Flyingscalemodels 202201

FREE GIFT FOR SUBSCRIBERS
SEE PAGE 6
FULL SIZE FREE PLANS WORTH £10
CULVER DART 53” WINGSPAN FOR

ELECTRIC POWER www.doolittlemedia.com
QUICKER ASSEMBLY…
SIMPLE WING CRADLE

… MAKES MODEL
ASSEMBLY EASIER
PFALZ D.XII
QUARTER SCALE 89” WINGSPAN FOR 180 -200 FOUR-STROKE POWER
+PFALZ PFACTORY
WW1 FIGHTER CONSTRUCTION
IN PICTURES & TYPE HISTORY
RUBBER POWERED RODENT!
POLIKARPOV I-16 ‘RATA’ INDOOR FREE FLIGHT

January 2022
No. 266 £5.99
01
PEANUT-SCALE
9 771368 900066
SUBJECTS FOR SCALE
CURITSS P-40B ● TYPE HISTORY ● SCALE THREE VIEWS

● COLOUR SCHEMES ● DETAIL CLOSE UP HANRIOT H.D.1 ● SCALE DRAWINGS ● COLOUR
SCHEMES ● PHOTO CLOSE-UPS
THE
TYPEISSUE
HISTORY
AHEAD...
Formation...
FLYING SCALE MODELS - THE FIRST AND FOREMOST MAGAZINE FOR SCALE MODEL FLYERS
JANUARY 2022 NO.266
6
5 CONTACT 38 SUBJECTS FOR SCALE
Just for starters CURTISS P-40B TOMAHAWK
Never one of the ‘star’ fighter aircraft of
8 CULVER DART WW2, the P-40 series nevertheless served
American mid-1930s light aircraft. 53” Allied air forces long and well, across all
wingspan for electric power designed by theatres of combat. The early variants
Peter Rake, with the prototype model built were, arguably, the prettiest
and described by Marion Crowder. Part 1
44 P-40B FLYING COLOURS
13 SURVIVING Warpaint for the Tomahawk
FREE FLIGHT SCALE
PART 34: Andrew Hewitt looks at covering 46 CURTISS P-40B IN DETAIL
16 and finishing Close-up study of the restored Tomahawk
now with the Collings Foundation
16 PFALZ D.XII
Gary Sunderland’s challenging quarter- 50 CURTISS TOMAHAWK
scale WWI warbird for 180 to 200-size four- SCALE DRAWING
stroke engines. PART 1 1:50 scale three-views
22 PFALZ D.XII TYPE HISTORY 52 WING SUPPORT CRADLE

Overshadowed by the highly acclaimed An aid to biplane airframe assembly
Fokker D.VII, this late WW1 German fighter
nevertheless served quite widely over the 54 SUBJECTS FOR SCALE
Western Front during the closing months HANRIOT H.D.1
38 of 1918 One the lesser known, but extensively used
scout/fighter types of WW1
28 PFALZ FACTORYI
Images of production work at the Pfalz 58 HANRIOT H.D.1
Works illustrate just how labour intensive SCALE DRAWING
WW1 aircraft construction was Fine detailed 1:40 scale three-views
32 POLIKARPOV I-16 60 HANRIOT FLYING COLOURS

Richard Crossley has long had a taste for Warpaint or the H.D.1
unusual scale model subjects. This Peanut
Scale model flies well indoors and even 60 HANRIOT IN DETAIL
outdoors when the weather is right Close-up photo study of the RAF Museum
Hendon’s H.D.1
ON THE One of the deciders that prompted Gary Sunderland to model the Pfalz D.XII in quarter-scale was the
knowledge that the Australian War Memorial Museum at Canberra had a preserved full size example.
But when he started the build of the model he discovered that the aircraft had been taken away of
COVER further restoration work. Never detered, the project went ahead to success
WWW.FLYINGSCALEMODELS.COM
4 FLYING SCALE MODELS - APRIL

JANUARY
2021
2022
Editor: Tony Dowdeswell
[email protected]
EDITORIAL Publisher: Alan Harman
Design: Peter Hutchinson
Website: Webteam
Advertising Manager: Alan Harman
Admin Manager: Gordon Angus
Contact...
FLYING SCALE MODELS is published monthly by
Doolittle Media, The Granary,
Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Beds, LU6 1QX.
Reproduction in part or whole of any text,

photograph or illustration without written
permission from the publisher is strictly
prohibited. While due care is taken to ensure
the contents of FLYING SCALE MODELS is accurate,
the publishers and printers cannot accept
F
or dedicated scale modellers, double curve. The answer came back
liability for errors and omissions.
of either flying, or static models, “…I didn’t; just followed the panel line
there is as much interest in full size demarcations of the full size, folded over
Advertisements are accepted for publication in
aviation as for the models – after and under”.
FLYING SCALE MODELS only upon Doolittle Media’s
all, it’s the full size that inspires us. Scale three views all showed constant standard terms of acceptance of advertising,
Knowing as much as possible about the curve outlines top and bottom right back copies of which are available from the
full size prior to the start of a new scale to the tailcone, and all photographs also advertising sales department of
model is valuable information. That’s why inferred constant curves back to the tail. FLYING SCALE MODELS.
FSM pursues our regular ‘Type History’ and However, Gary’s answer to my question
‘Subjects for Scale’ features left me wondering if that was all the EDITORIAL ADVERTISEMENT & CIRCULATION:
Our major construction feature this Albatros Werk did to too -single curvature The Granary, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe,
month is the late Gary Sunderland’s ply panels rolled over the rear fuselage Beds, LU6 1QX. Tel. 01525 222573
quarter-scale Pfalz D.XII late-WW1 era formers Email: [email protected]
fighter type. The Pfalz series of fighters, All an illusion? I’m still wondering…
including their D.III and Dr.1 triplane that CIRCULATION TRADE ENQUIRIES:
featured superbly streamlined, contoured IN THE MODE Seymour Distribution, 2 East Poultry Avenue,
fuselages, as did the Rolands and the Having mentioned my Albatros D.II, I have London, EC1A 9PT. 020 7429 4000.
much more numerous Albatros scouts D.1 to admit, it’s been hanging aloft in the ‘toy
to D.Va. room’ unflown. NEWSTRADE:
This, in stark contrast to the boxes, flat As a relic of the past, dating back Select Publisher Services, 3 East Avenue,
Bournemouth. BH3 7BW. 01202 586848
fuselage sides of British and French types the days of ‘disturbed free flight’ single
Email: [email protected]
so prevalent of the period. channel flying and then non-proportional
The extent of the woodworking multi-channel ‘reeds’, I’m a member of
SUBSCRIPTIONS:
craftsmanship that went into the patented that fast disappearing breed, the Mode 1
The Granary, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe,
LFG-Roland construction technique, as flyer. Beds, LU6 1QX. Tel. 01525 222573.
applied to the Pfalz fighter types including Since I can’t take in-flight photos of the
the D.XII, is revealed in the ‘Pfalz Pfactory’ model while actually flying it, I need a (c) Copyright Flying Scale Models 2021
pictorial that accompanies the D.XII good Mode 1’er I can trust to do the stick Doolittle Media.
model construction feature in this issue. It’s time, while I handle the camera. So is there
well worth a look. anyone out there within striking distance of The paper used on this title is from
Whilst what’s said above includes a WD3 postcode who might be prepared sustainable forestry
the curved and contoured shapes of to do the honours?
the Albatross types, I have, for some
time wondered about the techniques
appliedby Albatros – more explicitly, how
double-corved the skins of their fuselages
really were.
During the build of my Albatros D.II
(another Gary Sunderland design)
I use the book covering the story of
the Smithsonian’s D.Va restoration as
a reference source, which describes
how Albatros used concrete moulds to
pressure-form the fuselage skins, to double
curvature.
That may be so for the fully rounded
D.Va, but the earlier Alabatrii, D.I-D.II, had
flat fuselage sides, with rounded upper
and lower skins.
During the build of my D.II, I asked
Gary how, since he replicated the top
and bottom skins on his prototype model
in 0.4mm plywood, did he achieve the
JANUARY 2022 - FLYING SCALE MODELS 5

LIMITED TIME
FLYING SCALE MODELS
SUBSCRIPTION OFFER!
SUBSCRIBE TODAY AND RECEIVE A VERY SPECIAL GIFT
WORTH OVER £35 INCLUDING POSTAGE
F
We have teamed up with our friends at Deluxe Materials to offer you a very special gift.
For subscribing with us for 2 years, you will receive a bottle of Roket Hot, Roket Max,
!
Roket Odourless, SuperPhatic and Roket Glue Tips.
This offer is available to both NEW and EXISTING subscribers. If you are an existing
subscriber, we will simply extend your current subscription for a further 2 years, so do
not wait until your subscription runs out, RENEW TODAY while stocks last!
* Terms and conditions

You must be aged 18 and over to be eligible for the Deluxe offer. While stocks last.
Customers attempting to take out this offer after all stock is gone will be contacted before any money is taken.
Subscriptions taken out with this offer will not be refunded if cancelled.
F R E E
I F
G £ 33!T WO R T H OV E R
*
ONLINE AT WWW.DOOLITTLEMEDIA.COM OR CALL 01525 222573

24 ISSUE FLYING SCALE MODELS 2 year subscription:- UK; £100, Europe; £120, Worldwide; £148
SUBSCRIPTION Renewal/Extension New Subscription Starting with issue No..........................
First name ........................................................................................................................................... Please debit my credit/debit card for £................................. Please be aware that all
credit/debit cards are
processed through PayPal
Surname............................................................................................................................................... Visa Mastercard Maestro Cheque and this may appear on your
bank statement
Payable to
Address................................................................................................................................................. Card number: Doolittle Media Ltd.
.................................................................................................................................................................... ■■
Maestro only
....................................................................................................................................................................
Expiry date.................... Valid from.................... CCV Code.................... Issue No...........
.................................................................................................................................................................... 3 digits on the signature strip If applicable
Country...............................................................Post/zip code ..................................................

Telephone Number........................................................................................................................ Signature .................................................................................Date............................................
Email ....................................................................................................................................................... Please call our subscription line or mail this form, or a copy, to;
Doolittle Media, The Granary, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX, UK
Please tick to confirm that you are aged 18 or over Tel; +44(0)1525 222573 Online; www.doolittlemedia.com
(Photocopies of this form are acceptable)
IF THIS OFFER ISN’T FOR YOU REGULAR 1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE STILL AVAILABLE - ONLINE AT WWW.DOOLITTLEMEDIA.COM OR CALL 01525 222573
FULL-SIZE FREE PLAN
CULVER
DART
PART 1: An electric powered scale model designed by Peter Rake, with the prototype model
built and described by Marion Crowder
8 FLYING SCALE MODELS - JANUARY 2022

T
here is something magical HISTORY the name was changed to the Monosport
about watching a scale The Culver Dart started life as a low G. The enclosing the cockpit reduced
model of a particular aircraft wing aircraft designed by Al Mooney, drag and made the aircraft a very nimble
as it floats by in the morning as a possible replacement for the little craft requiring a light touch and
light. I don’t believe that I will Monocoupe. The Darts were being built finesse to be flown well.
ever get enough of that feeling, so I just for the Lambert Aircraft Company as it Clare Bunch, who was in charge of
keep building them and flying them and was then called. In original form it was a Lambert at the time, announced that
plugging along. two-place side-by-side open cockpit low production would begin in October of
Some Japanese scientists have wing monoplane, but it was never put 1935. Unfortunately the solvency of the
determined that time travel will never into production by Lambert because the company was in question and production
be possible. Obviously they don’t fly factory was on hard times with the Great was never started.
scale aircraft models because time Depression of 1929-31. At that point in time, Al Mooney left
travel is exactly what we do every time Mooney did keep working on the the company and teamed up with K.K.
one of our creations takes to the air. Monoprep G as it had been named at Culver. They purchased the rights and
What a wonderful hobby to be part of! the time but when the open cockpit was tooling for the Monosport G and together
▼
MARRION CROWDER changed to a coupe type closed cockpit, they formed the Dart Aircraft Co. (not to
Pretty as a picture, Marion Crowder’s prototype test model looks very effective in its’ nice, bright scheme.

