davec

Let’s move on to the internal structures and fans. The deck is slowly filling up.
 

 
One thing bothered me. Two box-shaped structures were squeezed between the two main houses.
 

 
Seems completely illogical to me and cannot be seen on many models, including those from museums. And that’s why I don’t use it, the corridor remains open.
 

 
Especially since a small platform can be seen on both deckhouses. Probably to get to the funnels.
That’s why I won’t install the boxes, but will attach a ladder and a railing here.
 

 
I further refined the superstructure that accommodates the rescue cutter.
 

 
The doors are from the MK1 set, the railings are from the model’s original etched parts set.
 

 
And the ladders come from the leftover box.
 

 
I’m starting to like it that way
 

Then we want to follow our words with actions and continue building.
Let’s get to the internal structures.
All relatively simple, geometric structures. Neatly sanded and primed.
 

 
Added a few doors and hatches to make the monotonous surface more interesting.
However, I am entering into an area of historically unprovable assumptions. Only the pictures of the museum ship show the inner deck of the Mikasa. But that certainly doesn’t have much to do with the original ship.
So I allow myself some artistic freedom here, such as the railing, which is only placed here for customization. It is not documented historically. But it made sense to me, as you could get to the platform at the chimney via the gallery.
And a ladder should also be attached to the component, otherwise how would you get up to the front gallery!?
And that’s how this came about.
 

 
We continue with the first 32-foot rescue cutter. A dream detail.
However, there is a small problem with the cradles. They are usually not in the places where they come onto the superstructure. That’s why you can see an unsightly gap between the cradle and the cutter, see arrow.
 

 
Nothing that couldn’t be corrected with thin Styrene strips.
 

 
Now the boat is lying neatly in its cradles again.
 

 
And so the inner deck is slowly taking shape.
 

I picked this up again.  I've redone the frames and started planking.  I had some visible glue spots, but they seem to sand away with 320 paper, so I think this will come out ok with a clear finish instead of paint. 
 

Somewhere along the way I must have done something a little off because the sheer plank was about 1 mm short.  No pictures yet, but I debonded the too short planks and cut slightly longer ones.  Will post some more pictures once I bend and install the new planks.

Thanks for the thoughts about Roden.  Not sure my pile of wingnuts kits will ever be finished, but if I ever work through them, I will try one.  My dad's stash had a lot of Roden models, but keeping the wingnuts ones alone gave me as many WW1 planes as I will have time to build. I'm looking forward to seeing your progress.  Looks like your model is coming along great!!

Thanks for the thoughts about Roden.  Not sure my pile of wingnuts kits will ever be finished, but if I ever work through them, I will try one.  My dad's stash had a lot of Roden models, but keeping the wingnuts ones alone gave me as many WW1 planes as I will have time to build. I'm looking forward to seeing your progress.  Looks like your model is coming along great!!

Thanks for the thoughts about Roden.  Not sure my pile of wingnuts kits will ever be finished, but if I ever work through them, I will try one.  My dad's stash had a lot of Roden models, but keeping the wingnuts ones alone gave me as many WW1 planes as I will have time to build. I'm looking forward to seeing your progress.  Looks like your model is coming along great!!

Thanks for the thoughts about Roden.  Not sure my pile of wingnuts kits will ever be finished, but if I ever work through them, I will try one.  My dad's stash had a lot of Roden models, but keeping the wingnuts ones alone gave me as many WW1 planes as I will have time to build. I'm looking forward to seeing your progress.  Looks like your model is coming along great!!

Looks awesome!  I especially like the planes and figures.

Thanks for the thoughts about Roden.  Not sure my pile of wingnuts kits will ever be finished, but if I ever work through them, I will try one.  My dad's stash had a lot of Roden models, but keeping the wingnuts ones alone gave me as many WW1 planes as I will have time to build. I'm looking forward to seeing your progress.  Looks like your model is coming along great!!

Thanks for the thoughts about Roden.  Not sure my pile of wingnuts kits will ever be finished, but if I ever work through them, I will try one.  My dad's stash had a lot of Roden models, but keeping the wingnuts ones alone gave me as many WW1 planes as I will have time to build. I'm looking forward to seeing your progress.  Looks like your model is coming along great!!

Looks awesome!  I especially like the planes and figures.

I've assembled as far as the end of step 1 and put together the HGW seatbelts. Four belts without any of the tiny photoetch parts shooting across the workshop, which is a victory for me.  

