Andy's Modelmaking Misadventures

[Andy in Germany]

In the previous episode:

The Royal Navy Air Service Police are in hot pursuit of the international crime gang known as the “Forty Elephants”, who have stolen a mysterious Jewelled Tome from the vault of the Ascension Bank. Captain Bryant has valiantly leapt aboard the getaway car and is engaging in hand-to-hand contact with anyone within reach, supported by his officer in a squad car.

As they turn a corner, the driver of the getaway car sees a second police car approaching at speed. Already distracted by Bryant’s attack, he swerves erratically…

The getaway car crashes into an advertisement hoarding and comes to a stop...

Will Capt. Bryant survive the crash? Will the Royal Navy Police manage to stop the miscreants, or will the 40 Elephants gang escape with the loot? Find out in the next episode of "The Jewelled Tome" here:

https://korschtal.wordpress.com/2024/05/18/jewelled-tome-iiii-the-finale/

 

[Andy in Germany]

After last week's excitement, I'm building again:

The next item on the “to do” list was an aeroplane. From card. Because um… I’ll get back to you on that.

I have a specific design in mind, and this isn’t it. I decided first to make a fairly freelance model just to try out some methods. For example, to see if it’s really possible to make something that is mostly curves out of flat material like card.

It turns out that with lots of sanding, filler, more sanding, enough superglue to disable a small battleship, shellac, and more sanding, it is possible to make a basic form that looks passable, although I’m sure anyone who actually knows anything about designing aeroplanes is either laughing or throwing things at the screen, and it has to be said I’d have taken a lot less time if I hadn’t gone and added all those awkward angles in the fuselage which, of course, also needed sanding.

I now need to figure out how to build something that looks like an engine out of card, and also the whole complicated mix that is the undercarriage. Now, I could also make that part static; many people advocate making a base for the model to sit on so it won’t get damaged easily, but I want to have the plane as a freestanding model. In fact, I’d really like to make the wheels turnable.

This is of course to see if it can be done and is absolutely not so that I can push it along the board during tabletop games making “whoosh whoosh” noises…

 

[sheddy]

Cardboard City ?
https://shop.open-city.org.uk/collections/model-london/products/complete-model-london

 

[Punkawallah]

What size is the beast?

 

[Andy in Germany]

What size is the beast?

Length: 22cm
Wingspan: 25 cm

 

[Andy in Germany]

The Biplane of indeterminate heritage has been getting all kinds of details in an attempt to make it look more like a miniature flying machine and less like a collection of pulped wood products.

I wanted a rugged looking transport plane, that could reasonably be imagined to carry about five people, plus additional luggage. It’s probably obvious by now that my entire knowledge of aeroplane design is that it’s considered important to include wings, so to try and make a convincing form I’d collected pictures of 1930’s era aircraft and made a sketch based on features I liked.

The result has settled down as the fuselage reminiscent of an Anotov AN2 transport plane, with wings based on a Fiat Aviazone Cr42 Falco. This is a somewhat unlikely combination given that the Anotov was a Soviet design* while the Fiat was created in Mussolini’s Italy and first flown in support of the nationalists in the Spanish Civil war.

However, in my alternative history with a shortened World War 1, it’s possible the Russian Revolution ended with the abdication of the Tsar, and an independent Ukraine back in the 1930s. Meanwhile, without a war in 1918 the British Secret Service wouldn’t have funded Mussolini and given him his start in politics.

I rather like the idea that instead of competing on the battlefield, aircraft designers would have been attending large air shows to show off their concepts, and late one night in a bar during one such event, a designer from Anotov turned to a designer from Fiat and said “You know, we really should work together sometime…”

*And built in 1947, I know; shush.

 

[Punkawallah]

Looks (and reads) entirely implausible, and as such will fit you ’alternate timeline’ superbly. Somewhat reminiscent of the DH Beaver, and as such I suggest you name it the Platypus - another animal that has no connection with the ability to fly.
Technical question, is your final form detailed with paper panels, or are these scribed into it?

 

[Andy in Germany]

Looks (and reads) entirely implausible, and as such will fit you ’alternate timeline’ superbly. Somewhat reminiscent of the DH Beaver, and as such I suggest you name it the Platypus - another animal that has no connection with the ability to fly.
Technical question, is your final form detailed with paper panels, or are these scribed into it?

A member of another forum suggested the consortium to build it should be "Fianotov", so the "Fianotov Platypus" sounds about right.

 

[Reynard]

I dunno, with that nose, it looks like a 1930s Junkers J13 to me. But turned into a biplane, like the Hawker Hind. The J13 was a low wing monoplane.

Just as well it doesn't have to fly, but I won't put my engineer's hat on and be a party pooper, cos I really like the model!

 

[Andy in Germany]

Technical question, is your final form detailed with paper panels, or are these scribed into it?

Sorry @Punkawallah; I missed this.

I often layer models to get an effect I want and the panels around the nose are extra made of thin card, riveted using a pencil and a soft surface because I'm allergic to technology.

Some of the other parts like the flaps are scored or even just drawn on. The model is coated in Shellac, which after a couple of coats sets rock hard, so the rivets won't get crushed by poor handling.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I dunno, with that nose, it looks like a 1930s Junkers J13 to me. But turned into a biplane, like the Hawker Hind. The J13 was a low wing monoplane.

Just as well it doesn't have to fly, but I won't put my engineer's hat on and be a party pooper, cos I really like the model!

Thanks, @Reynard.

I'm under no illusions as to its aerodynamic capabilities, or lack thereof; if you think that's bad, wait until you see the implausible airship that I'm designing...

 

[Reynard]

Thanks, @Reynard.

I'm under no illusions as to its aerodynamic capabilities, or lack thereof; if you think that's bad, wait until you see the implausible airship that I'm designing...

Actually, I shall look forward to that! I really do love what you do.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Ascension Aerodrome is home to half a dozen or so small companies using aeroplanes* for charter services and hire. Sigma Airlines works out of a small shed at the unfashionable end of the aerodrome and will happily transport anything you need to any number of destinations, discretion guaranteed, no questions asked.

G-SIAC is a fairly typical example of their fleet, held together by wire and happy thoughts. Biplanes are already considered a bit obsolete by 1937, but with their solid fixed undercarriage and slow takeoff speeds they’re very useful for flying out of small runways, fields and convenient roads in the middle of nowhere, and well away from pesky civil authorities.

Naturally this is all very helpful to our heroes and villains, and G-SIAC will no doubt be called upon to transport all kinds of ‘high value items’, and probably people, in and out of Ascension, leading to shenanigans as different groups try to assist or prevent this…

*Okay, probably airships as well. It’s on my ‘to do’ list, honest…

 

[Punkawallah]

Happy landings!
But on a technical note, wind sock on top of/adjacent to the control building?

 

[Andy in Germany]

Happy landings!
But on a technical note, wind sock on top of/adjacent to the control building?

I'll see what I can do...