Fokker Dr.I by popeye the sailor - FINISHED - Roden - 1:32 scale - PLASTIC

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Carl    thanks to all who hit the like button as well!    I went further on the machine guns.......more poor fit problems.   the feed belts and shell dump chutes were added to the guns.......the left side has the exposed dump chute and the right gun has the exposed ammo belt.  the way the top part of the cockpit / fuselage is shaped gives a good idea as to how the assembly is located.  the dump side fits OK.........but the belt falls short of the contour where it would fall into place...the belt is way off    of course,  the only sort of adjustment that can be made,  would be to cut out more of the contour,  but it would create a very large opening there.  it is also very close to the edge of the fuselage side.   

rather than chop the plane to ribbons,  I chose to cut the ammo belt at an angle and leave it the way it is,  since the shell dump chute orients the assembly in the proper place.   I'm not even going to add the locator pins on the machine guns........concerns that they might knock then out of alignment,  putting me back to square one.

 

the ammo belt hides the defunct opening fairly well..........I'm not going to complain.   .....but it is prompting me to fill out that card I got in the kit   jeeze.........I can't wait for the next surprise   

 

on another note.......I got my delivery today...........very quick!  

[Egilman]

Late to the party here.. looks nice... who's plane have you decided to paint it as?....

 

Anyway, some of these 1/32nd scale aircraft just plain make you work for it....

 

Good work my friend..

[Old Collingwood]

Thats a good recovery mate  (glad im not the only one with model gremlins)

 

OC.

[popeye the sailor]

yea OC........I saw you recent dilemma..   glad you found the way to make it work for you    that Murphy is a pretty sneaky fellow....constantly watching and waiting for the moment you let your guard down..........................then BAMMMMM!

 

Lt. Friedrich Kempf........but I should have done the drab over the light green......I would have gotten a better outcome.   I've yet to remedy the scheme issue......doing a couple other things first.  I should wait till I have an update,  but what the heck....you all could probably do for a good laugh.   I painted the stabilizer and rudder the other day ......the bottom of the stabilizer in flat black.  I noticed some bleed through,  so I painted the top of the stabilizer with primer......sounds good ........right?!?!   well I brushed on some flat white over the top,  and it looked terrible........so I waited a while and gave them a second coat.  ....just as bad.   OK......I'll put them in a tub of thinner and remove the color....bad move.  it not only did well in taking off the paint, but it started to dissolve the parts!   I got the rudder out of there and wiped it down......some sanding later on saved it.......but as for the stabilizer.........it was too pitted to be of any use.   sanding removed most of the detail anyway.   I have the other stabilizer.........I sanded the leading edges flat,  taking the rounded curve off of it.  the bottom is already painted flat black...........there is some bleed through,  but I'll give the stabilizer a coat of light gray and then the white........un&#@%*believable!

 

thanks to those who looked in........you are some brave folks!   

[popeye the sailor]

I spent the day off {yesterday} on the Memphis Belle.  on this model,  I have the interplane struts straightened out.  I'm sure that the struts for the landing gear will be an ill fit too.   so I painted the wheels yesterday {can't seem to get away from the flat black for the tires},  and I'm going to look into the landing gear.

 

taking a moment,  I want to show you the two models I got this past week.  as mentioned,  I've have been wanting to build another Stuka.  it would have been nice to build a 1:48 Memphis Belle,  but these two will pacify me for the moment......hee...hee.....   the Stuka is a 1:72 model..........small.......but Fujimi looks to be a very nice kit for the size.  Revell used this terminology for this particular aircraft back in the day........tank buster...they even had a kit by this name.

produced in 1987....the decals look to be in good shape!

the other model is particularly interesting........a Marcel Bloch Aero MB 200......a collaboration between the Czechs and the French

the box looks a bit tweated,  the kit produced by a Czech company back in 1984.  the decals are yellowed.......I have them in a window to see if the sun will bleach them.   the instructions feel like I'm reading a newspaper and all diagrams appear to be hand drawn......kinda comical.  there are a lot of parts,  so it should be an interesting build.  it reminds me of the bombers I bought made by ICM.......that I ultimately tossed out due to the cumbersome nature of the kits.....yea......I bought two of them..........A.Tupolev TB-3

I still have a set of the decals......    the fact that I have the picture of the box,  is that I intend on buying this kit again.  I'm not in the habit of letting a kit get the better of me,  but the kit was so........how do I say it......ridiculous........that I couldn't build it with a straight face.   even at 1:72.......this thing was a beast!  the wing surfaces were enormous!  so before I leave this earth..........I have to make amends and build this kit.

