popeye the sailor

hi there...I'm back. good to see some have chimed in I didn't get a chance to further tell you all about the kit.......it's rather sad really. I've built around ten of these planes, not counting the one I built during my days at school........I only had one that was a real flyer. first off.....I'll reply........ you know it Chris, and I knew it.......Richthofen spent most of his career in an Albatross, when he wasn't test flying proto types. he never got to fly his latest test plane, the Fokker D VII........he died by the time they came off the line. he was prolific in flying the Dr 1 though......and it was in the famous red one that he died. why they let him fly was odd........he was messed up from other injuries he received in prior battles. it is known that the crash didn't kill him.......he died by the bullet. the other one I built was red as well........from what I have dug up, this was the only model produced by Comet. it may have been a Guillow's offering that I built. it definitely was a stick 'n tissue plane. good to see you here OC.......I have a lot of catching up to do! these are not easy kits to build......balsa is so easy to break! hello Dave..........yea, about that after looking at the condition of the contents, I decided to go static with it. it is missing a lot of detail that is the DVIII. a few years ago, I got back into it by building a Guillow's Spitfire MK1. even though it is fly - ready, I've never flown it. I can't attest that it would ever fly....balance, dihedral.....so much goes into it before the rubber band is wound and let go.........luck does the rest I don't use the dope.......the stuff can't be used in a closed environment...smells way too much! I start with spraying the parts with diluted white glue. it tightens up as it dries.......I give it about two coats. it does loosen up when I change over to paint, but it tightens up for the last time as it dries. as mentioned, I estimate the kit to have been produced around the 70's.......the price extensions say it all this is the order form and mini catalog.......the prices don't seem like much, but back then, it was a king's ransom. I was about 14 in 1970,.....graduated high school in 1974....by my birthday in 1974, I was in sunny Florida. I told the story at an earlier time, but here goes..... Lake Mac was a man made lake...circular in shape. on our side, the road followed the lake edge, then made a circular turn away, which created this round grassy area, with palm trees and picnic tables. across from this circle, there was a barbed wire fence, with marshy scrug brush and saw grass beyond.........and to the right of that was another barbed wire fence border, with the same terrain on the other side. by the time I built the D VIII, I had built a P40 warhawk, Dehavland mail plane, and one other plane that I can't recall........all three fell in ruin......crashed. the mail plane had an interesting send off.......I gave it a Viking funeral...complete with fire no matter what I did to this plane, it would not fly straight....just kept wanting to stall and hit the ground. it was a good thing the grass was high, or it wouldn't have lasted as long as it did. it got to the point.....after repeated repairs, that it was deemed a loss, so it was decided to put her out of her misery. after dousing it with lighter fluid, I held it while my friend Mike lit it up......sending it out over lake mac. darn thing never flew better!........went straight out.......a climbing stall......a right bank, which sent directly back at us! we got out of the way...........but I wish I had a video camera, so I could capture how it ended up crashing at the water's edge! so cool! the first flight of the Fokker was awesome!......it even glided for a short time after the rubber band had run it's course. the third flight........she flew straight.......across the road, and over the barbed wire fence. by this time the rubber was expended........gliding further, she decided to bank to the right...........right over the second barbed wire fence! I went out to get it....talk about mucky! I was up to my knees in water. the plane had skewered itself on a reed.......I broke it off so not to damage her too much. I was coming out of the 'fields', when this old guy in a pick up truck showed up {Mike knew him}. he looked at me and asked if I was the guy he saw out in there.....I told him it was me......my plane flew out there and I went out there to get it. he then told me that it's not a good idea to be runn'in 'round in there.........there's snakes 'n gators in there! Mike told him I just moved to Florida....he basically just cautioned me about going in there again. ...mentioned something to Mike about his dad and the fire department, got back in his truck, and left. I did not go back in there again I never saw one in lake mac........but I did see one sunning himself on a log in lake Diaz {and to think I swam there off a sand bar!} anyone why built one of these model can attest to the die cut parts.........they are terrible! this kit is no exception.......it took some creative cutting to remove the parts. some I had to imagine the cut lines from the instruction diagrams. being a struct o speed kit, the main wing is just the topside with ribs that curve it to create a foil, to channel the air. it lacks detail to distinguish it as a D VIII...and the way it's assembled would make it look even more lame than it already does { I was thinking Endecker, rather than the EV Chris.......your current project looks so cool}. {I have to remember that the Endecker was a very early fixed wing, so not to confuse anyone}. the landing gear is the same way........just a flat piece of balsa. so I decided to beef it up and make it a static model......I'm sure it will never fly with what I want to do to it. as mentioned, there is no tissue.......it is constructed totally of balsa. they supply a strip of balsa, to be contorted to form the prop, but there is a plastic one in the box.........no thrust button though. that's OK......there's no parts for an engine either, which I intend to add {or something reasonable}. the decals, if you can call them that, are a bit of a joke too. there are some in black on the diagram sheet, but I have some decals I think will work better. I need to fasten the diagram down to flatten it out.......it's not like the normal stick 'n tissue, where it is used as a template. you might be able to glean some of the assembly construction of the model. I have some of the balsa stringers from the Spitfire left over.........what else I need will be done in basswood.

