The £50 1/4 scale Nieuport 11

[David Baker]

Thought I would share a project blog with a difference... This is not going to be a multi thousand pound mega complicated project...
It couldn't be any further away from most of the amazing build blogs on the LMA forum..
I was looking for a WW1 fighter airframe so I could join in the mayhem that is the 1/4 scale pyrotechnic WW1 slot at the shows, so with the threat of an early demise for the model (by flak or collision? ) I did not want to spend a lot of money on a super scale model or spend hundreds of hours building one..
Then I spotted an advert in the for sale section of the LMA site for a "part built" Nieuport 11... And it was cheap!!!

And here is a photo from the Ad..

It came with a new uncut cowl, full set of plans, 5 metres of Antique Solartex covering.. And it was only £50
An hours drive to collect and an hours drive home and I had me an airframe!

[David Baker]

Soooo..
I was "quids in" it even came with a scale profile book for the Nieuport...



Ignore the Super Tiger motor.... That was not included


David

[David Baker]

Before you all get too bored...
A photo of the model in its nearly finished state last weekend



David

[Alan Cantwell 1131]

THAT, is a bit of all right!

[David Baker]

Thanks Alan..
I have to say, I am really pleased with it myself

Now.... Let's have the reality check!

I got an absolute "bargain" the contents of the plastic box, the cowl, the plan, the covering (there was a roll of black a roll of White solartex, and a roll of red profilm.. Plus various rolls of solartrim) and..

An Airframe..

The Airframe was obviously "old" by that I mean it was an imidiately obvious it had been in its un finished state for a few years (the colour of balsa tells its own tale)

AND

It was clearly obvious the (sadly late) builder had decided to try to finish the model as a "STATIC" model...

And that is in no way meant as a derogatory comment! The structure as bought told its own story! And that was just fine! It was going to be a straight forward "fix" to replace all the major structural parts of the model around the forward section of the fuselage, the centre section of both wings, and the undercarriage so it would be flight worthy and take the stress of a small Zenoah Petrol hanging off the nose

David

[David Baker]

So
While I set about rebuilding the centre section of my £50 Nieuport...

A bargain engine for it is soon in my possession from EBay...

"Zenoah 23, excellent runner and easy starter". £60.

It's a week before Christmas and nobody has got any money or can be bothered scrolling through eBay listings.. I get my engine for the starting bid of £60...
And
The wife buys it me for Christmas!
So. I have still only spent £50

Some progress..

The upper wing gets its centre section rebuilt...



This is how much of the fuselage I reused....



A whole new forward fuselage section and bulkhead is attached to the aft fuselage section (now strong enough for a Zenoah 62 )



The original aft fuselage section is joined into the new...



Non of it "major work". Just a matter of considering its chosen power plant

David

[David Baker]

I have got no idea what that white and yellow fuselage is in the last photo?
David

[Phil Cross]

Looks like Wot 4 to me. Nice job Dave should look more scale with a bit of flak damage.

[David Baker]

The tailplane goes on untouched... As supplied and covered in antique solartex..

The lower "sesquiplane" wing is a nightmare to get the sweep back,dihedral, and joint into the now tapered fuselage correct..
But it is just down to drawing it out accurately and setting the model up over the redrawn plan.
Meenwhile...

Wings get covered and struts get made..





Fuselages get sheeted ready for covering



It's all go

[David Baker]

A couple of more images...
This one shows how I retained at least 90% of the wing structure, this was the case on both upper and lower wings, it was just a simple matter of sorting out the centre sections.. And a lot of the "sorting" was really down to me wanting a model that was quick to rig at the field using the minimum of tools.. The model rigs in five minutes with just a flat blade screwdriver for the nylon wing screws



The upper wing is only around 6ft span despite the model being quarter scale, so I decided to make it a one piece wing to reduce rigging time, it easily fits in my Passat estate



I managed to get hold of a pair of 6 3/4" vintage wheels for £10... So I am now upto £60 outlay!

I had to buy three lengths of 6swg (5mm) to make a new undercarriage... They cost me more than the wheels!

And a new u/c was soon bent, bound, and soldered using my home made wire blender..



And

It sure looks pretty sitting on its wheels...



