Murphs Model Armstrong Whitworth AW-52, 1/56

**papermate** · #1 07-10-2014, 06:59 PM

The latest from Aaron is this British experimental airplane Armstrong Whitworth AW-52, originally scaled at 1/56 but now shrunk to about 1/80 (70 percent of the original, my usual trick). This is an advanced paper model not recommended for beginners. Especially the engine nacelles which need be cut into halves so that they can only be pushed from both ends of central wing root for gluing. You need to add a joining tab to keep them together. An instruction page is also given here for your reference. Note: This is a REAL challenge, so you'll have to take it very seriously.

Papermate

**Knife** · #2 07-10-2014, 08:23 PM

I was hoping he'd get around to making this. I'm in for one.

**murphyaa** · #3 07-10-2014, 08:35 PM

Let me make some modifications to the engines (the cutting in half, and adding tabs), and I'll get it out.

**MacSongLi** · #4 07-10-2014, 09:06 PM

Beautiful clean work papermate.

Gary

**papermate** · #5 07-10-2014, 10:21 PM

Thanks Gary.

Yeah, if you don't cut the engines in half, it's practicably impossible to slide the nacelles into place without damaging the exhausts in particular.

Papermate

**Tim Crowe** · #6 07-11-2014, 12:29 AM

Great build. the nose section is very impressive

How do you get it looking so good?

Tim

**rockpaperscissor** · #7 07-11-2014, 10:15 AM

Looking at your photos, you'd never know there was anything overly challenging about this model. You've done an amazing job.

**papermate** · #8 07-11-2014, 07:02 PM

Thanks, Tim. How to do it? Well, as the background colour is white (colourless), I painted it with clear paint, followed by sanding and repeating the same process for a number of times until I was satisfied. Should have edge painted it white at first and the result would be even better.

Thanks, Don. I didn't keep build pictures along the way so it's hard to show you where the challenging parts are. The engine intakes and in particular, the exhausts with those two little triangular ends that need be aligned with the central wing root are the most difficult tasks. Apart from that, I found it impossible to slide the whole engine nacelle into place without either crumpling the whole nacelle or distorting the exhaust if I were to finish it in one piece. So cutting it in half solved the problem but gave rise to another that required an addition tab and flushed the two parts of the nacelle when gluing. By now, Aaron should have fixed this. So, no worries.

Papermate

**nighthawk78** · #9 07-12-2014, 05:47 AM

Nice looking build,
NH78

**MacSongLi** · #10 07-12-2014, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by papermate

Thanks, Tim. How to do it? Well, as the background colour is white (colourless), I painted it with clear paint, followed by sanding and repeating the same process for a number of times until I was satisfied. Should have edge painted it white at first and the result would be even better.

Papermate

Sanding? After each clear coat, you sand the whole model? WOW, now that is dedication. Are you sanding the seams to get them flush?

Gary