discussion scratch built 1/6 scale airco DH-2

[Guest]

hello to everyone, for my next project i chose to scratch build a 1/6 scale DH-2 with P. Neate plans and every thing i can muster up on the net as far as reference material. the first thing i did was to construct the front part of the fuselage. seeing if i couldn't produce that part the build would be a washout. with all it's compound curves i choose to vacuform it with 0.60 black styrene. i did concider fiberglassing the part and even wood planking over a skeliton of the shape.i am glad i went vacuforming, i have a small system i built and useing a conventional oven to heat the plastic, it produced a very nice part. the plugs were built out of hard balsa. i'll also be etching a lot of the detail parts in ferric cloride. i built a small tank and an etching system about 6 months and have finally mastered the art. i do all my films on my computer building all the parts in corel, i find this drawing program alot easier than my cad programs. after all the art work is done i print on a specillaly coated piece of film. from there i laminate my brass or stainless steel with a photo resist. i use a thicknes of anywhere from 5 mil to 30 mil. the thicker it is the longer it takes to etch. i slap the film on both sides of my metal plate and it goes on a light table to expose each side, rinse the image area with sodium hydroxide and into the tank. it produces some spectacular parts. i'll post some pics of the process. i did start with a smaller system from micromark and after i found out how easy it was i built myself a bigger tank. i do purshase my chemicals and photo resist from micromark.com. back to the DH-2. ive completed all the fuse parts. i cut all my wood parts on a scroll saw or table saw and also cut all the ribs myself, nothing is laser cut. here are a few pics of the build so far and will keep you posted on the progress.

View attachment 18642

View attachment 18643

View attachment 18644

View attachment 18645

View attachment 18646

View attachment 18647

View attachment 18648

View attachment 18649

View attachment 18650

View attachment 18651

View attachment 131168

View attachment 131169

View attachment 131170

View attachment 131171

View attachment 131172

View attachment 131173

View attachment 131174

View attachment 131175

View attachment 131176

View attachment 131177

 

[Guest]

i did want to also mention that this will be an elec. flying model with a fully detailed working cockpit.here are a few more pics of some of the detailed parts i did with etchant on a previous 1/7 build of a fokker D-7 and the plugs i used for the DH-2. the DH-2 should should prove to be an outstanding build. i love all the rigging, it's just such a funky looking areoplane.

View attachment 18652

View attachment 18653

View attachment 18654

View attachment 18655

View attachment 18656

View attachment 18657

View attachment 18658

View attachment 18659

View attachment 18660

View attachment 131178

View attachment 131179

View attachment 131180

View attachment 131181

View attachment 131182

View attachment 131183

View attachment 131184

View attachment 131185

View attachment 131186