I have a few moments......so I'll continue. there's no production date that I can see.......best guess is maybe back in the '70's. kit number #2305.......the kit back then sold for $2.50. I have pictures of the brochure that came in the box, but the pictures must still be in the camera. Comet fly models has been around since the 30's........bought out by Guillow's in 1998. ok........guess we can hit the road now who waits for who?

Hi all........sorry for being lax in the model department, but I've been busy on other things. I have had time to put around......this is a recent acquisition. I recently bought another older Billing kit of the Zwarte Zee tug boat.......I wrote about it in one of the sub forums, thinking that an extra set of eyes might help me find a fitting kit for it. I'm not too concerned with it, but I may have to source parts for it........but along with this model kit, I bought this one.......... I built this same model back in the 70's, back when I first moved to Florida. it was my best flyer.........actually, the only decent flying model I built at the time. I can't say that though 'cuz I built a Piper cub when I was still in school that flew fairly well {that's a semi long story } looks can be deceiving though........... come to find out, this isn't the kit.........the plane was much bigger and was covered in tissue. this particular kit is completely wooden....balsa! I need to get a move on though..........the admiral wants to go shopping, so I will be back soon to add more information.....and some pictures of the kit itself. I'm hoping that I can go somewhere that carries wood putty........I'm gonna need it be right back!

so cool! I'm currently working on it's cousin the Fokker D VIII love the looks of her

wicked cool model Greg!........I've not seen one like this before, with the exception to Star Wars stuff ! super paint and great weathering....looks very awesome! wouldn't want to be staring down the chap either 😷

thanks Johnny the Sergal Thermopylae is definitely not for the faint of heart.......I still have it on my main table. I was going to continue with it when another gentleman here on the site decided to build it. as I recall, he did a fairly good job of it, being his first wood build. I would never advocate that particular model to anyone wanting to start out in this hobby, but as I've said, there are many who have selected models that are over their experience level and have gone on to create a really nice model what I see are folks who want to excel, and it makes me glad when they do! I'm not a stranger to these older Billing kits.....I got my start on one I can't wait to get started on the Zwarte Zee, but first I gotta finish the Progress, which is from the second Nordkap kit. hello Jan.....I've had different experiences with older Billing kits. the fitting kits used to be mostly metal.......some parts were duplicated in the boat kit in wood. the winches were all metal, the cranes and a few of the pulley parts were in the kit, printed on the parts billets { I was terrible at cutting them out}. thankfully, the pulleys were available in metal from Billings and I was able to order them for the Nordkap. I ordered some for the Progress, but I had to get them from somewhere else, because at the time Billing didn't have them {I think they were discontinued}. there were limited fitting kit offered at the time I built the Nordkap, and the Nordkap wasn't one of them. so with the help from Tom, he scarfed some of the parts together for me.....at the same time though, Harold found the fitting kit that he had and passed them along to me. I had double the booty to outfit the Nordap! what I found is, the older the fitting kit, the more metal parts. Billing's expanded their fitting kit selections to include the Cux 87, the Mary Ann, and the Nordkap. in these fitting kits though, there are more wood and plastic parts..........not what I would have wanted.........but at least I now have the parts for the Progress. I built the wood parts from the kit too...........the crane for instance..........it's in wood from the kit, and plastic from the fitting kit. the winches are a mix of wood and metal........the original metal winches can be had though......I think they are still listed in the Billing's parts. I'll be sure to list the wood parts that would also be found in the fitting kit when I start to build the model. I'm sure that I can source out most of the parts for this model....just for a chuckle, I did another quick check. B B USA only lists six of them......only the Smit Rotterdam is shown. Ages of Sail shows the same six. I'd have better luck at Cornwall......they list the Rotterdam and the Bankert {they are almost sold out though}. but for folks who find and purchase one of these older kits, it is hoped that the original fitting kit comes with it.......one, you'll have the entire kit......and two, you'll be more satisfied with the contents

might be a good idea.....back then, there wasn't much in the way of 'real' chrome on 'em.