I love "antique" solartex and the way it looks in the sunlight

David

[David Baker]

I had ALL the servos and radio gear in my stock box so didn't have to outlay anything on the radio, the model came with several reels of "fishing trace" stainless steel wire so it was just a matter of buying some M3 closed loop threaded ends and M3 Clevis's to complete the closed loop systems on rudder and elevator and.. The 8 functional rigging wires on the wing rigging. I manufactured all the riggingand strut fixings from bits of brass plate I had in stock.

After covering in the antique Solartex I did the green "edging" round the fuse, wings, and tail in some green text I had in my covering bits box..

Hours of cutting out "masking circles" in brown paper and masking tape and I was able to spray some roundels onto the wings.. Paint was aerosols of red white and blue flair Spektra fuel proof paint that have been sitting in my garage for ages..

Now the model really has some "BIG" colour to light it up... Paint application was light so it should be fairly "see through"



Not much left to do now... Just those last few jobs that are "time thieves" and keep your model away from the flying field

David

[David Baker]

A little more progress
My graphics arrived today, I always use Callies graphics in the states, she does a really good job, is quick to turn your order around, and reasonable on price, my rudder lettering and rose logos were just $14 posted airmail, I ordered them last Sunday and they arrived today the following Tuesday just 9 days! Excellent service.

The graphics always finish a model off...



The rose



The rudder



The real aircraft...



I have modelled my Nieport 11 on the one hung in the Musee de l air et de l espace at Le Bourget airport Paris.
It is a displayed there as the 1916 aircraft flown by Commandant Charles Tricororonet de rose... Hence the rose logo on the side of the aircraft. It bears his code N556 though this is an original aircraft it was actualy registerd N976

David

[Dave Parry]

Looks fantastic Dave, what a bargain, however that not to take away any of the hard work you have done to get this plane airworthy and looking so good. Nice article for the journal if you fancy having ago.

[Steve Mansell]

Lovely job,
Did you stitch the 'tex to the undercamber? I'm about to do my first undercambered wing, but stitching it will take ages!

Must say, what a nice workshop!
Steve

[David Baker]

Steve
No I didn't stitch the solartex to the undercamber on the wings, I just ran a line of pva on each capping strip, then spread it into the strip with a finger on the underside, left it to dry then stuck the text to that first with the point of the iron, it really adheres well. If you get the film on fairly wrinkle free to start with it doesn't take a lot of heat to shrink it tight between the ribs

And yes, I did rebuild it in the dining room... way too cold in my garage this time of year!

David

[David Baker]

test flew the Nieuport today...
Had problems with the Zenoah.. Ran fine on the ground... But cut out after a couple of circuits in the air..
The model flys really well.. Even when dead stick!
Had a bit of a disaster on one of the dead stick landings, I was too high to make a single descending circuit (or so I thought.. Wrongly!!!) and went for two circuits...
BIG mistake!
I tipped it in trying to turn back into wind... Crunch!
Broken a strut, the prop, bent the cabanes, and damaged the top wing, just outside the strong bit in the middle!
My fault entirely... I should of just pushed the nose down and landed it
Easy to say with hindsight!
It will mend

David

[Alan Cantwell 1131]

Dozy sod, it was great seeing the fifty quider at Haydock Dave, your a true artist, hope she fixes easy enough,

[Peter Smedley]

Sorry to hear of the dead stick and damage. Dead sticks are not easy with a bipe...very draggy and speed is lost very quickly.

[Dave Parry]

Good day yesterday Dave, got some good shots of it flying, was to tired to take them off the camera last night but will probably sort them today sometime and post one or two up on here.

My T28 suffered undercarriage damage on that last landing, same as you my fault come in way to slow, drop down hard due to stall. We live and learn, well I keep telling myself that but no doubt I will do it again

[David Baker]

Would appreciate a couple of photos, thanks Dave! Have been beating myself up for stalling it like I did.. Classic Mistake! Spoiled a really good day! Like I said it flew loverly under power.. A couple of new models test flown yesterday and they also flew well.
Had a look at the damage to the Nieuport this morning, it's a pretty straight forward fix to the top wing, it's a pity the nylon screws that hold it on didn't shear off instead of the wing spar!