K & W Model Airplanes Inc.| Flying Scale Models

UK # 11-2001 (November)

Model Flyer ( November 2001 )
MODEL FLYER [ PAGE 1] MODEL FLYER [ PAGE 2]
The other kit that Gordon brought back - The Tummilisa. The level of completion, as supplied, means that from the box to the air can take as little as couple of days.
LEFT: Part of Goran's balsa plantation. Takes five years to mature and a lot of attention - a lot of Investment! MID LEFT: The stripwood shop where the wings and fuselages are first assembled. MID RIGHT: A young draughtsman works from one of the detailed drawings. RIGHT: The latest picture of the Antoinette, showing the RCV four-stroke installed under the dummy engine.
*"Few people* have time to scratchbuild scale models of lesser known types"
Living on site with his family, Goran explained, provides security to the factory, as any equipment that was moveable -would be! I learned from Goran that his son was in hospital last week suffering with the Dengue fever, an epidemic that is prevalent at this time, being spread by a particular mosquito that bites during the day. This is a serious condition, affecting the white blood cells and requiring hospitalisation. Whilst it can be fatal, thankfully the boy has now made a recovery and he is now home. Goran and his wife had been through a very stressful time -to say nothing of that of the 7 year old.
ALADDIN"S CAVE... First we went to see the display room, where most of the range of kits produced here are exhibited. I was quite stunned -they are absolutely the best models I have ever seen, and of so many unusual designs, many of which I had never seen before, it was like a treasure trove! I just stood there trying to take in. I spotted planes I knew well, -the Bristol Fighter, RAF Be2c, Ryan "Spirit of St Louis", Spad, Albatros, etc and they are BIG -some over 100" wingspan. All at 1:5 stand off scale, accurate in shape, and painted to perfection, according to the research documentation. But there were just so many! 25 prototypes in all, of many different nationalities: Austro-Hungaria: Phonix D-III; Finland: Thulin D; France: Morane SL & SH, Bleriot XI, Nieuport 17, Spad XIII, Antionette VII , Nieuport 2G; Germany: pfalz EI, Pfalz EIII, Fokker DV, Albatros CI, Focke Wulf FW44; UK: Bristol F2B, RAF Be2c, Blackburn D, Sopwith Triplane, Vickers Vi my; Italy: Macchi M7; Japan: K5Y1 "Willow"; Sweden: Thulin K, Tummelisa, Focke Wulf 44, J 1 Phonix, Sk1 Albatros, Nieuport 4G; U.S.A. Thomas Morse, Wright Flyer 1, Ryan NYP,US Standard J1. Most of these aircraft are not often kitted, and almost certainly not available professionally prebuilt, anywhere else in the world. I had a close look, the Brisfit, with metal cowling, and fully functioning manifold, coupled controls in the cockpit, instrument panel faithfully reproduced -WOW! The Wright Flyer, with contra rotating 4 bladed propellers, driven off a fully functional reduction gearbox drive chain from the single engine (the miniature scale chain link was sourced in Japan, and took two years to find, the sprockets are made on site). The right propeller driven by chain in a figure eight chain run, the left propeller in a single loop. Really nice to see this in operation, although, according to Goran, it is difficult to fly. In another area, Goran showed me aircraft built to museum exhibition quality, with EVERY visible detail reproduced (not for flying) -absolutely stunning, each taking a EXTRA 500 man hours to complete, we are now talking reproductions that have to cost £8000 each!
INNER SANCTUM... The next stop was the "secret hangar", where new prototype building was undertaken. In here, drawings are produced from reference materials -sometimes Goran has to phone museums all over the world to ask for a specific measurement to be taken -and they are pleased to assist. It is often the case, however, that no surviving example of the aircraft can be referred to, drawings are incomplete, or do not exist, so careful use of reference materials, mainly photographs, are the only way. This is a painstaking process, and I saw draughtsmen working from such material, totally absorbed in this work. It was a pleasure to see men so obviously doing their best -and enjoying the challenge. As a new model is prototyped, jigs are made up as the build progresses, so that production can commence and follow the prototype with complete accuracy. (See this month's Trading Post, for details on new additions to the range -Ed.) ON THE LINE... Goran then took me to see the final finishing of the two models that I had arranged to bring back to the UK (for review in later articles). Wire spoke wheels were just being completed , having been built from scratch by one of the metal workers -these wheels take the best part of a day to produce -various		After the wood has been rough saw, it is laid up to dry out.
		One of the skilled Philipino craftsmen checks the leading edge profile of a wing panel.
		The preparation area - The Be2 and Tummelisa during final finishing. Note the open sided area -suitable in the local climate.
		Part of one of the finishing workshops - a couple of Macchi fuselages. a Spad and some Be2s on die bend!.
cowling parts were being cut from sheet aluminium, and formed over various wooden jigs, then rivetted together. In the "engine shop", dummy engines were the specialty of a young girl, who was really absorbed in her work. The final assembly is done by two finishers who were rigging both the planes -a Swedish Tumillisa, and an RAF Be2c. The latter I had requested to be prepared in the unusual livery of PC10 top surfaces, but carrying a serial number10,000. Goran believes this particular aircraft in this scheme has never been modelled before, so we are now into a real "one-off". The ability to create individual versions of the designs is, after all, exactly why this Company is in itself unique. COMING SOON... Goran showed me his new prototype, a Levavasseur Antoinette VII and explained that he was really having a problem fitting an engine into it -he had spent two weeks trying to get around the problem of the cylinder head spoiling the appearance of this beautiful aircraft. Now it was my turn to surprise him! Before leaving the UK, I had contacted the manufacture res of the British RCV engine, and they had supplied a 120 size engine for me to take with me on this factory visit. Goran was really "knocked out" when I produced this and immediately realised that his problem was solved -as he put it, "the engine melts into the airframe". Since the visit Goran has installed the engine -picture shown here. GETTING YOUR HANDS ON ONE... As stated previously, a flying model aircraft of this quality can not be produced for less than three thousand pounds, to eight thousand for a museum quality version! Well, that's not true, of course, for in the Philippines, these models are a "give away" at between £400 to £800, and are imported by Kavan in Germany, and available in the UK from Shrewsbury Model Centre. Some of the kits can be ordered "ready to cover" and all can be made to special order, including your choice of paint scheme. Visit Goran's Website and you can see all the models -and even download a PDF file for each of the kits, which give a detailed profile of the model and the fullsize, together with kit instructions with colour photographs. You will need the Adobe Acrobat programme on you computer, which can be downloaded free, too. www.kwmairpl.com.ph


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Model Flyer ( November 2001 ) modflymag@aol.com