A Car for a WW1 German Pilot
- fredk
- Modelling Gent and Scholar
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- Joined: May 1st, 2012, 6:25 am
- Location: Donaghadee, N'rn Ir'n
A Car for a WW1 German Pilot
Late last year I got into a discussion with another modeller. He was looking for a suitable car in 1/32 for a WW1 German pilot. I discussed with him how to convert some Airfix 1/32 cars to meet his needs. He and a couple of other modellers challenged me to build a suitable car.
~~Now is the time to do it.
Using the Airfix 1.32 1904 Mercedes;
I've sorted out a load of spare parts which may possibly be used;
What I'll be aiming for is a cross between the 1908 Grand Prix car [photo] and the 1914 Grand Prix car [plans]
I'll be using the chassis [frame] running gear, bonnet [hood] and radiator from the '04 car and building a two seat tourer body with boat tail, like the '14 racer.
I'm not sure if I'll use the flat radiator. I do want to use as much as possible from one kit. I could make a resin copy of a pointed radiator from a Matchbox kit and use that.
Lots of plastic card, wire, aluminium and fillers will be used. Although that broken Bugatti looks like it might donate a half body right off.
~~Now is the time to do it.
Using the Airfix 1.32 1904 Mercedes;
I've sorted out a load of spare parts which may possibly be used;
What I'll be aiming for is a cross between the 1908 Grand Prix car [photo] and the 1914 Grand Prix car [plans]
I'll be using the chassis [frame] running gear, bonnet [hood] and radiator from the '04 car and building a two seat tourer body with boat tail, like the '14 racer.
I'm not sure if I'll use the flat radiator. I do want to use as much as possible from one kit. I could make a resin copy of a pointed radiator from a Matchbox kit and use that.
Lots of plastic card, wire, aluminium and fillers will be used. Although that broken Bugatti looks like it might donate a half body right off.
Al speling misteaks aer all mi own werk..
Its not just how good your painting is, its how good the touch-ups are too.
Its not just how good your painting is, its how good the touch-ups are too.
- Arcwelder
- Modelling Gent and Scholar
- Posts: 1228
- Joined: July 17th, 2015, 1:56 am
- Location: Cork City, Ireland
Re: A Car for a WW1 German Pilot
Excellent! Very unusual idea and one with plenty of scope for fun!
Is this your sanderling?.
2016: A:40 B:12
2016: A:40 B:12
- Old_Tonto
- Modelling Gent and Scholar
- Posts: 8063
- Joined: May 1st, 2011, 7:41 pm
- Location: Middlesbrough, Peoples Republic of Teesside.
Re: A Car for a WW1 German Pilot
Great idea Fred. Look forward to seeing this one completed. Do you think you have enough spares?
2023 - A:0 B:0 C:0
Current Projects:
East German Air Force (1956-90)
South African Air Force (1958-93)
Current Projects:
East German Air Force (1956-90)
South African Air Force (1958-93)
- fredk
- Modelling Gent and Scholar
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- Joined: May 1st, 2012, 6:25 am
- Location: Donaghadee, N'rn Ir'n
Re: A Car for a WW1 German Pilot
Al speling misteaks aer all mi own werk..
Its not just how good your painting is, its how good the touch-ups are too.
Its not just how good your painting is, its how good the touch-ups are too.
Re: A Car for a WW1 German Pilot
Nice, Fred.
Regards
Martin
Regards
Martin
- fredk
- Modelling Gent and Scholar
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Re: A Car for a WW1 German Pilot
No.Old_Tonto wrote:Great idea Fred. Look forward to seeing this one completed. Do you think you have enough spares?
I just bought a big box full of 'spares' off an ebay seller. Its about the size of a large shoe box full. Mostly wheels though. From the photos I saw enough useful parts in the lot to warrant buying it.
After fiddling about with some cardboard, the Ford T body tub and the Bugatti body tub, I decided I'll concentrate on using the Bugatti body. It needs the details sanded off. But other work to do on it first.
