1/32 Albatros W.4 (late) Floaty Conversion

[Guest]

That's really cool Jakko! About how far away is Zeebrugge from where you live???...

I braved the 28 degrees we’re having here today to take this photo for you:

[ATTACH]483463[/ATTACH]

We’re looking in a southwesterly direction across the Western Scheldt here, the North Sea is to the right and in the distance. Unfortunately, it’s not clear enough to see Zeebrugge’s port facilities, which sometimes can be seen very obviously sticking out of the Belgian coast Here’s an annotated close-up, though:

[ATTACH]483464[/ATTACH]

Cadzand-Bad, which I think I identified correctly through the haze, is right up against the Netherlands-Belgium border, so just about everything to the right of that is Belgium.

[Guest]

Morning Youngerthanme.
Check your PM - 2 sent.
Olderthanyou.

[Allen Dewire]

Sorry Mike, I just checked and there's nothing there. Did you maybe send them to JR by accident???

[Allen Dewire]

I braved the 28 degrees we’re having here today to take this photo for you:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n[/ATTACH]

We’re looking in a southwesterly direction across the Western Scheldt here, the North Sea is to the right and in the distance. Unfortunately, it’s not clear enough to see Zeebrugge’s port facilities, which sometimes can be seen very obviously sticking out of the Belgian coast :sad: Here’s an annotated close-up, though:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n[/ATTACH]

Cadzand-Bad, which I think I identified correctly through the haze, is right up against the Netherlands-Belgium border, so just about everything to the right of that is Belgium.

Wow, Thanks for the pics Jakko! I don't quite understand braving the 28° though...With such a beautiful beach and view of the ocean, I would probably be living in a lounge chair there soaking up the sights every day. I guess it was to hot to work on the bridgelayer at the bench...

Prost
Allen

[Mickc1440]

Really nice scratching Allen, this is going to be good

[Guest]

I don't quite understand braving the 28° though...

I don’t deal with heat well. I had to sit and cool down for half an hour or so after I got back home from that trip that took maybe 15–20 minutes (perhaps five minutes’ walk to the dunes, standing around a bit to take some photos, take another route home that was slightly longer while taking some more photos because they were interesting).

With such a beautiful beach and view of the ocean, I would probably be living in a lounge chair there soaking up the sights every day.

A good number of years ago, I was in the west of Germany, visiting some people I knew through the Internet. They said pretty much the same thing: “You live by the sea?! I would go to the beach all the time if I lived there!” Well, sure, OK, but the sea and the beach are … just there, you know? Nothing noteworthy (except when there’s a storm, when it’s fun to go stand in the area where I took the photo from ). They lived among hills, and when I pointed those out they agreed that they were just the hills that are always there, nothing to get too excited about. “That’s what the sea and the beach are like for people where I live,” I replied

Of course, a lot of locals also enjoy going to the beach when the weather is good, as do an even larger number of tourists. The beach is not that crowded yet in the photo I posted — low tide (outgoing, but not for much longer, by the looks of it) does that, of course, but during the summer holidays, there will be plenty more people there still. And not just on this stretch, but for a good couple of kilometres altogether.

I guess it was to hot to work on the bridgelayer at the bench...

That too. I did go up to the attic to put masking tape onto the AVRE, but with 30–32° outside and about the same up there, even despite the fan I had on, I didn’t feel like doing any more than that. And they’re forecasting the same for tomorrow …

[Allen Dewire]

I can understand that Jakko. It's getting hotter here too and wearing the optivisor today was a pain. Sweaty forehead and such. Living under the roof, for me, has it's good points and also some bad points too. You're right, as the fan doesn't help much either when it's hot...

Prost
Allen

[Allen Dewire]

Really nice scratching Allen, this is going to be good

Wow, sorry Mick, I missed you there my friend. Thanks so much and I do hope it keeps going as well as it has so far. I'm excited as a kid in a brewery candy store!!!...

Prost
Allen

[Guest]

I should try to get the hot air out of my hobby room now it’s evening, maybe I can get it bearable enough in there to spray the tank olive drab tonight …

[Richard48]

I should try to get the hot air out of my hobby room now it’s evening, maybe I can get it bearable enough in there to spray the tank olive drab tonight …

I visited the Netherlands in 1997.Did a ten day Military tour by car with a work pal.Started off in Volendam for couple days and went to Amsterdam for day.Mate was more content visiting the adult movie dives which were a bit seedy and i wont go into details!!!.Then we drove down to Oosterbeek and stayed a few days and did Hartensteain museum and Drop zones at Wolfheze and Renkum and various para locations out guesthouse host pointed out.Lovely people and very kind to us as visitors.
Onto to Nijmegen.where i think i popped into a model shop.Down to Elst and along hells highway leading up to Arnhem.Made a bad move and went to Belgium for the weekend and stayed near Bastogne.Hosts didnt speak a word of English and my O level french helped!!!!!.Sadly we were running out of money so hopped back to Netherlands via Luxembourg and ended up in i think Vlissingen and Zarikaziee.Apologies if i.know doubt spelt places wrong.Far too much beer and Whisky in Oosterbeek with paras and locals.Lovely people and being in my 20s i was smitten by so many lovely ladies.
Richard.

