First paper airplane a Fokker DVII

[Starfire]

Hi.

This is so very different than other modelling (plastic/metal/wood). One question is when you build a box structure such as the fuselage of this airplane are there tricks to keep the cardstock/paper from bowing inwards? If this continues to be a problem I am thinking of adding bulkheads inside and trying it again. (This is a print-out model on my home computer printer on cardstock)with tabs for gluing. I bought a few styles of glue pens made for paper models by the way and still use a toothpick to spread a very small coat so it holds without soaking into the paper.

I cut out the parts and the tabs and scored where they will bend to form the structures with a #11 blade and used wooden sticks to help hold the tabs to the inside of the adjacent parts but the cardstock is bowing inwards on the sides and bottom of the fuselage.

Sincerely,
Max

[Zakopious]

Congratulations, Max !
You are off to a good start and your learning process has begun.

Which Fokker DVII are you building ?
Fiddler's Green, Prudenzio, other ?

I often use toothpicks or cardboard formers in my models to prevent bowing.

[Vermin_King]

The scale you are building at will have a lot to do with the bowing issue.

[Burning Beard]

I usually laminate another piece of cardstock to the inside on flat or slightly curved objects to keep them from bowing. You will also need to be watchful of twisting the thing you are building, but this can be overcome by making sure your folds (scoring) is straight and the tabs line up properly.

Good luck,
Beard