Float Planes

[gera]

A cook up dedicated to Float planes.

[cliff strachan]

Hi Gera,

That's probably a good idea. But mostly from the standpoint that, I think, most of the old Canadian Bush aircraft, while important in their own right from a historical perspective, are uniquely amenable to Solid Scale. The mass manufacturing alternative has not yet provided "off-the-shelf" kits.

However, as I'm currently attempting my first such aircraft - the Vickers Vedette as part of the Flying Boat cookup - I would caution anyone from jumping into this too quickly. There sure are a lot of unforeseen difficulties with a biplane.

Cliff

[gera]

Hi Gera,

That's probably a good idea. But mostly from the standpoint that, I think, most of the old Canadian Bush aircraft, while important in their own right from a historical perspective, are uniquely amenable to Solid Scale. The mass manufacturing alternative has not yet provided "off-the-shelf" kits.

However, as I'm currently attempting my first such aircraft - the Vickers Vedette as part of the Flying Boat cookup - I would caution anyone from jumping into this too quickly. There sure are a lot of unforeseen difficulties with a biplane.

Cliff

Hi Cliff....
I have a Fokker Super Universal ready to go....used in the 30´s all over Canada.
The Vickers Vedette is a very nice plane and you should have no trouble with it being a biplane....There are many "tricks" used in making these double wings fying machines....if you know how to make and use a "jig" for placing the upper wing correctly its like building any other model, it just takes a little more time....
Oh!!!! I would never touch any present "kit"......just good old solid wood or a composed model with all
interiors would also be nice in a large scale.

Gera

[cliff strachan]

Hi Gera,
You might be interested to know that the Canadian Aviation Historical Society has some very good 3views of both the Super Universal and the Foker Universal. I've got a copy of both which if you like I will try to send you a copy. The  Super Universal, apart from playing an important part in early Canadian Bush operations, northern exploration, development and rescue, was operational for a while in Alaska. One such Super was featured in a 30's National Geographic and that same aircraft has been restored. It has even been flown around the US and Canada a couple of years ago and is now on display at the Western Canada Aviation Museum here in Winnipeg. I've got a few photos of that aircraft in anticipation of someday making a model.

While we're on the topic and relative to future cookups, perhaps some thought might be given to addressing a "subject" as a cook up. A whole field might be chosen such as historic flights or early racers or Atlantic crossings. The idea needs work but it might be attractive.

Cliff

[gera]

Hi Cliff.....
I have very good plans of the Fokker and once in a while I work on the radial engine of the "someday model", which is the "star" of the plane.....it looks so powerful even if it was not. If you can just add a .jpg in an e-mail of the 3 views I sure would appreciated.

Cookups are very common in clubs....in an Italian club I belong, they are called " Campaigns" and there is one or two going on all year. They are placed in for a vote and the winner topic goes. They are like you say, representative of a Historical period. In 2007 we had, "The Russian Theater during WW2" ,"Operation Husky", "The early Jets-1948 1959", and "Italian Naval Aircraft during WW2".  You can get in or not and at the end some one wins  1, 2, and third post--mostly just recognition. Al participants do get a " nastrino"--a patch representative of the campaign which is placed by the administrator of the forum by their Avatar..I join most of them and its a way of getting models done, lots of fun and discussion during the whole time of the event. They do mean a lot of time and work. Somehow I never have enough models.

[cliff strachan]

Hi Gera,

I'll try to email the 3views as soon as possible. It may take a couple of days or so as I don't have my very own computer.

That's an interesting club you belong to. Perhaps we can also consider some form of what they are presenting for cook-ups.
Cliff.

[lastvautour]

Gera, what is the site address for your Italian club.

Lou

[gera]

Gera, what is the site address for your Italian club.

Lou

http://www.modellismopiu.it

This is the largest "all country club", so many cities have their little group, I belong to the Rome and Milano groups. As you will notice its mainly formed by " 3D plastic puzzle with instructions assemblers" but there are some scratchbuilders working with wood, plaster and metal. Some of the metal projects are impressive, specially one who makes "WW2 cannons". Most guys are really nice and I have been lucky to meet many of them from all over Italy. We kid a lot and I specially like to "pound" on the communists....hahahahahahah, as you know there are many in Italy. hahahahahahahah.

[cliff strachan]

Hi Again Gera,

I've posted two sets of 3views of both the Fokker Universal and the Fokker Super Universal in the "members submitted plans" section. As the originals were too large to scan all in one piece they require that they be downloaded and then put together again. I don't think that will present that much of a problem. But regrettably, one file wrongly identifies a Universal version as the Super version. I don't know how I can delete that file.

Cliff.

[Oceaneer99]

Cliff,

Thanks for the plans.  I deleted the misidentified one.  There is a button over the photo that looks like a text bubble from a comic strip.  It is the "report this file to the administrator", and it sends a link plus your comment to the administrators, so that is one way to report a file that needs to be moved, renamed, or deleted.  I think it was Marshall who discovered this button.

Garet

[gera]

Hi Again Gera,

I've posted two sets of 3views of both the Fokker Universal and the Fokker Super Universal in the "members submitted plans" section. As the originals were too large to scan all in one piece they require that they be downloaded and then put together again. I don't think that will present that much of a problem. But regrettably, one file wrongly identifies a Universal version as the Super version. I don't know how I can delete that file.

Cliff.

Hi Cliff........
Thank you buddy....nice plans for a very nice and easy model. What would outshine the whole model is the big radial..... Also saw photos of your present flying boat, looks like its comming out very nice--quite an original model.

[R.F.Bennett]

A cook-up has been nominated and approved (It only takes two builders) and they never end. Sorry it took so long. . . Let the chips fly Gents 

[lastvautour]

Float planes? TBA

Lou

[Balsabasher]

These really are great subjects for solid models despite their complexities and I notice from above the difficulty that some people have in aligning up wings,especially those with multi strutting and engines hung in between wings etc,can I suggest that the only real way to accomplish the rigging of such items to to build a temporary 'scaffold' around the model,ie wing sits onto a temporary cradle,engines fit into temporarey discs made from card/balsa,decalarge is pre set before committing to adhesives,stagger of the wing is set in card holders that slide over the aerofoil etc,in other words once glued into place the scaffold is torn down from the model leaving everything set up and in place,you can make the scaffold's in stages adding different sections at a time.
You will be surprised how much easier the assembly work becomes utilising such a system,models of the Sikorsky S-36 and S-38 types then become feasible subjects,pre planning and jigging is the answer to such complex models.
Barry.

[Peter]

I've always wanted to build a Grunman Goose and paint it like the one from the short lived TV series Tales of the Gold Monkey. Is the there a 3vu of the Goose anywhere?

Peter