very nice looking model Craig.......the rigging is really sweet! well done with the display stand too

we all do what we can the one single 'art' that anyone can learn in the beginning, is scratch building. I figured that out right from the start........the parts that I could cut out correctly with the Nordkap, I had to make the part. I was quite satisfied with how well the ship built up, considering the age of the wood.......the scratch build parts were created from the cast off wood. I intend on doing the same thing with this one, just as I have been doing with the Progress, which is being built from the second Nordkap kit I got. the second kit came with mahogany planking, which I did not use.......I'm saving it for something else down the road {haven't quite figured that out yet}. I had a closer look at the strip wood that came with the Zwarte Zee. while the parts panels are definitely basswood, the planking might be Obechi. older Billing kits had mahogany wood in the early days, turning over to basswood........taking a guess, I'd say around the 60's or 70's. Obetchi is a soft African wood....a lot more forgiving than basswood, but doesn't sand as smooth. I like it though as a planking, because it behaves better and you can get better contours, especially around the stern area. there are also the thicker pine strips for the framework and trim mahogany. the planking is 1 mm thick, so getting it to lay down good will be critical.......sanding might create thin spots if one isn't careful I prefer the 1.5 mm for the extra thickness, but it's not a game changer. will I need to order something like a fitting kit?..........probably not......just figure out what size the screw needs to be, order the required railing posts......maybe a few other things. I think I have enough in my inventory to fit her out.........I most likely will modify a few aspects too

well worth the effort the rigging looks very good!

is that photo etch?.........looks really good as to how thin they are. wish I had decorations like that for my Sergal Thermopylae. they are so thick, it's a b...... to bend them! really compliments the model Peter!

hi Carl.......good to see you poke in yea....I've tried a number of ways....they either fell apart or would cut very well. I wasn't happy with them. I've yet to pull her back out.......perhaps it's time to take another look.

I did some checking on the Atlantic..........I've seen only prebuilt three masted schooners in wood.........no kits so far. you may have to lay in wait for one to come along. in regards to wood kits.......you sound a bit like me when I was young..........I can safety bet that there are folks here who are building a model that is above their level. how else does one gain knowledge and experience, if no chances are taken? I had to have one dropped in my lap to give it a try.........and 'Ole Nordie sits on the shelf in our living room as testament. now, I wouldn't suggest to you to go out and buy a Billing Boats kit as you first, but there are kits that could give you a decent introduction. there are small kits, like dingies, whale boats.......or even a sail boat that could get you started..........single masted boats. the hardest part to master is planking.......and there are a plethora of tutorials and books that can help you there..........there are also folks on this site that can and will help you along the way...some really good people every new comer to the medium has something to offer, and sharing knowledge is one of the core principles that we follow here. you have yet to find yours ..........and you will, one day.

thank you Peter.......funny....that's how I met Tom Richards, the fellow that had a Billing's franchise in Hayward Wisconsin I had a super time back then........I was kind of working with him and his site, but I was supplying him with build logs of the Nordkap and the Cux 87. I became such a blog nut........I now have blogs on three sites! I did try to correspond with the Billing's home site at one time, but I never got a response. I might try to contact Roger @ Ages of Sails about it, since they were the folks who bought out the Billing USA site. it's still a functioning site........used to have condensed blogs of the logs I sent Tom, but I think the last time I looked, they were gone {I still have a copy of them to enjoy } so far, I haven't seen one in my searches.....I am still trying. I will have to check in on where you are with your Cutty........I have a catalog with the Billing's Cutty in it. a truely old kit...........mahogany wood and such hello Ferrus..........I believe I saw a Revell Kearsarge on the old model kits site. it's over $300.00 though.....not for the faint of heart {cost wise}. there are the wood kits........off the top of my head, I forget who makes it.........just in cast you want to get sawdust under your nails I used to be daunted looking at those kits........but after building my first, I don't know why I was so apprehensive the Atlantic sounds like a Lindberg {Lindberg lines] kit.......I'd have to do some checking