FULL-SIZE FREE PLAN
1 2
3 4
1: The only difficult part of the tail surfaces is laminating the outlines. 2: The laminated ply centre rib takes the landing loads and the ply plate provides fixing for
the P-clip retainer. 3: Laminated balsa parts provide the nose shape and the motor mount parts set the thrust lines. 4: Laminated balsa again, along with some ply
parts make up the strong, simple to build cowling.
model and because of how Peter Rake the rudder and the ailerons and the turns
▼
be confused with the British Dart Aircraft

Ltd, producer of, among other things, designed her, it went together quite are nice and co-ordinated. I suppose you
the Dart Pup and Dart Kitten –ED.) The nicely so I won’t go into a 'glue-A- could simply use your thumbs, but I am
name of the Monosport was changed to-B' story, but rather, touch on the basically a lazy flier and prefer to let the
to Dart to match that of the company certain aspects of construction that radio do it for me!
and the aircraft was finally put into need detailing and attention. So grab
production in the late 1930s. The name something good to drink, get your stuff TAIL SURFACES
of the company was then changed to together and let’s get started! I always start building a new model by
Culver Aircraft Co. in 1939, but only a Always on my favourites list, and one doing the things I like the least. That
small number were built prior to the start I truly wanted to build, I was delighted way, those are done and I can get on to
of WW2. when Peter gave me the chance to do the more interesting stuff. The only thing
Because of its inadequate powerplant, just that. I have often wondered how on the tail feathers that requires any
the full potential of the design wasn’t good a model the Dart might be because discussion is the laminated outlines. To
achieved. Too soon, the little Culver of how close-coupled the wing and tail gat that done I find a piece of cardboard
Cadet came along and thus the Dart were. I was afraid that it would be rather big enough and then trace the surface
was never built in large numbers. A pitch sensitive, but thus far she seems outline onto it. I use the pinprick method,
few remain airworthy and today some fairly well mannered. Peter did add a little which involves placing the cardboard
enthusiasts for aircraft of that era regard length (about 1”) to the fuselage but it under the plans and poking around the
it as simply one of the best and most isn’t noticeable. outline to give me a track to follow when
advanced designs to come out of the The Dart requires very little rudder I pencil in the outline. It is sort of like
golden age of aviation. control to maintain a straight line on follow-the-numbers that we used to do
takeoff. Add a little up elevator at the as kids.
THE MODEL start and she simply flies off the ground. Remember to use the inside edge
I enjoyed building my Culver Dart I do have about 30% couple between of the outline as you will laminate the
10 FLYING SCALE MODELS - JANAURY 2022

CUT PARTS
balsa to the outside edge and thus be at
the correct size when done. More than
components, but don’t separate them
until after they are sanded. You will need
SET FOR THE
once, I have screwed up here and built to shape the wire joiner for the elevators
an outline that just didn’t want to fit the and fit it once you separate them.
plans. Live and learn so they say! Once you have them sanded,
And by the way, who are ‘they’ separated, and with hinges temporarily
anyway? ‘They’ seem to know a lot more installed, you can set them off to the
than I do!
Next, you cut it out. The cardboard
side. Don’t forget the joiner!
Now we move on to the ‘main event’,
CULVER
outline needs some wax around the
edges to prevent the glue from sticking
it to the balsa. I use a crayon and just
the wing!
WING CENTRE SECTION

DART
colour the edge with it. I prefer red, but The wing is constructed in three pieces, Get straight down to
any colour will work. a centre section and two outside panels.
Five pieces of 1/16” by 1/4” balsa are All three are shown on the plan, which construction without delay!
used for the tailplane outline and four makes building them much easier. This model’s plan is supported
for the rudder. Pin the template to a I shaped up the landing gear struts
small building board that you can rotate first, but I didn’t install them until I had by a laser-cut set of ready-
around so you can do the outline in the wing all framed up and the panels to-use balsa and plywood
one continuous length. Soak your strip attached to the centre section. It is much components. This provides all
wood in whatever way you prefer. I just easier to work on the wing if you don’t
run water on them and give it a minute have the undercarriage legs installed; it the parts that, otherwise, you
to soak in. (Running them in the dish will lay flat on the workbench for you. would need to trace out onto
washer gets them good and soggy to – Assemble the centre section first. The the wood before cutting out.
ED) wing joiners are one-piece and should
There are two ways that I add the be epoxied together. Part S1 goes in
glue. I either coat each strip with white front of part DB and has a notch in it for IT DOES NOT INCLUDE
glue, slightly thinned, using a brush, or I the centre rib to lock into. All ribs in the STRIP AND SHEET
lay up the laminations, let them dry and centre section have a front piece and a
then coat it with cyano. Either way works back piece and butt against the joiner. I MATERIAL OR SHAPED
for me, but the brushed way doesn’t started by pinning down the trailing edge WIRE PARTS
give you all the fumes. Take your pick. and then glued in the bottom sheeting.
Everybody has their own way that they This blocks your view of the plans, so
prefer. mark the location of your parts on the Order set:
Once you have the outlines, just pin sheeting before you hide everything.
them down and add the sticks to finish.
CUT401 -
Assemble your centre rib pieces with
I build the elevators and tailplane in one epoxy and clamp them until set. Sand
piece as well as the fin and rudder sub-
Price: £80.00
▼
everything smooth, glue in the plywood
plus carriage: £11.50 (UK),

Europe £26.00
Shipping Note: For shipping to

destinations outside the UK and
Europe, you will be charged our
standard flat-rate price of £49. This
covers most destinations and secures
your order with us. However, we
will contact you accordingly with an
accurate total shipping charge prior to
dispatch and either issue a refund or a
PayPal money request for the balance.
Order online at:

Still a bit to do
, www.doolittlemedia.com
but th is is as
t
close as we ge Doolittle Media, The Granary,
d m od el
to a nake
photo. Nothing
too Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe,
out
complicat ed ab
Bedfordshire. LU6 1QX •
ns tru ct io n he re.
Tel 01525 222573
co

FULL-SIZE FREE PLAN
Swooping in for a low pass, the Culver Dart shows off her slightly ‘chunky’ lines. Very pretty though.
t
blocks for the undercarriage mounts dowel out until the very last; it makes and carve some shape into things. As I
and install in front and at the rear of the sanding the leading edge much easier. said before, both main panels are shown
spar. I used 30-minute epoxy for all the Add your part R2A and R2 ribs. These on the plans, so you don’t have to trace
plywood glue joints; it was probably should be vertical when you put them in. or oil any thing. Sure makes it nice for
overkill, but I like things to be strong. The root rib on the outside panel will be building.
Now add the blocks in the back for the leaned when you put the wing together. We’ll have to leave things there until
wing bolts. These are important so don’t Pull the sheeting up to the ribs in front next month, so make sure you don’t
forget them. Use fairly hard wood so and glue it. Now you can pick up the miss the second part of the plan and
that you don’t mash the wing when you centre section and sheet the top. Once construction article for this attractive
tighten the wing bolts later. I left the wing all that is done, add your leading edge model. n
5 6
5: Yes Marion, you do have every right to look pleased with yourself
6: There’s plenty of room below the hatch for all the ‘gubbins’ that has to go in there. Makes battery access simple too.

TECHNIQUE
SURVIVING
FREE FLIGHT
SCALE
PART 4: LOOKS AT COVERING AND FINISHING
HIDING ALL THE MISTAKES career, or hold its trim as well as its shrinking dope, in which some talcum
So you have now completed all the better-made brother. powder has been mixed, and sanded
woodwork on your masterpiece. It does down between coats. On sheeted areas,
not matter if you have made a ‘pigs ear’ SURFACE PREPARATION several coats may be required to give a
of the construction, since scale modelling All surfaces that contact the covering smooth, ply or metal-like finish. You must
is all about the external appearance should be sanded smooth, removing all be constantly aware that weight kills
of your creation and its authenticity. bumps, dings and glue blobs (that should performance … and models - so give it
▼
However, a poorly built model may not move the CG forward!). These surfaces one more careful sanding.
stand up to the rigors of a long flying are now given one or two coats of non-
Mike Smith's Nat's winning Martyinsyde Elephant bears all the

types of surfaces to be reproduced - metal and ply panelling,
fabric covering and natural polished wood - it has just the right
level of detail and weathering, too.

TECHNIQUE
Even small models can be enhanced with the application of a scale finish. Here Even at this scale size, rib tapes and stitching and lacing should be reproduced.
is a rubber-powered Ryan NYP, showing the ‘turned aluminium’ cowling panels -
so distinctive of this type.
COVERING MATERIALS this, you can water shrink using thin make sure the tapes are where you think
t
Today we have a very wide range of wallpaper paste, which will help reduce they should go. When dry, seal with dope
covering materials from which to choose. the porosity. and sand down to give a subtle finish.
Unfortunately, only the traditional To dope the tissue, I use banana oil or Many early aircraft had their covering
methods give us the structural strength none-shrinking dope, to which has been laced to the fuselage, often forming
we require, combined with low weight, to added a teaspoon of castor oil, which a prominent feature to the particular
withstand the inevitable ‘arrivals. Modern prevents the dope becoming brittle and subject (the SE5a is an example). This is
film-type covering materials are very adds some toughness to the finished very simple to simulate using a sewing
strong and puncture proof, but these do surface. It may take four or five coats of machine set on ‘zig-zag’, or was it ‘zag-
not impart much torsional rigidity to thin dope to fill the tissue to make it airproof, zig’? Now it is a simple matter of cutting
undercambered wings at the small scales sanding between coats to remove all the to length and sticking to the covering
to which we build these models. hairy spiders - I sand using wire wool ... using thinned PVA, easy!
One way around this problem is to carefully!
incorporate composite construction SURFACE PANELS
techniques, as used by the free flight DURABLE FINISH Metal or plywood panels can be
duration flyers, but this is hardly suitable If you want a more durable finish, by far simulated on the fuselage prior to
for beginners. On the models I have seen the best is achieved using light silk on painting, using litho plate, card, paper
covered in lightweight iron-on films, I am top of lightweight tissue. The silk gives or plastic card, suitably embossed with
still waiting to be impressed, the majority an excellent representation of doped details from the back or front. You must
suffering from ‘hot day, slack covering, linen and the two-ply skin gives a very keep references to the full-size aircraft
blues’. tough, light finish. The only problem is to prevent large clangers being made!
the added chore of covering twice. Firstly All panels must be stuck down well and
PUTTING THE CLOTHES ON cover with the tissue, shrink with water the edges sealed, to prevent oil and fuel
By far the simplest covering method I and then apply one coat of non-shrinking seeping in, which would make a terrible
have found, being nearly fool proof and dope. mess of all your handiwork.
giving the beginner a satisfactory finish, To cover with silk, first mix up some
is the age-old heavyweight tissue, and wallpaper paste, iron a panel of silk PAINTING
plenty of dope. I use the plain white smooth, lay the silk on the structure and Applying the scale paint finish causes
heavy tissue, which is very cheap and paint through the silk with the paste, more sleepless nights than flying the
easy to apply. trimming the edges with very sharp darn monster! The problem is that this
To attach the covering to the scissors. This is quite easy to master. is what the judges see. There are no
framework, I use slightly thinned PVA Once dry, the silk is drum tight and ready excuses for the wrong colours, since
wood glue or dope. This tissue will for topcoats of dope, sanding off any there are many books, while magazines
cover compound curves easily if slightly stray hairs as you go. I have also applied are full of colour pictures, paint chips and
dampened prior to application and, being nylon this way and saved a heap of references, etc.
thick and hairy, the tissue can cover all weight, since far less dope is required to There are many different paints we can
manner of ills and make a good finish fill the weave. use - my preference is to hand brush
possible. A light spray of warm water will matt enamels, then fuel proof by spraying
shrink the tissue tight. RIB TAPES on a coat of semi-matt fuel proofer.
When covering undercamber wings, To simulate rib tapes, strips of Matt enamels give a light finish, two
pay particular attention to sticking down heavyweight tissue are applied using brushed coats being sufficient. Apply
the tissue to each rib underside. The thinned PVA wood glue. These should be the light colours first; the white areas in
only problem with heavyweight tissue applied over each rib and around each roundels for example, then apply all the
is its great thirst for dope - to reduce surface edge. Use your documentation to others. I use a brush, because I feel the

