Wright Flyer - Model Airways - 1:16 [COMPLETED BUILD]

Sometimes the ribs seem ready to shake themselves apart. It makes me really appreciate how near a thing it was when the Wrights made that first powered flight.
 
20220324

Complete! Final post for this project.

I was a bit worried that I’d foul up the propellers in some fashion but all went well. Drew a profile curve on the end of the glued up blank and then it was carve a little, sand a little, carve a bit more, sand more, use the sanding drum on the Proxxon drill to sand the concave parts, rub with steel wool, use a bit of filler and then final sanding. Two coats of automotive gray primer to seal the wood and then a coat of light gray paint. Go to fit the first propeller to the shaft…dang; it won’t go on. File the mounting hole on the propeller until it is willing to go on but just a wee tight fit, then apply a little petroleum jelly to the shaft and in the mounting hole and gently wiggle the propeller until it is on – no glue used. (Recommend that the mounting hole be checked before gluing the propeller mount to the wings. Would have been a lot easier at that point to get the holes appropriately sized, or the shafts filed down a bit, instead of waiting until it is the last thing to do.)

All-in-all a fun, if at times infuriating, model (the fiddly bits). Not having a skin over the ribs means everything that would be hidden is fully exposed. I definitely have a much better appreciation of the Wright’s accomplishment 118+ years ago.

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20220324

Complete! Final post for this project.

I was a bit worried that I’d foul up the propellers in some fashion but all went well. Drew a profile curve on the end of the glued up blank and then it was carve a little, sand a little, carve a bit more, sand more, use the sanding drum on the Proxxon drill to sand the concave parts, rub with steel wool, use a bit of filler and then final sanding. Two coats of automotive gray primer to seal the wood and then a coat of light gray paint. Go to fit the first propeller to the shaft…dang; it won’t go on. File the mounting hole on the propeller until it is willing to go on but just a wee tight fit, then apply a little petroleum jelly to the shaft and in the mounting hole and gently wiggle the propeller until it is on – no glue used. (Recommend that the mounting hole be checked before gluing the propeller mount to the wings. Would have been a lot easier at that point to get the holes appropriately sized, or the shafts filed down a bit, instead of waiting until it is the last thing to do.)

All-in-all a fun, if at times infuriating, model (the fiddly bits). Not having a skin over the ribs means everything that would be hidden is fully exposed. I definitely have a much better appreciation of the Wright’s accomplishment 118+ years ago.

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Beautiful…very well done! Congrats!
 
Congratulations for finishing this interesting model - and mayn thanks for showing us
Great - and now? what comes next?
 
Congratulations for finishing this interesting model - and mayn thanks for showing us
Great - and now? what comes next?
Next? A cannon project (a couple of days) and then some vacation. :cool: Afterwards? Perhaps another aircraft engine (have 2) or small boat (also have 2).
 
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