FGMM - Pears - Monoplane

[jagolden01]

Looks like I have time for one more entry.
I'm building the Pearse Monoplane with some mods.

Am going to try separating out the wing frame from the covering material.

I have a question though. The model is 44% of WSAM. I want to build it at 1/24 scale. What percentage do I use to scale the pages? Help!

[cMags]

With a WSAM=44% you have a 1:26.4 model there. Print at 110% for an even 1:24.

PaperModelers.com - Downloads - Fiddlers Green Scale Calculator (http://www.papermodelers.com/forum/downloads.php?do=file&id=408) ;)

[jagolden01]

[Thanks, cmags. I was looking for the calculator in the wrong spot.

QUOTE=cmags;114724]With a WSAM=44% you have a 1:26.4 model there. Print at 110% for an even 1:24.

PaperModelers.com - Downloads - Fiddlers Green Scale Calculator (http://www.papermodelers.com/forum/downloads.php?do=file&id=408) ;)[/QUOTE]

[cMags]

Yea, I probably should have put it in the self-help library. For some reason I didn't even notice that category until today. But now if I asked for it to be moved, my links to it would all break. :o

[jagolden01]

Made some headway on the wing.

The directions call for skewers to be used between the wings but even at the 1/24 scale I'm building I found them too large. To strengthen the wing, I used fine wire spot CA glued in place.
Second photo is the folded wing. The illustration of the wing is very nice!
Last photo shows al the wing material cut away. Where the printed wing looks so nice, I don't know if my plan to use separate paper for the wing material will be an improvement or a detriment. Well, it's an experiment.

I'll be coating one side (under) of the frame with CA glue for more strength.
I applied a wash of brown paint to color the edges and remove the perfection of the printed look.

[Don Boose]

Very nice paper "etching."

Don

[jagolden01]

Thanks, Don. Good to see you back!

More "etching" here:
http://www.papermodelers.com/forum/modded/7347-fgmm-santos-dumont-demoiselle.html

[jagolden01]

I've covered the main wing frame with the separate paper. Now that I see it, I'm OK with doing it this way.
I've run out of wire and am at a stop (pretty much) 'till I get some more.
Sort of has that "Flinstone's" look.

[Alcides]

Very, very nice. Looks really good. Good idea to separate the structure from the fabric.

[jagolden01]

Thank you, Alcides. The separation of the covering and frame definitely improves the feel of the wings.

This is just a dry fit of the three pieces. Hope to start the frame this weekend.
This is so primitive looking. I said Flinstones before, maybe more like gilligan's Island.

[bob martin]

Fantistic Jagolden:D Really look great.:cool: I see I'm going to have to revisit this one.:eek: Can't wait to see the fuselage.;)

[cgutzmer]

I can SO see Gilligan flying around on that and dropping a coconut on the skippers head! Looks great though! From the pic, the lashing looks real!

[Don Boose]

Beaut! You've certainly taken this one to another level.

Don

[jagolden01]

Bob. Chris and Don, thanks for your words and interest!

I've made a little more progress.

Attaching the rudder was left to the builders discretion, so I used little tabs. I also attached the small wing flaps this way. Gave them a dirty wash of gray.

Next up was the "fuselage" cage. I thought this might be difficult but was not. I enjoy cutting out all the framework. Inside the vertical struts, I used very thin wire from the hobby shop for two purposes: 1) the wire gives it strength, 2) it allows me to create little "pins" at the ends, like on plastic models. By drilling fine holes in the next part, the pins fit in perfectly. Helps keep the part in place while being glued and is another strong point.

Last three shots are general progress shots of where it stands now. I added in the pilots seat.

I was happy to start this model but I find my interest waxing and waning. With spring coming into full swing I want to get back to my 1:32 build of kooklits Type VII U-Boat.

[Don Boose]

Beautiful, clean, precise construction.

That boy had absolutely no airfoil at all, did it?

Don

[jagolden01]

Beautiful, clean, precise construction.

That boy had absolutely no airfoil at all, did it?

Don

None, Don. Flat as a board! I really don't understand how it could get off the ground other than as a kite.

[bob martin]

I think maybe the same as hang glider, air flow under the wing causes the canvas or what ever to bubble up, creating a difference of pressure over the top on the wing...Hey we're flyin:D Glide ratio 2 to1 with no power:eek: I'm still tryin to figure out how he hooked up the controls to move all the control surfaces. Year and Years before any such controls were ever used on an aircraft :confused: :cool:

BTW Very Very nice build, looks great;)

[jagolden01]

I've been wondering about the controls myself. Looking up reference, I haven't found anything really clear, even on recreations. Don't think anyone really knows.

Thanks for pointing out h the hang glider similarity, that's got to be the way.

[bob martin]

Sorta reminds me of the saying, "Even a barn door will fly if you put a big enough engine on it!":D:D

[jagolden01]

A few more pieces in place.

Built the simple engine. I understand he designed and built his own engines from simply book-learning and magazine reading. Quite a feat, especially for back then.

Also built the wheels supplied with the kit. In keeping with the primitive nature of the craft, I did not improve the wheels.

After a little edge touch-up here and there It will be on to the rigging and then the propeller.

[bob martin]

Lookin great Ja:D