like, it is now time to add the dirt and
realism. Even factory-fresh aircraft
are not perfect, possessing character
in irregular panels, subtle surface
blemishes, etc., etc. Adding dirt brings
a model to life. You must first scrutinise
your photographs to see where the real
aircraft picked up dirt - look for scuff
marks and scratched paint.
To apply dirt, I use pastels, grey, brown
and black. Simply rub your finger on
the pastels, then rub your finger on the
airframe; easy! If you do not like the
effect, wipe it off and have another go -
very quickly you will master the process
and be the proud owner of a realistic
scale model. To preserve your efforts,
spray over with fine fuel proofer.
Chipped paint requires more
preparation, in that silver dope needs to
have been painted under the final colour,
rubbing the desired area with fine wet
and dry paper or wire wool, or scratch
the edge with a sharp knife. This all
gives a variety of finishes, and litho plate
Access panels, side panel staining and under fuselage gunge all faithfully reproduced on Andy’s Tabloid. panels really earn their keep for this kind
Note the simple ‘sprung axle’ undercarriage and wire joiner plug-in wings. of effect. n
potential for error is reduced, if I make a registrations. When satisfied (never!) fill
mistake with a spray gun it can be a real in your markings using a good quality
big clanger. brush - if you are wizard with an airbrush
you can mask and spray ... but I am not)
SURFACE MARKINGS For Roundels, I use ink spring bows
All the markings are carefully drawn loaded with paint to mark out the edge,
on to the model using a soft pencil - the centres are then filled in by hand. The
mistakes can easily rubbed out and colour I have not been able to hand paint
a second attempt made this way. is silver, so out comes the airbrush - silver
Registration letters are very difficult cellulose is far superior to enamel silver in
to accurately reproduce, so just keep appearance and gives a light finish.
trying, comparing your efforts with
your photographic references. (Using THE DIRTY WORK!
photocopier facilities, you can trace With the model all pristine and toy-
On metal-skinned types, chipped paint, scuffed

panels and panel fasteners can be reproduced
by scraping, indenting and scratching back
to the undercoating of silver or appropriate
primer, using a variety of 'homemade' tools
(OK, so the model is large and R/C - but the
principles are the same).
CONSTRUCTION FEATURE
PFALZ T
he Pfalz D.XII became
operational late in the 1914-18
war and most historians report
that it was an inferior backstop
to the famous Fokker D.VII. A
rather different view of the new German
scouts was reported by the Bristol
F2B ‘Brisfit’ fighter crews at the time.
(Reference: ‘Pi in the Sky’ by W. F. J.
Harvey).
D.XII
During early encounters they described
the Fokker as rather large, sluggish and
PART 1: slow for a single-seat fighter. In fact,
▼
Gary Sunderland’s challenging quarter-scale WWI
warbird for 180 to 200-size four-stroke engines

1 2
1: First stage in construction is to pin down the side fuselage planks and add
the lower formers, then continue planking to complete the lower half shell.
Note that spruce or pine planks are installed, where indicated on the former
drawings, to distribute the load from strut and undercarriage fittings. Balsa
planks are tapered to fit. 2: An inside view of the lower half shell shows
the keel stringer at the rear. The inside nose is glassed with epoxy resin in
the engine bays. 3: Ply root fairing ribs are glued via pine corner blocks.
Temporary balsa props at the trailing edge will be replaced by curved, balsa
laminated, trailing edges. The root fairing is skinned with 1.5mm birch ply to
take the substantial loads from the lower wing and undercarriage. 4: At an
early stage, the tailskid and tailplane are added while there is access to this
area. The tailskid bungee cord passes through the tailplane spar, as on the
original! However, the skid itself is easily removed for maintenance, just by
taking out the pivot shaft.

PLANS FOR THE

PFALZ
D.XII
Full size copies of this three sheet
plan are available from Flying
Scale Models Plans Service.
Doolittle Media, The Granery,
Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe,
Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX
Tel 01525 222573

www.doolittlemedia.com
Order Plan: 313

Price: £27.50
plus p&p
(UK £2.50, Europe £4.00,
Rest of World £6.00

5 6
7 8
5: Here the engine mount beams and tank floor are installed and the balsa nose carved and glassed, with controls being fitted. Note that the root fairing fittings are
attached and the fairing itself is being ply covered. The trailing edge is curved (radiused) in both directions. 6: Controls are being installed and the lower wings trial
fitted. Note that the cockpit interior has been covered with 1mm balsa strips at 45 degrees and varnished. Removing the servos at a later stage will require a few extra
holes being cut. 7: Lower centre section fairing complete. The centre part is removable to permit some access to the radio receiver and servos. 8: Another view shows
nylon tubes in each lower wing that will lead the aileron control wires. The rear part of the fuselage hatch is separate, with only two attach screws, to permit easy
removal for rigging the ailerons. 9: The upper shell construction follows the same method, but with substantially more pine reinforcement at the nose and at the wing
centre section locations. 10: Upper shell planking completed, ready for trial fitting the upper centre section. The fin is also installed temporarily.
they at first thought the Fokker was a the Pfalz D.XII number 2600/18 because my dismay. Fortunately I was able to
▼
new two-seater, until close encounters it was located at the Australian War borrow a computer disc from Paul Butler
revealed there was no gunner in the Memorial in Canberra and I could access containing his own researches into
back! On the other hand, the new Pfalz it there when it came to modelling the 2600/18, plus information from Colin
was treated with respect as it was detail - or so I thought! As it happened, Owers and other historians.
‘very fast’ and dangerous. So much for the Pfalz was removed from display The model took three months to
“history”! at exactly this time for a complete research and draw up, and twelve
Initially I decided to build a model of overhaul and refurbishment, much to months to build, so it is a relatively
▼
9 10

11 12
13 14
15 16
11: The upper centre section trial fit under way. Although reasonable care is necessary, this did not prove at all difficult, and a certain amount of adjustment is
available, if necessary with shims and wire tensioning. 12: Assembly of the upper fuselage complete, with basic wire centre section struts and including diagonal
planking inside the cockpit. 13: The moment of truth! Mating the upper and lower halves of the fuselage will disclose any minor errors in construction. Small pine
clips will help guide the two halves together for a series of dry fits, before final gluing. 14: An underside view clearly shows the access to the radio bay and the
aileron servo rigging behind. Balsa areas were doped and tissue-covered (see text). 15: Her. wings are being re-checked after covering, by sighting along the leading
edge for straightness, and by measurement to the sterm post for squareness. Note that the fabric joins are over ribs on the Pfalz. Small tapes mask the holes for
aileron pulleys against dope and varnish. 16: The fuselage masked and primed ready for final painting with Humbrol enamels for colours and markings, with a final
fuel proofing of the two-part urethane varnish. 17: The first stage in rigging the centre section and inner strut bay starts with carefully levelling the engine mounts
and extending outwards. Strut pairs are soldered in plywood jigs before covering in pine fairings.
complex subject; definitely not explain the process. The following notes comes in two parts and is very much
t
recommended for a first scale model, and the photo caption information are a ‘photo essay’ but, as is often said, a
but something to challenge a dedicated just intended to provide background to picture is worth a thousand words – so
builder. For that reason, I took a lot of the photographic record. saves me a lot of writing – all to good
construction photos, rather than try to Consequently, this construction feature effect!

The Pfalz D.XII camouflage system employed the unique multi-tone lozenge scheme printed onto the fabric. Fortunately, this is available for modeller in 1/4 scale
format, from Glen Torrence Models in USA. (Full details in Part 2 next month.)
TAIL SURFACES For the model, I adopted the traditional suggested that the fuselage could be
These follow the usual ‘balsa core’ method of planking top and bottom planked with 2mm to start, and a layer
method, but a possible improvement halves, so that the controls and tail of 1mm applied after assembly of the
might be to fit an aluminium tube edge plane could be installed, as shown in halves, at 90 degrees to the INNER
to the rudder. Otherwise, harden it the photographs. My model was built cockpit planking, of course! Pine or
with cyano. The original tailplane was from 1/8” thick spruce and balsa planks spruce will be required in those areas
plywood-covered, as is the model tail, applied lengthwise, filled and tissue- where metal fittings are located.
and ex-factory aeroplanes had a plain covered, then doped. Despite all efforts, As another alternative, 1/2” wide strips
varnished tailplane. For some reason the it is possible to see the longitudinal of silk could be applied at 45 degrees
Canberra Pfalz had this painted purple planks in some lighting conditions, which over the fuselage, which may have the
on top and light blue under. Service is annoying. same effect.
aeroplanes usually had tailplanes painted Inside the cockpit an area has been That’s it as far as the written
in Staffed colours. Take your pick! planked with 1mm balsa at 45 degrees explanation of the construction is
to the grain, and this strengthens concerned – the photographic series has
WINGS the cockpit and looks realistic. It is its own story to tell. n
The section is extremely slim, not much
more than a half inch thick at quarter- 17
scale model size. This was a good
reason to decide on a true scale aileron
cable drive, which turned out to be highly
effective.
FUSELAGE
The original full-size structure was built
in two halves, left and right, joined at the
vertical centreline. You can find out more
about how this was done in tyhe ‘Pfatz
Factory’ feature elesewhere in this issue.
These were built on wooden moulds from
veneer planks crossed at 45 degrees and
glued with Casein and fabric between
and over.

TYPE HISTORY
A
viation history is quite
PFALZ
heavily punctuated by the
preferences and prejudices
of those who flew the aircraft,
ranging from types universally
liked, to those that the crews would rather
not have had to get into. In between
are those, which, to varying degrees,
earned attitudes of ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes’ in
competing measure.
D.XII
In order to get a feel for the bonafides
of such viewpoints today, one can rely
only on published anecdotal reports and
in the case of the very early period of
aviation, there have long since ceased
to be available any of those with the
requisite ‘first hand’ experience.
One such aircraft, of the late WW1
period, is the Pfalz D.XII, one of the last
(but not the final) Scout/Fighter type
Overshadowed by the highly acclaimed Fokker D.VII, this late WW1 developed by the Pfalz Flugzueugwerk.
German fighter nevertheless served quite widely over the Western The Pfalz Flugzeugwerke GmbH at
Speyer in Rhineland-Palatinate, had some
Front during the closing months of the war success during the early years of WW1,
Pfalz factory test pilot Otto Augst prepares for flight with this early production Pfalz D.XII fitted with the
original rectangular fin and rudder. The second aircraft, in the background appears to have the same
fin/rudder shape. Groundcrew, at least the two at the rear appear to be uniformed service personnel.

Experimental forerunner of the Pfalz D.XII, unofficially designated D.XI. It is unarmed and carries the ‘ear-type’ radiators mounted either side of the fuselage,
position in line with the lower wing leading edge. Note the fin/rudder outline, which seems to have been carried over to the earliest production D.XII aircraft. Viewed
from the front, the nose shape confirms the Pfalz D.III lineage.
with their monoplane Scouts E.1 – E.IV, techniques of the time and was carried in January 1918, the Idflieg (Inspektion
(based on pre-WW1 licensed production over to the Pfalz D.III - again under der Fleiertruppen) initiated a design
of Morane Saulnier types) a contemporary license. competition for a new fighter type, the
of the much more famous Fokker series This success enabled Pfalz to greatly contract for which, to be awarded on
but thereafter, Pfalz went over to license expand their workforce and production the basis of test evaluation by the Air
production of other manufacturers’ types, facilities, the organisation being held in Service’s top combat pilots.
until 1917, when their sleek, rounded- high regard for the quality of their work. The winner was Fokker’s V.11 which,
fuselage D.III and D.IIIa entered service Pfalz was indeed a hive of industry, initially, did not impress Manfred von
between June and September that year. German aviation authorities recording, in Richthofen one little bit, but which, by
Their D.III used a plywood monocoque November 1917, that Pfalz had no less dint of a swift cut-and-shunt extension of
fuselage, construction of which the Pfalz than eleven new fighter types either in the rear fuselage plus additional fin area,
factory had gained experienced through development, or at the design stage... finally received the Rittmeister’s approval
previous licensed production of the LFG- all from a development team of 15 – and the production contact, as the
Roland D.1 Scout. In this (and subsequent individuals! Fokker D.VII.
LFG designs), two layers of thin plywood
strips were placed over a mould to form LOSING IT A FACTOR OF (DEE) TWELVE
one half of a fuselage shell. The fuselage By late 1917, the Imperial German Air Pfalz had not participated in that first
halves were then glued together, covered Service (Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte) had lost competition, but early in that year, a new
with a layer of fabric, and doped. (See air superiority over the Western Front to prototype Pfalz fighter was built. This
Pfalz Factory elsewhere in this issue). a new breed of British and French fighter quite closely resembled the final D.XII
This Wickelrumpf (wrapped body) types. Captured intact examples of these type, except for the nose, which, at that
method, a patented invention of the LFG had been evaluated, of which the French prototype stage, retained the shape to
firm, gave the fuselage great strength, SPAD XIII in particular impressed for its the D.III. Two ‘ear’ type radiators were
light weight, and smooth contours speed, especially in a dive. mounted either side of the fuselage just
compared to conventional construction Something new was needed so that above the leading edge of the lower wing
▼

