1/144 Shapeways models in progress - The H-12 "Large America" Flying Boat and the Halberstadt D. V fighter

In October I orders two models from the Reduced Aircraft Factory store on Shapeways. I received a Curtis H-12 seaplane and two Halberstadt D. V fighters. As with most Shapeways models, surface preparation is an arduous task that must be done to get the best results. That was true with these two models. A lot of time was spent filling the surface grain of the black strong and flexible material. 

Fortunately, the work is not hard, but involves repeated application of a gap filling material - in this case acrylic clear coat. It took several weeks to achieve the desired result, but then applying the primer coats took a mere two days. A good thing too as winter is set to arrive this week, putting a close to the spray painting season. 

Here's some views of the primed models ready for painting. Now to come up with a choice of paint scheme. The D.V are destined for Mesopotamia and Turkish service, I wanted something 'not-CDL' for a change. The H-12 is going to take some thought as the paint schemes on those beasts can be quite complex. 

The primed H-12 next to a completed Felixstowe.

You can see the common ancestry the two planes share.

Shapeways is getting quite good at the detail, but the 3-D printers still have limits on the really small details.

There's still a little graininess visible in this image. For a gaming piece, it will be fine. 

More 1/144 float planes ready for action

I've managed to finish a couple of additional plane models for use with Ares Games Wings of Glory game system. The recent planes are all German floatplanes - a Hansa-Bradenberg W. 29 (the second of the collection) a Rumpler 6B and a FF.33E. All are maritime reconnaissance aircraft. The Rumpler is a single seat patrol fighter while the W.29 is a robust two-seater that served later in the war. The FF33E served from mid-war to the end of the war.

All three models were acquired from Shapeways. All were printed in either WSF or BSF material. I'm partial to BSF until something better comes along.

The Rumpler (on the left) and the new W.29 model. Decals on he W.29 by Tin-soldier.com. 

Rumpler in the front with FF33E in the back. 

Rear aspect of the Rumpler.

Folks over at the Aerodrome knocked out a customer plane card that matches the model.
Thanks guys! 

New balloon section joins the action at the front for...

...1/144 Great War aerial gaming

I've completed a project that has languished on the modelling table all spring - a 1/144 model of the Avorio-Prassone kite balloon produced by Daryl at the Reduced Aircraft Factory shop within the Shapeways 3D printer. 

It's a nice three piece model consisting of the two halves of the envelope and a one piece assembly of the basket and harness. There's a hole for mounted. I inserted a steel screw and glued a magnet to the a base post so the model can be placed on a stand. 

As always, when it comes to the models, I believe a picture is worth several paragraphs, so without delay - enjoys these pictures! 

The front end of the balloon with the basket and harness attached

Nice side view. The base is from Litko Aerosystems. 

The left side. The balloon was printed using Black Strong and Flexible. 

Here's a shot of the balloon under attack by a Albatros D.III. Albratros from Ares Games Wings of Glory line.

Good shot showing off both the texture of the envelope and the detailed section lines on the model. 

North Sea air action this Saturday at DAYCON - Dayton, Ohio

On Saturday 25 Feb 17, at the Dayton Gaming Convention I'm hosting a Wings of Glory game featuring a bevy of seaplanes for a North Sea game. Come see the Felixstowe and it's escorting DH.4 take on the mixed flight of German float planes including the W.29, W.12, W.4 and FF.49. It'll be a bloody clash of planes you almost never seen on the game table. All the German planes and several of the British planes are 3-D prints from Shapeways.

FF. 49

W.4

Another W.4

W.12

KDW

Short 184

Up, Up and away in my beautiful ballooooooooooooon........

.....or 99 Luftballoons on the wall, 99 Luftballoons.....

But seriously folks, I'm making great progress with the Reduced Aircraft Factory model of the Caquot Type M kit balloon available on Shapeways.

You can read the earlier installment here;


The painting has gone very well, in fact much better than I anticipated. I stumbled over a link to a postcard of a similar balloon done up in a charming checkerboard pattern. With that as a base, it was just a matter of selecting colors and a brush and getting started.

Here's the balloon after painting and following installation of the mounting post and the basket and shroud lines. The mounting post is a #6 1/2" screw that's screwed into the provided hole. To this screw, a strong rare earth magnet is glued using DAP adhesive or other strong adhesive (I'm a big fan of JB Weld). I thought I'd get smart and use a stainless steel screw with the magnet, but as I'm driving in the screw I remember....stainless steel is not magnetic! 

Here's the balloon after the basket installed. (Don't mind the hand of God in the lower left). Okay the paint job looks crummy in this picture.  I think the camera is too close. 

This looks a little better. It might be the angle. (It might be my painting skills!)

Thought I'd hold it over a game mat to get a feel for it.  

Success! The magnet on the post mates with a magnet glued to a 'bomber' peg and allows the balloon to be placed on a stand. 

Here's a view of the inverted balloon showing off the basket assembly. The great thing about this is that the basket and all the lines are a single part, making installation very easy.

The colors used on this model include  Folk Art Lemonade (the light yellow) and Americana Yellow Ochre. The basket was flat brown and the shrouds a base coat of yellow oche with a stain of flat brown and dry brushed light gray for weathering. 

Here's a shot of the primer, paints,  and screws used in the construction process. 

Now we're cooking with gas!  An Italian SVA 5 flies past this balloon somewhere on the Piave front.  The checkboard effect looks much better from a few feet away.