Long Distance Flights Cook-Up

[Mark Braunlich]

The four Fairey IIIDs used in the long distance Cairo to Cape then back to Cairo flight made the epic journey with wheel undercarriages.  Upon their return to Heliopolis (Cairo) aerodrome, they were fitted with floats and then continued on their way to the UK via Italy and France.  The float version is what I'm modelling, obviously, and that's based on the scale drawing I used from a 1965 issue of Model Aircraft.   The drawing shows the wingtip floats and the tail float with distinctive black and white dot markings but I'd never seen a photograph showing those float markings.....until today!  

This postcard showed up for sale on ebay.  Not a clear photo but it confirms the black and white dot markings on the tip and tail floats.  Location of the photo is Lee-on-Solent, the terminus of the flight.  This is a Great Day!

Mark

[Balsabasher]

How interesting Mark,I know what it feels like to confirm something like this,incredible what turns up on E-Bay.
Barry.

[Mark Braunlich]

Still moving along, albeit at a snail's pace.  Here's the current state of the upper wing, all the paper ribs having been rubbed down to thin them and two coats of non-filling primer sanded.  The usual filling primers would almost eliminate the ribs.  The aileron and flap demarcations have also been re-scribed.  The prominent aileron and flap control horns are filed from brass.   There are no ribs on the underside of the undercambered wing.  Looking at photographs of the IIID survivor in Portugal, I decided any underside ribbing would not really be visible at this (1:72) scale so have left it out.

Mark

[Balsabasher]

Mark your wing is looking really realistic and I like those brass aileron horns as well.
Barry.

[lastvautour]

Very nice work.

Lou

[Mark Braunlich]

The engine for my Fairey IIID has been some difficulty.  Some years ago, when Aeroclub were still going, I ordered their Napier Lion white metal castings for this model.  When they arrived, I was really happy with the castings until I offered them up to the model.   Something was clearly amis.  Now I was aware that the P. G. Cooksley drawing of the Fairey IIID has its fair share of errors but I was shocked to find the supposedly 1:72 scale Aeroclub parts only about 75% of the size of the engine as drawn on the Cooksley drawing which was also supposedly 1:72 scale.   Which was correct?   As the years passed, and this project languished, I started researching the Napier Lions, yes Lions, because there are quite a few variants.  Specifically I was interested in the Lion V which powered Fairey IIIDs in the S1074-1108 serials batch.   Well, I never did find drawings of the Lion V but I did find drawings of the Lion II which powered earlier Fairey IIIDs.   In photos, one can't really tell one from the other when mounted in the airplane so I made my own engine 3-view to 1:72 scale.  It appears the actual size of a 1:72 Lion is somewhere in between the Aeroclub castings and the Cooksley drawing.  So, I will shortly be making my own little Napier Lion V with the help of Mr. Doylend's book.

[Mark Braunlich]

The Napier Lion really is a lovely engine to look at.  One of the reasons I wanted to build the IIID is because I like the Lion and much of it is uncovered in this airplane.

Mark

[Mothman]

Ho!  that takes me back. I did a model of Miss Britain III, the record breaking speedboat and that had a Napier Lion in it, fully wired and plumbed in 1/12th scale and hooked up to a marine Vee drive gearbox.
Lovely looking engine.

Martin

[Mark Braunlich]

The 1/72 Napier Lion begins to take shape.  First photo shows crankcase shaped from a strip of 1/4" square pine.  The shaping done with a vintage Hook Scraper (brand).  The second photo shows the twelve cylinders attached made from ø2mm dowel.  It's resting on an American penny.

[Balsabasher]

There is something very satisfying about building your very own engine replicas,as the tiny parts go together the desire to complete the engine moves you into action,this is a good example of the aircrafts essential character due to its engine detail,well done Mark and I look forward to seeing the end result.
Barry.

[cliff strachan]

A very nice engine, Mark. And being so small I can well appreciate the work involved.
Cliff.

[lastvautour]

Interesting cylinder set up. I have never seen that before but the complexity is amazing. I shy away from the older aircraft as making those inline engines are still a bit of a mystery to me. I look forward to the finished model.

Lou

[Mark Braunlich]

Found these pics recently on the web....a chap in the UK restoring a Lion V to running condition.  I truely admire people who take on a task like this one.  Anyway, I just love these engines.  My 1/72 engine will be a very much simplified representation but it would be nice to build a larger one as Martin has done.
Mark

[cliff strachan]

Mark, the pictures are certainly handy if not an essential requirement when trying to make engines. But I also believe that a certain degree of rationalization or simplification from reality is also a requirement and an area in Solid Scale that has an advantage.
Cliff.

[Balsabasher]

Mark I was going to mention this restored engine,you will be amazed to know that the original carburettor was missing so what does he do ? well cast his own and make the parts to fit it ! after months of adjustments the engine is now running smoothly,apprently it sounds magnificent.
Barry.