TYPE HISTORY
A brand new Pfalz D.XII serial 2660/18 being checked at the factory. Note the early Another view of the same aircraft - the item on the upper wing is a metre rule.
rounded windscreen, which was replaced later to allow better access to the guns.
HEAD-TO-HEAD EVALUATION Aldershof for the second ‘D’ Type (Fighter)

▼
but that arrangement may well have

been a temporary expediency pending The Pfalz D.XII did not participate in this competition for evaluation flights by front
availability of a new nose-face radiator ‘first fighter competition’, the prototype line pilots. The D.XIIs at Aldershorf had
installation. The fin and rudder were a being still in the construction jigs, but the frontal car type radiator, that was
different shape to the production D.XII, it was flying by March that year and thereafter applied to production aircraft,
but the rest of the aeroplane appears, ready when Germany’s finest combat but at least two of them had the original
from photographs, to have been identical aviators were back for a 2nd Fighter fin and rudder shape of the first prototype.
to the later aircraft. Competition at Adlersdorf, May 27th- The D.XII was similar in construction
That initial ‘development’ aeroplane June 21st. In fact, it had been hoped to to the earlier Pfalz types. The fuselage,
has been referred to as a D.IX and also implement production of the D.XII by including the carefully faired wing root
the D.XI, but neither model number April, but cooling problems created by fillets, was a semi-monocoque structure
can be substantiated. Whatever its true the previously untried Teaves & Braun built on plywood formers with spruce
designation, it is reasonable to assume car-type nose radiator prolonged the longerons, again using the LFG-Roland
that it was the first prototype of the development period. patented surface skin system. The
aeroplane to be known as the D.XII. Four of these Pfalz aircraft, with tailplane was built as part of the fuselage
different powerplant installations were at and was plywood covered, while the
The Australian War Memorial museum’s Pfalz D.XII. This view well illustrates the lozenge camouflage pattern applied on both upper and lower wing surfaces,
▼
together with the four-tone colour scheme on the fuselage.

fin, rudder, elevators and ailerons were
of welded steel tube. The Pfalz were
well built aircraft and the fuselages in
particular were masterpieces of the
woodworkers’ art.
The wings were of wood with fabric
covering. Between each rib on the top
surface there was one long false rib
running back to the rear spar and two
short ones back to the front spar. The
wings were strongly braced with splayed
‘M’ struts at the centre section and two
‘N’ interplane struts on each side. All
struts including the undercarriage were of One of the four Pfalz D.XIIs that took part in the 2nd Fighter Competition, held in May/June 1918. This is
streamline section steel tube. 1375/18 powered by a Mercedes D.IIIa overcompressed engine. The one-wing-low sit of the aircraft perhaps
The engine was mounted on wooden suggests that the portside undercarriage has succumed to its inherent fragility, that had to be addressed
bearers with two small flaps on each later in the D.XII’s service career.
side to control the amount of air passing
through the radiator mounted ahead
of the engine. A large exhaust on the
starboard side varied in shape and it is
difficult to say which was standard - if
any.Twin L.M.G. (Spandau) machine guns
were mounted on top of the fuselage just
in front of the cockpit.
The D.XII was, to some extent,
successful in the competition. Although
most of the service pilots participating
in the evaluations came down in favour
of the Fokker D.VII, two, including top
fighter ‘Ace’ Ernst Udet favoured the
Pfalz aircraft and it is likely that Udet’s
preference influenced an order for 500
D.XIIs placed with the Pfalz Company.
However, the problems with the Teaves
& Braun nose-type radiator, which
featured a bank of vertical cooling tubes
rather than a honeycomb, took time to Pfalz D.XII serial 1143/18 with Jasta markings (probably Jast 5).
eradicate. That required a protracted
development effort that delayed the pilots grudgingly accepted the D.XII once ‘discovered’ and exploited.
aircraft’s service entry, so that production they had familiarised themselves with it, Because it came into service so
aircraft did not begin to equip the Jastas the riggers found that it compared most late, the D.XII did not become famous,
until late June 1918 when a total of five unfavourably with the Fokker D.VII which although nearly 200 were in service before
were at the front, escalating to about 170 had no bracing. the armistice. Most reports mention
examples by the end of August. Indeed, the Pfalz D.XII offered a quite it as having a good turn of speed and
different performance to the preferred climb and it was strong enough to be
INTO SERVICE – A CURATE’S Fokker, but it could be argued that it was dived without fear of structural failure –
EGG… ‘different’ rather that inferior, in much the something that could not be said of Mr.
On arrival at the front the D.XII was same manner as, one war later, Spitfire Fokker’s E.V parasol monoplane that
received with some misgivings by both pilots might take a disdainful attitude had to be ‘rebranded’ as the D.VIII after
the pilots and ground crews, many of to the Hawker Hurricane - two aircraft that aircraft’s wing structure had to be
whom looked upon the Fokker D.VII as designed to do the same job, but with redesigned to cure acute wing failure in
the ultimate in fighter aircraft. While the contrasting attributes that needed to be certain circumstances.
▼
SURVIVING AIRCRAFT
• In the 1920s, two D.XIIs were sold as war surplus to the Crawford Aeroplane & Supply Co. of Venice, California. Though badly deteriorated, the
aircraft briefly appeared as props in the 1930 movie Dawn Patrol. Both were subsequently sold to private collectors and one of these aircraft is now
displayed at the Seattle based Museum of Flight, after it was acquired from the defunct Champlin Fighter Museum, of Mesa, Arizona.
• The second of these is exhibited at the National Air and Space Museum, in Washington D.C. although the colour scheme seams very spurious
• A preserved D.XII aircraft is also displayed at the Air and Space Museum, Le Bourget France.
• Serial 2600/18 was one of several Pfalz D.XIIs awarded to Australia in 1919 under the terms of the Armistice, now fully restored and on dispay at
the Austrlian War Museum, Canberra.
Removed to storage in 2001. After an extensive restoration at the Treloar Technology Centre in Canberra, the aircraft is now on display at the Australian
War Memorial’s ANZAC Hall.

TYPE HISTORY
That at least is some recognition of the

aircraft’s effectiveness, but
Ltn. von Hippel, as technical officer of
Jasta 7 J, was particularly critical of the
D.XII:-
"Flying Pfalz D.XII 2675/18, I heavily
damaged the aircraft on landing.
Soon after this, Vzfw. Sieg crashed
from a low altitude over the field and
was immediately killed. As a result on
17th September 1918, I submitted the
following report:
The Pfalz D.XII assigned to Jasta 7 J

for combat testing is rejected for these
reasons:
1. Despite the use of a high
compression engine (Mercedes D.IUau)
FOR YOU, THE WAR IS OVER! Pfalz D.XII serial 2690/18 captured by the French. the aircraft climbs very poorly above
3,000 metres (9,843 feet).
t
There is no doubt that the D.XII would about practicing on them. 2. When banking the aircraft into a turn,
have been considered a very good Later their pilots got on very well with normal altitude cannot be maintained
aeroplane had it not been compared with them. They flew quite decently and could since the sluggishness of the controls
the superlative D.VII. always keep pace with the Fokkers; in in the turn causes the aircraft to lose
Had the Pfalz D.XII not suffered the fact they dived even faster. But they were 150 metres (490 feet). In combat against
delays caused by the cooling problems, heavy for turns and fighting purposes, two French Breguets, the D.XU lost
it might well have been in service on in which respect they were not to be excessive altitude and when attempting
the Western Front by late May 1918, in compared with the Fokkers. The Fokker to regain combat position in a climbing
which case its impact on the sea-saw was a bloodstock animal that answered turn, the aircraft falls off. If the pilot is
air superiority battle might have been to the slightest movement of the hand successful in correcting his flight attitude
considerable. and could almost guess the rider's will from a climbing turn the aircraft then
The D.XII was used by the following in advance. The Pfalz was a clumsy shakes excessively which can only be
Jastas: 23, 72, 34, 35, 64, 65, 77, 78 and 81. carthorse that went heavy in the reins and corrected by falling off in a slight dive.
obeyed nothing but the most brutal force. 3. The take-off roll is extremely long
THE DENIGRATORS Those who flew the Pfalz did so and landings with the D.XII are very
In the same manner that it’s the bad news because there were no other machines difficult and almost always end with the
that sells daily newspapers, it’s negativity for them. But they always gazed enviously destruction of the machine."
in most situations that tends to stick. at the Fokkers and prayed for the quick However, the ultimate ‘knocker’ to
Typical of complainants to quote would chance of an exchange. quote might be Anthony Fokker who
be leutnant Rudolf Stark, commander of General complaints included a reputedly peddled the notion that Pfalz
Jasta 35, wrote: lengthy take-off run; a tendency to D.XII pilots deliberately crash landed
“No one wanted to fly those Pfalzs ‘float’ during land approach; sudden; their aircraft in the hope of getting a
except under compulsion, and those who sharp stall characteristics and lack of Fokker D.VII replacement!
had to made as much fuss as they could manoeurability.” A man ever with an axe to grind. n
SPECIFICATIONS
LENGTH: 20 FT. 10 IN. (6.35 M)
WINGSPAN: 29 FT 6 IN. (9 M)
HEIGHT: 8 FT. 10 IN. (2.7 M)
POWERPLANT: 1 × MERCEDES D.IIIA 6-CYL
WATER-COOLED IN-LINE PISTON ENGINE,
130 KW (180 HP)
Performance:
MAXIMUM SPEED: 110 MPH (170 KM/H)
ENDURANCE: 2½ HOURS
SERVICE CEILING: 18,500 FT. (5,600 M)
RATE OF CLIMB: 4.09 M/S 805 FT/MIN
(4.09 M/S)
TIME TO ALTITUDE:
1,000 M (3,281 FT) IN 3 MINUTES 24
SECONDS
One of the D.XIIs that ended up in the USA. This one is painted in typical Hollywood-style for the 1930 film 5,000 M (16,404 FT) IN 29 MINUTES 54
‘Dawn Patrol’, one of the static machines of the ‘German Circus’. It was later completely restored by Frank SECONDS
Tallman and still survives and now resides at the …………… Fuselage repairs behind the pilot suggest a
second seat was installed at one time. Armament:
2 × 7.92 MM (0.312 IN) LMG 08/15
MACHINE GUNS
A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY
PFALZ
PFACTORY!
These images of production work
at the Pfalz works illustrate just
how labour intensive WW1 aircraft
construction was
1: As a first stage of
1 2 fuselage construction,
formers are set into a
jig baseboard. 2: After
applying basic internal
fittings, the plywood
outer skin is added to one
fuselage half-shell.
3: Here woodworking
craftsmen put the
finishing touches to a left-
hand fuselage half-shell.

4 5
6 7
4: With the left side

8 half-shell complete,
the formers for the
right hand side are
applied, together with
Longerons.
5: With the basic
fuselage now
completely skinned,
the tailplane is
attached and covered
in plywood.
6: After completion
of the basic fuselage
shells, these are
moved on to accept
external vitals, like the
undercarriage, and the
engine bays are here
having the bearers
mounted.
7 & 8: Mercedes
engines being
installed.
29
▼
JANUARY 2022 - FLYING SCALE MODELS

A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY
t
9 10 11
9: Now its the ladies’ turn. Here wing panels are

being prepared for convering. 10: Mrs Sew & Sew
hard at work applying lozenge camouflage covering
fabric. 11: One of the tail surface control panels,
newly covered. 12: Now in final assembly, a wing
panel is added. Note the simplified late-WW1 national
identification marking. 13: Unlike its Fokker D.VII
rival, the Pfalz D.XII wings were heavily strutted and
wire braced. 14: With nose radiator fitted, the low
nose cowl is about to be added. This one appears not
the have cooling holes - later applied.
12 13
14

TED
I K
L OC
IM
ST NOW BACK IN STOCK
HOW TO BUILD...
the Tamiya Bristol Beaufighter - £12.95 +p&p
The 60 page book includes information on: Building the
basic model; The six detailed versions of the Beaufighter;
Details of production variations; Weathering; and many
other handy hints and tips!
HOW TO BUILD...
the Tamiya Fairey Swordfish - £11.95 +p&p
A full colour, high quality guide describing in great detail
the building, detailing and painting of Tamiya’s stunning
1:48 Fairey Swordfish. Inside you’ll find over fifty pages
of clear, easy to follow photographs of the model being
constructed plus shots of the real thing. TMMI’s Geoff
Coughlin has built two complete models, one in grey with
wings extended and a camouflaged machine with wings
folded back for carrier stowage. He has added his special
touch and you’ll love the results!
Limited Stock - order now at www.doolittlemedia.com

Doolittle Media Ltd., The Granary, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX, Great Britain
W. www.doolittlemedia.com E. [email protected] T. +44 (0) 1525 222573
FULL-SIZE PULL-OUT PLAN
Rat on the loose!