Its a perfect width for the chassis
It sits much too high so I'll slice some off the bottom. Its too short in length so it needs cut and lengthened. I'll add a bit to the front for a firewall and some behind the seating. I think I can add a few mm to the rear of the bonnet to lengthen it too.
The pointed tail with a top down-sweep and bottom up-sweep is called an 'Ulster' tail. Made famous by the cars which used that style during the RAC Ulster TT races of 1928 to 1936
Here is my 1930 Austin 7 'Ulster', rather dirty looking and with No.1 son driving
Although that tail is known for those races the tail was much in use well before that, as can be seen by the 1914 g/a drawing above.
I'll be helping mind my model club's table at a model show this weekend. I may take this with me to fiddle about with it there.
Al speling misteaks aer all mi own werk..
Its not just how good your painting is, its how good the touch-ups are too.
Its not just how good your painting is, its how good the touch-ups are too.
Re: A Car for a WW1 German Pilot
Fred
Cracking stuff!
Regards
Martin
Cracking stuff!
Regards
Martin
Martin R
"the 'R' stands for 'Representative'."
"the 'R' stands for 'Representative'."
- general rocket
- Modelling Gent and Scholar
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Re: A Car for a WW1 German Pilot
The model is cool!
The real one with number 1 son is seriously cool!
The real one with number 1 son is seriously cool!
I wish, that I knew what was doing!
- fredk
- Modelling Gent and Scholar
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- Joined: May 1st, 2012, 6:25 am
- Location: Donaghadee, N'rn Ir'n
Re: A Car for a WW1 German Pilot
I measured up to about the height I want the top of the scuttle to be, then cut a piece of plastic card that height and glued it to the front of the body tub. More pieces of plastic card, each slightly smaller than the last were glued on then the edges slathered in plastic soup, as were some areas of the body tub.
When that is set I'll trim the body tub down to my preferred height and trim & filler the firewall
NB: Notice at this period of car development there was no set side for car drivers as there is today. Cars were built with the driver sitting on either left or right [or even in the centre!] and could be found in all countries. Notice the '04 kit and the examples above, the drive is on the right, not left as is found today.
It wasn't until the late 1920s that standardisation of the drivers seat side was starting to polarise either right or left hand side of the car.
Its nonsense that the side was chosen because 'that was the whip hand side', or somesuch fantastical idea. It was because car manufacturers were turning out more cars faster, and it was to simplify and speed up the building of the cars.
When that is set I'll trim the body tub down to my preferred height and trim & filler the firewall
NB: Notice at this period of car development there was no set side for car drivers as there is today. Cars were built with the driver sitting on either left or right [or even in the centre!] and could be found in all countries. Notice the '04 kit and the examples above, the drive is on the right, not left as is found today.
It wasn't until the late 1920s that standardisation of the drivers seat side was starting to polarise either right or left hand side of the car.
Its nonsense that the side was chosen because 'that was the whip hand side', or somesuch fantastical idea. It was because car manufacturers were turning out more cars faster, and it was to simplify and speed up the building of the cars.
Al speling misteaks aer all mi own werk..
Its not just how good your painting is, its how good the touch-ups are too.
Its not just how good your painting is, its how good the touch-ups are too.
- fredk
- Modelling Gent and Scholar
- Posts: 6196
- Joined: May 1st, 2012, 6:25 am
- Location: Donaghadee, N'rn Ir'n
Re: A Car for a WW1 German Pilot
As I couldn't finish my Harrier I did some work on this.
