1/4 Scale Tiger Moth build, a work very much in progress

[Richard Thornton 2]

51 minutes ago, Ron Gray said:

Can’t see the folds / creases in yours Richard 😉

A detail just too far, 😏

[Richard Thornton 2]

More distractions, why is it I can always find something else to fiddle with other than attach an issue that is giving me brain ache.

They needed to be done and I guess that’s the answer to that but, I don’t know how to make the magneto switches…..

Fwd cockpit hand holds, done.

 

 

[Manish Chandrayan]

Moulded/Cast?

[Richard Thornton 2]

Also making an RAA-3 Remote Amplifying Antenna. I mention the model number as a photo online of an RAA-4 is easier to make…..typical 😩

Thats the little black box on the turtle deck.

More white writing decals required.

With regards the decal, I might try printing a black box with ‘white’ writing onto white decal paper. Hopefully this way the black prints the outline of the writing and leaves the white to show through as my printer doesn’t print white.

Any thoughts?

 

[Richard Thornton 2]

4 hours ago, Manish Chandrayan said:

Moulded/Cast?

I guess moulded. I cut out the holes in the firewall and after annealing some really thin litho plate, rubbed the area with the handle of a paintbrush until I couldn’t get it any further into the cutout. Easier than I thought. Cutting the excess off proved to be the difficult bit as the plate was so soft.

[Richard Thornton 2]

4 hours ago, Richard Thornton 2 said:

Also making an RAA-3 Remote Amplifying Antenna. I mention the model number as a photo online of an RAA-4 is easier to make…..typical 😩

Thats the little black box on the turtle deck.

More white writing decals required.

With regards the decal, I might try printing a black box with ‘white’ writing onto white decal paper. Hopefully this way the black prints the outline of the writing and leaves the white to show through as my printer doesn’t print white.

Any thoughts?

 

Another angle on the full size shows 2 things, 1/ the box isn’t flat 2/ the thing is held onto the windscreen with rubber ‘spit’ mounted suckers. I think this option is a detail to far! I couldn’t get my satnav to stick to my windscreen in my car so will use double sided tape or an M2 nut and bolt

Edited June 13, 2024 by Richard Thornton 2

[Richard Thornton 2]

More distractions but this needed to be done.

1/4 scale Gipsy Engine signage for the rear cockpit. Once I have bought the decal paper I am going to have many hours of ‘fun’ getting all these to look just right.

 

[Richard Thornton 2]

More cockpit signage.

 

I am not convinced the wording is correct on the lower label, any thoughts?

 

[RottenRow]

Richard,

 

The signage varies between different aircraft, so to be accurate you would have to look at the particular one that you are modelling.

 

From the couple of pictures I have of these signs, the top one is almost right (NO should read NOT, and the ends are more rounded). It is bare aluminium coloured.

 

The bottom one is similar; the word SECTIONS reads FACTORS, and LIMITED reads PERMITTED. Also ACROBATICS reads AEROBATICS. The SMOKING PROHIBITED wording isn't on the same sign, and all of the wording is in three lines, not four, with the breaks after LOAD and CARE. This sign is mounted directly above the compass, and is white with a thin black border around the wording.

 

Brian.

[Richard Thornton 2]

12 hours ago, RottenRow said:

Richard,

 

The signage varies between different aircraft, so to be accurate you would have to look at the particular one that you are modelling.

 

From the couple of pictures I have of these signs, the top one is almost right (NO should read NOT, and the ends are more rounded). It is bare aluminium coloured.

 

The bottom one is similar; the word SECTIONS reads FACTORS, and LIMITED reads PERMITTED. Also ACROBATICS reads AEROBATICS. The SMOKING PROHIBITED wording isn't on the same sign, and all of the wording is in three lines, not four, with the breaks after LOAD and CARE. This sign is mounted directly above the compass, and is white with a thin black border around the wording.

 

Brian.

Very many thank Brian.

I have been amazed just how different every aircraft is. Each one is fitted with various adaptations and customisations dependant on the airframe, owner and country where flown.

But that wording in paragraph 3 makes far more sense than what I have interpreted from the photos I have.

Really appreciate your help.

 

[Richard Thornton 2]

25 minutes ago, Richard Thornton 2 said:

Very many thank Brian.

I have been amazed just how different every aircraft is. Each one is fitted with various adaptations and customisations dependant on the airframe, owner and country where flown.

But that wording in paragraph 3 makes far more sense than what I have interpreted from the photos I have.

Really appreciate your help.

 

Much better and now I can see my typo too.

 

[Richard Thornton 2]

Thanks Brian.

 

This now reads better and makes far more sense.

 

This label is printed on an Avery type label and stuck to the fuselage side in both the fwd and aft cockpits on this particular aircraft.

 

I have taken loads of photos but as always, the aircraft is in full sun and the cockpits are not.

 

This airframe has an extra fuel tank located snuggly in the fwd cockpit! 😳

 

[RottenRow]

Hi Richard,

 

Yes clearly a fairly recent addition. and stuck on where a space could be found. That label can only be a couple of inches high, so at quarter scale half an inch or so. I don't think anyone will be reading it! That's assuming that it can be printed at that size.

 

Even the youngest Tiger Moths are now in their eighties, and will have seen a lot of changes over those years; probably numerous owners, several rebuilds and modifications. Some have likely been rebuilt from the remains of several others. There probably aren't two that are alike now.