[popeye the sailor]

I focused a little on the Memphis Belle today.......but I had other thoughts.   it was asked,  do I intend to rig this model.........and I said yes.   if I could rig that hobby craft model,  it should be no different to rig this one.  I had to do all the things I will need to do with this one.......basically drill holes for the rigging.   but the one thing that is different about this model,  is the fact that the wings are {for the most part} solid.......there is very little air space inside the top wing,  and there is nothing in the stabilizer { it's a thin wafer maybe 1.5 mm thick}.  the Hobby craft model had one thing going for it......the holes were molded into the parts..........these aren't.

 

I assembled the landing gear today..........the parts were already pre painted.   as I suspected,  I had to modify the struts so they would fit into the slots in the top part of the landing gear 'wing'.   holes were drilled into the places where the assembly would be located.   the struts had pins on each end to facilitate easy assembly via the holes I drilled.   once this 'frame was assembled,  it was set in place to dry.

oops........wrong end of the camera   I bought a new one by the way.

there we go.......centered,  it was left to dry.

while this was going on,  the axles were run through the wheels and cemented in the slots in the bottom part.

I also cleaned up all the logs I'm following in this forum...........paused to go to Michael's {had to buy thinner}........went to the grocery store,  where we actually found Coffee cookie crumble ice cream for the admiral {her favorite...she has the knack of liking something that eventually stop being produced}......had supper and watched more grim news......and when I look in,  I expect to see at least ten logs with new content.  youse folks are too prolific for me.....I have a hard time keeping up !    I tried to phanegle another model,  but the admiral wouldn't have any of it    {I even tried the medicinal angle......no dice}.

    the bottom was added to the assembly,   two holes were drilled along the inside front area of the struts.......real tiny holes.   getting a strand of that thin wire I like to use,  pieces were stuck in the holes and glued.   the assembly was then mounted on the underside of the fuselage again.......this time,  the back strut braces were cemented in place.   the thin wire was run into the holes for the front strut braces in an 'X' pattern. 

 with a pair of flat jawed tweezers,  the wires were adjusted until they were as straight as I could get them.   then the front strut braces were cemented in place.

  

I later painted them flat steel,  as I will for all the other bits of rigging....there's really not a lot.   there is the cables under the top wing from the fuselage........the two sets above and below the top wing for the ailerons..........

......the two for the rudder at the rear of the fuselage.......and the two sets for the stabilizer elevators at the rear of the fuselage { I already drilled the holes for them}.  the one I'm concerned with,  is the one in the stabilizer for the upper elevator cable.........I need to drill this hole at an angle.   if I mess it up,  it might look weird.  we'll just have to see what happens.  I finished off this session by cementing in place the tail skid.  as you saw with the Memphis Belle,  the tail gear root fit into a tab inside the fuselage.........it's the same story here........there is supposed to be a hole inside that I needed to find.   the good thing is that there is a pin outside as well,  so fitting the outer pin in that hole,  made it fairly probable,  that I found the hole inside.   at least.......in theory......I hope so 

[Old Collingwood]

Looking great Denis, and the plane aint half bad either.

 

OC.

[popeye the sailor]

thank you OC.........my version of a selfie      silly me...I was holding the camera and reflex did the rest...I'm usually not that grumpy looking      wanna hear how dumb I am.......I thought I had lost the decal sheet for this model.  

it's almost as large as the box.......for cry'in out loud...........how could I misplace it?!?!?!  I looked everywhere!........after a while,  I was getting worried......then I found them!  they were on top of the computer tower,  tucked under the desk top!   I felt like an idiot.........un^#@&%believable!  I put 'em where I KNOW I put 'em now........... 

