wonwinglo

Grahame,I was just thinking how similar she looks to the Elf in the view here from the rear ! not generally realised is that the S.E.5A had a great influence on designs even years afterwards,as Richard says it is a replica in miniature,having been involved in building full sized and scale models there is no doubt that models are the most difficult working to the smaller scales we use.
By the way congratulations on your retirement from teaching,you are certainly enjoying it and putting your time to good use.
It is also surprising when you have continuity with a project how well things take shape,how did you find time to do full time work ?!!

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'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/

Greyhead

Having added a few more 1/64th ply biscuits the framework was a lot stiffer, however I still wasn’t happy about the strength at the “break” line so I removed the cross braces and epoxied some carbon fibre tows over the joint.



Now that’s a lot stronger!



This raises the question why didn’t I do this in the first place? I go on at length about the virtues of carbon fibre tows and then I fail to spot this obvious application; must be something to do with age!

wonwinglo

Lots of extra strength with little weight increase,excellent tip.

Greyhead

In my opinion it’s never too soon to start on the instrument panel; they’re a mini project in their own right and whilst enjoyable to do it can be a bit frustrating because the model doesn’t seem to “grow” during the time spent on them, so I like to intersperse the work with the main build so keeping the interest going.

Here’s a photo to show what we’re aiming for, it seems a bit daunting but the idea is to concentrate on an instrument at a time.



I’ve made a start; that’s the easy bit!



This will be the final position.



It’s always useful to check that “Pete” will fit!

wonwinglo

Thats some office Grahame,and one that Pete will be quite at home in,for a WW1 panel it is fairly complex and there is a most un-usual feature that I wonder if many have spotted ? the fact that the instrument panel slopes,this is unusual in that most gyro instruments function best in the upright position,but the proof is there as the panel certainly has a slant to it,perhaps this could be something to do with the flying attitude of the aircraft in flight,who knows ?
The panel and cockpit itself is a model in its own rights and just know that you will do full justice to this important feature.
There are some un-usual features there including the advance and retard lever.
Best of luck with the instruments,they should present a real challenge to ingenuity and application.

__________________
'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/

Greyhead

Starting work on the instrument panel, which has several small pieces of ply and balsa, has reminded me to mention a very useful addition to the workshop.

Like everybody, I suspect, I have a draw (in fact 2 draws) full of “useful” sized off cuts but I also have this old ice-cream container into which I put any small off cuts.

Believe me, there will come a time when you need a piece of 1/16th balsa about 1” x 1” and all you’ll have is a 36” x 4” plank that you bought especially to sheet the leading edge, then you’ll wish you’d not put those little pieces in the bin.

Bluewavestudios

Yep Grahame,
I will certainly agree with you on that last tip, you never know when those little offcuts will serve a purpose and better to use them rather than waste a whole sheet of new wood. I have a tub full of offcuts too !!!

As for your comments on glueing spruce wood, I have to agree with you there, possibly the longer drying time is due to the wood being more dense (very closed grain) and the glue not soaking into the wood in the same way compared to say balsa or ply due to closed grain....Spruce tends to have a smoother surface compared to the other woods....even when you try to rough it up a bit for a keying surface for the glue.

And as for the Model, Congratulations, she is really coming along nicely now and really starting to take shape....a real pleasure too look at.

Regards......Mark.

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I'm Only Here Coz I'm Not All There !!!

wonwinglo

Saving wood offcuts has been a weakness of mine for years,they do take up a lot of room so what I have found useful is one of those wheelie bins which lives outside,any potentially useful timber whether it is ply,balsa etc goes into the WB,however it is best to set a criteria on what you consider to be a useful size of offcut,otherwise it does tend to build up !
In case anyone is having doubts about how dry the wood keeps,no problems as those swing over lids seal well.

__________________
'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/

Phoenix

in the photo of the instrument panel there is 2 half circular bits cut out of the little storage box thing ( dont know its name)

are you gonna sdo that to the models panel aswell?

Greyhead

Iain

Yes that’s done now; the photo was taken at an early stage. The “storage box thing” holds a spare magazine for the Lewis gun, there’s another one on the cockpit floor between the pilots legs. Sounds a bit dodgy to me!!

After adding extra balsa to the back of the panel the support bracket has been removed and replaced by 2 made from litho plate.

These things do have a tendency to “develop” as they go along.

Grahame