QCA Supermarine Stranraer by gnomemeansgnome **DNF**

[ShaunW]

A valiant effort to try and get this beast done in the GB timeframe GMG and it will look great in that scheme. Best of luck taming those decals!

[MarkyM607]

Still looks smart despite the problems!.

[Old_Tonto]

That's still a good looking result mate and I think you are right not rushing it just to make the deadline of a group build.
Enjoy your rigging.

[gnomemeansgnome]

Yeah well the decals that didn't go down all screwy have conformed to the surfaces quite well at least, so that's something. I guess I will move the rest of the build to my workbench page and slug away at it there. Shoulda just done the Heinkel 70 instead I suppose......

[gnomemeansgnome]

Futzing about with the struts. Not sure this is going to work, and I have never built a biplane as big as this before......

[gnomemeansgnome]

Ah well. This build has wiped my modelbuilding mojo out. Further attempts to mate the upper wing to the struts and lower wing has so far been a failure. If I actually feel like finishing it at this stage, you will find it on my workbench page, but don't hold your breath. I don't smash or bin models that defy me; I merely put them away for future consideration.

[ShaunW]

I can imagine this large biplane could be a bit of a challenge GMG! I'm the same with frustrating builds, I battle them for so long and then they go onto the Shelf of Shame for further consideration in the future. Usually I return to them, even if years later and there aren't many builds that I have genuinely given up on.

[JohnRatzenberger]

Here's a sequence from my build long ago. Note the heavy reliance on jigs, not just to position things but to act as a stable 3rd hand in the process. This might provide some ideas for you when you pick it back up - I hope so, it'll look really neat in that livery..

Getting lower wing on firmly and correctly in relation to the fuselage, both sides equal, etc.



Building the upper wing to ensure firm fit, glue fully dried, correct and equal dihedral, etc.



Holding fuselage & lower wing firmly, level, etc -- I then added the center struts only, placed the upper wing on top while strut glue was still pliable and ensured that it was square left-right, fore-aft, etc. I then held it carefully in place with the Mk.I finger & thumb clamp until the glue was set, then added the rubber bands to clamp it all in place until the glue dried well.



After that I gently worked the outer struts into position, that's a bit interesting but with the center struts well glued in it's a pretty solid structure. I then let all that dry well, and then I could add all the other things, using another jig/stand to hold it while I worked or glue dried, etc.



HTH .... visit your local Lego store, they are invaluable, also sheet or block balsa is handy for jigs.

[gnomemeansgnome]

Agreed Shaun, as I too never really give up on them; witness my ongoing work on the B-29 which was a total basketcase when I first got it. And thanks for that handy tutorial, John. I have seen others use that method too and it seems to work for bigger beasties like the Stran. I suppose trying to wrestle with it and not having a jig was my downfall. Lego is kind of expensive but I am sure I can borrow some from someone I know and this project will be resolved.