Having been a long time reader of FSM and the Scale Electric area here, I thought I take the chance to build Peter's Udet Flamingo Prototype.
While the bootiful laser cut parts arrived 2 weeks ago, I was challenged to print the plan. Luckily, we have a printing department within the company, and the guys helped me to finally print the plan. As they normally print shiny posters for all sorts of events, I was laughing when I received my first model plan on poster paper - something to remember mefinks.

I think I start to post a few pics from the yesterday night, and also some inspirations I collected recently...

Udet`s planes have always been of interest to me, so I`ll be following this one closely.

What size is this one gonna be?

Not sure that this is the correct machine as the tail looks a little different but the man, as an accomplished flyer certainly is impressive. This deadstick crosswind landing defies belief. There is also one where he comes out of a loop and lands. Magic stuff.

There are a number of other clips on youtube if any one is interested.

1930's Ernst Udet (1 min 38 sec)

John

Udets Flamingo Had several changes, such as an enlarged tail, another engine and one Cockpit only.
The colour was Red.
More pics to come

I just realized that the pictures I wanted to show did not make it.
OK try again.
There is a lot of history on this particular aircraft, especially when you search for the tail D 822.
The more I read about it, the more interesting it gets.
I welcome all feedback and thoughts !

It took me a few days to come back to built.
While I finished the square piece of the fuselage box, and the rear part, I cut and bent the wires for the udnercarriage as well as the struts.
Hoping to get the top wing nicely alligned with the fuselage, I realized I should finish the wings first. The 2 main 16 SWG (or 1,5 mm as we would say) struts will be bent and glued to the fuselage box - So I think I finish the wings, get the saddle clamps cut and position the wing over the fuselage to that I can get things in the right position to bend and glue the struts.
I was wondering for a while whether I should build ailerons, but as I do not want to disappoint Peter and also it saves me 2 servos and I can use a tiny 4 channel receiver - so a lot of convinving arguments to go without.

The wings are very quickly built, even if I used PVA as I ran out of medium cyano. Just be careful as some ribs (around the dihedral brace) are of slight different shape around the spare (you see : good to use PVA as it gives you a few more minutes to realize the mistakes)

I sanded 4 out of the 5 wing elements, and I should be back at late hours somewhere during next week.

Btw: as it is only 2 servos, I thought I treat myself with HS55 servos - the ones I normally use are about 2/3 of the price. The local dealer is 1 EUR more expensive then the large stores on the web - but apparently you save 6 EUR for postage and packing.... O.K. - to be continued

Andreas,
Don't forget the scrap balsa around the strut sockets in the wings. Might as well do it before you finish the sanding.

Pete

Looking very nice, Andreas. PVA is great for giving a little flexibility to joins, I use it almost totally. Those videos of Udet are amazing in their technical skill - definitely not someone you'd want to meet in the air with twin spandaus pointing at you.

By all accounts he was a pleasant and modest man, though he enjoyed a party and the company of ladies - many of them Sad that he eventually became so disillusioned due to politics and conflict with Goering and ended his own life.

Look forward to seeing more of your build.

Steve

Thanks.
I just come from a show nearby where the large Udet ( above 5 m wing span) was performing wildly as well -
Being german I want to be careful about history and people, obviously Udet also played some part in the later Luftwaffe - but in the 20ies he was a real 'flying hero' - so as I already made up my mind on the colour scheme, it will be Udet's private Udet : silver and red -

Pete : Thanks for the remark - will do this right now

found some time to continue....
Took Pete's advice and added some balsa to the ribs where the wooden struts fit in. Sanded the nicely shaped wodden struts. Glued the 3 wing halfs together.
I connected the fuselage box with the rear part, and connected the struts to the fuselage with a 0,5 mm Nylon string - no glue yet.
It starts to look like a little flamingo now...
Next will be to glue the metal struts carrying the upper wing, followed by planking the upper side of the fuselage. This step I really look forward to

I somehow have challenges uploading pictures - after 1 hour and switching from Firefox to IE I am finished for today

Looking very good. I feel this will be a very pretty little model.

Pete

Looks like a nice sturdy bird, I like them wide wing struts.

Sehr schön! Kraft mit Anmut, ja?

James

HI James,
Kraft mit Anmut? I assume the little flamingo was relatively powerless (kraft-los), Anmut? Obviously you like old german words - but I agree, Flamingos are 'anmutig',
Gruß Andreas