Thanks for the thoughts about Roden.  Not sure my pile of wingnuts kits will ever be finished, but if I ever work through them, I will try one.  My dad's stash had a lot of Roden models, but keeping the wingnuts ones alone gave me as many WW1 planes as I will have time to build. I'm looking forward to seeing your progress.  Looks like your model is coming along great!!

Looks awesome!  I especially like the planes and figures.

I've assembled as far as the end of step 1 and put together the HGW seatbelts. Four belts without any of the tiny photoetch parts shooting across the workshop, which is a victory for me.  

I've assembled as far as the end of step 1 and put together the HGW seatbelts. Four belts without any of the tiny photoetch parts shooting across the workshop, which is a victory for me.  

I've assembled as far as the end of step 1 and put together the HGW seatbelts. Four belts without any of the tiny photoetch parts shooting across the workshop, which is a victory for me.  

I've assembled as far as the end of step 1 and put together the HGW seatbelts. Four belts without any of the tiny photoetch parts shooting across the workshop, which is a victory for me.  

I've assembled as far as the end of step 1 and put together the HGW seatbelts. Four belts without any of the tiny photoetch parts shooting across the workshop, which is a victory for me.  

I've been working a few minutes a day on the model, but it has taken a while to get to the point where there was anything worth sharing.  As with most WNW kits, a huge amount of work is on the interior.  I had thought this would go faster because there was a lot less wood graining, but there is still a lot going on inside.  I've just finished decals, so there is a lot of gloss that will need a coat of clear flat. Even though this is one of the more recent WNW kits, I've found it slower going.  A few of the delicate parts were broken on the sprue and needed repair.  Color call outs in the instructions are less detailed.  Not sure if their research and instruction was declining as they were getting closer to closing or if there just wasn't as much information.  I think there is only one surviving plane.  A lot of the decal information is on the painting and rigging diagram.  If I hadn't looked ahead, I would have missed a lot of the lozenge decals in the cockpit, which would have been a lot harder to place once the cockpit was assembled.

I did some work on the engine.  Biggest step forward for me was coming up with a way that works for me to wire the engine.  I had previously used EZ line, which I used on the distributor.  I have found this really hard to work with - it is so thin and soft that my fine forceps don't grasp it, and it takes a while for superglue to dry on it, so usually I made a mess.  I ordered some .2 mm lead wire and used it between the spark plugs and the pipe the wires run through.  It worked great.  I did not show the other side, which was my first attempt and where the wires are too long, the bends too sharp, and there is some visible glue.  This side I got the length right and bends that look realistic.  I found the wire much easier to work with than EZ line and I think looks a lot better.  The manifold hides a lot of the wires, but the first and third are pretty easy to see.  The engine will mostly be covered by the cowl panels, but this was a good learning experience and a path forward for my next plane with a more visible engine.

 
Anyone planning on building the D scheme (Mike) or any of the other variants with the D.IIIa engine should be aware that there is an error in the instructions that is not in the errata on the WNW website.  The kit contains parts for Mercedes D.III and D.IIIa engines.  The main difference between the variants is the right side of the cylinders.  The D.III engine uses parts E2 and E16.  The D.IIIa engine uses parts E25 and E16.  Unfortunately, the instructions for the D.IIIa has a picture of E25, but it is labeled E2.  I did not catch until long after the wrong part was glued in place.  Not an issue as I plan to build with the cowl covers in place, but it would be a problem if I wanted to leave the engine uncovered.
 

I've assembled as far as the end of step 1 and put together the HGW seatbelts. Four belts without any of the tiny photoetch parts shooting across the workshop, which is a victory for me.  

I've assembled as far as the end of step 1 and put together the HGW seatbelts. Four belts without any of the tiny photoetch parts shooting across the workshop, which is a victory for me.  

I picked this up again.  I've redone the frames and started planking.  I had some visible glue spots, but they seem to sand away with 320 paper, so I think this will come out ok with a clear finish instead of paint. 
 

Somewhere along the way I must have done something a little off because the sheer plank was about 1 mm short.  No pictures yet, but I debonded the too short planks and cut slightly longer ones.  Will post some more pictures once I bend and install the new planks.

I've assembled as far as the end of step 1 and put together the HGW seatbelts. Four belts without any of the tiny photoetch parts shooting across the workshop, which is a victory for me.