Hi everyone!
Let me introduce my self.
My name is Edoardo (Edo for friends). I began modelling when kid and now (as many of you) I've just come back to the hobby.
Back then I did aircraft (WWII and modern) and have always found a big gap in the market for not having WWI subjects.
Fast forward 25 years and the world has changed!
First the Internet, which let me get to know you folks and made the flame burn again in me !!
Then also the players on the market have changed and evolved... well, you know the story, don' you?

Nowadays I tried some tanks (one you can see on the Armorama site, if you will) and a couple of planes .

One,a Roden 1:32 Albatros, had a hard landing in the recicle bin: I assumptive too much and took it with too much ease. Than I did a Brewster Buffalo (I'll post some picture as soon as I have them) just to refresh my skills and now I am doing a Nieuport 11 (Eduard Kit n. 8069).

This kit, which in my opinion is very well done, completely lacks the instrument of the cockpit.
Do you have a method to scratchbuild them?
I'm trying printing some picture I found on the net but I am not convinced of the results...

Thank you very much!
Edo

Hi Edo ! Welcome to the site . I have built this little gem of a kit and on the most part the instrument panel is correct . Eduard makes WW1 instrument face's in 48 scale as well 72 scale in French , British and German . I have tried printing them myself but haven't been very successful at it yet .

You can cut the panel out of 0.10 card and add the eduard PE parts on top or you can drill the right size of hole you need and place them behind the panel and add the bezel on the front side to give a more realistic apperance . I sure the other guy's will have a different approuch on this ......................

Hi Terri,
actually I was really hoping to get a reply from you, as I'd admired your work on the site and I consider you one of the finest modeller out there! So, thak you again...

Your idea is, as always, brilliant and one I hadn't thougth of... I was hopinig to find someting more on a buget though...

Where can I find some picture of your build?

Edoardo,

You can also try "Copper State Models" instrument detail sets. They are located here in the US. They are very fine and include the instrument faces in acetate along with bezels.

Mark

Greetings Edo!

Welcome to the Aeroscale Early Aviation mess hall. Pull up a chair! Coffee's on and we have some pasteries as well. Now let me ask you a couple of questions.

Are you building the French versions or are you attempting the Italian? French had no instrument panels until the Nieuport 24 types. Instrument gauges were attached to the vertical side framing.

Italian Macchi types starting with the Nieuport XI did have instrument panels.

Which scheme are you going with?

Here is a Nieuport XI skeletal framing.

Gee Edo , I don't really glass myself as being one of the finest out there , but thank-you .

It wasn't on my mind this morning but Mark hit the nail better . Copper State Models faces are far better then Eduard and cheaper as well , for only a couple of bucks . about 7 bucks US .

Stephen filled a blank which I should have asked before answering , but with out my morning coffee , somethings just won't work .
So is it French or Italian ?

I only have at the moment for posted projects are two Pfalz D.IIIa . One was a dual build review with Mark . and the other is a Stripe Pfalz . I had a Fokker D.VII but I think I already deleted them from my gallery .

Thank you folks!
Coffe and pasterie are just perfect at this time of the day here in Italy !!
Stephen, let me first congratulate you for the awesome job you are doing here on Aeroscale: what a perfect host you are!

I had in mind to do an Italian version (I feel that Italy is underrepresented in the modelling world, wihch alone makes italian colored subjet more atractive, 'per se').
Unfortunately I don't have nor your historical knowledge (by the way, if I may ask, are you a professor/teacher or you are 'just' an history amateur?), nor much reference.
The only picture I have I found is here

http://hyperscale.com/2009/galleries/nieuport1148gi_1.htm

Plus some pictures of a replica I found on the net. Indeed there is a Nieuport 10 here in Milan Science Museum, but, ehm..., I am a little lazy... and besides is not a Nieuport 11...

So, in short, thank you for the picture and if you have more, they are most welcome!!!

Mark, thank you for your tip! I'll have a look at Copper State Models and give you a feed back

So, see you soon!

ciao!

Edo

Here is a bit of fun on the subject of Nieuports.

My portfolio #3





My source was a fellow modeler and historian, Alberto Casirati.
". . .Nieuport XI N2123 was licence-built by Nieuport Macchi at Varese and was assigned to the 80a Squadriglia, most probably in 1917. Although I cannot confirm when it left the production line, it was with that unit in May 1917. It became the personal mount of Sgt. Alvaro Leonardi, who survived the war with a score of 8 confirmed victories. The first (and only) of those kills gained at the controls of Ni. 2123 was scored by Leonardi on the 24th May 1917, shooting down an Ufag L1 seaplane (L1 36 or L1 37). It seems that the ‘Fortunello’ was very popular as a personal marking with the pilots of 80a Squadriglia, as many of them had one, each of different features. Regards Alberto Casirati."

I built this kit from the Nieuport 11 Eduard Profipack kit #8070. Fortunello decals were drawn by me.

You can check out my profile here at Aeroscale for details. But just what I am people are still debating about. There may not be a definative answer until long after they nail the lid down on me.