POLIKARPOV I-16 RA
Richard Crossley has long had a taste for unusual scale model subjects. This Peanut Scale model flies
well indoors and even outdoors when the weather is right

hen it first flew in 1933, yet built any laminated tail surfaces,
W this bizarre looking

fighter was actually
quite an aviation step
forward, being the first
cantilever monoplane with a retractable
undercarriage to enter service.
The I-16’s ailerons were very light,
don’t worry, these are very easy.
WINGS
Cut the ribs from lightweight 1/20" or
1/16' sheet balsa. The leading edge
needs hare 3/32" square balsa and the
1/8"xl/16" trailing edge and 1/16" tip
imparting the little fighter with a pieces are from medium sheet. The top
rapid rate of roll. However, it had an and bottom spars should be fairly firm.
ATA
uncooperative tendency to stall out on Build the wing directly over the plan,
the glide, no doubt due to the drag from incorporating 3/4" dihedral under each
the massive and rather blunt frontal tip. Don't forget the 1/16" sheet spar
area of its nine-cylinder Shvetsov radial webbing between R1 and R2. (Do not
engine. worry abou washout at this stage).
The virtually non-existent nose and
short-coupled wing and tailplane FUSELAGE
configuration make it an unlikely choice Cut out F4-F9 from soft 1/32" sheet
for a rubber-powered model. balsa: and F3 from 1/16". Cut the keels
However, on the basis that “yer never from sot 1/32" sheet. Construct the
know until you try”, I decided to give it a fuselage in the traditional way, over the
go and the proof of it all is contained in plan side view. Note that the two lowest
these few pages, so if this little ‘flying rat’ stringers after the wing have been glued
appeals, then clear the building board. in position. Former F1 ant the two F2s~
Mine had a great performance, being can be fairly firm sheet to give nose
capable of remaining airborne at low weight.
speed and low power, making it All the stringers are 1/20"x 1/16",
possible to use a long length of cut from 1/16" sheet balsa. Due to the
rubber motor. consistent curve of the fuselage, the
Bear in mind that you must stringers can be cut from surprisingly
keep all of the structure light wood and still be sufficiently strong.
behind the point of balance
as light as possible. I did this TAIL SURFACES
and found that no extra nose These are constructed directly over the
weight was needed. plan. The 1/16"x1/32" balsa strips that
form the curved outlines should be cut
CONSTRUCTION over length and soaked in warm water.
This is a very easy model to build with all Make a template from balsa or thick card
aspects of construction being relatively the same shape as the inner edge of
conventional. Anyone who has built the curved portions and curve the damp
a few rubber-powered models before wood around them, gluing together with
should have no problems. If you’ve not PVA wood glue and holding with pins.
A real bruiser of an aircrafty, the Polikarpov I-16 was advanced technology in 1933, with cantilever
wing and retracting undercarriage.

FULL-SIZE FREE PLAN
Flying shots of Peanut models are very, very difficult so this one, of the With generous frontal area the real Polikarpov was not blessed with a good
Polikarpov climbing away, is truly remarkable - and extremely realistic. glide, but the model performs well.
Construct the remainder of the tail in the rounding the nose as shown. Glue the from SAMS). Spray the model very lightly
normal manner. wing into position and add the lower rear with matt paints to your chosen colour
stringers from the trailing edge back. scheme. Panel lines were applied with
COVERING AND ASSEMBLY Add the scrap balsa wing fillet outlines a Rotring pen and the pilot was carved
Sand smooth and cover the wings and the three 1/32" sheet sub keels. Now from expanded polystyrene. Ensure the
and tail surfaces with tissue. I prefer to glue into position the bond paper wing model balances where shown on the
use Early Bird tissue on small models. fillets. Tissue cover the fuselage, water plan.
When covered, water shrink the tissue shrink and dope.
and pin down the components on a flat Glue into position the tail surfaces. FLYING
surface to prevent warps as the water Add various details as shown on the Obviously, choose a nice calm day for
dries. When you pin the wing down add plan. Cut the windscreen frame from test flying. As these never occur within
scraps of balsa under the trailing edge 1/32" balsa or ply and fold or mould the two weeks of finishing a model I always
tips to get the correct washout. When screen from thin acetate. Make up the end up launching my model indoors
dry remove from the board and apply nose plug, prop and spinner as shown (I into something nice and soft like a sofa,
thinned dope. Sand the fuselage smooth used a cut down Tern propeller available which then bounces them backwards
straight onto the coffee table. Trim the
model to fly in left hand circles. You may
need to add a tab to the left wing and
bend it down to hold the wing up in flight.
For flying outdoors you will need slightly
thicker rubber and probably some right
thrust. Watch out for thermals, though,
as the performance can be stunning. ■
Short and far, but not

necessarily ugly! The prototype
model had transparent trim tabs
on elevator and ailerons to help
get the trim right.
36
AeroDetail series ONL
Y
Making a scale model? £
Finding the detail needed to finish
a scale model can be difficult and
12 .99
(INC
. P+P
getting full size images is not always )*
practical. Our range of detail photo

collections provides extensive close
ups of a wide range of popular
aircraft all on CD in J-peg format
Whitman Tailwind CD106 first), the bigger engine forced a change of the Republic P-47D CD89 North American T28 CD80
Two examples shown of this U.S. homebuilt classic Spifire shape. (58 images) Bubble-canopy version of the much loved ‘Jug’, The advanced trainer aircraft that served in
lightplane, with boxey shape ideal for photographed in fine detail. (105 images) many air arms worldwide and also became
modellers. Complete close-up detail. (62 Supermarine Spitfire MK Vc CD97 a counter-insurgency ground attack aircraft.
images) Shuttleworth Museum’s airworthy example Polikarpov Po-2 CD88 Examples illustrated are from France, where
presented in it’s latest form with classic The world’s most numerously produced the type served for many years as the ‘Fenec’.
Westland Lysander CD105 rounded wingtip planform. (160 plus images) aircraft of all time, the P0-2 was a great (100 plus images)
The Shuttleworth Museum’s airworthy maid-of-all-work used by both military and civil
example shown in both camouflage and Supermarine Seafire Mk17 CD96 groups in the old Soviet Union and its satellite North American P51D
Special Operations black finishes. Full close- The Seafire 17 was no navalised Spit. A true states. Example depicted is pristine, and now Mustang CD79
up detail. (62 images) ground-up naval fighter. (64 images) in storage at Old Warden. (170 images) The definitive bubble canopy Merlin Mustang.
In detail, showing several restored examples.
Waco Ymf-5 CD104 Stinson 105 CD95 Polikarpov I-15 CD87 This is the Fantasy of Flight Museum’s
Beautiful and graceful spatted undercarriage Light, private aircraft of the 1940-50s era, with The ultra agile Russian biplane fighter aircraft overpolished example, but the close-up detail
biplane of the 1930s ‘golden aviation era’. lots of character. (75 images) that saw widespread service prior to and in the is all there. (102 images)
Example photographed is an accurate-in- early years of WW2 and during the Spanish
every-detail modern replica. (130 images) Steen Skybolt CD94 civil war. Example illustrated is a superbly North American P51B/C CD78
Attractive U.S. aerobatic biplane, presented in restored machine. (100 images) First of the Rolls Royce Merlin engined
Vickers Supermarine Walrus CD103 full detail. (89 images) Mustangs, this collection depicts the Fantasy
The famous ‘Shagbag’ biplane seaplane, used Pitts S.1 CD86 of Flight Museum’s restored example, with
during WW2 as an air-sea rescue craft and Sopwith Triplane CD93 Homebuilt example by Bob Millinchip, as seen overly polished plain metal surfaces. Much
fleet gunnery spotter. (80 images) The last example of the ‘Tripehound’ is the one at 2002 PFA Rally. Complete detail study. (36 detail. (102 images) Also, 41 images of The
built (in 1980!) from original Sopwith drawings images) Fighter Collection’s P-51C in bare metal
Tipsy Belfair CD102 by Northern Aero Works and given sequential restoration, showing much surface and
Highly attractive Belgian low wing light manufacturer’s number by Sir Thomas Sopwith Piper Tomahawk CD85 internal airframe detail. A real bumper bundle!
aircraft from the era of simple, open cockpit himself in recognition of the outstanding Cranfield Flying School example of this civil (over 140 images)
private flying. Machine offers scale modellers workmanship. Extensive detail. (120 images) ab-initio trainer aircraft. (54 images)
pleasant lines and simple shape. (35 images) North American B25 Mitchell CD77
Sopwith Pup CD92 Piper Super Cub CD84 Fantasy of Flight Museum’s example.
Thulin Tummelisa CD101 The charismatic Sopwith Scout (to give its correct The later, ‘cleaned-up’ version of the famous Photographed soon after superb restoration.
Swedish 1919-era fighter trainer that served designation) is a great scale modellers’ favourite. Piper J-3, with more elegant engine cowl. Two Full nose to tail detail. (74 images)
the Swedish air arm for many years. Example Example depicted is the one preserved and examples shown. (80 images)
depicted is a faithful reproduction. (55 images) regularly flown at the Shuttleworth Collection, Old North American AT6 Harvard CD76
Warden. (50 images) Piper L-4 Grasshopper CD83 AT-6, SNJ, Texan, Harvard – call it what you
Supermarine Spitfire MK.XVI CD100 Military version of the famous Piper J-3 Cub will. 55,000 were built – this example is in U.S.
Last of the Merlin-engined Spifires. This S.E.5A CD91 used during WW2 and close reconnaissance Army colours, with comprehensive close-up
collection depicts the cut-down fuselage, Shuttleworth Museum’s airworthy example and spotter aircraft and for many other tasks. detail, nose to tail. (76 images)
bubble cockpit canopy later version. (116 presented in full detail. (100 plus images) (80 images)
images) Percival Provost CD82 North American A36 Invader CD75
Ryan Pt-22 CD90 Airworthy, preserved example of the RAF The ground attack variant of the Alison
Supermarine Spitfire MK.IX CD99 US military primary trainer aircraft that served piston engined basic trainer used in the engined P-51A. Photos, in detail, of the
The most numerous version of the classic with both US Army and Navy, thus providing 1950s. Full detail. (30 images) world’s only airworthy example. (69 images)
Spitfire that turned the tables on the ab-initio flight training for the majority of
Luftwaffe’s Focke Wulf Fw 190. (90 images) US airmen of the WW2 period. A highly Percival Mew Gull CD81 Morane Saulnier MS406 CD74
attractive aircraft. 90 images of the preserved, Famous 1930s racing and record setting aircraft French WW2 fighter that fought in the Battle of
Supermarine Spitfire MK XIV CD98 airworthy aircraft, hangared at the Shutleworth that will forever linked with the achievements of France, 1940. Swiss restored example
2nd of the Griffon-engined Spits (Mk.XII was Collection, Old Warden. British aviator Alex Henshaw. (35 images) (92 images)
✁
ORDER FORM - Aerodetail CDs
Please send me the following CDs: Please debit my credit card for £
Name: (VISA / Mastercard - please delete non-applicable)

£12.99 (including p+p)* per CD *UK only
Address: Card No: Postage: (Europe); £2.50 (World); £3.50
Expiry date: Send to:
Postcode: CCV: Doolittle Media,
Daytime Tel No: SIGNATURE: The Granary, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe,

Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX. Great Britain.
I enclose a cheque for £ DATE:
Tel: 01525 222573 Fax: 01525 222574
Make cheques payable to Doolittle Media Ltd Order on line at Email: [email protected]
www.flyingscalemodels.com Allow 21 days for delivery
SUBJECTS FOR SCALE
Curtiss P-40 A, B & C
TOMAHAWK
Never one of the ‘star’ fighter aircraft of WW2, the P-40 series nevertheless served Allied air forces
long and well, across all theatres of combat. The early variants were, arguably, the prettiest

A REMARCABLE SURVIVOR.
This Curtiss P-40B, delivered to the USAAC in March 1941 was issued to the 18th Pursuit
Squadron, based at Wheeler Field, Oahu, and was hangared there on December 7th 1941
awaiting repairs when the Japanese naval air arm struck Pearl Harbour. Following repairs
it survived less that two further months, when it crashed in a forest on the island, where it
languished until 1987. The wreckage was recovered and was the subject of a very lengthy
restoration involving several restoration specialist including the Duxford, U.K. based TFC (The
Fighter Collection), where is was displayed and flown from 2009 to 2011. Subsequently, it was
transferred to the Collings Foundation’s Aircraft Collection at their American Heritage Museum,
Hudson, Massachusetts.
39
▼
JANUARY 2022 - FLYING SCALE MODELS

SUBJECTS FOR SCALE
W
hatever happened
to Curtiss? How was
it that an aircraft
manufacturer which,
when USA entered WW2
in December 1941, was THE major U.S.
manufacturer of fighter aircraft, totally
dominating the field. Yet, a decade later,
Curtiss Aviation was gone, bankrupted.
Its assets were acquired by North
American Aviation, a company that,
at the time of USA’s entry into WW2,
was basically a manufacturer of trainer
aircraft, but which had just rolled out the
prototype of a fighter type that was to
become the P-51 Mustang.
SOLID BACKGROUND
The Curtiss P-40 was a logical follow-
ABOBE &BELOW:: Two views of The Fighter Collection’s restored P-40B seen on the ramp during it’s first
on from Curtiss’ radial engined P-36,
public showing at the Flying Legends Air Show, Duxford in 2007, finished as it would have looked on
December 7th 1941.The view, from the rear, of the P-40B provides a good impression of its finished in late
designed to a specification issued in
1941 U.S.A.A.F style markings. Whilst the P-40B has long since been transferred back to USA, the Curtiss 1934, and which received a production
Hawk 75 remains, together with a Curtiss P-36A. order in mid-1937. The lead to the P-40
was the in-line liquid-cooled engine,
then under development by the Allison
Company and during 1937 one of the
earliest P-36s was modified to take that
new powerplant.
This hybrid airframe became the
XP-40, which first flew in October that
same year. The new prototype offered
a maximum speed of 342 mph, a bit
quicker than the early Hawker Hurricane,
but slower than either the Spitfire or early
Messerschmitt Bf 109.
One of the handicaps of U.S. military
aviation of that era was that there was
no independent, autonomous Air Force.
It was all split up between the Army,
Navy and Marines and so fighter aircraft
specifications of the period reflected
the demands of these three individual
The direct lineage from radial engine Curtiss P-36 to Allison inline engine P-40B is well illustrated in this
double line-up in July 2007, when The Fighter Collection, at Duxford had both on charge although the Pratt &
services and in the case of the U.S. Army
Whitney radial engined aircraft is actually one of the Hawk 75 export variants build for, and operated by the Air Corps, the tendency was to think in
French Armee de l’Aire. terms of relatively low altitude combat
– a requirement embodied in the basic

The Fighter Collection based at the Imperial War Memorial airfield, Duxford, altready had it’s Curtiss
Hawk 75, when its younder brother the P-40B arrived there oin 2007. It is still there, but now joined
by a Curtiss P-40C.
design of the P-40.

Interestingly, the same specification
that generated the P-40 also produced
the Lockheed XP-38 and Bell XP-
39, together with Republic’s XP-43
– immediate forbearer of the P-47
Thunderbolt.
PRODUCTION READY
The difference between the P-40 and the
others just mentioned, was that it was
simpler, was a development follow-on
from an existing type and Curtiss had
the capacity to produced it in numbers.
Thus, while the Air Corps issued
requirements for 13 each of the YP-
38, YP-39 and YP-43 as development In an era when even water-boiling kettles featured ‘streamlining’ styles, the emphasis in aircraft was
aircraft, Curtiss received an immediate distinctly that, as the tightly cowled engine of the prototype XP-40 in its original form clearly shows. Note
order for 524 P-40s. As things turned the belly radiator scoop position, below the wing trailing edge, not unlike the position later adopted for the
out, it’s just as well they did! P-51 Mustang.
Given the close relationship between
the radial engined P-36 and the P-40,
Curtiss were able to get on with
production of the P-40 immediately,
making the first deliveries in May 1940,
with 200 being on Air Corps inventory by
September that year.
However, during a period when eight-
gun Hurricanes and Spitfires were mixing
it with cannon armed Messerschmitt Bf
109Es at altitudes up to 30,000 ft and
even higher, the U.S. Army Air Corps had
a fighter with only four guns, best suited
to air combat at altitudes of 12-15,000 ft.
and without the benefit of armour plating,
bullet-proof windscreens and self-sealing Initially, the speed achieved by the prototype XP-40 proved disappointing. In a drive for an improvement ,
fuel tanks. Curtiss engineers initiated a series of modifications progressively moving the underwing radiator forward,
but without substantial improvement. Finally, wind tunnel tests conducted at NACA resulted in a revision
IN DEMAND that placed the air intake in the lower nose section, immediately behind the spinner. Exhaust stacks and
▼
Nevertheless, the P-40 found ready undercarriage were also modified.

SUBJECTS FOR SCALE
the open, when the Japanese Navy’s air

assault took place at Pearl Harbour, on
December 7th.
PACKING A HEAVIER PUNCH

Further improvements to the type
produced the P-40C, basically the same
A P-40B in the markings of the American Volunteer Group, with National insignia of China. airframe, with and additional two wing
guns, bringing total armament to six
The definitive P-40B variant received guns, more effective self-sealing fuel
t
takers overseas, anxious to bolster

fighter aircraft numbers against the the Curtiss designation H81-A-2, with tanks and provision for external 52 gallon
threat from Nazi German. France was the additional armament of two 0.303” drop tanks. The R.A.F took 930 of these,
first in line, but the aircraft never reached machine guns in the wings. 110 of while U.S.A.A.C had 193.
the Armee de l’Aire before the collapse these were delivered to the R.A.F. as the Additionally, 36 P-40Cs went to China
of France in May/June 1940 and the Tomahawk IIA. to equip the celebrated ‘Flying Tigers’
order for 140 aircraft was taken over Deliveries of the first of 131 ‘B’ types of the American Volunteer Group (AVG),
by the R.A.F., the firsr reaching U.K. to the US Army Air Corps began in while 195 went to Soviet Russia.
in September, where it received the February 1941, to be largely allocated Interestingly too, a batch of
nomenclature of ‘Tomahawk’, to be to the Hawaiian Islands and U.S. bases Tomahawks was sent to Turkey in
utilized by the Desert Air Force in North in the Philippines. Most of these were November 1941 to boost that neutral
Africa. obligingly lined up wing-tip-to-wingtip in nation’s political stability.

A No.26 Squadron group of R.A.F P-40s
apparently flying the three-man ‘vic-section’,
that was superseded by the ‘Finger Four’
combat formation as a result of experience
during the previous year’s Battle of Britain. The
leading aircraft is a Tomahawk Mk.1, while the
following two are both of the Mk.IIa type with
twin guns in the nose and two in eeach wing.
A LONG LINE OF DEVELOPMENT P-40, an ‘N’, rolled off the production handling. Yet the P-40 was, “…a second
The P-40A, B and C, were just the line in November 1944, some 15,000 of best choice …”, as one official U.S.
beginning of a long line of development all variants had been built – the very last military procurement report during WW2
variants of the basic type, attempting to being the one-off, bubble canopy P-40Q. expressed it. Nonetheless, there is no
keep pace with the fast-moving thrust of Many who flew and fought in the denying the solid job it did in so many
fighter aircraft development during the type were very complimentary about theatres of combat around the world. ■
following years of WW2. When the last the aircraft’s general performance and
An early R.A.F. Tomahawk IIa showing the camouflage pattern of the period. A P-40 of the USAAC 55th Pursuit Squadron, 20th Pursuit Group in pre-
The early P-40 variants were well under-gunned by European combat theatre December 1941 colour scheme, prior to the transformation of the Service into the
standards, the IIa carrying two machine guns mounded above the engine and a U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) in July that year.
father two, one in each wing.

SCALE DRAWING CURTISS P-40B TOMAHAWK IIA
SCALE 1:50
FLYING COLOURS CURTISS P-40B TOMAHAWK IIA
The Pusher configuration of early WW1 scout (fighter) aircraft of which the FE8 and the DH 2 were cumbersome early
examples of forward firing a machine gun, without destroying the propeller in the process. Quaint though the layout thus
produced may have been, it does make a scale modeling subject with ‘presence’. This …… wingspan indoor scale
example designed by JOHN WATTERS for Co2 power, would also be suitable for electric drive

IN DETAIL
Curtiss P-40B
TOMAHAWK
Close-up study of the aircraft previously operated by The Figher Collection, Duxford and now
at the Collings Foundation museum, Massachusetts.
1 2 3
4 5
1: The wing-to-fuselage fairing is a prominent feature; note the up-curl at the trailing edge. 2: Wing fairing close-up at trailing edge. Note the blunt, rounded
edge. 3, 4 & 5: The cockpit canopy showing the frames and the sliding-hood guide rail. 6: Detail of the propeller spinner and panel lines. 7: Tailcone,
revealing the trim tabs on rudder and elevator. 8: View under the tailplane, also showing the full-length hinge line to the retracting tailwheel door. 9: Engine
cowl and nose, showing the shark-like air intake, panel line detail, exhaust stack and fairing at wing leading edge. 10: Rear three-quarter view of the nose
section, again showing panel lining. 11: Carburettor air intake atop the engine cowl, flanked by machine gun fairing. 12: Front fuselage underside, showing
the intake and the radiator exit gills that are a prominent feature. 13: View from the rear of the radiator cowling, showing the adjustable air exit gills.
14: Head-on view of that big, distinctive radiator air intake. 15: A further view of those distinctive variable air-exit gills. 16: Further view of the front half of
the fuselage, showing panel lines. 17: Tailcone, showing the rudder/fin hinge line. Also reveals rivet line detail. Note that the rudder is fabric covered.
18: Detail of the top of the fin/rudder. 19: Close-up of the elevator and rudder trim tabs. 20: View under the rear fuselage, showing the rudder hinge line.
6 7 8

9 10
11
12 13 16
14 15
18
17
19
20
▼
IN DETAIL
t
21 22
25 23
24
21: Air duct along the fuselage/

wing centre underside is another
prominent feature, rear end of which
is seen in pic. 22. 23: Drain tap
fairing, fuselage underside behind 26
the wing. 24: Direct view rearward,
showing the radiator gills and a main
28 29 undercarriage leg. 25: Rearward
retracting main undercarriage leg.
Retract mechanism fairing is another
prominent feature. 26: Main wheels
have fully faired hubs on the outward
facing sides. 27: Undercarriage
fairing door. 28: Full frontal view of
main undercarriage leg, also viewed
from the side in 29. 30: Anther view
of the main leg, showing the fairing 27
doors and the wheel well. 31: Main
wheel inner-side hub and drag link.
32: Main undercarriage leg close-up
viewed from front, showing the
connecting link between the main leg
and the undercarriage inner door. Out
door link is much shorter.
30 31 32

33 34 35
36 37 38
39 40 41
33: Close-up of the elevator trim tab, upper surface. Undersurface similar. 34: Detail of elevator and mass balance. 35: View down the rear fuselage reveals
the tailwheel unit and the angles at which the tailwheel doors are set, when the tailwheel is down. 36: Rear fuselage panel lines and hinged tailwheel fairing
door. 37: Tailwheel unit close-up, showing the lift-links between the leg and the fairing doors. Note the canvass cover screen. 38: Pitot head, left wing tip.
39: Wing underside, showing the flap and aileron hinge lines. 40: Main undercarriage mechanism fairing, showing the door lift links. 41: Wing guns.
42: Main undercarriage wheel well, viewed from rear. 43: Aileron detail, showing fixed trim tab. 44: The wing/fuselage fairing at the leading edge.
45: Wing tip detail. Note Nav. light. 46: Wing guns, left side.
42 43 44
45 46

TECHNIQUE Here, the support jigs,
one for each wing sub-
assembly are in place
on the wing panels
and clamped while
the hardwood strip
re-enforcement braces
are glued.
This is as close as I could get,

with just hand tools, to the
interplane strut anchor-point
brackets that were a feature
of the full size Albatross D.II,
made from sheets metal and
brass picture hooks.
WING CRADLE
HERE’S A LITTLE IDEA THAT SOME OF YOU WHO ARE HEAVILY INTO EARLY AVIATION AND BIPLANE SCALE
MODELS MIGHT LIKE CONSIDER FOR TRANSPORT AND AS SPORTCUT AID TO ASSEMBLY AT THE FLYING FIELD
FIG. 1. FIG. 1A.