I cut the body down to height. Sanded it level and neat and added a floor to the rear section of the body tub. I gave the whole tub a very rough sanding with very coarse w&d to get all the old detail off it then the whole thing got a generous coating of filler;
The inside at the front got extra thicknesses of plastic card and filler in-case I broke through whilst profiling the firewall and scuttle;
The floor previously glued to the chassis was cut shorter so the bodytub floor would meet it, I'm framing the front of the radiator, which will get wire mesh added;
I started messing about with the seats. On the left is the kit's driver's seat with the sides cut off, on the right is a resin copy. They need narrowed considerably to fit into the body tub;
Then whilst digging through the spares I re-discovered the Bugatti seats which I'd ripped out, so after paint stripping, they need some repairs and I may just use them. The other part is the instrument panel. I was going to try and re-use it as it has dials moulded on it, but I think it'll be just a shape and backing panel.
This spare front from an Airfix 1/48 Bedford will donate its windscreen frame, just to save me making one,....... or I may yet make one;
Some time later; the bodytub got a better sanding* down, then a bit more fillers for round 2;
Round 2 completed; after this a bit more fillers was applied;
It needs a bit of fettling to get the firewall to meet the radiator rear face neatly. I need to put in blocks for the seat to locate against.
* is there a better word than 'sanding' as we no longer use sandpaper?
I cut the body down to height. Sanded it level and neat and added a floor to the rear section of the body tub. I gave the whole tub a very rough sanding with very coarse w&d to get all the old detail off it then the whole thing got a generous coating of filler;
The inside at the front got extra thicknesses of plastic card and filler in-case I broke through whilst profiling the firewall and scuttle;
The floor previously glued to the chassis was cut shorter so the bodytub floor would meet it, I'm framing the front of the radiator, which will get wire mesh added;
I started messing about with the seats. On the left is the kit's driver's seat with the sides cut off, on the right is a resin copy. They need narrowed considerably to fit into the body tub;
Then whilst digging through the spares I re-discovered the Bugatti seats which I'd ripped out, so after paint stripping, they need some repairs and I may just use them. The other part is the instrument panel. I was going to try and re-use it as it has dials moulded on it, but I think it'll be just a shape and backing panel.
This spare front from an Airfix 1/48 Bedford will donate its windscreen frame, just to save me making one,....... or I may yet make one;
Some time later; the bodytub got a better sanding* down, then a bit more fillers for round 2;
Round 2 completed; after this a bit more fillers was applied;
It needs a bit of fettling to get the firewall to meet the radiator rear face neatly. I need to put in blocks for the seat to locate against.
* is there a better word than 'sanding' as we no longer use sandpaper?
Al speling misteaks aer all mi own werk..
Its not just how good your painting is, its how good the touch-ups are too.
Its not just how good your painting is, its how good the touch-ups are too.
- splash
- Senior Service Rotorhead
- Posts: 13828
- Joined: May 1st, 2011, 11:02 am
- Location: Somerset England
Re: A Car for a WW1 German Pilot
Wow that's coming along great.
My work bench is starting to look like Portsmouth Naval Dockyard.
Re: A Car for a WW1 German Pilot
Yep, lots of juicy kitbashing goodness going on here!
Martin R
"the 'R' stands for 'Representative'."
"the 'R' stands for 'Representative'."
- general rocket
- Modelling Gent and Scholar
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- Joined: May 1st, 2011, 4:42 pm
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Re: A Car for a WW1 German Pilot
This spare front from an Airfix 1/48 Bedford will donate its windscreen frame, just to save me making one,....... or I may yet make one;
How many times have we all said this?
How many times have we all said this?
I wish, that I knew what was doing!
- splash
- Senior Service Rotorhead
- Posts: 13828
- Joined: May 1st, 2011, 11:02 am
- Location: Somerset England
Re: A Car for a WW1 German Pilot
It's a bit like saying "I'm going to build this kit OOB"general rocket wrote:This spare front from an Airfix 1/48 Bedford will donate its windscreen frame, just to save me making one,....... or I may yet make one;
How many times have we all said this?
My work bench is starting to look like Portsmouth Naval Dockyard.
- DavidWomby
- Modelling Gent and Scholar
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- Location: Florida, USA
Re: A Car for a WW1 German Pilot
I've missed this thread so far. Great work on the front end of that body tub!
David
David