Model Airways 28, MA1050 Instruction Manual

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

NIEUPORT 28

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INSTRUCTION MANUAL

WORLD WAR I FRENCH FIGHTER AIRCRAFT - 1917

NIEUPORT 28

INSTRUCTION MANUAL PREPARED BY KENNETH H. GOLDMAN

SCALE: 3/4” = 1’0” (1:16) • Kit No. MA1050

Wingspan: 508 mm (20 inches)

Fuselage Length: 400 mm (15-3/4 inches)

HISTORY

The French-built NIEUPOR Nieuport, founded by Edouard de Niéport at Issy-les-Moulinaux in 1910. Many designs were developed including the first Type 10, then Type 12,17, 24 and 27. The Type 28 was the most streamlined plane and the last of the Nieuport family of single-seater aircraft. First flown in prototype form in June 1917, it was a completely new design, albeit based on experience gained with the earlier Type 27. Although French-built, the NIEUPORT 28 served in the air services of all the Allied nations and on all fronts. It was the first fighter aircraft flown in combat by the 27th, 94th, 95th, and 147th Squadrons of the United States Air Service (American Expeditionary Forces). 297 aircraft were received by the squadrons. On April 14, 1918, the aircraft’s second armed mission, Lieutenants Alan Winslow, and Douglas Campbell (the first American-trained ace) of the 94th Aero Squadron both shot down an enemy aircraft. The NIEUPORT 28 was flown by many American aces, among them the “Ace of Aces” Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, with 26 victories. It was a favorite because of its speed and maneuverability.

The NIEUPORT 28 has a wingspan of 26 feet 9 inches and has a maximum weight of 1625 pounds (1172 pounds empty weight). It flies at a speed of 122 mph, has a range of 248 miles, endurance of 1-1/2 hours, and the service ceiling is 17,000 feet. The aircraft is a single-seater and is powered by a 160 HP Gnôme-Rhône Monosoupape 9N, 9 cylinder, air cooled rotary engine. The plane has no throttle and once started, the Gnome rotary engine runs on full all the time. The pilot controlled the plane’s speed by turning off and on individual or groups of cylinders. There is no oil pan to re-circulate the castor oil lubrication. After circulating through the engine, the oil simply sprayed out into the air. One can only imagine the effects on pilots after inhaling a mist of pure castor oil for an hour! Armament consists of two Vickers 0.30 caliber synchronized machine guns.

A number of NIEUPORT 28’s have been restored and can be found in aircraft museums. The Smithsonian Institution’s Garber Preservation Facility in Suitland, Maryland outside Washington, DC, has recently restored (summer 2000) a NIEUPORT 28 C-1 for display in the National Air and Space Museum.

T 28 biplane was manufactured by the Nieuport company - Société des Etablissements

INDEX

WORLD WAR I FRENCH FIGHTER AIRCRAFT

NIEUPORT 28 - 1917

The NIEUPORT 28 model plans and kit were completed in 2000. The model was designed for Model Airways by Microfusioni - modellisimo of Milan, Italy, owned by Luigi Volonté and son Bruno. The designer, Luigi Volonté, a former World War II fighter pilot, also designed the 1:16 scale German fighter Albatros D.Va, the first aircraft kit manufactured by Model Airways. Model plans and original Instructions in Italian were developed by Luigi Volonté. The text was rewritten in English and expanded by Kenneth H. Goldman. The model was built by the designer, Luigi Volonté.

Before You Begin

The NIEUPORT 28 kit is intended as a structural, non-flying, model without any fabric covering. It is about as close as you can come to being able to hold the real thing in your hand. Most every detail of the real aircraft has been included as model scale permits. Britannia castings and laser-cut wood fittings eliminate creating many parts from scratch, however, some final finishing is required before they are suitable for the model.

Before starting the model, carefully examine the kit and study the plans. Every effort has been made to present the construction stages in a clear, logical sequence. Nevertheless, it is recommended that you think several steps ahead and check the plans accordingly during assembly. This will help clarify what you are doing now and will ensure proper fit of the sub-assemblies later. The instructions will help, but a thorough knowledge of the plans at the outset is essential.