1
finger fumbling!
T
he subject, in my case was my
long running (and seemingly Something that would group the wing
never-ending) project for a panels together in partially assembled
quarter-scale Albatross D.II, state, also suitable for storage and
based on Gary Sunderland’s transport, seemed the answer.
plans in the FSM Plans Service. I tried So here it is in glorious pictorial! The
to make this model as near to true scale idea holds the upper and lower wing
as possible, including the rigging and panels (left and right), as rigged sub
‘struttery’. To do that, I had to reproduce assemblies. The Interplane struts do 2
(as near as I could) the anchor brackets their job as they do when the model is
for the wing interplane struts that also fully assembled and the two-part (front
anchor the bracing wires. and rear) cradle for each of the left and
When one looks at the sketches right wing sub assemblies slots over the
(Fig.1 & Fig 1A) of the brackets for the leading edges and the trailing edges,
full size machine, one realises that it is to be held in place with bolts/butterfly
was cleverly thought out arrangement nuts. Each is a simple band-sawn panel
that would ease and speed up the work braced with hardwood strip, furnished
of the ground-crew riggers who would with foam faced ‘shoes’ that slot over the
have had the job, back in 1916-1918, wing leading and trailing edges.
to keep the aircraft fettled for flight. On my model, the bracing wires are
However, when reduced to quarter- cosmetic rather than functional, the flying
scale, it’s a trickier proposition; loads being taken by the wing panel
the turnbuckles (from Proctor joiners that are ‘flattie’ Graupner blade- 3
Enterprises - pricey but in-box, steel-and-brass components.
very good) as are the 12 or The only bracing wires that need to be
14BA bolts that secure the undone are the two (one each side) that
turnbuckles and the interplane run from the top rear outer strut positions
struts to the anchor brackets. to the fuselage nose. Everything else
As the whole project stays in place and slides outwards as a
ground forward to the point unit, off the wing joiners.
of doing the rigging, it became When removed from the fuselage,
clear that at-the-field assembly here’s a certain amount of ‘sway’ on
of the airframe with four fully each sub assembly, but basically, it all 4
disassembled wing panels would be hangs together. Try it - adapt it to your
a time consuming fag, particularly in own needs. ■
cold weather – always a good receipe for
1: The components of
5 the ply support jigs
band-sawn to shape
and with the strip
wood fore & aft joiners
glued on. 2: One of the 6
support jigs, now with
the support shoes in
place. Note the foam
cushions. 3 & 4: Close-
ups of the support
shoes showing the foam
inserts that protect the
fabric covering when
slotted over the wing
leading and trailing 7
edges.
5: Here the left hand
wing sub-assembly
is being slid off the
Graupner wing joiner
‘blades’. 6: Detail of the
support jibs, slotted
over the wing panel
leading and trailing
edges. 7: One complete
wing ‘half’ supported
by the jig and the
interplane struts. All the
wire rigging remains in
place.

SUBJECTS FOR SCALE
HANRIOT H.D.1
One of the lesser known allied fighters of WW1, but one that has strong appeal for modellers due to
its pleasing appearance and uncomplicated shape
A
lthough one of the lesser- before then, founder Frenchman Rene and by 1912, Hanroit had established a
known pioneer producers Hanriot was a celebrated racer of factory at Reims together with a flying
of aeroplanes, the Hanriot Darracq cars and designed his first school - remember, most customers
organisation can be traced aircraft as early as 1907. Others followed, were well-healed individuals attracted to
back to 1910. But even notable for super-slender fuselages aviation, but who needed to be shown
This is the Hanriot H.D.1 on display in the Graham White Factory annex at the RAF Museum Hendon. It is known to have seen service with the 1e Escrille
de Chasse of the Belgian Aviation Militaire from 1917 during WW1. At one time, just prior to WW2, it was briefly owned by Richard Shuttleworth of the
Shuttleworth Collection, before the wrecked remains were restored in USA. The (then) owner eventually donated it to the Hendon museum. (See full story on
side panel overleaf.

how to ‘drive’ their new ‘toys’! Yet the Hanriot H.D.1 did find favour emblazoned his ‘coffin-and-candles’
Rene Hanriot must have very quickly with Belgian pilots and the first Belgian identity device on the fuselage sides.
gained a good reputation for aviaton by unit to receive the type was, fittingly, Whether he flew the H.D.1 operationally
1911 the Hanriot Monoplane Ltd company No.1 Squadron, which began taking cannot be certain, but after WW1, he
had been established in London, together delivery of examples in August 1917. took one example to U.S.A. (no. 5934)
with a flying school at the Brooklands Top Belgian fighter pilot Willy Coppens, in 1924 for a barnstorming exhibition
aviation and racing car centre. then a Warrant Officer, was immediately tour, still bearing his notorious fuselage
Hanriot withdrew from the aviation impressed by the excellent handling insignia.
scene in 1913 but three years later re- qualities and airframe strength, as Later, after Nungesser (and Colli’s)
established himself, at a new factory at compared to the French Nieuport, which unsuccessful non-stop trans-Atlantic
Billancourt, for license production, in the H.D.1was intended to replace. crossing, (they were both lost without
France, of the Sopwith 1.1/2 Strutter. Then, following an Italian Military trace), the aircraft passed through
Hanriot recruited the services of Mission to Paris, in November that several ownerships, appeared in several
aircraft designer Pierre Dupont leading year, the Italian Nieuport-Macchi Co. aviation movies, including the celebrated
to the ceation of Hanriot H.D.1, a neat commenced production of the type, silent epic ‘Hell’s Angels’.
and attractively spaded biplane fighter supplying sufficient numbers that, by the Despite all this, the machine
characterised by distinct upper wing end of the conflict in November 1918, survived, to wind up in the ownership
dihedral and substantially staged lower some 130 examples of the H.D.1 were in of Californian aircraft restorer and air
wings. service with the Italian squadrons. museum operator Ed. Maloney.
French military pilots who tested Silvio Scaroni, one of Italy’s leading Although, during its time in service,
the H.D.1 were enthusiastic about pilots, with 26 victories, flew the H.D.1 the H.D.1 was quite a useful fighter, it
its exceptional maneuverability, but extensively, using non-standard two-gun was normally armed with only a single
it’s single machine gun armament armament in place of the standard single machine-gun, at a time when most of
was somewhat of a throw-back to gun installation. Probably the greatest its contemparies and opponents had
the Nieuport 11 which was, by then, exponent of this aircraft was Frenchman adopted the classic, twin-gun armament.
superceded by such Germany types as Charles Nungesser, credited with a total of Initially at least, the gun was offset from
the Albatross D.II now packing twin-gun 45 victories - and almost as many broken the fuselage centreline in doing so while
firepower, so that the Hanriot design was bones, due to his numerous crashes! the gunsight was positioned on the
bypassed in favour of the SPAD VII. His various personal aircraft were fuselage centre-line and was thus not ▼
One of the Swiss Hanroit H.D.1s during its military This is the H.D.1 that French ace Charles Nungesser took to USA for a Barnstoring tour in 1924. It was
service days, post 1921. afterwards used in the Hollywood aviation movie ‘Hell’s Angels’ and eventually, post WW2, wound up wirth
Ed Maloney’s Museum of Flight in California.

SUBJECTS FOR SCALE
A PRESERVATION
SAGA
Most really early aircraft survivors have
a fascinating tale to tell - perhaps not at
all surprising in view of their longevity
and FSM is indebted to Kevin Panter of the
Shuttleworth Collection for the following Hanroit H.D.1 at the Italian Air Force Museum, Vigna The Hanroit H.D.1 presently on show in the Air
story, and also to Andy Sephton who made di Valle, Rome. Museum at Dubendorf, Switzerland.
the enquiries.
t
completely harmonised with the gun line- fuselage sides

Hanriot HD1, serial number 75, was built in 1917 of-fire. Later, this gun installation was Post WW1, the Hanriot H.D.1 soldiered
by Societé Anonyme des Appareils d’Aviation Hanriot repositioned on the centerline, although on with both Belgian and Italian Air Arms
at Neuilly-Sur-Seine, Paris. It was delivered to the 1e the standard armament of one gun and was still on the strength of both in
Escadrille de Chasse as HD-75. remained. 1926.
This was the Belgian Air Force’s famous ‘thistle’ Twin-gun armament was applied to A floatplane version was designated
squadron and it is believed to have been flown for some examples of the H.D.1, but these H.D.2, and operated by U.S.Navy forces
a time at the Western front. It was retired by the were the initiative by individual pilots, at a few coastal stations in France after
Belgian Air Force as a front line fighter in 1928, but to augment firepower, but in doing so, USA entered WW1. Subsequently, some
continued as a training machine until the 1930s. sacrificing service ceiling and climb rate - of these found their was back Stateside,
It was sold as surplus to brothers, André, Paul and a debatable trade-off! to be converted to landplane configuration
Jules Drossaert and registered as OO-APJ; the and used for training purposes, while one
PURE CONVENTION at least was used to fly off from a gun
registration reflecting the initials of the brothers. It
The H.D.1 was a typical fighter product turret mounted platform on the battleship
subsequently passed on to Jaques Ledure who
of its time with a wooden airframe with USS Mississippi during 1919.
based the aircraft at Brussels, Évère aerodrome and
conventional fabric covering. Good Switzerland acquired sixteen H.D.1s in
at one point the aircraft was used outside a cinema structural design imparted a strong and 1921, while one example found its way to
to promote the WW1 film ‘Wings’. There, it was seen reasonably light structure, with much of Ecuador and three to Paraguay.
by Richard Shuttleworth, who purchased the aircraft the airframe style of Sopwith incorporated
in 1938. - not surprisingly, in view of Hanriot’s WHERE TO SEE ONE NOW
Richard flew it back to UK but, after arriving at license production of Sopwith ‘Strutters’. As featured ‘In Detail’ elsewhere in this
Lympne Aerodrome, the Le Rhône engine stopped Wings were heavily staggered, built issue, the Royal Air Force Museum,
and refused to start again. It took two days to resolve on two spars, internally braced with Hendon has a superbly restored example,
the problems before Richard was able to fly the cross-wires and steel tube compression eminently viewable at ground level (NOT
Hanriot to Old Warden. members. hung up like a plastic kit!). It can be seen
A British civil registration was applied for and the The basic fuselage was of box girder any day of the week.
registration G-AFDX was allocated to enable construction with curved upper deck The Belgian Musee Royal de l’Armee et
Richard to take part in a RoyalAeronautical Society plywood skin over rounded formers - Histoire militaire in Brussels MAY still have
Garden Party at Heathrow. After this display, the typical of the period. Curved metal side H.D.1 no.78 hung up.
Hanriot was overhauled at Old Warden before taking panels faired the radial cowl into the flat In Switzerland, the Dubendorf Air
part in further garden parties.
In 1939, Richard Shuttleworth displayed the Hanriot
at a Brooklands Garden Party; unfortunately, during
his return from the display, a wheel fell off the aircraft
after taking off from Brooklands. Despite a warning
telephone call to Old Warden and Richard’s family
trying to warn him of the danger by spelling out
words on the aerodrome with tablecloths, Richard
attempted to land the Hanriot normally and it was
very badly damaged in the ensuing crash. The
wings needed extensive repairs and Richard sent
these to Brooklands to be repaired. WW2 broke out
before the work was completed and the wings were
destroyed during an air raid on Brooklands.
After the war, the aircraft was sold to a collector,
Marvin Hand, in America who completed the
restoration and presented the Hanriot to the RAF
Museum at Hendon where it can still be seen today.
It has since been completely restored to its original An example of the Hanriot H.D.1 built by the Nieuport-Macchi Co. in Italy, for service with the Italian Air
1e Escadrille colours. Service. Post WW1, when the Regia Aeronautica was formed in 1925, a few H.D.1s were still on charge.