[Old Collingwood]

Nah thats an easy one   -  mine is the looking for glasses that are on head,   do that all the time.

 

OC.

[Old Collingwood]

Or holding a tape rule in front of me and still asking the admiral  "how many inches in a foot"😦

 

OC.

[CDW]

Your Fokker is shaping up real nice Denis. How do you like the new camera so far? Seems like it's making some nice photos.

[popeye the sailor]

could also be considered a pause in the thought process OC..........that's why I make mental notes       I put them in a place where they would be safe..........then I forgot what I considered a safe place. 

 

thanks Craig.....the new camera?  well.....I took two pictures with it just out of the box,  and I found them to be a little out of focus.  I'll read the instructions now.   what I've been using is a Kodak Easy Share,  which has auto focus.  it's a small camera,  and has been very good.   it is a little sensitive towards needing the right light,  and if you wait too long to take the picture,  it will begin to readjust the focus....makes the picture crappy.  the new camera is a Vivitar Vivicam XX14.  it's a small camera too....I saw it in the clearance bins.  it had a price tag of $79.99.......down to $49.97......I thought that was the price.  when I got to the checkout,  I was told it was half price {ie.....the $49.97.......that's what I thought}.  I looked at the sales slip,  and I saw that I paid $24.98 for the darn thing!........holy cow!  so I haven't used it yet....the batteries I have in it are just some we had hanging around,  so it's not fully charged {you can't charge the thing either......I'll be stuck buying batteries for it}.   the easy Share came with a charger.  so I simply plug it in....low cost.   for the cost of the camera,  I can't complained,  and I had a 32 gig memory card that I put in it.....so I can take pictures galore,  until the batteries die.   now I gotta buy a pack of AAA batteries,  or buy into some I can recharge.   it also has a flip viewing screen in the back,  so I can take better selfies too!   I'm in the BIG TIMES now!!!!!....look out!

[Jack12477]

40 minutes ago, popeye the sailor said:

I'll read the instructions now

When I was in programming we had an expression for new and old users.  RTFM.    Since this is a family oriented site I won't translate that. 😁😁😁

[lmagna]

48 minutes ago, popeye the sailor said:

better selfies too!

You need to do that now and then so that we can confirm it is you posting, and that it is not some kind of impostor. One can never be too certain these days!

[lmagna]

9 minutes ago, Jack12477 said:

RTFM

Manuals are for sissies Jack!

[Jack12477]

7 minutes ago, lmagna said:

Manuals are for sissies Jack!

Until they can't figure out how to turn it on and you have to tell them "read page 26" 😎😎😎😎😎

[Old Collingwood]

34 minutes ago, lmagna said:

You need to do that now and then so that we can confirm it is you posting, and that it is not some kind of impostor. One can never be too certain these days!

Lou  "Is that you  mate"?😛

 

OC.

[Old Collingwood]

35 minutes ago, lmagna said:

Manuals are for sissies Jack!

Here's  the trick  build from the manual with lights off.

 

OC.

[cog]

1 hour ago, Old Collingwood said:

Here's  the trick  build from the manual with lights off.

 

OC.

In the dark you forgot OC. I would prefer with your eyes closed firmly, that gives an additional incentive when cutting with a scalpel

[Old Collingwood]

8 minutes ago, cog said:

In the dark you forgot OC. I would prefer with your eyes closed firmly, that gives an additional incentive when cutting with a scalpel

And wear mittens  - "Must wear mittens"😁

 

OC.

[Jack12477]

19 minutes ago, Old Collingwood said:

And wear mittens  - "Must wear mittens"😁

 

OC.

No, use the cut resistant gloves woodcarvers and chefs wear.  Now ask me how I know this! 

[cog]

24 minutes ago, Jack12477 said:

No, use the cut resistant gloves woodcarvers and chefs wear.  Now ask me how I know this! 