 

There would have been differences from new as well, with them being built at different locations and even in different countries.

 

Brian.

 

 

[leccyflyer]

15 hours ago, Richard Thornton 2 said:

More distractions but this needed to be done.

1/4 scale Gipsy Engine signage for the rear cockpit. Once I have bought the decal paper I am going to have many hours of ‘fun’ getting all these to look just right.

 

For those sort of printed aluminium type data plates I've found the most effective way to reproduce them at small scale is to print the black onto transparent acetate overhead projector sheet with a laser print - mono is fine - and then paint the rear of the label with aluminium, brass or gold coloured paint.

[leccyflyer]

On 13/06/2024 at 13:00, Richard Thornton 2 said:

Also making an RAA-3 Remote Amplifying Antenna. I mention the model number as a photo online of an RAA-4 is easier to make…..typical 😩

Thats the little black box on the turtle deck.

More white writing decals required.

With regards the decal, I might try printing a black box with ‘white’ writing onto white decal paper. Hopefully this way the black prints the outline of the writing and leaves the white to show through as my printer doesn’t print white.

Any thoughts?

 

For home produced  white writing you can't beat the Alps thermal wax transfer printers, which will print in white or metallic colours as well as normal print. Waterslide decals printed on an Alps printer using clear paper will give a nice result.  The printers have been discontinued for some years, but there is an active self-help group and a small number of enthusiasts using the technology, especially with regards to small scale railway modelling, where the ability to print tiny 6pt white lettering is perfect for their small rolling stock.

 

There is also a very old technique using Letraset dry transfer rub-on lettering, where it is possible, using Letraset solvent, to generate coloured letters, or if you have lettering of a suitable font and style in manufacturer- supplied white letters that can be used with care.

 

https://alps.groups.io/g/ALPS/topics

 

That's the ALPS printer goup.

Edited June 17, 2024 by leccyflyer
Added URL

[Richard Thornton 2]

5 hours ago, RottenRow said:

Hi Richard,

 

Yes clearly a fairly recent addition. and stuck on where a space could be found. That label can only be a couple of inches high, so at quarter scale half an inch or so. I don't think anyone will be reading it! That's assuming that it can be printed at that size.

 

Even the youngest Tiger Moths are now in their eighties, and will have seen a lot of changes over those years; probably numerous owners, several rebuilds and modifications. Some have likely been rebuilt from the remains of several others. There probably aren't two that are alike now.

 

There would have been differences from new as well, with them being built at different locations and even in different countries.

 

Brian.

 

 

I think that everything you have said is actually what I have got out of actually modelling a specific airframe. There is the history and stories of where this aircraft flew and where it’s been on its travel. The owner told me he purchased the airframe from a gliding club in Cape Town, being used as spares to keep another Moth in the air. 

[Richard Thornton 2]

5 hours ago, leccyflyer said:

For home produced  white writing you can't beat the Alps thermal wax transfer printers, which will print in white or metallic colours as well as normal print. Waterslide decals printed on an Alps printer using clear paper will give a nice result.  The printers have been discontinued for some years, but there is an active self-help group and a small number of enthusiasts using the technology, especially with regards to small scale railway modelling, where the ability to print tiny 6pt white lettering is perfect for their small rolling stock.

 

There is also a very old technique using Letraset dry transfer rub-on lettering, where it is possible, using Letraset solvent, to generate coloured letters, or if you have lettering of a suitable font and style in manufacturer- supplied white letters that can be used with care.

 

https://alps.groups.io/g/ALPS/topics

 

That's the ALPS printer goup.

Thanks for the info there LF. More homework to do 😩

[Richard Thornton 2]

More distractions 

 

 

[Paul De Tourtoulon]

I just 'found' your build on the page with the motorbike chain and thought about the Kyosho 1/8 motorbikes, only to find that was ages ago,

and looking at your posts really lifelike what a beautiful job that you are doing on it, well done.

[Richard Thornton 2]

57 minutes ago, Paul De Tourtoulon said:

I just 'found' your build on the page with the motorbike chain and thought about the Kyosho 1/8 motorbikes, only to find that was ages ago,

and looking at your posts really lifelike what a beautiful job that you are doing on it, well done.

Many thanks, it’s coming along nicely…..finally

[Richard Thornton 2]

No Smoking sign sorted and is correct as confirmed by the Owner of the full size.

 

Printed off 3 just in case, I now have 2 spare Gipsy Major signs …

 

 

[Richard Thornton 2]

Look what arrived from Jim Reeves.!

Fantastic service as I was really struggling with cutting the 2 x parallel 2mm holes.

Jim cut a black 0.7mm front plate and a 3mm ply backing plate. He also cut a 1mm clear plate but I didn’t use that.

The levers are 2mm copper wire from standard household 240v electrical wire with the outer covers removed.

Jim has advised that he wants to add this ‘kit’ to his website.

Hope my installation does his work justice.

 

[Richard Thornton 2]

Well that’s finally the rear cockpit turtle deck, dashboard and bits done.

[Richard Thornton 2]

This Tigermoth has some unusual fittings, an RAF WW2 cockpit light, switches for wingtip flares and navigation lights and then a satnav !

 

[jim reeves]

Marvelous work and attention to detail, happy to help with the laser cutting. jim.