Building the Red Baron (Fokker DR1) fighter kit - Stages 1 & 2

The build (Issues 1 to 3 - the early days)

Tools list (so far):

1. Needle nose clamps x6 & Other small spring or ratchet clamps x6 plus (NOTE: small threaded type clamps are less useful on small sections)                       

2. "Resin W" exterior wood glue.

3. Sharp Craft knives (changeable blades).

4. Sanding block and fine sanding paper.

5. Cotton buds (useful for clearing excess wood glue).

6. Container of water (also for clearing excess wood glue).

7. Cutting mat (to protect the furniture from the craft knives).

8. Former block, for wing rib strips (made from softwood).

9. Reel of adhesive tape (to hold some small parts together).

10. Plasters (various) just in case!!

The first kit parts in issue 1, allowed the complete building  of    the wooden parts of the winglet, which sits between the undercarriage wheels. All parts fitted well and as described in the pictorial instructions 1 to 19 (see example in picture 1). The limewood strips which are glued to the top edges of each rib, do need placing in hot water for a period until malleable and clamped to a former block for a few hours . The instructions suggest the use of a bottle as a former.     

TIP: To ensure the former blocks are the right profile (for the  two rib shapes used in this model) you can draw onto a block of softwood, the shape which is left in the plywood sheet when the ribs are  removed and which then form a "stencil" shape which mirrors the rib profile (see picture 2) The two former shapes were then screwed to each end of the same softwood base for ease of use.                                                         

The clamps (items 1 & 2 in the above tools list) were used to clamp the bent strips of limewood to the top of each rib (see picture 3) which had previously had wood glue applied. This picture shows two "needle nose" clamps and a document type clip in use for this task.

TIP: At the point the various wooden parts are glued and clamped together, moistened cotton buds should be used to immediately remove excess wood glue to provide a "clean" build.

  The glued and clamped strips, should be left for at least 4 hours to ensure that the glue had set sufficiently to overcome the tension in the limewood strips, created by the curved shape.  The strips applied to the undersides of the ribs do not require bending on a former first, as the tension created by the shape of the rib underside is minimal.    

TIP: The leading edges of the top and lower limewood strips when they have been fixed to the rib elements, should be trimmed and sanded to form a 3/8 inch (7mm) taper to either side to the thickness of the the ply ribs. 

TIP: The trailing edge strip (ply) when it is fixed to the trailing edge of the rib sections, is best sanded along it's length (to match the contour of the trailing edge of the ribs) before fixing the top strips. 

TIP: An angle cut is required to the lower part of the leading edge of each top limewood strip, to suit top leading edge shape of each rib, before they are glued to the ribs.

The "finished" winglet, although relatively simple to construct,  looks impressive (see picture 4)!

BUILD STAGE 2. The partially completed lower wing part, went   together with the same degree of accuracy and the winglet above. if you expand the thumbnail picture of this component, you will see the fineness of the laser cut parts. 

NOTE: The trailing edge of this section (the right edge in this picture) , is particularly at risk of being broken in it's part completed state, so it is wise to ensure this part is stored safely until it can be completed.

                   21 May 2004