Determine if all the listed parts are present. Handling them will produce a better understanding of the kit’s requirements and will help you visualize how every piece will look on the completed model. To avoid losing small fittings and hardware, sort them into labeled containers with lids to keep the parts in and dirt out.

Although each Stage in the instructions results in a completed sub-assembly, it is recommended that you begin at Stage 1 and proceed in order to the finish. Certain modeling techniques are described in full when they first appear in the sequence and only are referred to in subsequent steps. Always complete one construction stage before moving to the next. If things go awry, take a break, then consider doing them over.

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The Model Airways’ NIEUPORT 28 kit is manufactured to a scale of 1:16 or 3/4” equal to one foot. In addition to the Figures that appear throughout this instruction manual, three full-size plan sheets (D01,D02, D03) are provided. Each plan sheet is drawn to the actual size of the model except for some areas that have been enlarged to better show detail. Note that full-size Plan D04 (the propeller) is included in this instruction booklet.

Dimensions can be lifted directly off the full-size plans by using draftsman dividers, a strip of paper laid on the plans on which you make at dot indicating each end of a part, or simply by laying wood strips directly on the plans and marking where to cut them.

The following table gives inch equivalents and compares full-size dimensions with scale model inches and millimeters:

Full-Size Inches Scale Inches Scale Millimeters

1/4” 1/64” 0.40mm 1/2” 1/32” 0.79mm 3/4” 3/64” 1.19mm 1” 1/16” 1.59mm 1-1/4” 5/64” 1.98mm 1-1/2” 3/32” 2.38mm 1-3/4” 7/64” 2.78mm 2” 1/8” 3.17mm 2-1/4” 9/64” 3.57mm 2-1/2” 5/32” 3.97mm 2-3/4” 11/64” 4.37mm 3” 3/16” 4.76mm 6” 3/8” 9.53mm 9” 12” 3/4” 19.05mm

A parts list is included in each of the construction stages, noting the parts required for that particular stage. A MAS-

ACKAGING P

TER P rate from these instructions) is provided that lists the quantities included in the kit. For wood strips, sheets, rod, wire, tubing, and rigging, one or several pieces are pro vided in the kit as noted on the master packaging parts list. These are identified both by size and by the names of the air craft parts that will be made from them. This material must be cut to length or shape according to plan dimensions.

9/16”

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14.29mm

TS LIST (sepa-

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Wood strips and sheets of solid basswood or birch plywood are supplied in the kit. Generally, these parts will be referred to by their size as well as their general part number. Sort and label the wood in the kit by dimensions to save time. After selecting and cutting what you need, return the remaining stock to the proper thickness and wood type pile. For best results, cut wood strip lengths a little long and then sand the ends to achieve the exact length and fit. Even though Model Airways supplies enough extra wood to complete the model before running out, it is recommended that you plan to measure and cut the required parts so as to minimize waste. That way you are covered if you make a mistake.

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These parts will require final finishing before mounting on the model. Remove mold joint flash with a #10 or a #11 hobby blade, then file or sand with fine sandpaper. Some of the holes through which other parts fit, such as the small eyes of a turnbuckle, may have filled in during the casting process. Carefully clean these out using a drill bit or reamer and check the fit of the other parts. To ensure good glue and paint bonds to these parts, wash off the remaining traces of the mold release agent. A spray of ammonia window cleaner and gentle brushing with an old soft-bristle toothbrush does the job

. Thoroughly rinse the parts and

nicely allow them to dry.

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On the real aircraft the rigging is 1/8” or 5/32” diameter stranded steel wire. For the kit, however single diameter is provided to make it easier to rig. To reduce or eliminate slackening of the rigging line due to weather

changes after you have finished your model, pre-stretch the line by dampening it and hanging it with a weight on one end

. I prefer to leave the line hanging

to dry and cut what I need, as I need it, always re-attaching the weight.

