Handley Page HP.42 whiffery

[GaryPilsworth]

Originally Posted by Paper Kosmonaut

With a permission from Gary (whom I not yet have PM-ed on this matter) it might be an idea to share the recolour. I also have one in full pre-war KLM livery, flying dutchman banner and all. I wanted to do a tiny diorama with the old Schiphol building and the HP42 waiting in front.

First I have to deal with the wing issue. Any good suggestions on how to get a 30 cm two part (left-right) wing dead straight?
Add more ribs (there are just three for the entire wing)? One strip of heavy cart lengthwise? You tell me. I just printed out a new copy to retry.

This will be interesting to follow, looking good so far.
As I have said in the past, if anyone wants to do a re colour of my designs they're more than welcome to do so.
Never got to build it so cant add any suggestions except maybe joining the wing parts together before shaping the wing !!

[Paper Kosmonaut]

Like I said in a previous post, I managed to get the wing straight now. I used Aleenes tacky glue instead of white PVA and that did the trick. I used two rulers and double the wing formers to get the wing dead straight.
The tail section was easy and went together well. I just made a small curve in the bottom parts of the vertical tails to fit them better over the curvature of the horizontal tail.
The engine nacelles were looking tricky but they weren't at all. Now for the three jigs coming with the model there was a little problem with how to keep them in place and straight. So I made slots in the jigs and used a piece of thick cardboard to have them lined out.
The nacelles went on super smoothly and have a great fit.
For a model you haven't test-built, it is a nice one, Gary! Really well measured out.

Up next, the struts and props.

[Butelczynski]

I'm paying attention to the way you will assemble wings with struts (correct term?) between them.Biplanes are the only kind of aircraft I avoid doing because I can never manage to assemble wings equally,symmetrically and in correct place.I try from time to time but mostly it's a fail on my part.

I'm hoping to learn something here

[Paper Kosmonaut]

Originally Posted by Butelczynski

I'm paying attention to the way you will assemble wings with struts (correct term?) between them.Biplanes are the only kind of aircraft I avoid doing because I can never manage to assemble wings equally,symmetrically and in correct place.I try from time to time but mostly it's a fail on my part.

I'm hoping to learn something here

Haha! It is a challenge for me too, in fact it is likewise every time I make a double decker or triplane. To learn, you could for a start try and do some of Zio Prudenziati's planes. They are relatively easy, I think. And sometimes I just smuggle a couple of matchsticks in (I usually cleave them lengthwise into four thinner pieces). It's proto-paper anyway (-;
But for this build I want to keep it full paper. I guess the jigs included in this model will be of great help. Well, I will try and make it as detailed as possible anyway.

[Paper Kosmonaut]

So here, especially for Butelczynski, a more elaborate photojournal of the strut-placeing event on the HP.42.
I first planned to use the jigs but in the end the were a little clumsy. The horizontal strut was in the way and it left me hardly any room to move stuff around and work with things like tweezers.
So, Plan B.
The struts were made from doubled-up 270 gram paper for more solidity. This way I also could make them a little thinner.
I turned the top wing upside down and I planned to first glue the struts on that attach to the upper wing and (practically) touch each other at the bottom wing. That meant in this particular model, the set between the engines and the outer four pairs. I used PVA that was relatively dry already. It is stickier and it holds strips of paper in angles they otherwise would just sag or fall off. This was relatively easy. Now while I let them set, I worked on the propellers. I cut them out of thick black paper, using the original prints as a template.

The N-shaped struts that would go from the upper engine nacelles to the lower ones were also glued in drops of PVA glue which were in the middle of drying. This way the angle (relative to the wing) I placed the struts in was maintained.

Then I turned the wing over and tested the position. It was a bit disappointing at first; the outer sets didn't touch the lower wings. Not to worry. The lower wings can be pulled up a bit. I first glued the central struts and the ones that attach to the nacelles into place. And I waited again.
Did some work on the props again and got one engine about ready.

Then, when the struts were almost dry, I started to re-attach the outer struts. Small drop of glue, and a rubber band loosely wrapped around both wings to keep them in place. That did the trick.
The remaining four struts were a piece of cake after that. Just dip the ends in PVA, (the best is to use a bit drier substance, not fresh out of the tube) and put the strips into place. Et voilà. It now is really really sturdy. There is no lateral movement in the wings at all.

The first prop is ready and it rotates really fine. It still needs closing up and it needs a little layer of a clear coat to retain the twist of the prop blades a little better.

I hope the pictures are clear enough. I think the main ingredient of working with double wings and struts is patience. You don't want to glue them all at once. Take the ones that connect first and glue them on to the upper wing because it is loose and more handleable. Then try and glue the wing to the rest of the plane but again, don't try to do them all at once. Glue the ones that touch first. Constantly check the angle of both wings in relation to the plane and each other. When it is dry, modify the other struts and if necessary re-cut struts for a better fit.

[Butelczynski]

Much obliged I'm doing Fokker DVII right now,I'll try your method and see if I can learn,adapt it and remember how to do it for next time(that's the hard part).

I'll post some pix when done.

[Richschindler]

Certainly coming right along, and looking great.

[RickPink65]

I still prefer the Schreiber HP-42. With all due respect to Mr. Pilsworth. It seems to me he designs the models but he never builds them as a test to see if everything fits fine and instructions are correctly made, Am I right or wrong? I've heard of some people having difficulty with the Tri-Pacer. Lack of step by step instructions.

[rickstef]

Rick,

Have you built any of Gary's designs?
and if you had any trouble with it, have you reached out to Gary, to ask about how those parts might go together?
Gary is on the forum almost everyday, except for when he is on holidays, or spending time with the girlfriend, so if there is a problem with any of his models, Gary will help out to make for a success build.

let PK get back to his most excellent build of Gary's version of the Handley Page, if you have any concerns you can start a thread in the Cardboard Lounge

[Paper Kosmonaut]

As for Gary's designs, There are instructions included with his models. They are correctly made and I have no troubles reading them. Every designer makes their own instructions in their own way and in Garys case, There is no step-by-step build sequence. but that is not needed in most paper models. Most big and well-appreciated card model companies do not have step by step instructions anyway. Look at GPM, FlyModel and Hobby Model. And what would you rather have, four pages of written instructions in Polish or a couple of clear images to work with?
About fit: I did Gary's Super Guppy a couple of years back in 1/400 and it still fitted well.
Besides, Gary's models are shared with the community for free and he has made a lot of them to share with us. Some people, me, for example, do not have the money to pay for large commercial kits, nor the room to store big models. And I also like Gary's choice of subjects a lot. Perhaps you should try and build one of his models before any further criticism. You can use this thread as a reference when you aren't able to read Gary's quite obvious instruction manual.
Now I don't want this thread to become polemic, so let's now call this matter closed so I can finish my build here.