Beyond The Sprues
Current and Finished Projects => Physical Models => Aero-space => Topic started by: KiwiZac on January 30, 2023, 04:19:34 PM
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Hi all,
Seven months ago I decided to scratchbuild a model of a Skycraft Scout microlight, inspired by Jonathan Mauchline's (chief flying instructor at my local aero club) resurrection of Mk.III ZK-RWW (https://rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/29988/skycraft-scout-zk-rww). When I saw how simple the real deal was I figured it wouldn't be that hard to build my own in scale...
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52057684058_bed1d1736b_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2njaeNS)ZK-RWW Whanganui 080522 Zac Yates (https://flic.kr/p/2njaeNS) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52656802207_5c953e1631_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oe6SL8)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2oe6SL8) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
I started with a three-view drawing from the internet, suitably scaled to 1/48 (chosen because I found a seat so scaled in my spares that looked about right) and printed off to act as an assembly guide. From there it was a matter of cutting strips from corrugated styrene sheet for the wing spars and ribs, and using a rectangular section of scrap styrene for the fuselage keel. I then hunted through 30yr of spare parts for various elements I couldn't make myself - wheels and prop chief among them - and other parts that could be combined for elements such as the distinctive tapered tuned exhaust.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52183199724_a95463dbaf_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2nvfxf5)1/48 scratchbuilt Skycraft Scout Mk.III (https://flic.kr/p/2nvfxf5) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52182958208_b59ae0446b_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2nveis1)1/48 scratchbuilt Skycraft Scout Mk.III (https://flic.kr/p/2nveis1) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
For the wings and control surfaces I decided to roughly approximate the real deal by laying down a sheet of thin clear styrene, adding the spar and ribs, and then a top sheet of clear styrene. Originally I smothered the inside face of each wing sheet but this resulted in slight warping.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52183438280_69551658ea_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2nvgLa7)1/48 scratchbuilt Skycraft Scout Mk.III (https://flic.kr/p/2nvgLa7) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52181928557_233f591c06_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2nv92np)1/48 scratchbuilt Skycraft Scout Mk.III (https://flic.kr/p/2nv92np) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
I tried to fix this with hot water and a couple of books but the result was an even more warped and shrunken pair of wings. Disheartened, I put the assembled fuselage with tail and other parts aside while I focused on other projects. I then replicated the original wing idea minus the excess glue, ie only applying glue to the ribs. This means a non-prototypical open trailing edge but a much nicer appearance. When rigging a 1/1 scale Scout someone of my height can just fit under the wingtips - it turns out Humbrol tinlets are perfect for the job in this scale!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52657572494_d6525309d1_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oeaPJW)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2oeaPJW) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52657736065_745c5d12d7_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oebEn8)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2oebEn8) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
I reckon rigging RWW for flight takes about half as long as it did for this model. The elastic is overscale but I feel captures the look well. Add the prop (cut down from a Fokker Dr.I) and distinctive motorbike fuel tank (in this case a blister from...something. Fw190?) and voila! Mini-RWW!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52657736870_8e4c004abe_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oebEB1)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2oebEB1) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52657736860_55245acfa6_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oebEAQ)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2oebEAQ) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52656802562_cf8dedaf0b_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oe6SSf)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2oe6SSf) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52657782393_1ba8646684_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oebU8T)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2oebU8T) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52657287366_bb3ba05fd6_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oe9mYW)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2oe9mYW) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
I was dropping off another commissioned model at the airport so figured there was no time like the present to reveal my secret project to an unsuspecting Jonny, who had been out Austering. He was floored and rather taken by the model, which was a very humbling reaction.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52657722129_e0af6455d4_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oebAdR)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2oebAdR) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52656951367_dd687852c4_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oe7D6R)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2oe7D6R) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
He has recently returned to the hobby himself and made a couple of display bases for 1/72 WW2 fighters, one of which he quickly evicted so it could be repurposed!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52658341040_6dd272cbbc_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oeeLcJ)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2oeeLcJ) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52658341035_9721a7d602_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oeeLcD)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2oeeLcD) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52657403822_a4802d7f59_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oe9XAN)Untitled (https://flic.kr/p/2oe9XAN) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/), on Flickr
Now to figure out a way to display the two ZK-RWWs together...and find a come-back for those smart alecks who immediately say "Well you have to build the other (https://flic.kr/p/2ocWSzD) two (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zacyates/52610240000/) he owns..."!!
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:smiley:
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That is really well done :smiley:
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Very nice build! And a great subject :smiley:
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Great scratchbuild, Zac! It must be very rewarding to have the 1:1 owner like it so much. It reminds me of the Santos-Dumont Demoiselle:
(https://fullfatthings-keyaero.b-cdn.net/sites/keyaero/files/comment_forum/2004/05/19/demoiselle.jpg)
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The Scout is very Demoiselle - it even has wingwarping!!
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Is wing-warping more effective than wing-flapping ? ???
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What a little gem!
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You've taken your modeling skills to a whole new level! Amazing craftsmanship!
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Thank you Baz! High praise indeed!