"Memories of Flight School"

[JohnReid]

How Rotary engines work!
for a nice animated look at how a Rotary Engine (Gnome) works,check out
http://www.keveney.com/gnome.html
Animated Engines, Gnome

 

[JohnReid]

Please note!
The kits spark plugs are way out of scale.I solved my problem by inhibiting the engine.If I was to make my own I would experiment using brass tube for the white insulator part and for the attachment point on the end you could use a small bead with a pin through it ,glued into the tube.This same pin could be left long enough to be drilled into the hex bolt part(whats left on my engine).Unfortunately ,these over scale parts supplied with the kit spoil the whole look of the engine.

The turnbuckles are also out of scale! I will review my method of making my own when I get to that stage of the build.

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

Finished the copper induction tubes and am now starting a bit of weathering.This is the rear of the engine that goes up against the firewall (not included in the kit) I highly recommend that you make your own as this is a very essential part of the real airplane.
On the front I plan to tone down the brass a little and weather it but essentially leave it like it is.(just because I like the contrast)
I really like the "high heat" look I gave to the cylinders on the OX5 engine that I installed on the first Jenny,but I'll be damned if I can remember how I did it.

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

So far all the weathering that you see has been done using just black pastels.Nothing could be simplier! Add a little burnt sienna and you would have a nice junk yard version.
This engine will be quite visible when installed in the diorama,as the Camel/Ford van piece will be very near the glass wall of the case.There will be no prop on the engine as it would be too large for transport.I still yet have not decided whether the Camel's wings will be tied up against the fuselage or somewhere on the van.The camel will be left in its structural no fabric state,so I will make this decision when the aircraft is finished depending upon viewing angles etc...

I received my EAA Vintage Airplane mag yesterday and there is a nice article complete with many old pics of the Thomas-Morse airplanes and the factory facilities during the WW1 period.
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[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

Just a little change in direction! two projects one small and one a little bigger.The first is to modify a glove to put on the fence near the airshow car and the other a tub for watering horses.This is when my "never throw anything out" policy pays off.The glove is from an old figure modification and the other from the same kit as the WC furniture.

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

This is the area in which I am planning to put it ,along with a horse hitch at the base of the other wall.On the wall I plan to put a sign saying something like "Loud engines,please hitch horses securely ." Most young folks usually don't think of airplanes and horses together.

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

Well this should be fun! I have never tried weathering plastic before other than a few chrome or brass fittings.My only prior experience was on a Duese metal diecast.
This will be another of those online learning experiences that I would like to share with you guys.Hope I don't screw up! For you guys who say what the hell has this got to do with airplanes,figures etc...there will come a time when you will want to rust that sword or that wheel hub or whatever and the procedure will always be about the same.Remember rust is everywhere!

The first thing I noticed from Chuck Doan's fabulous pics was the wonderful contrast between the porcelan inside and the rusted outside.Without good reference like this I would have been "up the creek" right from the beginning as I would have,in my ignorance , weathered both sides and lost the whole dramatic effect.(I love these stark contrasts)
I believe these pics show 2 different tubs.I am going to use the pic with the tub on its feet ,as that is like the one I have in scale ,and besides there seems to be a difference in the paint color and the
weathering patterns between the two.
The first thing I will do is try to pick out the different colors and textures on the outside surface and the order in which they were put on.
At the very top near the rim you can see a grey color which I believe maybe a primer coat.The white seems to be painted over top of this .There is some greenish-yellow near the bottom which I assume is mold and moss.The rust looks to be mostly shades of umber and burnt sienna. to be cont........

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

After washing the tub with soap and water and an old toothbrush,I sanded the outside only with a fine sandpaper to create more tooth for my gesso primer coat.Mix up a light grey using white and a little black gesso add a little water and flow medium and paint it on the bare plastic.Put on at least a couple of coats and then take a little bit of the fine sand that we used on the terrain and mix it into the grey gesso.Use a small stiff bristle brush and dab on the gesso/sand mix where you think that the heaviest rust would be ,which in this case is along the bottom.I suspect that the original tub was made of cast iron so a lot of deep pitting would be expected.Let this dry and then mix up some plain white gesso of a little thicker consistancy 75% gesso/25% water and now using a old toothbrush flick some on using your pics for reference.Slowly build up a rougher looking texture using many coats.
This is the point where I am now and this would be a good point to let the whole thing dry overnight. to be cont.......

 

[JohnReid]

Now for the fun part,the rust! I think that I will start with the darkest color first which looks to me to be a burnt umber.The heaviest rusting looks to be on the bottom 2/3rds of the tub.I will start by flicking on burnt umber gesso with a toothbrush and then dabbing on the rest with a small bristle brush.A little burnt sienna will be next followed by pastels.Anyway thats the plan for now. to be cont.......

 

[JohnReid]

 

[JohnReid]

The above pic taken from "A History of Pointe Claire" Comte de Lessops in the foreground.
Next diorama will be a 1/12th scale Bleriot ,like the one seen in this early pic taken during the first airshow in Canada ,not far from my home ,on June 25,1910.My initial plan is to have it sitting in front of a temporary tent-like structure in a field.Haven't worked out a storyline yet.Any ideas?
(the RAF piece will be delayed only by a few months)
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It has been said that the difference between a "pilot" and an "aviator" is that a pilot is a technician,and an aviator is an artist in love with flight.
JohnReid (Aviator)

 

[JohnReid]