I was browsing through my favorite web site a couple of weeks ago, and I saw a kit of the Zwarte Zee offered for the ridiculous price of $89.00.............naw....must be an error. figuring that they might correct it on their own, I looked into it again last week..........they did not I turned to my budget director and told her about it, and after a brief discussion, I was ok'd to order it. snail mail came through better than expected in receiving the package sooner than it was said to arrive. even though there is a bit of a let down, I'm very happy with the kit! this is the Zwarte Zee #486, an older kit of the model that Billing Boats offers today. being an avid Billing Boats modeler, it was easy to see that this is an older kit, and even though there are a few bits of hardware, it is missing the fittings. with older kits, these parts were sold separately. in the past, I have acquired two kits of the Nordkap..........the first being the first wood kit I've ever built {along with the Cux 87}, and the second one being older that the first, the use of mahogany wood being the big give away. I have begun some research to locate the fitting kit, and so far I haven't seen any available. the furthest back I have been able to go with this kit is around 1963.........these kits were not laser cut, and the parts were printed on basswood billets. all parts need to be cut out by hand.........they are a lot more work, but so much more fun to work with, since having a couple of these kits under my belt. the kit also went through a few kit number changes since it was first produced............#486 {I'm thinking the fitting kit was #487}........per a 1977 catalog - #422 with #423 being the fitting kit............and per a 2005 catalog - #592, the fitting were included in the kit by this time {likely, it was also laser cut}. I'm not sure if at this time it had an ABS hull, but the kits offered today do. it also went through scale changes.......the #486 kit is 1:50 scale and the newer kits are 1:90 scale. I arrived with this due to the older Nordkap kits being 1:50 scale, having an overall length of 32 inches long. there is no scale listed on this kit at all, but has an overall length of 30 inches long. considering the estimated age of the kit, what makes me happy is the overall condition of the parts.......they look very good the wood doesn't look like it's been subjected to dank cellars or musty attics......darn thing looks as fresh as a daisy. I'm going to continue the search for a fitting kit........Billing has expanded their selection of fitting kits.......only the one for the Smit Rotterdam is shown. I'd have to weigh out the pros and cons using it.

hello Rob! I was so happy to see you put the finish on the Glory of the Seas.....very impressed on how she came out the rigging is so stunning and the sails look awesome and very life like! huge congratz on a beautiful model! I love the display stand.....very original..........by all means, a case is in order!

she's coming along splendidly Kevin..........some very nice work!

play'in catch up Chris.......amazed with what I'm seeing drop dead gorgeous model ! well done!

hello Eric...my apologies in not seeing this in a timely manner. the flattie is still in it's box, waiting for me to get back to her. as you read, I tried a few methods in making the hoops for the sails, but none of them panned out for me........I just wasn't happy with 'em. so I figured I'd shelve it for the time being and look for some that I liked.......as you can see, this hasn't gone well for me. sometimes, being 'scratch happy' doesn't work the way one would like it's nothing new for me.......I've always tried to put the little extras in my models. added to this, a very active mind has created somewhat of a backlog.......anyone who knows me will attest. at the moment, I've been in a plastic frame of mind........but I have been working towards breaking away and get back to my boats { I think they miss me greatly......so does the admiral}. I appreciate your asking about the model, and thanks for looking in....I do hope to finish her one day

back in the early days of model kits, there were companies that produced all wood model planes. during war time, Guillow's and Comet even resorted to the use of card stock. Strombecker was another.

hey there........kind of an update, but no. I haven't made any progress on either fronts....even the Stukas haven't seen any movement. basically, I need to find a way not to let life get me down. I'm just bogged I did make a purchase though a week ago. I was skimming through my regular haunt, and I happened onto a kit that was pretty reasonably priced. it follows the subject and my current musing, and that's what I think caught my eye. I picked it up for $24.00........with shipping it ended up being around $42.00. I just saw on Amazon that the same kit goes for $47.99, so I still feel I got a deal I was curious about the Vol 2 thing..........I found out that this model is the second variant and sports a Pz. Kpfw. IV turret. the first variant sported a T 34 turret and had an ammo box on the aft end. it is a fairly large model...the picture doesn't show the true size of the box. it's still wrapped in plastic, so it is virgin.....produced in 2007. more on it when the time comes.......the two albatrosses come first

I'll have to catch up on your England too

my word Chris........usually I can follow along.....but lately, I find myself bringing up the rear. I really enjoyed reading the progress though........you handled the tough points wonderfully! and bro......you've turned out one hell of a model here.........you've done an awesome job! it looks so good! you handled the nay sayer well too...........reminds me of the reason why I don't visit >a certain site< anymore.........folks who thing they know it all. I simply replied that I followed the info from the Wiki, and it has the ability to be updated, so if they are so all-knowing, perhaps they should go there and update it this is why I love it her so much........we are all of constructive minds, and THAT is how we post our observations. from what I see.......it appears that you've accepted the torch that Dan carried. that's pretty honorable...and as it appears, the right man for the task great looking plane.........what's next?

awesome model Greg! the paint work is outstanding.........so much fire power! WOW!

been a while since I last popped in.........and I must say, you've made quite a bit of progress! super job on your deck mods and room additions......the lighting is well done also. your question of why you are on this site should be obvious...........you are with other like minded folk who dare venture into what has never been done, and share with others. I think you are in good company