Specifications
Wing span (upper): ....................... 28 ft. 6.5ins
Wing span (Lower): .................... 24 ft. 3.5 ins.
Length: ..................................... 19 ft. 1.875 ins
Upper wing dihedral: ................. 4.45 degrees.
Hanriot H.D-1s of an Italian fighter squadron. The markings on the white stripe of the rudder, on the aircraft
in the foreground may indicate that is is a Hanriot factory built aircraft.
Museum definitely have one on show and Italian Hanriots were uncamouflaged,
illustrated on their excellent web site, while the finish being a creamy shade of clear-
there is also one at the Museo del Volo, in doped linen fabric; metal panels and
One of the 12 Hanriot H.D.1s that entered milItary
Turin, Italy . cowling were usually polished. Green,
service with Switzerland from 1921.
white and red roundels were carried on
COLOUR SCHEMES the wing tips and fuselage sides; the
Belgian aircraft were camouflaged on the rudder was divided (vertically) into equal-
top and vertical surfaces (Including the width red, white and green divisions, with
engine cowl and metal access panels in red foremost.
large ‘shadow shading’ patches of dark U.S.A examples has battleship grey
green and khaki, with cream or very pale fuselages, aluminum wings and tail. Red
blue undersurfaces. (outer)/blue (inner)/white (centre) roundels
Roundels of near to full chord in red, were applied to the wings only, placed
yellow and black were applied to wing upper inboard of the ailerons. Rudder stripes
surfaces, while none were applied to the of equal width were applied with red
fuselage; the rudder was equally divided, foremost, then the white and blue. A Belgian fighter ‘ace’ Willy Coppens, was a leading
vertically, in red, yellow and black portions large serial was carried on the fuselage exponent of the Hanriot H.D.1, seen here seated in
with the red next to the rudder post. sides. ■ one of the examples he flew.
The Hanriot H.D.2 was a late WW1 revision of the H.D.1, some of which were Units of the U.S. Expenditionary Forces that operated in Europe during WW1
modified to operate off water. Some were acquired by U.S. Air Service and U.S. were were entirely equipped with European aircraft types, many of which ware
Navy units in France. This one was operated by the U.S.Navy at Dunkerque in taken back home following hostilities and used in all sorts of experments. This
1918. H.D.2 was used by the U.S. Navy to test floatation gear.
WANT TO BUILD ONE?

The only decent model we’ve ever seen of the Hanriot H.D.1 was the one designed by the late Peter Neate, who
flew it in competition with considerable success during the early 1970s.
Pete’s model was built to a scale of 1:4.75. It had a wingspan of 72” (1829mm) and used a .60 size engine
since, back then, such was the maximum engine capacity allowable under FA.I./BMFA its rule
The design was published in Radio Modeller magazine April 1972 issue and previously plans were available in
the X-List plans range of myHobbystore plan no. RM95. Unfortunately, the plans originals seem to have gone
absent from the present custodians of that plans range – Sarik Hobbies.
It was a good, accurate model and flew extremely well, and it would be nice to perform a resurrection of that one
if anyone out there has a decent copy of the plan set.

SCALE DRAWING HANRIOT HD1
SCALE 1:40
FLYING COLOURS HANRIOT HD1
The Pusher configuration of early WW1 scout (fighter) aircraft of which the FE8 and the DH 2 were cumbersome early
examples of forward firing a machine gun, without destroying the propeller in the process. Quaint though the layout thus
produced may have been, it does make a scale modeling subject with ‘presence’. This …… wingspan indoor scale
example designed by JOHN WATTERS for Co2 power, would also be suitable for electric drive

IN DETAIL
HANRIOT
H.D.1
A close-up study of the Hanriot H.D.1 on display in the R.A.F Museum,
Hendon’s Graham White Hangar annex.
With much thanks for their kind co-operation.

2 4 5
1: View of the lower engine cowl showing the shape of the air intake holes. 2: Detail of the propeller boss. 3: This view reveals the ‘lip’ at the rear edge of the
engine cowl. Opposite side similar. 4: The slightly ‘scimitar’ shape of the propeller. 5: Interplane struts and rigging.
6
7
11
10
6: Wing upper surface, showing the aileron control horn, with brace wire to the trailing edge and
control wire forward. 7: Upper wing underside showing the aileron control wire. 8: Aileron control cable
exits upwards from lower wing access panel. 9 & 10: Two views showing the metal braced cockpit
windshield. 11: Another view of the cockpit area.
▼
14
IN DETAIL
t
12
15
16
13
12: The single machine gun that was standard

armament of the Hanriot H.D.1. This one is
centreline mounted; on early examples, it was
offset to the left. 13: General view of the forward
fuselage. 14: Fuselage access panel, just behind
the engine cowl. 15: Wing root detail, showing
the anchor point for bracing wires that run from
the top outer wing strut. 16: Rear fuselage lifting
handle, positioned forward of the tailplane.
17 & 18: Two views of the cabane assembly,
viewed from front three-quarter. 19: Cabane
again, viewed from rear. 20: Cabane assembly,
also revealing the ‘lip’ on the cowl rear edge and
the narrow space between the wing halves on the
centre-line.
17 18
21
22
19 20
23

24 25
26 27
28
21 & 22: Two views showing one of the pressed metal ‘shoes’ that seat and locate the interplane
strut. 23: Lower anchor points for the outer wing interplane struts, also showing the bracing wires
and turnbuckles. 24: Outside face of main undercarriage heel. 25: Bungee cord ‘shock absorber’,
bound around the undercarriage axle. 26: Anchor points for the main undercarriage struts.
27: Inside face of the undercarriage mainwheel, also showing the bungee card shock absorber.
28: Configuration of the complete main undercarriage.

IN DETAIL
29 30 31
32 33 34
35 36
29: The complete tailcone. Note the space between the fin and tailplane. 30: Bracing wire anchor point on the tailplane upper surface. 31: Rudder, showing
the bracing wire from the control horn to the rudder trailing edge. 32: Rudder control horn close-up. 33: Tailplane underside bracing strut. 34: Tailplane
underside bracing wire. 35: Detail of one of the interplane strut locating ‘shoes’. 36: Same view, showing the access panel in the upper wing lower surface.
37: Detail of the instrument venturi (upper left outer wing) close to the leading edge. 38: Another view of the control wire run to the upper wing aileron.
39: Lower wing/ fuselage. 40: Another view showing the centre-line cap between the upper wing panels
37 40
32 32

SQUADRON
BOOKS
AIRCRAFT IN ACTION - SOFT COVER
1200 Fairey Firefly in action
1204 Early MiG Fighters in action
1224 F-84 Thunderjet In Action
10211 P-51 Mustang in Action
10216 F6F Hellcat in Action
10219 B-17 Flying Fortress in Action
10220 F4U Corsair in Action
10221 B-25 Mitchell in Action
10222 P-38 Lightning in Action
10225 TBF/TBM Avenger in Action
10227 B-29 Superfortress in Action
10228 B-24 Liberator in Action
10235 SB2C Helldriver in Action
10236 SBD Dauntless in Action
10238 A-20 Havoc in Action
10241 F-105 Thunderchief in Action
10242 A-26/B-26 Invader in Action
10243 Messerschmitt BF 109 in Action
10246 A-1 Skyraider in Action
10248 CH-47 Chinook in Action
10249 UH-1 Huey in Action
10263 UH-60 Blackhawk in Action
WALK AROUND SERIES - SOFT COVER

5549 OV-1 Mowhawk Walk Around
25043 Messerschmitt Bf 109G Walk Around
25056 Spitfire (Merlin) Walk Around
WALK AROUND SERIES - HARD COVER

65043 Messerschmitt Bf 109G Walk Around
65056 Spitfire (Merlin) Walk Around
65070 Heinkel HE 111 Walk Around
WWW.DOOLITTLEMEDIA.COM
ALSO AVIALABLE FROM DOOLITTLE MEDIA
E. [email protected] T. +44 (0) 1525 222573

Doolittle Media Ltd., The Granary, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX, Great Britain
Time Takes It's Toll by Dennis Lee Gerber
The effects of
Wind and Rain on
Vintage Aircraft
"Time Takes It's Toll" is not just another Aviation
photo book. Most books show shiny refurbished
examples housed in indoor museums. This
book features hundreds of photos of aircraft
that have been parked outside for years out in
the elements exposed to the hot sun, wind and
rain. They take on a character and beautiful
patina that is stunningly amazing in all their
faded glory. This book also features some one
off examples of aircraft that are the last ones
is in existence. It includes propeller and jet
engine aircraft and some vintage helicopters.
Aircraft enthusiasts and modellers alike will
enjoy "Time Takes It's Toll", a very unique book
with some truly amazing photographs along
with descriptions of each aircraft.
358 pages and thousands of amazing photos
Purchase at pocketmags: Just

https://pocketmags.com/modellers-reference-library-magazine £13.99
Your purchase can be read on any of the following platforms Requires: iPad and iPhone devices running iOS 10.0 or above, Android should be:
Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) or above , Kindle Fire (Gen 3) or above, Windows 8 tablets,
Windows 8.1 Phones, and PC and Macs with a html5 compatible browser.

Flyingscalemodels 202201

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Flyingscalemodels 202201

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Flyingscalemodels 202201

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

FREE GIFT FOR SUBSCRIBERS

FULL SIZE FREE PLANS WORTH £10

CULVER DART 53” WINGSPAN FOR

SIMPLE WING CRADLE

RUBBER POWERED RODENT!

POLIKARPOV I-16 ‘RATA’ INDOOR FREE FLIGHT

CURITSS P-40B ● TYPE HISTORY ● SCALE THREE VIEWS

JANUARY 2022 NO.266

22 PFALZ D.XII TYPE HISTORY 52 WING SUPPORT CRADLE

32 POLIKARPOV I-16 60 HANRIOT FLYING COLOURS

4 FLYING SCALE MODELS - APRIL

Reproduction in part or whole of any text,

JANUARY 2022 - FLYING SCALE MODELS 5

* Terms and conditions

ONLINE AT WWW.DOOLITTLEMEDIA.COM OR CALL 01525 222573

SUBSCRIPTION Renewal/Extension New Subscription Starting with issue No..........................

Country...............................................................Post/zip code ..................................................

8 FLYING SCALE MODELS - JANUARY 2022

JANUARY 2022 - FLYING SCALE MODELS 9

be confused with the British Dart Aircraft

10 FLYING SCALE MODELS - JANAURY 2022

WING CENTRE SECTION

everything smooth, glue in the plywood

plus carriage: £11.50 (UK),

Shipping Note: For shipping to

Order online at:

JANUARY 2022 - FLYING SCALE MODELS 11

12 FLYING SCALE MODELS - JANUARY 2022

Mike Smith's Nat's winning Martyinsyde Elephant bears all the

JANUARY 2022 - FLYING SCALE MODELS 13

14 FLYING SCALE MODELS - JANUARY 2022

On metal-skinned types, chipped paint, scuffed

16 FLYING SCALE MODELS - JANUARY 2022

JANUARY 2022 - FLYING SCALE MODELS 17

PLANS FOR THE

Tel 01525 222573

Order Plan: 313

18 FLYING SCALE MODELS - JANUARY 2022

JANUARY 2022 - FLYING SCALE MODELS 19

20 FLYING SCALE MODELS - JANUARY 2022

JANUARY 2022 - FLYING SCALE MODELS 21

22 FLYING SCALE MODELS - JANUARY 2022

JANUARY 2022 - FLYING SCALE MODELS 23

HEAD-TO-HEAD EVALUATION Aldershof for the second ‘D’ Type (Fighter)

but that arrangement may well have

together with the four-tone colour scheme on the fuselage.

24 FLYING SCALE MODELS - JANUARY 2022

JANUARY 2022 - FLYING SCALE MODELS 25

That at least is some recognition of the

The Pfalz D.XII assigned to Jasta 7 J

28 FLYING SCALE MODELS - JANUARY 2022

4: With the left side

JANUARY 2022 - FLYING SCALE MODELS

9: Now its the ladies’ turn. Here wing panels are

30 FLYING SCALE MODELS - JANUARY 2022

Limited Stock - order now at www.doolittlemedia.com

Rat on the loose!

32 FLYING SCALE MODELS - JANUARY 2022

W this bizarre looking