, metal-gray thread in a

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The following tools and supplies are recommended for the construction process. Modelers who have built before may have their own favorites.

Knives and saws

1. Hobby knife with No. 11 and No. 10 blades

2. Razor saw or jeweler’s saw

B. Files

Set of needle files Flat, fine-tooth, mill bastard file (for fuel tanks) Round riffler file

C. Clamps and Pins

1. Assorted Bulldog clips

2. Wooden clothespins (craft shops carry small versions)

3. Rubber bands

4. Package of push-pins or T-pins

D. Boring Tools

1. Set of miniature drills (#60 to #80)

2. Pin vise

E. Miscellaneous

1. Tack hammer

2. Tweezers (a few)

3. Small fine pointed scissors

4. Miniature pliers

a. small round b. flat nose

5. Wire cutters

6. Mechanics rule graduated in 64ths of an inch and millimeters

F. Sandpaper

#120 aluminum oxide paper for shaping wood parts #200 wet/dry silicon carbide paper for intermediate sanding #400 wet/dry silicon carbide paper for fittings and finishing

G. Glue

s glue

White glue or the yellow carpenter for wood parts. Medium viscosity cyanoacrylate(CA) glue(Super Glue) for metal parts, metal to wood, and rapid assembly of wood parts.

3. OPTIONAL Cyanoacrylate De-Bonder (just in case you have to take something apart) Cyanoacrylate Accelerator for an instant bond. Five-minute epoxy provides extra strength for gluing fittings. Water-thin cyanoacrylate glue to bond fittings by capillary action

’

H. Building Board

A soft, but stiff board such as acoustic ceiling tile or insulation wallboard to easily take straight pins for holding parts during assembly. This soft board should be nailed or glued to a hard board so it will be flat. You can use a table, but a portable board is good for turning it around to make the work easier

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Build the wings, fin and rudder, stabilizer and elevator directly on Plan D02. Place the plan on your building board and cover the plan with waxed paper or plastic wrap. Be careful applying glue, especially super glue. Although the waxed paper or plastic wrap protects the plan somewhat, you could accidentally glue the protective sheet to the model parts, or even to the plan itself.

An alternative, if you have a dedicated modeling area, is to lay a sheet of glass over the full-size plan sheet and build directly on the glass, using tape and weights to hold the parts in position. If you use this method, watch out for sharp edges on the glass.

board. This will prevent your gluing the formed part to the work board. The part will end up glued to the paper, but this easily sands off during the final finishing. Some people prefer to use waxed paper to prevent the part’s sticking, but if you use heat against the jig, you will melt some of the wax into the laminated part.

Begin by soaking the wood in cold water for 5 or 10 minutes, then pat it dry ing at one end of the jig, pin the first strip tightly against the jig, applying heat when needed, then move along bending and pinning the wood to shape as you go. Cut off the excess strip at the end of the run.

Go back to the end where you started and brush on a thin coat of white glue or carpenter’s glue and apply the second strip of wood, pulling and replacing pins as you go. Applying heat at this point will make an almost instant bond between the wood strips. Proceed in this manner until you have built up five wood strips and then allow the part to dry thoroughly, after which the formed shape will be permanent.

Carefully remove the part from its jig and sand off the excess glue and paper. The final step is to sand the correct profile as required by the instructions and full-size plans.

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When dry, another application of shellac or your favorite varnish will complete the process.

Britannia castings parts may be left polished or painted a steel or gunmetal color. Other fittings, such as turnbuckles, can be painted black or dark gray.

arying the tones on the various parts

V will add a nice contrast to the finished model.

The distinctive woven plywood “peach basket” seat back is provided as a Britannia casting to simplify construction. You will need to paint this, after gluing it to the seat, to give it an appropriate wood finish. First paint the seat back with a very light tan. When this is thoroughly dry, dry-brush a light golden brown, allowing much of the tan to show through, then finish off with a russet brown wash to accentuate the pattern. A light coat of varnish will then give you the desired wood effect.

