Spirit of St. Louis

Roland Sachsenhofer
I just realised that I haven't created a gallery here yet! So here is a time-lapse of the individual construction steps: the basic kit is quite good, but needs a lot of reworking. For example, the much too small tank vents on the top of the wing were redesigned with bent wire, all rudder linkages were redesigned or equipped with actuators. Also new is the pitot tube made of wire and the four supports of the tailplane.
I am looking forward to the completion!

Villiers de Vos
Very nice progress.

bughunter
Nice work so far! Not the smallest plane in 1:48, but one day I should build that milestone of aviation too.

Giorgos
Watching! Amazing so far! Respect for all the detail in the cockpit!

Michael Kohl
Hey Roland, you cannot just show builds here that I started too but have put on the shelf of shame, thus reactivating my bad conscience 😉
Nice cockpit. What paint did you use for the fabric?

Alex K
Once again, glad to see another Golden Age icon on your workbench... (and on Michael's workbench too!!!) 👍

Łukasz Gliński
Better late than never! Is the nose pattern a decal?

Roland Sachsenhofer
Many thanks to all of you for your encouragement and verbal motivation!

Michael, I think that we are a bit brothers in spirit. I feel inspired by your projects and results!
The aluminium surfaces were all painted with Alclad "White Aluminum" and finished with Alclad "Aluminum".
The painted metal surfaces on the bow are the kit decals. Original photos show that the propeller did not show this pattern - which is good, because the decal could hardly have been successfully applied to it!

Roland Sachsenhofer
The Ryan "Monoplane" is now ready for Charles Lindbergh, after relatively extensive interventions!
A few key words about the changes: grinding flat the ribs on the fuselage and underside of the wing, which are sticking out too much, which is really highly recommended, modifying and rebuilding the Pitot tube using wires, and - the most expensive item - adding all the rudder cables and replacing the rudder horns. Furthermore, the four struts of the tailplane were rebuilt.
On the basis of original photos I saw that the circularly ground aluminium was not used on the propeller spinner - so do not follow the building instructions here! However, the decal intended for this part would have little chance of being successfully applied anyway-uff!
There is only one downer for me: I would have liked to use the enclosed figure of Lindbergh - a welcome addition, but unfortunately so much would have to be changed that my patience was no longer sufficient.

Michael Kohl
Wow, that was quick. Nice and clean as always. Your details add to it. Maybe Charles can sit on a bench watching his plane and mindmapping the flight ahead.

Łukasz Gliński
It escalated quickly indeed 👍 Brilliant result 👍

Roland Sachsenhofer
A beautiful imagination, Michael - thank you both for these highly motivating words!

Donegal Bill
Hi Roland - great job, as always. Can you give a description of your decaling methodology. Any decals with lots of carrier film give me nightmares.
Thanks!

Villiers de Vos
Very nice work.

Roland Sachsenhofer
Thank you both!
Bill, the only thing I can think of is that after applying the decals to the model, I first coat them with "Mr. Hobby Mark Softer" followed by "Mr. Hobby Mark Setter" and let it soak in. You have to get over the visually challenging phase when the decals start to wrinkle. But you know that for sure 🙂
In preparation, I put a thick layer of glossy clear lacquer under and over the decals. The latter may be repeated as often as necessary.
For some decals, a careful treatment with 2000 grit sandpaper is good afterwards.
On Lindbergh's Ryan NYP, decaling was unproblematic, despite the large-scale decals.

Neuling
Lucky Lindbergh not having to mood over decal treatment ........... top result again 👍

Donegal Bill
Thanks Roland - any particular gloss brand you're partial to? Also do you apply any Softer under the decal or just over?
Bill

Roland Sachsenhofer
I say thank you for your comments, mates!
Bill, I use Gunze acrylic paints/ Mr Hobby for all undercoats, so H20 and H30, which works quite well for me under and over the decals.

No, the decals are pushed directly onto the clean model surface, set up, dabbed dry- and then brushed in with the decals softener. After drying, the same is done with the Decals fixer.

Mr James
A great job with great pictures. I was fooled by the B/W pic 🙂

Roland Sachsenhofer
That's good to hear 🙂 Thank you very much!