Bleriot XI - heavily modified! - Page 7

**altbob** · #61 11-03-2014, 03:38 PM

Thanks for the encouragement Ray! Only someone who's actually built one of these godforsaken spoked wheels can possibly understand the pain involved. I nearly had it 7 or 8 times only to have it all come apart and have to start over. Spent several hours on Saturday with nothing to show for it but a lot of stress. After sleeping on it, I awoke Sunday with the milk container jig and panavise epiphany. If that didn't work I would have been really disappointed to put cheater spokes (paper cones with the spokes printed on) in place of realistic scale wheels, and my model deserves better

Also, the suggestion in the instructions I downloaded here on Papermodelers.com to use 4 foot lengths of monofiliment was nuts! I couldn't even find the ends on strands of fishing line that long. 6" lengths at least gave me a fighting chance! Anyway, on to the hubs now

**altbob** · #62 11-10-2014, 10:11 AM

Managed a couple hours of hobby time this weekend between unpacking boxes, plumbing repairs and moving furniture... Starting to really look like a Bleriot wheel now!

**Texman** · #63 11-10-2014, 12:00 PM

Its getting close. The worst is over.

**altbob** · #64 11-12-2014, 10:02 AM

LOL, sort of, but not really...I still have another wheel to make, or two if I decide to go with a rear wheel rather than a tail skid! But thanks for the encouragement!

I found it nerve wracking to cut the wheel free. I was so worried that the glue wouldn't hold and a spoke would break lose. But thankfully that didn't happen...whew!

**altbob** · #65 11-12-2014, 10:03 AM

The next part, rolling tiny rims on either side of the interior spoke connection points was also quite an ordeal. Took me about 4 times before I got the paper strips to lay flat and flush. I think after this I'll try something easy for a change, like maybe finding the cure for cancer!

**nighthawk78** · #66 11-12-2014, 11:05 AM

Impressive wheels, looking forward to more!
NH78

**altbob** · #67 11-17-2014, 11:23 AM

Well, I finished the spokes and rims on the second wheel and laid on strips of paper to make tires. Very tedious process, and as you can see I still need to finish these with some glue to fill in some gaps, and then need to be painted. I tried using a permanent black marker on the first wheel as suggested in the post here on PaperModeler.com, but I found that the black rubbed off from all the handling the monofilament line is subjected to in the process of stringing it over the jig. I am going to try painting with black acrylic paint, although I have no idea how well it will adhere to the monofilament line without some kind of primer. Wish me luck!

BTW, these look better in real life - the extreme close-up shows every defect!

**altbob** · #68 12-01-2014, 01:01 PM

Quick update:

After much fiddling around with paper, brass wire and some brass sheet, the landing gear struts are finally in place! Some rigging and more fiddly bits need to be added, and I have to find the box my paints got packed in, but a couple progress photos attached for now, as this truly feels like a milestone!

Next up, the tail wheel...because the memory of nearly losing my mind making spokes from monofilament line has apparently faded just enough...

**altbob** · #69 12-03-2014, 03:56 PM

Starting work on tailwheel...

**altbob** · #70 12-19-2014, 10:14 AM

I continue to work in obscurity (heheh...), not having begun this build log in the "aviation" section of the forum, but no matter. After several missteps I am finally, happily, DONE with the fiddly Bleriot landing gear! Well, not really - I still need to make some bungee chord shock absorbers. But the worst is definitely behind me now, and my wife can celebrate as I can now move this project off the coffee table in time for holiday entertaining!

Here then is the rear landing gear. As you can see, I opted for the original spoked wheel on caster design that the model XI "channel crosser" used, made from lots of reference photos and blueprints. The wheel is paper based on the plans found here on Papermodeler.com "Spoked wheels by Eric Goedkoop" Spoked wheels by Eric Goedkoop. I think they came out pretty good. The other landing gear parts are all made from brass sheet and brass rod and some floral wire for small diameter parts than I could locate in brass. I just didn't imagine paper struts holding up - hopefully this doesn't offend any purists here.

Next up, I need to do the kingpost on top and wing warping cage below. These will also be made from thin brass rod. After than I will return to the Fiddler's Green plans for the wings and tail feathers...and then comes the rigging!

Enjoy and comments welcome, if anyone actually sees this...