[Guest]

The only one you butchered was Zierikzee Well, and the extra <a> in Hartenstein, but that barely counts

[Allen Dewire]

Afternoon from The Mole,

It's been a while since the last update, due to the heat, living under the roof and the sweaty optivisor. It's cooled off a bit and the work continues on the W.4. Over the past week, I've been still concentrating on top wing extension and finally got the 3 forming supports glued to the bottom half. I also drilled the outer 2 for the brass rod supports for the wings,


I used the 8 clamps to make sure the bottom piece conformed to the curvature of the supports. After it dried, I added the center support and clamped it too. It doesn't have to be perfect, but it helps. Then we had this,


Lousy pic, but the curve is there. The other side,


It'll be fine and should work. Then I began thinking about how to make a radiator to fit the contour in the wing. I dug out the etch stash and the first 'used' set I found was just the ticket,

The 2 pieces above the etch are the pieces I cut off of the wing flappies to correct them. With some sanding and cutting, they should be what I needed. Does anyone recognize the 2 etch pieces? The one on the right is not correct, but will be on the bottom side of the wing and not really seen. In between this, I did a check how the wings would fit onto the center piece,



Here's where I learned I can't drill straight worth a damn, but the holes all lined up and with a bit of fiddling, they fit good. It was back to working on the rad, but something was bugging me about the center piece the whole time I was cutting out the etch covers. Interior support was sorely lacking and it needed to be strengthened up so the wings wouldn't droop. Dug out some 2.5mm and 3mm iron T-Beams (Ok, plastic) for the job. For some reason the TET wasn't holding them in place and the ends popped open every time you picked it up,


I broke out the CA and slobbered it all over the sides and ends. It's holding together so far and is pretty sturdy/stable too. On to the Rad,

After adding a mounting bracket on the 4 corners, the rad slips into place and it looks pretty darn good for government work. But now, how will the top sheet fit over it. I was worried the rad was too thin or maybe too thick for the wing. But,


It seems the fit is good and made me happy. The front still needs to be glued and formed over the frame work. There may be a little touch up/sanding needed, but it looks like an airfoil rad in a wing to my eyes. The filler cap unit will be added last. Needing a change of pace and with cooler temps, I went on with shortening up the rear wing pieces. Lots of sawing, scraping, sanding and cussing gave me these,


As a breather, I assembled the DBIII engine mount too...The rear wing, with flappy isn't 100% correct, if you compare mine to the drawing. I couldn't extend the outer edges of the flappy to be rounder to the wing. There is still some fine tuning on the wing fronts to thin them a tick more and then I can rib them to give them the proper detail...Slowly, we are getting somewhere.......

It's off for a little vacation tomorrow at 1300. 3 or 4 days up at the lake in Thüringen with my buddy Heinz. Boat driving, grilling and chilling, with a few cold ones thrown in too!!! Maybe swimming if the water temp has gone up. Two weeks ago, it was 19° C and that's too cold for these old bones...

Thanks again for looking in and all C, C and abuse welcome...Take care and remember, "Kein Bier vor Vier"!!!...

Prost
Allen

[Jim R]

I'm impressed with that Allan. Well thought out and the end results seem fine. Have a nice break.

[rtfoe]

Thought I heard school chairs shuffling in the distant yonder and decided to investigate...blood everywhere...chopping slicing...the glint of a cleavers edge. You've already started the cutting process Allan. Don't know how you do it with the cleaver but very neat and well planned. Making a plane float I see even got the rabble to pose in pyjamas. Going to rummage for my old Fruit of the looms and join in.
I'll blend in by the time you get back

Cheers,
Wabble

[Mini Me]

Just caught up with this Allen......wowzer Sir!! You have been a busy boy. Loving the wing mods so far. And an excellent fit on the "rads" (not wheels) in the wing. I'm curious as to how your leading edge radius is going to form up, it looks pretty tight to me.....might try softening the plastic when the time comes to form it around that rod. A little stress relief might be helpful.