Mike Dowling

Brian, go for the Occre kit. It's great fun especially with the interior detail.

Brian, go for the Occre kit. It's great fun especially with the interior detail.

thanks gents...and thanks for the likes    get through the work week,  and I can do more.   we're in the beginnings of our first heat wave here....supposed to last through Weds or Thurs.

thanks for the likes gents      I had a chance to do some more on her today..........and I am at odds with two parts that aren't mentioned in the instructions.   I don't even see them in the diagrams.   the fun started with the forward cabin......the space for the  cabin door was notched out of the roof edge.   the top hatchway was cemented in place after it was painted.

it was topped with a small square of mahogany,  which needs to be seal coated now.   in between working on the cabin,  the starboard side deck was filled in...it wasn't too bad.......went rather well.

I cut that thin plywood with a pair of scissors....should have tried that with the bulwark panels     it was outlined with 1 mm thin mahogany,  and mahogany stain was used around the edges where the plywood still was showing.  it was cemented in place on the cabin.

deck planking continued with the port side.......getting within a plank or two from completion.

it worked out fine........planked in without much trouble.   after it was sanded,  it was given two coats of dull coat,  and then a single coat of flat lacquer.   the grungy look remained....dirtied up the king plank the way I like it      you may have seen the butt joint in the middle.......no worries,  that will be covered by the mid cabin.

the portholes were cemented into the forward cabin........I ended up with three left over.   for a chuckle,  I placed the cabins on the deck.

I tried to use the extra portholes up......I place one on the forward side of the mid cabin........

....and another on the forward cabin.   I tossed the last one,  seeing as there are no more free spaces.

here's where the mystery begins......the bow spirit sits on the left side of the bow stem.   I made up a chock for it to rest on,  as it passes over the cap rail.

on the starboard side...there is a fife rail.   I haven't seen any belaying pins in the kit {I can just grab a few from the Thermopylae}.   the yoke for the bow spirit has a slot on the starboard side fork,  in the diagrams,  but not on the part itself.   I find it odd,  because up to now,  they've been pretty good in prepping the parts.......all I've had to do is some minor sanding.   there's nothing in the kit that resembles a fife rail,  so I will have to find something suitable in my stash.
    there is another post,  that has a slot.......but is seen nowhere in the diagrams.   my guess is that it's the receiving post for the fife rail,  and it needs to be fitted against the bow stem.   I have no idea about the other part........don't see it used anywhere {I'll use it somewhere}.   so the crank handle was cemented on the sail winch.......I still need to make the horse.   I need to paint the rest of the six posts that line the deck {both sides}....and I tapered and assembled the bow spirit and yoke.......painting it as well.

I'll likely have more pictures,  after I do the dishes........I'll post 'em as I get 'em   
 
thanks for look'in in     

thanks OC  
 
I fixed it Mike........laid another layer over it.  it doesn't look too bad now      I though it would,  but one never know until one tries.
 
I've been lax in thanking all who've hit the like button.....sorry   

I would stick a covering on the 'clipped' roof in fact I would plank it then plank the other one as well. You will never know the difference.

What's happened to your paddle steamer ?

And finally, finally, I didn't like the stand much. It was too low and so now we have the dogfight from the ceiling !!
 
 

Well folks, another project bites the dust ! The Fokker is complete except for the stand. I am waiting for some acrylic glue to make it up with unless I decide to fly it from the ceiling as planned alongside the Sopwith.
 
Thank you all for watching, showing interest and all your comments. They make the build more fun for me.
 
Anyway, some pictures for you which hopefully you will enjoy.
 

The top wing is installed - what a fight that was trying to line up with the spars and glue them - it is covered, rigged and painted.
 
Next step is the undercarriage

There has been a slight problem with the kit. The cowl that goes over the fuel tank etc sits a wee bit too high at the back. It fits fine at the front and I notice on the instructions photographs that the discrepancy is there as well so it's not my fault. As a result the machine guns also sit about 3mm too high so I have had to modify their mounts somewhat. It's taken me ages but I think they look ok now and won't look too noticeable. I should say that the guns themselves were an absolute beast to make up. Rolling brass is great fun and those cross hairs are so tiny they would break in a breath.
 
 
 
 

Well so much for my covering skills ! The next stage as far as I was concerned was to cover the tissue with dope and then paint it. Bad mistake.
 
I am sure that is how I did it when I was making flyable planes in my youth. Anyway I had to rip it off and do it again hence the delay in a post.
 
The way to do it is as follows. Cover the wing with tissue as tight as possible without tearing it. Wait for it to dry. Then paint it gently with dilute PVA. That makes it go all soggy and look dreadful but, when it dries you have a lovely tight smooth finish. Then apply two coats of dope/laquer and then paint it with the required colour.
 
So, my third attempt looks like this and at last I can start putting bits together.
 
 

Two wings !!
 
 

Apart from relocating the fuel tank in the correct position (!!!!) 
 
the bottom wing is done unless of course I decide to cover half of it.
 

The magazines for the guns, the oil and fuel tanks are installed. The fuel tank was huge struggle as in order to fit it I had to file away quite two quite big areas on the underside to accommodate the legs on the firewall mount. I got there in the end. The firewall is held on by four 0.5mm bolts theoretically with nuts on. There is no way on this planet I could get the nuts on so I just had to cheat and glue them. They would be very hard to see anyway.
 
Basically the fuselage is now done except for 'wood' panels to go on the sides - they are made of metal but have to be disguised as wood. This depends on whether I cover half or not which is where I need your help viewers !
 
Otherwise the next stage is to start on the lower wing. 

All the cockpit instruments are now installed. I took the precaution of laying in the cables before putting the seat in and am glad of it. I don't think I could have threaded them through some of the tiny holes afterwards.
 
Next step is to install all the cross brace tensioning cables and there are quite a few!!
 
 

Thanks for sharing. Great build log. Enjoyed it very much.

Love it !

And finally, finally, I didn't like the stand much. It was too low and so now we have the dogfight from the ceiling !!
 
 

And finally ...........
 
on it's provided stand and appropriately, under the Sopwith Camel !!
 
(I still might fly it from the ceiling.)
 
 

Well folks, another project bites the dust ! The Fokker is complete except for the stand. I am waiting for some acrylic glue to make it up with unless I decide to fly it from the ceiling as planned alongside the Sopwith.
 
Thank you all for watching, showing interest and all your comments. They make the build more fun for me.
 
Anyway, some pictures for you which hopefully you will enjoy.
 

Yes Danny, too late for holes.
As you can see I did decide on the half cover option in the end, as much as anything to keep the theme Mark.
 
 

Some advice please viewers.
 
The undercarriage on this plane was formed like a forth wing. On the model it is made of ribs like a wing and thin covered with very thin sheet metal.
 
In view of the fact that I am half covering this model should I have cover this as well or do it all as per the pictures on the box ?
 
 

The top wing is installed - what a fight that was trying to line up with the spars and glue them - it is covered, rigged and painted.
 
Next step is the undercarriage

Upper wing ready to go on.