Siemens-Schuckert Werke D.III - Marek - 1:33

**member_3** · #1 01-21-2008, 08:08 AM

Well that silly contest has had a positive(?) effect on yours truly. After discovering that I actually could finish a model if I kept at it, I was motivated to retry a model that has frustrated me a couple times in the past. It is one of my boyhood favorites, the SSW D.III. This is one of the kazillion Marek models I purchased from DeWayne Barnett's site a couple years ago. The site has not been updated since April of last year and DeWayne was in ill health the last time I heard. I am not sure orders are still being accepted there but, if so, this is one of the most cost-effective way to obtain some excellent models online.

The model represents the aircraft flown by Ltn Ernst Udet of Jasta 4 in September 1918. This is probably the most frequently modeled SSW D.III due to the combination of the lozenge-pattern wings and the brilliant red fuselage. There are 9 A4 sheets: Cover, two pages of historical information, three pages of parts and three pages of diagrams.

A gripe I have with Marek and several other designers is the scattering of parts requiring lamination over several sheets instead of putting them all on one sheet. In this case, there are laminated parts on all three parts sheets. In the past I have used laminating stock that was on the high end of the 0.5-0.8 mm thickness recommended. I decided to used thinner stock this time (0.55) which, combined with the part being printed on index stock yielded a total thickness of about 0.8 mm instead of the 1.0-1.1 mm on previous attempts.

The next few posts will follow the construction of the fuselage and tail assembly - accomplished 1600-0200 20/21 JAN and a couple more hours this morning (21 JAN).

**member_3** · #2 01-21-2008, 08:09 AM

Construction is pretty much done in numerical order starting with the cockpit. The walls and floor are intended to represent the tubular structure of the frame and are quite delicate once all the cutting is done. I did the folds prior to cutting all the holes. The remainder of the cockpit is pretty simple and I set that assembly aside to start the fuselage rings. Marek's fuselage construction is typically bulkhead to bulkhead butt joints and that is the method used here. In the past I have been frustrated by the fitting process and never really gave the model a chance due to my impatience. This time I trimmed and sanded the bulkheads to insure a snug, but not forced, fit in the fuselage rings. What a difference a patient approach makes! I made the LO! segment first, then the cockpit segment. After joining them I put a new blade in the knife and cut out the cockpit opening. I then inserted the cockpit structure through the opening in the forward fuselage bulkhead (part C) and glued it to the rear bulkhead.

**member_3** · #3 01-21-2008, 08:22 AM

Next was the segment forward of the cockpit. This was straightforward and after joining to the existing assembly I cut out the machine guns openings and added the various scoops, vents and louvers. I also added the headrest and fairing to the aft segment and the leather cockpit coaming to the cockpit segment.

**member_3** · #4 01-21-2008, 08:28 AM

On to the aft fuselage segment and tail assembly. The aftmost segment tapers almost to a point and required a liquid (saliva) application on the back to coax the sharp curve into it. The vertical and horizontal stabilizers and control surfaces are straightforward in construction with a rudimentary frame to give them thickness and an airfoil shape. When I do one of these again (and I will) I may opt to do separate rudder and elevators. The tailskid is a nice bit of design with a laminated core skinned on all surfaces. I was pleased with result - more so than on the contest Fokker E.V; again a little patience goes a long way toward a successful build!

**member_3** · #5 01-21-2008, 08:36 AM

OK - I stepped out of sequence here because the next things to be done were the guns and the engine and I just wasn't mentally ready for those. Instead, I pressed on with the cowling. Once again, care in cutting, patience in forming and fitting and Carl's excellent rolling and butt joint gluing tutorials produced a pretty decent (I think) result. Thank you Carl! There is a cowling faceplate yet to be installed but that requires that the engine be in place. This is where I left off to celebrate my lovely bride's birthday - hopefully I'll get more done in the middle of the night tonight.

**CMDRTED** · #6 01-21-2008, 08:45 AM

Wowsers! Done with great speed and clean build at that!

**dansls1** · #7 01-21-2008, 08:47 AM

Nice looking fuselage!

**cgutzmer** · #8 01-21-2008, 09:11 AM

Looking great!!! I built a marek kit too and found that using formers a touch thinner than recommended helped. How long have you been working on this beauty?
Chris

**member_3** · #9 01-21-2008, 09:38 AM

Chris - about 10-11 hours so far. A lot of that has been sitting back and wondering why I didn't build like this in the past. Sip a little, sand a little, sip a little, sand a little and soon the fit is not too tight and I am too tight! I'm going to stick to this method for my other 60-70 Mareks...LOL.

Thanks for the kind words, guys. I will try to maintain the pace and quality.

**Darwin** · #10 01-21-2008, 09:58 AM

Ron, you uttered the single, most profound truth of model building....not once, but twice. Slow and careful is the only way to attainment of perfection. Coupled with the reward of a little Grand Mariner, you attain nervana.