hatchette to see if I can speed up the last issues as I'm only up to 83. But I won' t hold my breath.

Bodgers unite !!!

[wonwinglo]

*** Yes Trevor,this model has been a love hate relationship these past two years ! despite the difficulties in ill fitting parts,the flustrations of badly designed and manufactured bits it is coming together,there is always a way round these things given a little thought,once more the model does not profess to be any masterpiece but merely an example of out of the bag standard build,with as much as possible used from the original parts to make good the many shortcomings,once I get this one out of the way then my scratch built 1=8th scale Sopwith Camel will be started,it will not cost me anything like £400,and above all everything will fit together properly as it will be myself cutting out the many parts.

I do hope that you get your bits from Hachette to complete your model,if you need any help with anything that presents problems then the Red Baron forum remains open for everyone.

Hey Barry it's looking quite good, despite your grumbles .I've emailed Hatchette to see if I can speed up the last issues as I'm only up to 83. But I won' t hold my breath.

Bodgers unite !!!

[Guest]

Barry, the best of luck mate. scratch build a Camel ?? I wouldn't know where to start or have the patience, this Fokkers just about stretching my abilities to the limit. You wouldn't believe how many times I've nearly dropped it, and our cat knocked the tailplane onto the floor while I was waiting for the glue to dry. Thats when I found out how brittle the metal parts were !! Thats one section that will have to be covered when the time comes .

Good tips about the cockpit surround, I've also made the top fuselage decking and the lower fuselage behind the engine bulkhead with the thin wood sheets. removable of course.

Bodgers unite !!

[wonwinglo]

Trevor the complete build will be shown here as I get parts made up,the model will go to show people that with a little guidance they too can build models from scratch,there will be no complicated parts whatsoever,everything will be made from ordinary wood,metal scrap and wire,nothing high tech,these old airplanes were made just like this and were built for wartime production,watch this space !

Yes the Fokker is very brittle,only yesterday I turned mine upside down and cracked the trailing edge on my workshop chair,drat ! those metal parts are awful,even mazak/zamak stands up better,my guess is that it is just cheap metal with lots of impurities in it,the trouble is these bits come out hot from the dies and go clonk into a huge stillage,then they bend and once cool are impossible to bend without breaking up,persevere and watch out for felines,cats just love models to squash,my two Siamese love sitting in my balsa box,because the wood is so warm,they are also prone to chew balsa.

Yes that fuselage decking is well worth adding,a worthwhile enhancment.

Bodgers unite indeed !! I like it.

[Guest]

You are only up to #83? We should be that lucky, #33 has just arrived here!

[Guest]

Hi, Neville, nice to know there are at least 3 of us building this Fokker. As Barry keeps reminding us it'll test your perciverence to the limit, but dont give up. I think it was after issue 33 that it started to get more "interesting"

Don't let the Fokkers grind you down.

Bodgers unite !!