WIP Bleriot/Falcon Sculpture

[JohnReid]

This is the wood as it came out of the box.I built a small jig to keep the thin wood strips straight and properly aligned with the interior framing.

 

[JohnReid]

This is the wood as it came out of the box.I built a small jig to keep the thin wood strips straight and properly aligned with the interior framing.

 

[JohnReid]

Here you can see that I have coated the interior with carpenters glue which is waterproof when cured.This not only strengthens the thin wood strips but also prevents any warping when using water based products (gesso ,acrylic etc..) .It also helps to seal the space between the individual boards.

 

[JohnReid]

An early pic of Cartierville Airport at Montreal long before Dorval (now Trudeau) airport was built just a couple of miles off what became runway 24.Had Bleriot flown over it at the time this is how it looked to him way back when.Runway 24 was built almost 90deg to the road and on the left side of those series of tent like hangers.

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

Once I have attached both cone shaped pieces to the ends (or you can wait till later if you want )I now begin sanding it with 220/340 sandpaper.Use cloth backed paper if you can find it ,as it lasts longer and grit left behind by the paper backed stuff will dull carving tools,although that is not a concern of ours here.
This initial sanding is meant to take of the edges of the strip wood and remove stray glue spots or bumps.

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

When it is sanded very smooth with 600 paper,spray on some alcohol to raise the grain,again sand smooth ,keep do this until no more grain can be raised.

 

[JohnReid]

This bag is only partially inflated but I would have been much happier if I had carved it out of solid dowel and was able to carve in a more realistic surface.
I may still do it but it is not quite so important in this case where I am only representing the overall shape of the airplane.
Here again I made the mistake of assuming that this bag was made out of wood and not rubber material(maybe some air valves would have given me a clue .My thinking was that they made it out of collapsible material so they could remove it easily at this stage of the build.If I had thought about it a little more the question would have been ,How do you build a wooden cylinder that long inside the frame? Even if it were possible by building it in sections, I just never thought to ask.Duh!

 

[JohnReid]

In my diorama now on display at the CASM,"Keepers Of The Flame,1918-1929" I present a list of services offered by our company .It is posted on the exterior wall of the dispatch office and was meant to honor Jenny's contribution to early aviation in Canada.In future postings I will follow up on this in greater detail and talk about not only Jenny but other aircraft involved in the development of aviation here in Canada and the US during this era.

 

[JohnReid]

In the pic above there is a sign listing Jenny's contribution to aviation here in Canada before 1934.(and in a more limited role after.)The list is also a list of roles that airplanes played in the US and the world in general by the "Keepers of the Flame".By the word "Keepers " I mean both both men and machines.The world of aviation owes a lot to the airplanes and men of this era.From Kitty Hawk to the moon in 60 odd years would not have been possible without their wonderful and often dangerous contribution.We often here of the myth of the cowboy but these guys actually lived it.Freedom,danger,sleeping in the open under the wing of their airplanes,they did it all and for not much pay or recognition from the public in general.Many WW1 airman accomplished their most thrilling and dangerous missions during this era after the war.Cheers to them all !

 

[JohnReid]

For many more pics of this build click on thumbnail pic.
There are over 300 pics a few maybe entered twice due to quality issues.

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

Continue the procedure using finer and finer grit sandpaper until you get an almost glassy finish.

 

[JohnReid]

Now spray or brush on two or three coats of lacquer.If you brush it on use a mix of 75% lacquer and 25% lacquer thinner.Again sand between coats.
Now you are ready to paint or finish it as you want.It seems a shame to cover such a beautiful surface,I only wish it was made of wood.
I used in this case burnt umber gesso with a few drops of flow medium to level the paint surface.Again lightly sand between coats.I chose to stop here with the gesso undercoats but you could continue on painting it with whatever medium you want oils, acrylics etc...:

 

[JohnReid]

The plans contain another blaring error! The rear undercarriage brace (the one at a 45deg angle) is positioned in the wrong place on the fuselage).It should be attached as shown here.

 

[JohnReid]

Click on thumbnail for more pics

 

[JohnReid]

I have decided not to use the flotation bag at all.It looks too big and bulky and really takes away from the beauty off the lines of the airplane.The brass fittings will be painted over as well as I am mostly interested in the lines of the airplane and not its details.Too much brass would only be a distraction to a viewer.

 

[JohnReid]

Well I changed my mind and put it in after all.

 

[JohnReid]

Workin' on the pit.: