Issue 99-A small part plus decal set.

[wonwinglo]

Issue 99 contains a tiny part,the throttle quadrant,these have a small lever on the top which on every one I have checked is broken,the part is just too frail especially in view of the brittle material that it has been made of.

The other item is a stick on decal sheet for those intent on covering this model,otherwise it will be of little use.

The instructions continue to include awful photographs of wrinkled covering,one more issue to go and so far no mention of any form of attachment for the undercarriage struts,upper wing centre section etc,how exactly these were intended to be attached is left as a mystery ?

The general feeling is of ok,we are getting towards the end you are on your own now,sort it out yourselves ! simply appalling instructions or should I say a lack of them.

But have no fear because we at Scale-models.co.uk do not leave people high and dry,or have to make huge profits from sub standard items,instead get down to the business of proper assembly,we covered the issues of assembling the undercarriage last week un-deterred and set about putting it together,anyway it works and that is all that matters.

Next week the big front cowling to finish off the front end,when the parts arrive any problems will be addressed as usual.

[Guest]

Issue Number 100

Hi, In view of the fact that so much has yet to be covered, and only one final issue to do it in, do you think ( or perhaps know ?) if the magazine will be double the number of pages, and packed from start to finish with assembly instructions with no room for features ? Yet to be talked about :-

Wheel attachment, final rigging of aileron control wires, criss cross bracing wires between "cabine" struts and between U-carriage struts, attachment method of the struts to fuselage ( w pins ?) mounting of the engine assembly, mounting of the engine cowl, attachment of the propellor, mounting of the front fuselage metal shroud over the tank, mounting of the Spandaus, application of decals, I could keep going but it's getting a bit embarassing. ( Shame about the criss cross lattice rigging on each wing - I guess Hachette just regarded it as superfluous - They've ignored the folk who wanted to leave the airframe uncovered in favour of their red clingfilm !!) TED

[Guest]

Seatbelts

I have been reading this site for some time, following the advice. I have not built my Fokker yet as I am waiting to see all the pitfalls and extra details that those more experienced at this type of modelling get around to. One of the areas that does not appear to be in the kit which is so obvious on the photographs, is the seat belts for the pilot. Anyone got any good ideas as to the best material to easily reproduce these. What do the fastenings look like ect. I am going to build mine in the skelital form so your site has been a real bonus. Keep up the good work.

Juan

[wonwinglo]

Hello Juan,the seat belts are something that will be covered in a future special,research is currently underway as to exactly what type were used.

Possible materials could be masking tape folded upon itself,or stiffened bias binding.

[wonwinglo]

*** Could not agree more Teddy,just looking at the model and what needs to be covered by Hachette tells me that there have been too many short-cuts in the completion stage,notice how the last few issues have been padded out with superficial items and glossed over the all important bits ? this time could have been used more usefully to explain about the elusive wing and strut fixings,the latter have pips on them that bear no relation whatsoever to either the actual attachment point positions or even the way that they are fitted ?

Bearing in mind that most people will pick the model up from the centre section of the wing using the spar,means that the struts need bolting into place as done here,rather than leaving the struts hanging doing nothing whatsoever,the excuse that the interplane outboard struts hold the wings in place holds no water with me ! once again glossing over what should have been a properly explained and executed task.

I doubt whether we will get satisfactory answers to many of the issues involved with the assembly.

Very disappointed over the lack of any cross webbing material supplied,a very important feature of the skeletal model,the obsession with that red plastic carrier bag has overshadowed these points.

This model has done nothing but damage to the companys reputation,what started out as a good idea has turned very sour indeed.

Lets see exactly what has been left out with that final issue,quite right that it would take issue 100 to cover everything that has been missed out,but somehow I doubt whether that will be the case.

Hi, In view of the fact that so much has yet to be covered, and only one final issue to do it in, do you think ( or perhaps know ?) if the magazine will be double the number of pages, and packed from start to finish with assembly instructions with no room for features ? Yet to be talked about :-Wheel attachment, final rigging of aileron control wires, criss cross bracing wires between "cabine" struts and between U-carriage struts, attachment method of the struts to fuselage ( w pins ?) mounting of the engine assembly, mounting of the engine cowl, attachment of the propellor, mounting of the front fuselage metal shroud over the tank, mounting of the Spandaus, application of decals, I could keep going but it's getting a bit embarassing. ( Shame about the criss cross lattice rigging on each wing - I guess Hachette just regarded it as superfluous - They've ignored the folk who wanted to leave the airframe uncovered in favour of their red clingfilm !!) TED

[Guest]

construction instructions

Does anyone have access to or know if we could scan a set of the original Hasagawa instructions for this model. Even with the differences, I am sure Hasagawa did a more thorough job. It may help answer some of those final points re attaching struts ect.

Juan

[wonwinglo]

***Juan,the Hasegawa model was entirely different in many aspectsincluding a plastic fuselage frame,the Hachette example was 'loosely' designed around it,sadly it lost the finesse that Hasegawa gave it,everything is different in many respects and the struts have proper fixings,the biggest mistake that Hachette made was not to provide any proper drawings,after all has anyone made a model before without drawings ? starting at the tail end did not help either,the whole model was oddly configured.

The best source would be a Fokker Dr.1 scale drawing,one of the best was done by Whyham and provides excellent scale details,this was produced in book form together with lots of other world war one aeroplane drawings.

The struts are easily attached with 10 ba bolts obtainable from model shops,you can use the existing holes in both the struts and the brackets,see the respective detailed piece here on how to go about setting up the struts.

Does anyone have access to or know if we could scan a set of the original Hasagawa instructions for this model. Even with the differences, I am sure Hasagawa did a more thorough job. It may help answer some of those final points re attaching struts ect.Juan