Missing fingers ... if you are lucky you've got a middle finger left

[Edwardkenway]

But don't the empty glove fingers get in the way 🤔

[Jack12477]

5 minutes ago, cog said:

Missing fingers ... if you are lucky you've got a middle finger left

 

3 minutes ago, Edwardkenway said:

But don't the empty glove fingers get in the way 🤔

Funny, guys !  No I am not missing any fingers. ! 

 

But I am a woodcarver and wear a cut restant glove on the hand holding the piece I'm carving, and yes the knife has slipped and sliced across the glove but not my hand, no blood, no cut, just a damaged glove..  They are made with Kevlar fibers woven. 

[Edwardkenway]

My chef son in law has same sort of gloves 👋

[mtaylor]

7 hours ago, lmagna said:

Manuals are for sissies Jack!

Basic rule of thumb and applies to model building:  "If at first you don't succeed, try again.  If you still don't succeed, dig the instructions out of the trash can and start over".  

[Old Collingwood]

24 minutes ago, mtaylor said:

Basic rule of thumb and applies to model building:  "If at first you don't succeed, try again.  If you still don't succeed, dig the instructions out of the trash can and start over".  

If you find you glued the wings on back to front  - just turn the plane around.

 

OC.

[popeye the sailor]

no missing fingers here please.........

[popeye the sailor]

OK..........in keeping our wits {and digits}............the flying x-actor finger of fate fell on this model this morning { actually yesterday}.   first thing I wanted to do,  was put the decals on the interplane struts before cementing them in place.   the model was front and center......

choosing and cutting the decals needed for this model,  I noticed in the scheme,  that there were white fields behind the insignias.   I actually should have painted these fields on before assembly....I came up with a quick solution.   I still have the decals for the HobbyCraft Dr 1...that model had a decal sheet that covered several planes!   among these decals were the white fields,  as well as olive green and red fuselage fields.

I was surprised to also find a face!.........I have one in yellow too   

the wing fields are larger than the wings........I began to wonder if they didn't belong to the 1:24 scale D VII I built {Revell kit}.  no matter.......I can trim them down    now........I'm sure you can look back when you were young,  building the older models.   the decals were kinda thick,  with flashing around them........sometimes this needed to be trimmed off.   I remember that it was nothing to take a razor blade and skirt along the edge,  a good blade produced the best job.   just hold the blade at a slant,  moving downward as the blade was slid along the edge.   most decals we work with today are much thinner,  with next to no flashing around them.   this can be bad,  especially if the decals have some age on them.   tearing and chipping often occurs....and of course,  Murphy is sitting on your left shoulder    that is what happened here....there is some chipping that will need to be touched up.......I usually use paint {sparingly}.   so I did the fuselage fields first,  adding the insignias afterwards.

the decals were added to the interplane struts........and then they were cemented in place on the bottom wing only.  I will wait till later to cement the middle wing.

now........we'll get on with today's progress  

 

 

[popeye the sailor]

I started the decal process by applying the bottom wing fields.   I will need to trim them.

the upper wing was done next,  while the bottom wings were drying........the insignias were added,  as well as the name graphics.

the top wing was trimmed before they had dried.......there was minor chipping.  with that.......the bottom wings were trimmed,  and the insignias were added.

   

the wing skids were added next.

where I left off on this bird,  was at the middle wing.  there are two decals there that are a phrase:  Kennscht Mi'noch?    looking up the meaning is a bit confusing,  because it appears there is a word missing,  but it translates to "do you remember me?"

more to come.....I trying to get up the gusto to paint the stabilizer and rudder.   the bottom of the stabilizer is flat black.........I tried to brush on the upper paint { flat white} and what a mess I made!  as you recall,  the other stabilizer was ruined by paint thinner.  the other stab was sanded along the leading edges,  flattening a curvature,  so it could be used.   once I gt over that hurdle,  the cabane struts will be the next big one.  it seems there are no slots for the struts in the upper wing.  I can't wait to see what I'll have to do with them