After you have shaped and finish sanded the laminated basswood propeller, you can achieve a more authentic look by staining it golden mahogany and then building up two or three thinned layers of varnish or shellac.

Sand all wood surfaces with 400-grit dry sandpaper and thoroughly wipe off all dust. A tack rag would be helpful.

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Before commencing each stage of construction, have all the parts for that stage identified and ready to use. It helps to lay each part on its corresponding location on the full-size plan to facilitate identification as you proceed. Lightly sand wood parts as required to remove any fuzziness and prepare the castings parts as noted above.

To achieve maximum accuracy in your model you must fabricate bent laminated parts for wing tips and the empennage.

anganyika

flexibility of the supplied wood strips - especially when wet - makes this relatively easy included in the kit. Because some of the curves are relatively tight, you may need to apply heat to the wood as you wrap it around a jig. angled tip of a 20-30 watt soldering iron. Firmly af a sheet of ordinary typing paper or newspaper sandwiched between the jig and the

This may be done with the

fix each jig, to a work board with

The necessary jigs are

The

With one exception, your NIEUPORT 28 model need not be painted or finished at all. However, it is recommended that you seal the wood parts and Britannia castings for protection. Due to the intri cacy of the finished model, this is best done as you go. My personal preference is to use 3-pound cut shellac, thinned 50% with denatured alcohol. fast, so you can keep working, and a second coat can be applied if you want more shine.

light tan stain on all wooden parts

A will help to make the entire structure uni form in color wood will resist staining, and any end grain will stain darker than the rest. achieve an even application of stain, carefully scrape off any excess glue, then seal the wood - especially the end grain with thinned shellac. light application of stain, using a soft artist’s brush, should give an even finish.

. However

After this is dry

This dries

, glue spots on the

, a

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The Gnome-Rhone Monosoupape Type 9N rotary engine is essentially indepen dent of the rest of the aircraft. It slips onto a fixed crankshaft around which the engine rotates. Super glue and/or epoxy should be used to assemble the parts.

Care must be exercised with the many small parts. Refer to Figures 1/1 through 1/13. For clarity, drawings may show a single cylinder. It is a simple matter to repeat the assembly for the other eight cylinders. engine is pretty straightforward. The key to success is to carefully clean up all of the castings and then to dry fit every thing before applying glue.

The actual assembly of the

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PARTS LIST FOR STAGE 1:

GR9-01 Crankshaft mount 1 4mm diameter x 5mm brass tube GR9-06 Camshaft box 1 Britannia casting GR9-07 Crankcase covers 2 Britannia castings GR9-08 Crankcase 1 Britannia casting GR9-09 Distributor 1 Britannia casting GR9-02 Front propeller flange 1 Britannia casting GR9-04 Rear propeller flange 1 Britannia casting GR9-03 Propeller (laminated) 3 Parts of laser-cut basswood 1/8” thick J001 Propeller jig 1 1/4” X 20 bolt and nut GR9-05 Timing gear cover 1 Britannia casting GR9-10 Cylinders 9 Britannia castings GR9-11 Cylinder heads 9 Britannia castings GR9-12 Exhaust valve lifters 9 Britannia castings GR9-13 Spark plugs 18 Britannia castings WP—— Ignition wires 9 32-gauge black iron wires

Crankcase; camshaft box; distributor:

Assemble the engine around the crankshaft mount(GR9-01). This will ensure that the parts line up properly. Be careful not to get any glue inside the crankshaft mounting tube.

Begin by attaching the distributor(GR9-09) to the crankshaft mounting tube(GR9-01) so that the tube end is flush with the gear side of the distributor. Slip one of the crankcase covers(GR9-07) onto the tube so that the detail side faces the distributor and line it up so that the nine rings on the distributor point between pairs of bolt heads. Next, slip on the crankcase(GR9-08) and the other crankcase cover. Glue the crankcase to the rear cover so that the drilled tabs on the distributor will line up between each pair of cylinders(Fig.1/13). Before you glue on the front crankcase cover, align its bolt heads to match up with the ones on the rear cover.

