Fokker D-VII 1/33rd Fitter's Paper Model with Matt77 Repaint - Page 3

**rifleman** · #21 05-09-2020, 01:00 AM

great work well done so far

**smithdr** · #22 05-09-2020, 12:35 PM

Thanks, RM...
Slowly but surely, it's coming along. I'm trying to use as much of the kit parts as possible by cutting them into smaller pieces and adding them at what I'd assume to be natural breaks. The radiator/cowling is still looking hard to do. The rough edges in the front have been left on purpose since I'm not quite sure where the cowling will go.
I did see another issue I hadn't before while I was working on it last night. The radiator edges/cowling should basically start right at the inspection panel curve and as is, it will sit further forward of that curve. I may have to live with it, though. Sort of depends how that darn cowling really adds up.
I took a small break and just added the upper cowling around the engine and plopped in the MGs. I only made the opening around the cylinders a bit wider and sanded the paper backing a bit to make it easier to smooth into the rest of the forward fuselage.

Getting there!
Cheers,
Dan

**smithdr** · #23 05-13-2020, 04:36 PM

All,

I got the cowling added and it isn't too bad considering. I do like it much more than the kit treatment of this area. It need some touch-up and finishing the top part/ledge in front of the engine but I'm glad this is over!

Thanks for looking at this acceptable fix...

Dan

**smithdr** · #24 05-13-2020, 11:11 PM

Tonight I did a tiny bit more. I got the little shelf part on the top of the cowling done. Also, what I think is the radiator cap/tube. I think it needs one more tiny piece on top but you get the picture.

Finally, I assembled the prop as the kit instructs. You can see it's made of several laminations much the way l've made flying model balsa props in the past. But I'm not sure. I think it looks too rough and the hub is also not thick enough. I think I'll do some sanding and try to shape it a bit more, paint it, then I'll judge it again.

Thanks for looking...Dan

**Rubenandres77** · #25 05-14-2020, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smithdr

Tonight I did a tiny bit more. I got the little shelf part on the top of the cowling done. Also, what I think is the radiator cap/tube. I think it needs one more tiny piece on top but you get the picture.

Finally, I assembled the prop as the kit instructs. You can see it's made of several laminations much the way l've made flying model balsa props in the past. But I'm not sure. I think it looks too rough and the hub is also not thick enough. I think I'll do some sanding and try to shape it a bit more, paint it, then I'll judge it again.

Thanks for looking...Dan

I think the propeller is the only weak point of this kit.
Fortunately it can be fixed.

When I built it I used Leif's laminated propeller technique:
Laminated prop in paper

And the result can be seen here:

More details on my build, if that helps you in any way (though you're doing great):
Ernst Udet's Fokker D.VII (design by Fitter)

Regards,

**smithdr** · #26 05-14-2020, 10:50 PM

Thanks for links and pictures, Ruben! I had already looked at your great model a while ago in prep for my attempt. We had the same issues with the engine mounting to the wrong spot and leaving a huge gap! I wish I'd have seen your post before I messed that up!

Today I got the prop and hub done. For the main prop, I sanded it down to remove the paper ridges and this left a pleasing, natural "white" color of the paper between the laminations. I then airbrushed a bit of Tamyia "clear orange" over the blades to knock-back the stark white and I think it looks ok! Much better than I thought. Last night I was ready to ditch the whole thing.

Trouble was, the hub is way too skinny and looks kind of lame. So I cut off the blades and used a chunk of Prisma Color Pencil for my new, thicker hub. It's an almost perfect diameter! Lucked out, there. The blades were then glued and blended in and looked ok.

Finally, the prop retainer needed to be re-done. I used a paper punch of the right size to cut it out and added eight little holes with a tiny drill. The whole thing was "painted" with a silver Sharpie and attached to the hub. I then put a small piece of pulled plastic sprue in the middle to approximate the main prop shaft area.

Then I cheated on my radiator cap...I had an old WNW sprue and cut a piece from one of the wing-mounted air speed indicators and it adds some interest to the paper cylinder radiator tube.

Overall, going quite well. Ok...wings tomorrow...I promise.

Dan

**rifleman** · #27 05-15-2020, 10:07 AM

great work and some nice photos as well

**smithdr** · #28 05-15-2020, 11:49 PM

Thanks so much, RM. This one is going quite well!

I got the lower wings started by cross-graining my spars to make them a bit thicker to fit the rib slots and much stronger. I'm not sure why the spars as printed are so thin while the slots in the ribs are so thick. Oh, well...Then I threaded the ribs on, then the skins. Worked well with a bit o' sanding and tugging around at the paper. I'll do the other side tomorrow and then fix them to the fuselage. Then, on to the top wing!

Stay tuned,
Dan

**YOAVHOZMI** · #29 05-16-2020, 11:02 AM

The propeller looks amazing.

YOAV

**YankeeBoy** · #30 05-16-2020, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smithdr

.... I got the lower wings started by cross-graining my spars to make them a bit thicker to fit the rib slots and much stronger. I'm not sure why the spars as printed are so thin while the slots in the ribs are so thick. ....

Stay tuned,
Dan

That is a fault with the original Fitter model and is not limited to the Fokker D.VII. The spars and ribs are meant to be laminated to 1mm thick and the slots on them should be 1mm wide. Fitter's Albatros D.IIIs suffer from a similar problem.