1/4 Scale Albatros templates

[bstachel]

Hi everone!
My first post on the Flying Models thread, having observed and read many fascinating pages here I would like to pick your brains!
I've just acquired a half-completed 1/4 scale Albatros DV in skeletal form the maker having spent hours developing his own drawings and plans. I hope to finish the model and do it justice by detailing to the best of my ability.
Here's my question - are there any templates available or could anyone provide info regarding tho complex metal cowling covers and distinctive spinner. I have some printers litho plate but have had difficulty bending it / shaping it to my will, annealed or otherwise. Also, I'm tempted to plump for GTM's Lozenge for wings. Do Williams Bros still exist for 1/4 scale wheels, Spandaus? Are Proctor accessories the way forward?

Many thanks, Richard

[bristol scout]

Hi Richard,
GTM fabric and cockpit fittings are just the best---but you must follow the instructions and need plenty of Dope

I know of no templates but you should be able to get there by beating litho plates over a bag of sand to begin with---the stuff does work harden though.

Proctor are without doubt the finest----you may even get the metal from them--at a price.

Williams wheels are O.K. but proctor are unbeatable---but I'm not sure if they sell them seperate.

Try to find out if you want perfection in wheels---real perfection! If no luck get back to me and we can perhaps sort the wheel issue between us.

Williams guns are the best---but can suffer from vibration longish term.

sorry to drone on,
Dave. edit--for what it's worth my experiences with arizona models have not been brilliant.

[The PIPE]

Dear BStachel & Bristol Scout:

The PIPE Here...and I've had the website of

Herbie Wheels - Exquisitely spoked wheels for Scale Models

..."favorited" for some time on my own PC now!

They DO seem to have quite a LARGE range of sizes available, from 65 mm all the way up to 350mm in diameter for RCers' needs...the "majority" of their wheel selection seem also to use a sizable "flange" on the hubs to secure the wire spokes on the "hub" end of things, so I suppose a good look at their photo page of their wheels might be worth a good look, to see IF they might be a good choice for your needs.

I COULD send either of you the two-page article by Dave Boddington I've got saved on making wire rims, from a long-ago (1980) British scale special magazine issue, and ALSO the SEVEN-page article from the US AMA national aeromodeling magazine, by the late Harry Shoaf, on making custom model aircraft tires, which DOES include a good way of MOLDING one's own WW I tires, with weight-saving "foam stuffings" inside of a nylon-reinforced silicone tire "carcass", to lower the weight of a completed tire.

Also, right here at TheAerodrome.com, if you check at Spoke Wheels, Specifically Halberstadt CL.II , there's a thread about making one's own wire wheel rims for a particular WW I RC Giant Scale aircraft...right here where we're posting !

I'm also the sort who is NOT impressed about Arizona Model Aircrafter's kits of anything...as I've heard many of the same stories that others have heard about the "incompleteness" of HIS kits.

I've got a Bristol Scout C and Fokker M.5K/MG Eindecker "going" as CAD drawn model construction plans currently (as well as MANY others) in the DesignCAD 3000 software I've had for a good many years on my PC, as well as a very special freelance project regarding the Fokker E III...and the recent addition of AutoCAD 2009 LT on my home computer will only expand the range of WW I CAD projects, and many, MANY others that I can accomplish, as I've just barely got started on a really scale set of 3 inch-to-one-foot Avro 504 RC Giant Scale model construction plans, for powering with an RCV 120 SP four-stroke "mill", to be solely drawn up within the AutoCAD 2009 LT enviromment.

I've been UNemployed for some thirteen months-plus months now, and I've only had three interviews (two for CAD, which I did for 8 years [2000-08], and one for electronics production, which I did for 20 years [1977-97]) during 2009...it was the "non-hired" result of the second CAD interview last August, where the interviewer strongly suggested that I get myself a copy of a "relatively recent" version of AutoCAD for use in my home PC, that led me to get the 2009 LT version of AutoCAD to get experience with in the first place.

Just HOPING to get back to work within the "new year" of 2010 coming up...give that "Herbie Wheels" place a good checkout, and please let me know by PM, WITH your Email address (please), if either of you would like a copy of either or BOTH of the Dave Boddington or Harry Shoaf article files Emailed to you...

Yours Sincerely,

The PIPE!

[bstachel]

Thanks, guys , I knew the help would come! I shall definitely check out those sites. I bought a 1/12 Arizona Fokker DVII a couple of years ago and although at first look I thought I'd wasted my money (with a bit of thought you could find all those component raw materials yourself!) I've now come round to seeing the whole project as a modelling challenge I'll one day take on. I always wanted to scratchbuild in 1/12 scale anyway!
Back to the DV - I won't be attempting wire wheels for this project (Albatros steel studded wheel covers look too cool!) but would like further details anyway, thanks the Pipe!
e-mail : bstachel1918@yahoo.com

[bristol scout]

Steel studded--which is exactly what Proctor give you---tiny little nuts and bolts--a tour-de-force--mine are off their DV11---which I utterley trashed some years ago--ah! such is life.

I no longer build big --My heart (and the good lady) won't allow it. Thanks anyway PIPE for the kind offer.

Dave.

[sheppo]

Are you referring to the tiny screws that hold the lightweight alloy spoke covers on?

Chris

[sheppo]

[sheppo]

This is a diabolical contraption for securing the nose bowl...Me, I think I prefer captured screws...

[bristol scout]

Originally Posted by sheppo

Are you referring to the tiny screws that hold the lightweight alloy spoke covers on?

Chris

Actually they are nuts and bolts on the real Albatros---10 of them. Quite simple wooden blocks wedge between the spokes at 10 positions ---they are locked in place with wedges so they can not move ---then the aluminium discs are fitted using 5mm. (this is full size don't forget) round head bolts on the outer faces and nuts on the inner faces---through the blocks.

The Proctor 1/4 scale wheels duplicate this appearence perfectly. As I said "tiny little nuts and bolts".

Dave.

[sheppo]

The NASM book is the source for the 10 bolt pattern?
Dont forget that the wheels they had were mismatched and it is unknown which (or if any of them) is correct for the machine, I noted the book mentions another bolt size for the same component a few pages later.
It does seem like massive overkill to have 10 quite heavy duty bolts to hold a very thin alloy disc in place as they play no other part in the wheel structure.

The AWM undercarriage underwent a few changes in its life so it is no guarantee of pefect original accuracy either.

Given that the germans were suspending significantly heavier items using much less rugged attachment methods in the cockpit I do wonder whether it was just assumed it was a round headed bolt or machine screw while a simple solid wood screw would have sufficed(considering all 10 were taking the load).
The aircraft lost its rubber tyres early in its long life but apparently kept its covers so theres certainly a prospect which should not be ignored that the single found block was altered at some time.

I might throw this one to Koloman and see what his records indicate for the DIII


chris