Stephen!
I'll check your profile, but I'd prefere not to know and let that nail be lost forever!

Thank you for the pics, the picture of the Nieuport replica I found on the net are precisely of that very subject. If you (or any one else) is interested, please feel free to ask and I'll mail them.

The "Fortunello" decals are great!

Here is a bit of fun on the subject. These have not been published anywhere else. Note the American uniform on the Lt. standing by an Italian Manufacturered Nieuport XI (Macchi N2162) taken evidently from the photo caption at Issoudon France 1918.

Hallo!
I have an update on my Nieuport project.
Al last I settled for the Eduard instrument detalis and was able to finish the interior (Mark, I do cheked out Copper State Models: the really do a wonderful job, but, unfortunately, there are some problems on their side so that I could not have the items delivered. It is a pity, but now that I got to know them, there surely will be another time. Anyway, thak you for the tip!).

I attach here a fiew picture: I added reinforcing side bars (out of copper wire) and detailed the seat a bit.

Again, any comment is most welcome!

Very nice Edo ! Your effect of the woodgrain is nicely done and a great job done on the instrument panel .

Hi Terri, and hi people!
sorry for the late reply, but I am a slow biulder and I wanted to show some progress before reply.
Now here I am

First I want to thank you all, again, as you have helped me on resolving my "stretching sprue" problem. It seems I made all the sorts of possible errors:
1- moved side to side on the flame,
2- kept the sprue on the flame while stretching, and
3- stretched too slowly

Now I succeded in stretching "micro pipes" to complete the rigging (as Terri showed us well...)
See here...




Also I enclose some more pics: the engine and the blade... on the wood grain I fear I still have some work to do...





By the way, another question: how do you wear a WW1 plane? From your pics they seems quite "clean" to me... Am I missing something?

ciao
Edo

Hi Edo
Your build is coming along very well! There is a reproduction Nieuport 11 with the same Fortunello markings as Stephen's model, based here in New Zealand. It flies from Omaka, near Blenheim. Maybe these photos will be helpful for engine colours.

Happy Modelling
James

Hi Edo !

So far your build is looking very nice . Nice job on the rigging on the under carriage

For weathering it depends on how weathered you want it to look . For the basic areas the engine would have oil stains and spills and exhaust staining on the under side . Access panels will also be chip and stained . Wheels would have signs of dust and dirt depending on the weather conditions such as summer , fall , winter . Most aircraft but not all had a very short service life in WW1 so there wouldn't be to much to add for weathering . Types of paint used , some would show signs of a weathered look faster then others .

This is an area where lot's of different methods and opinions will be had on the subject . I'm far from being a expert on weathering and still learning my self . Have a look at photo's and some of the build threads to give yourself a better idea on how this is done .

G'day James!
I saw those pics but I didn't know that the plane was based down under!!
Thank you, anyway!!
And, talking about those pics, it is a hole the one I circled, isn't it? If so I have completely missed it... and now I'll have to drill it out !


Terri,


eh! eh! eh! I must say I had a good teacher!

Thank you also for the tip on weathering.

ciao
Edo

So , how is the project coming a long ?

Hi Terry,
I think I'm almost finished.
I had some trouble with the gun holder which I had to replace.
Also, when I see the end of the tunnel, I get excited and rush to the finish loosing also that little accuracy I have....

Anyway: I was thinking to take some picture in the WE but I culd not find time and since I believe that natural light is best, I fear I'll have to wait till next saturday...

One thing is for sure: I enjoied myself very much, this project was a real challange and even if I know it is not perfect, was very satisfactory! Problem is I had in mind something different and now I am tangled with WWI planes... the rigging, actually, is what carried me away...

By the way, in my stash I have a DH2 (Eduard WE edition) and a Fokker D VII (Roden) both in 1:48. I fear the first one to be too complicated for me - but very fashinating! - the latter may be easyer but no rigging... what do you suggest?

ok... let me explain:
as soon as I get to uphold some pic, I'll post a proper message...

ARGHHH!!!

Hallo guys!
Here at last!!

Another rainy week end here in Milan... but I wanted to share some pics of my 'baby' now that it is finished!
So I put aside my distrust of artificial light for picture and took some. Unfortunately, my distrust seems confirmed, as the quality is not as I would have liked... nevertheless here are they.
I hope that you will enjoy them, a big thank you to all the support I got and, as always, any comment is most welcome.
ciao
Edo

A fine job. Thanks for sharing. The figure is a nice touch.

I like it Edo , you did not that bad at all !

What's next now ?

Stephen, Terri,
thank you very much!

It was a challange for me, but I enjoied it very much.
What is up next, do you ask?
Well, now I am committed to a more challanging project: Airco DH2. I have found a lot of info, here on the site, and also Stepeh is approcing such a project, if I'm correct, so I'll have many tutors that can lead my build.

Also this blog-stile-thing has cought me up: I enjoy very much to share my work and get feed back from the community, so I'll soon start a new thred, I hope I'll keep you interested...

ciao
Edo

You really did a fine job, Edo. I hope you are up for another build real soon.