discussion Scratchbuilt 1/72 Avro Aldershot

[Steve-the-Duck]

I could have added this to the completed thread, but I've a LOT of pics of the build. And no-one said you can't do the WIP stuff first

So, this was three months work, copious amounts of 10, 20 and 30 thou plasticard, a couple of missteps, a LOT of careful planning and doing things in the wrong order, but overall, I'm very pleased with the result. And it's not like anyone is going to kit this beast any time soon
And if they do, I can always convert it to an Andover transport


Starting off, sketches drawn from online pics, specifically Rex's Hanger Aldershot feature on Youtube. At the time, back in April, I didn't have a means to capture and print pics. Next there's the 'how to go about each piece.' This is the final layout, as I kept adding new stuff as I went


And this is where we start with the two main fuselage sides and the base (with 'main spar') already attached
Now, if I can only get the rest of the photos uploaded and accessible...

 

[Steve-the-Duck]

And we're up and running

So, the crew cabin altogether, with a few spars added for detail. At this stage I already knew the interior when finished would be practically invisible, but hey...

The tail box, interior structure and side panels

Added formers for the upper surface shape. So far, everything was 20 thou plasticard

Tail assembly attached to the main cabin. It was all going well this far. Then I realised the amount of weight that would be on the butt joint between the two parts, what with all the tail surfaces to be added, so I later fitted two 1.2mm brass rods as support


The scale plans I used are blown up photocopies from the Puttnam Avro book. Nothing wrong with my maths with the percentage increase; basically, what are the 'real' dimensions in 1/72, and how big are the pics
Sorted

 

[HAWKERHUNTER]

Really interesting to see something like this coming together from scratch Steve, lovely detailed work.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Very nice work Steve. It will be a nice addition to your collection when completed

 

[Steve-the-Duck]

Very nice work Steve. It will be a nice addition to your collection when completed

Well, technically it already is. I've already posted the pics in the completed thread. But for best results, follow here and then go check out the outcome!

 

[Steve-the-Duck]

Okay, next

These are the paper and card templates for the rear fuselage upper decking. Measure five times, cut twice, which eventually lead

to this. All the skinning of the model is 10 thou plasticard, scribed on the inside to make ribs. Still needed fettling afterwards, but this was only the second attempt in plastic

Then onto the tail surfaces. The body is 20 thou card again with the 10 thou skinning

Support struts are my ubiquitous Aeroclub stut material, which I REALLY need to find more of. Naturally, the struts got a bit knocked about a bit through the rest of the build, and one of the elevators came off, and stayed off thill MUCH later
Also, the tail surface is supported by a piece of brass rod, and at this stage a long tail fin, which I later realised is only on the Mk.I prototype, so that got cut off later

The rudder, which was left off almost to the very end, is a !0-20-10 sandwich. Not my first attempt at this either, as my Breda Ba.44 from waaay back will attest.

 

[Steve-the-Duck]

Now, the wheels are one of the few parts from somewhere else. I don't have a method of making big circular pieces so

These, would you believe, are road wheels off an OLD Tamiya Panzer II!

 

[Steve-the-Duck]

So, would you believe the nose piece is an old 3D support piece?


A bit of fettling, filling and venting, plus a road wheel off a 1/72 Lorraine 37, and the nose is in place, on a simple box of plasticard
Later, I will realise that the whole nose piece is mounted 4mm too low. The base should NOT align with the fuselage bottom!

Now, here we have the Cockpit formers in place, plus the brass support rods for the tail
And the card templates for the cockpit coaming. Wait! It says that on the template!