Add the camshaft box(GR9-06) on the front of the crankcase, aligning the pegs dead center on each piston, slide the timing gear cover(GR9-05) onto the tube and then glue these parts together. Next, slip the nine cylinders(GR9-10) over the pistons and glue them in place, paying attention to the orientation of the spark plug ports. From the pilot’ the outer end of the cylinders, in the plane of the engine, facing to the right. Glue in the spark plugs(GR9-13).

Attach the cylinder heads(GR9-1 peg on each lines up with its twin on the camshaft box. Make any needed adjustments to fit the exhaust valve lifters(GR9-12) between the pegs. Paint, weather should you wish to do so.

Complete this step by attaching the ignition wires(WP———

-) from the distributor to the spark plugs, referring to Figures 1/11-1/13. Cut nine 55mm lengths of wire. Thread each wire through one of the nine tabs on the distributor so that equal lengths emer itself at the ring, then run one end to each of the spark plugs at that cylinder and attach as in Figure 1/13. Trim off any excess wire.

ge from each side. Twist the wire twice around

s point of view

1) to the cylinders so that the

, and highlight the motor

, they are at

Propeller group:

Referring to actual-size Plan D04 in the instruction booklet, laminate the three propeller layers(GR9-03), using the provided bolt-and-nut jig(J001) to properly align the parts. Once the glue is dry, remove the bolt and file and sand the propeller to its refined shape. The front of the laminated propeller is stepped to guide you in filing the correct shape. The back is then shaped to follow the front. Begin with the overall lengthwise curve, then proceed to the cross-sectional shaping. Note that the front surface is slightly convex and the back surface is concave. Take your time and check the cross sections on the plan often. When you are satisfied with the result, apply at one thin coat of varnish or shellac. After the first coat is dry, lightly sand it with #400 paper to remove any grain raised by the varnish, then apply a gold-mahogany stain. When dry, follow this with a second coat of varnish or shellac. You can add a third coat of varnish, without sanding first, if that looks better to you.

Paint, if desired, the front(GR9-02) and rear(GR9-04) propeller flanges before fitting them to the propeller. Referring to Figure 1/7, line up the molded-on front and rear bolt heads/nuts before gluing the flanges to the propeller onto the crankshaft mount. If necessary, file the end of the brass tube so that the propeller assembly snugs up to the timing gear cover

, then, glue it in place.

. Dry fit this assembly

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The upper wing is built in two separate sections that will be joined later at the aircraft’s center line. Refer to Figures 2/1 through 2/15 for the number and location of the parts. Ribs are numbered out from the centerline. The following procedures will need to be repeated for the right and left upper wings.

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PARTS LIST FOR STAGE 2:

Ni28-001 Ribs #1 4 laser-cut wood parts 3/64 thick Ni28-002 Ribs #2 2 laser-cut wood parts 3/64 thick Ni28-003 Ribs #3-10, 12 18 laser-cut wood parts 3/64 thick Ni28-004 Ribs #11 2 laser-cut wood parts 3/64 thick Ni28-005 Ribs #13 2 laser-cut wood parts 3/64 thick Ni28-006 Ribs #14 2 laser-cut wood parts 3/64 thick Ni28-007 Ni28-008 Ni28-009 False ribs #B 2 laser-cut wood parts 3/64thick Ni28-017 Ni28-018 Compression bar 4 Britannia metal Ni28-020 Joint pin plates 4 Britannia metal WP3688-24 Rib caps .02 x 5/64 wood strips WP3688-24 Leading edge cover 7 .02 x 5/64 wood strips WP3631-24 Front and rear spars 4 1/8 x 1/8 wood strips WP3640-24 Leading edge 2 3/16 x 3/16 wood strips WP3620-24 Trailing edge 2 1/16 x 1/8 wood strips WP3202-40 Wing tips (laminated) 5 .02 x 5/32 Tanganyika wood strips WP3202-40 Center trailing edge

