Biplanes

[Darcy Hogan1707819937]

I am bedevilled getting the top wing on to biplanes. Anybody got some clues to help my fat fingers?

[peebeep]

Use a jig?

[Darcy Hogan1707819937]

OK!!! Any recommendations?

[peebeep]

I got the one above from the Modelling Tools company, but Paul Fitzmaurice the proprietor has now retired and wound it up. Do a Google search for model biplane assembly jig.

[John Symmons]

Hi Darcy.

there are several ways of doing this the best being with a jug problem is getting set up properly and ensuring the fuselage / bottom wing do not move. the old fashioned way is gluing all the struts onto the assembled fuselage / bottom wing using a slowly setting glue like the tube glue of one of the liquid glues such as Revell Contacta which should give you about an hours wriggle time, after about half an hour add glue to the top wing attachment points and add this to the fuselage / bottom wing one strut at a time. when all are in [place just hold the whole assembly until it becomes self supporting ensuring the top wing is correctly lined up with the bottom wing. Very fiddly but it can be done. That's how i did it back in the late 50's. Do not try this with the Extra Thin types of glue as they evaporate too fast.

These days I usually use a half jig mainly the either the fuselage etc or the inverted top wing firmly in place then attach the cabane in place (these are the small central struts that hold the top wing to the fuselage) to this held piece using the the other piece as a jig to get correct alinement. Leave at least 24 hours to set then join the top wing to the fuselage, again ensuring correct alinement, once self supporting again leave to set. Once set you can add the interplane struts (these are the bigger struts that go between the upper and lower wings.) by carefully springing the wings apart and adding the strut gluing it in place. remember to add these struts symmetrically, and ensuring a good firm paint-free joint.

This method works fine with the smaller WW1 biplanes, but with the larger and later biplanes it is then really advisable to use some sort of adjustable jig. Some of the more modern biplane kits often have the the struts moulded in pairs to help get the correct stagger just dry-fit all parts to ensure the correct fitment. I didnt do this with the Airfix BE2 and now I,ve got myself into right pickle the upper and lower wings are assembled and now I have to scratch the cabane struts and somehow attach these.

Anyway I hope this helps and good luck and would love to see how your biplane turned out.

Remember we do this for fun John the Pom.

PS. If you want a cheap way to hold a small model firmly, just find a largish stable (wide base) plastic jar with a lid, Fill jar with water, screw on lid, put a large blob of that tacky putty (Blue or white tack) on the lid then squash your model, preferably without undercarriage attached, and this should hold your model firmly enough to even do rigging and once finished the model can be gently pulled free without damaging the paint finish. If any tacky putty remains just keep dabbing it with the sticky putty and I'll come off. I've used this several times, and even left a model stuck to the jar for months, and in the sun, and it still came free without any damage.

Remember we do this for fun JtP.

[Darcy Hogan1707819937]

Thanks John, good stuff which I shall try. Cheers.