How I Build Dioramas in 1/16th.

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Decisions and compromises..... The rad piping helps to support the upper wing to the fuselage and the skid base,this was necessary due to the soft nature of the N struts metal.Unfortunately the piping somehow got reversed and I only noticed this after gluing it in.If it wasn't for the support factor,I could just break the pipes and call it accident damage.I have two options here,redo the whole thing and take a chance of screwing it up or strategically placing some debris and hide the whole thing. I think that I will chose the latter.

Why do I bother to point these screw-ups out? because in the beginning of this thread I committed to showing this build as it really is,warts and all.

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While I am on this subject of known compromises in accuracy ,I think that this maybe a good time to talk a little about my personal priorities and model building.

My goal is not to be an expert of any kind, in any genre of modeling.I don't want to be the definitive answer on anything.If anyone is using my build as gospel please look elsewhere.Most experienced modelers already know this but for you guys starting out please check other sources of reference for detailed accuracy.What I am doing here is art and my priorities are totally different.Basically I want to tell an interesting story as accurately as I can ,but because the story is the primary point here, I take certain liberties with historical accuracy.Storyline wise my motto is "if it could have happened" go with it.Model wise if it looks like the aircraft represented at a normal viewing distance while in a glass case and helps tell the story ,then go with it too.My aircraft are basically props on a stage and not meant to be historical representations of the real thing.

Take a look at the above picture.I am sure that you will agree that it looks OK to the average viewer and is different and interesting in its presentation but lets look a little closer.In addition to the rad piping (my fault) there are other things wrong here.The wheel covers,the U/C legs and their fittings,the attachment for the lower wing,the "N" struts and their fittings and on and on it goes.

My work is meant to be entertaining for the viewer and to be educational for those who have little knowledge of this era of aviation,especially the children.Once upon a time...........

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Burn patterns

Someone always comes through for me just when I need it.I never expected pics like this.It seems that my depiction was not too far off the mark ,in fact it could probably use a little more char etc....

This pic is from an accident that happened to a Wright Flyer while it was under construction.

A big thank you to Rob Byrnes over on scalemotorcars.com for the info.

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Lower wing main spar. When assembling the lower wing be sure to locate the position of the main spar before trimming the ribs.The distance between the main spar and the front and rear spars are not accurate as shown on the drawings.

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Lower wings cont...... This is the lower R/H wing assembly.It is made up of about 150 separate wood parts that must be cut and shaped individually.It can be a long and repetitive process so that is why I recommend doing the fuselage first.Once done ,it will give you a lot more incentive to complete the wings. The lower wings have small compression struts but no internal drag and anti-drag wires.

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Flashover burn charring on the lower wing.After I get the wings completed and on the aircraft I will pick out a few spots where some wood will receive even greater damage and maybe even a grass stain or two on the surviving fabric near the wingtip.

On a personal note I want to congratulate America as a beacon of hope in this troubled world.Cheers! John. __________________