Pup Cam Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 As a couple of forumites have mentioned my Triplane I thought I would give you a bit of background and post some photographs of it's progress as it edges it's way towards joining in the fun of Dawn Patrol flying. As I mentioned in my introductory thread, I won't do a full blown build thread here as I have a well established one elsewhere and I haven't got the stamina to do it all again! But a bit of background; it started a long, long time ago (2008 IIRC) as a Belair 1/3 Semi kit. This is the Mike Booth 1/4 scale plan photographically blown up and parts cut from those enlarged drawings. Basically you got all of the ribs and riblets (there is a lot of them!), strut blanks, firewall, formers, side cheek and top decking formers and fin, rudder, tailplane and elevator cores and I think that was about it. As normal with semi kits you have to provide all the other materials yourself. In the end I used the ribs, riblets, strut blanks, firewall and main formers and discard the remainder (for a variety of reasons). I chose to use Cyparis for the longerons and wing spars and (because I'm very silly) I routed out things like the spars as per the full size for inner beauty - any weight saving is negligible! Oh yes, just in case it comes out over 20kg I registered it in the LMA's Over 20kg scheme although hopefully it will be lighter than that and so the paperwork won't be required. Shortly after acquiring the kit I got hold of a set of drawings for the full size - utterly fascinating but oh so dangerous to progress! As a consequence, much of the aeroplane has been re-engineered to make it a more accurate representation of the type and I think it is true to say that it's really a scratch build although I got some chap with a laser cutter to cut out the wing ribs. I have attempted to follow the full size approach (just seems to turn out better that way) and consequently I have designed and made a lot of metalwork to hold it all together. Generally this is in the style of the original but adapted to suit the non-scale basic design and materials. Anyway, kit or scratch build - you decide! When it's finished it will be powered by a Zenoah 62 with a Mick Reeves Torque Master reduction drive and will be finished in the colours of "Blymp", the mount of leading Australian Ace Captain Bob Little of RNAS 8 Squadron. I'll be back just as soon as I find out how to upload images here! Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pup Cam Posted June 20, 2014 Author Share Posted June 20, 2014 Edited By Pup Cam on 20/06/2014 21:20:04 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 A master at work. Absolutely stunning build of a really iconic plane, it's going to be brilliant, without a doubt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiltshire Flyer Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Omg!!!! Perfection 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pup Cam Posted June 21, 2014 Author Share Posted June 21, 2014 Thank you for the comments So, onto the wings and their transportation... Spars! Tail end next ..... Alan Edited By Pup Cam on 21/06/2014 12:53:45 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefan Hafner Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 This looks superb, will be watching with interest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pup Cam Posted June 21, 2014 Author Share Posted June 21, 2014 As mentioned previously, I didn't bother with the cores for the tail component and instead went for a "true scale" construction so, for example the fin and rudder are fabricated form metal tube (in this case aluminium rather than the steel of the full size. I did wonder how to make the tailplane incidence adjustment mechanism functional but in the end decided to go for a cosmetic version. On the original, the cylinderical aluminium device in front of the fuselage stern post is essentially a screw jack that adjusts the height of the tailplane trailing edge and thus the incidence. The screw jack is operated via a hand wheel in the cockpit rotating the jack via a looped cable. The really clever bit on the full size is the way the bracing wires attach to mountings that are free to slide up and down vertically and thus maintain the correct tension irrespective of the angle at which the tailplane is set. The tailplane itself comprises a routed spar with thin cap strips for ribs, again, as per the original. The tailplane incidence on the model can be adjusted, hence the front mountings are pivoted, but this has to be done with the bracing wires slackened off and then re-tightening once the incidence has been set. Alan Edited By Pup Cam on 21/06/2014 14:42:44 Edited By Pup Cam on 21/06/2014 14:50:04 Edited By Pup Cam on 21/06/2014 14:50:51 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pup Cam Posted June 21, 2014 Author Share Posted June 21, 2014 And so to the extensive collection of metalwork. The general principle has been to do a scale drawing of each component from the full size drawing and then adjust to suit the scale inaccuracies in the original model. The drawings are done in PowerPoint which enables good drawings of adequate accuracy to be done quickly. The drawing is printed out full size and then stuck to 20swg mild steel sheet with spray mount. Any holes are drilled before cutting the component out using a fret saw with a 32 tpi metal cutting blade. Actually, that should read blades - I'm nearly at the end of my pack of 100 and will need to more soon no doubt! The following photographs show an assortment of the metalwork which is cut and formed using only simple tools like the saw, files, small vice, hammer etc even though some are quite intricate. The photos show an example sequence of making one of the wing mounting brackets - all relatively simple stuff, some just need a bit of thought when forming so that you can always hold the item whilst forming the required bends. Generally, the steelwork is finished with Satin black Hammerite spray paint from Halfords. I have a love/hate relationship with this paint; when it's done it forms a hard, tough, smooth coating which is just the job but you have to put it on with numerous very thin coats and it takes an age to dry and even longer to harden. Edited By Pup Cam on 21/06/2014 16:43:24 Edited By Pup Cam on 21/06/2014 16:45:22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 Amazing workmanship. I used Smoothrite on a black Norton Featherbed frame a while ago and found out how tricky it can be, not always straightforward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pup Cam Posted September 19, 2014 Author Share Posted September 19, 2014 Bit of an update, all a bit random I'm afraid! I've sorted out the ties across the undercarriage spreader bar with some Bowden cable, aluminum ferrules and a turnbuckle. Next I've finished off the rear elevator fairleads and installed them, made the fairleads that take the elevator cables under the pilots seat and forward. On the real thing, they would of course be connected to the stick, in my case they go to the two elevator servos. Talking of which, these are mounted, along with the rudder servo, on a folded steel frame which then bolts to the rear of the firewall. I've made a functional replacement rudder bar which will be used as the crank for the rudder and tail skid wires. This will be operated by a short push rod to the rudder servo. I've done the padded coaming around the cockpit opening on the top decking. I've secured the centre interplane struts with wooden blocks and aluminum plates as per the fullsize and I've overed the taiplane and one of the elevators (must do the other one!). I've made a start on the dummy le Clerget (if only I could have a working 1/3 scale le Clerget, how fantastic would that be!) It's had a couple of outings to the Shuttleworth Collection with the DP gang this year and taken the opportunity to sidle up to the Collections Camel. Well, it would have been rude to miss the opportunity and it will be at the LMA Gaydon show at the end of October if you are going. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pup Cam Posted September 19, 2014 Author Share Posted September 19, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pup Cam Posted September 20, 2014 Author Share Posted September 20, 2014 Hot off the press ..... I've made some progress with the dummy le Clerget today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 A lot of impressive work there Alan, love the metalworking John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pup Cam Posted November 30, 2014 Author Share Posted November 30, 2014 A bit of an update on slow but steady Tipehound progress. It now has the full complement of fairleads to take the control wires under the seat. The functional rudder bar is complete (although the top bearing for the pivot has still to be fitted) It enjoyed a couple of trips to OW and Gaydon this year. Here it is in the mist at OW in October. And, following inspection by my LMA inspector, the fuselage covering has commenced This includes functional stitching to the rear lacing plates and also functional rib stitching on the tailplane It might get finished one day - hopefully! Alan Edited By Pup Cam on 30/11/2014 17:29:50 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 Utterly convincing , you must be utterly chuffed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hopkin Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 Oh c'mon, fess up you've nicked real one and dismantled it for the photos haven't you...... Gobsmacked at the workmanship Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pup Cam Posted November 30, 2014 Author Share Posted November 30, 2014 Thanks Not actually nicked the real one but I have to admit I've taken advantage of the fact that the real one is indisposed at the moment and taken a really good look at it! The structure looks so familiar, just a little bit bigger. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 As Craig Revel Horwood would say... FAB.....U.......LOUS..........10! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Shailer Posted November 30, 2014 Share Posted November 30, 2014 Stunning Alan, stunning. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pup Cam Posted May 1, 2016 Author Share Posted May 1, 2016 I was just checking out Jez's progress with his lovely Tiger Moth on here and I realised that it's been over a year since I updated my thread. Unfortunately I can't match Jez and his lightning build speed but some progress has been made nevertheless! The detail work on the ailerons (all six of them!) is underway made the brackets and mounted the throttle and choke servos and I've made the cowling side and top panels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pup Cam Posted May 1, 2016 Author Share Posted May 1, 2016 ..... but mostly I have been scratch building the Vickers machine gun. The barrel jacket has been formed from litho plate with some simple wire jigs using my bench drill as a press and the breech from thin nickle silver sheet Finished off with ali turnings, more bits of abused litho plate, brass and ali sheet and a load of pin heads Edited By Pup Cam on 01/05/2016 22:51:03 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pup Cam Posted May 1, 2016 Author Share Posted May 1, 2016 All glued together it sort of looks a bit like the original and I've even turned up a few rounds to go in the belt Here it is installed with the (top bit of the) ammo box in the aeroplane Still a long way to go! Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetenor Posted May 1, 2016 Share Posted May 1, 2016 Bl==dy brilliant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted May 2, 2016 Share Posted May 2, 2016 Looks ace, absolutely spot on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetenor Posted May 2, 2016 Share Posted May 2, 2016 Incredible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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