WP5101-24 Joint pins 2 1/8 x 1/4 wood dowels W042 Turnbuckles 28 Britannia castings WP1205 Rigging cable 7” Metal-gray thread J002 R-L Upper wing tips jigs 2 laser-cut wood parts 5/32 thick J003 Upper center

Wing ribs; cap strips:

Begin by laminating two parts Ni28-001 to form each Rib #1. Take the required lengths of the rib cap strips(WP3688-24) from full-size Plan D02. (Note that the rib cross sectional drawings are double size and reduce your measurements accordingly if you refer to these.) The rib cap strip edges will be flush with the sides of laminated ribs #1, but they must overlap the other ribs equally to each side. The easiest way to accomplish this is to pin each rib on its side, through the lightening holes, then slip a couple of pieces of .02î thickness wood strip between the rib and the assembly board. This will automatically set the required overlap when you glue on the cap strips. Hold the cap strips in place with pins while the glue dries.

Inserting the spars; leading edges; trailing edges:

Using full-size Plan D02, cut the front and rear spars(WP3631-24) to the required lengths. Carefully taper them from where they pass through rib #12 out toward the wing tip where the cross section should be reduced to 5/64 x 5/64. This should be done evenly from all four sides.

Next, adjust the spar holes in the ribs so the spars slip through without binding. Pin the assembly down, making sure everything is square, and glue the spars in place. Finally, cut the leading(WP3640-24) and trailing(WP3620-24) edges to size and glue them in place against the ribs.

After the glue dries thoroughly, unpin the structure. Using a long strip of sandpaper,

Ribs #15 2 laser-cut wood parts 3/64 thick False ribs #A 2 laser-cut wood parts 3/64 thick

Nose ribs 30 laser-cut wood parts 3/64 thick

(laminated) 5 .02 x 5/32 Tanganyika wood strips

trailing edge jig 1 laser

-cut wood part 5/32 thick

about 11”, affixed to the same length straight piece of wood, sand the leading and trailing edges to the correct cross section. This technique will ensure a uniform shape.

Wing tips and center trailing edges;

false ribs:

Here is where you will likely be expand ing your skills, actually making shaped plywood by bending and gluing wood strips around a form. The procedure is the same for all four parts. Secure jigs J002 and J003 to a paper covered board. Referring to Plan D02 and Figures 2/7 and 2/8, cut five lengths of Tanganyika wood strips(WP3202-40) for each wing tip. Bend and glue the strips as described above, pinning the sandwich against a jig to establish the correct shape as the glue dries.

Remove the wing tips and center trailing edges from the jigs and shape them as necessary for installation on the wings. Note that Plan D02 shows mitered, not butt, joints where the wing tips are glued in place. This provides greater strength to the glue joint. Glue the false ribs(Ni28008, Ni28-009) in place.

Nose ribs; leading edge cover:

Using Plan D02 as a guide, glue the nose ribs(Ni28-017) in place. After the glue is dry, a light sanding, if needed, with the sanding paddle will ensure both ribs and nose ribs perfectly line up on the upper wing surface.

Glue the eight strips of the leading edge cover(WP3688-24) in place, proceeding from the leading edge toward the forward spar. After the glue is dry, sand the ends to conform to the wing’ cover to a smooth surface. [The kit sim plifies the rear edge of the leading edge cover by leaving it straight across. In the actual aircraft, this was shaped into a for ward, flattened arc between each pair of ribs, for an overall scalloped effect. If the advanced modeler wants to make this modification, be careful that the arcs have a uniform amplitude.]

Compression bars; rigging:

Referring to Figure 2/10 and Plan D02, use a bent pin, working in from both sides, to carefully bore 0.5mm(.020î) holes through ribs #1, 4, 6, 8, 13 and 15 for the rigging(WP1205) to pass through against the spars.

Precisely align the compression bars(Ni28-018) and glue them in place.

s shape and sand the

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Model Airways 28, MA1050 Instruction Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual