Building the Gotha.

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 10-22-2010 03:40

This is the next of the Giants that I have tackled thus far.
Because of some differences in detail I adopted a slightly different build plan from the Handley Page.
1. Clean up the casting.
2. Drill the strut holes.N.B. The cabine struts need smaller diameter holes. ( Watch out for unneeded holes, and what I perceive to be wrong uns, over the engines. All my research suggests that the supports form an inverted vee above the engine. The holes as supplied give a vee configuration. For the cabine struts, a spot hole on the body of the plane, where they will seat will help with location later.
3. Glue on the engine pods, but not the propellers. Unlike the Handley, the pods can't be swung later for painting because of the upper struts. You may like to pre paint them at this stage of the build, and undercoat the rest of the aircraft. I chose to use my usual method of doing this when the assembly is mostly complete.
4. Glue on lower wing.
5. Glue in lower wing struts in pairs. This time do not start with the cabine struts. This will be easier later.
6. As you glue the struts, use the upper wing to register them for position in the vertical.
7. Glue on the upper wing.
8. Next the engine struts can be added. I found a pair of tweezers handy here to thrust them up into the holes between the wings. Conversely , you can just drill a hole and slip them in from the top, but this makes it harder to register them correctly underneath.
9. However for the cabine struts I foung this the easy way to go. location spots had been drilled by me on the plane body, and I just slipped in lengths of paper clip through the top wing holes to resemble the struts. This adds a bit of strength to the middle of the wing.
10. Flip the plane over and add the undercart. This is one of the more easy undercarts to assemble.
11. Back to the top and glue on the tailplane. A bit of fettling here may be needed to get a good register. I countersunk the holes a bit to allow for the casting radius on the pins. This seemed better than weakening the pins by filing them so near to the shear point.
12. Place the props and crew in place but don't glue.
!3. Undercoat the aircraft.
14. Remove crew and props, and paint.
15. Paint aircraft.
16. Glue in crew.
17. Add decals.
18. Finally glue on props after decals are dry.

I am currently thinking of adding some bomb racks. Will let you know how this goes later.
Rob.

**Attila57** · 10-22-2010 04:25

!!!

Attilio

**Boney10** · 10-22-2010 04:35

Nice one. Where you get the colour scheme?

**Strangely Brown** · 10-22-2010 04:39

Is this the skytrex model?

**Dom S** · 10-22-2010 04:40

Chris - that's pretty much the classic Gotha day bomber scheme (must admit I'm going a bit paler on the blue when mine get done, but that could just be the lighting - the oft-seen profiles of Gotha G.IVs in white are definitely wrong though, it was a pale blue, except the engine nacelles in light grey.) Kytey's model's quite a well-known machine to boot (looks like G.IV 405/16 to me....) There are several profiles of it knocking around, including on the Wings Palette site, but the classic reference has to be the "Gotha!" Windsock Datafile special.

Dom.

**ara398** · 10-22-2010 05:02

Bravo Rob!

most impressive.

Regards,
Adrian

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 10-22-2010 05:58

Dom is essentially right in his posting except for the main colour source which was " Aircraft of World War I " by Jack Herries and Bob Pearson. I should also add that the decals were courtsey of Guntruck, and my trusty printer, plus the alternate resin wings from another friend on the site, who may prefer to remain nameless, but I remain in his debt also.
Rob.

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 10-22-2010 06:22

Having just seen my reply to this thread and the change in colour of the plane due to the artificial light, my wife has decided that the kitchen paint scheme is Gotha blue. I must admit that I had not seen the similarity myself. Could have saved on all that paint mixing.
Rob.

**Schwerpunkt** · 10-22-2010 13:55

Very nice Gotha Rob. You beat me to completing mine.

One point of comparison between the Skytrex GV and the SRAM GIV is that the engines are much more detailed on the Skytrex model, which surprised me. I'm guessing, with no sound basis, that the SRAM model depicts a cowled pre-production aircraft and the Skytrex is an uncowled production GV. Not that this difference is hugely noticeable for gaming.

**gregbond77** · 10-22-2010 15:45

Very nice work Rob.

**flash** · 10-22-2010 15:58

Nice work Rob - like the look of the resin wings too !

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 10-23-2010 00:05

Originally Posted by Schwerpunkt

Very nice Gotha Rob. You beat me to completing mine.

One point of comparison between the Skytrex GV and the SRAM GIV is that the engines are much more detailed on the Skytrex model, which surprised me. I'm guessing, with no sound basis, that the SRAM model depicts a cowled pre-production aircraft and the Skytrex is an uncowled production GV. Not that this difference is hugely noticeable for gaming.

You got me on that one. I just don't know the answer. Dom may be able to shed some light on this. He is pretty well up on this kind of development.
Rob.

**Guntruck** · 10-23-2010 02:12

Nice one Rob. Sorry mate, but I have to agree that the blue is a bit too dark, but otherwise a very good job. Love the decals

Let us know how the bomb racks go.

**Jon** · 10-23-2010 04:03

Cracking looking model

**Von Rotherham** · 10-23-2010 04:53

Great Work there!!

**Skullduggery** · 10-23-2010 21:42

very nice looking plane

**Bedlam** · 10-24-2010 05:44

I've just finished assembling my first Gotha, and discovered the same as you - some of the strut holes don't line up. However, the struts above the engines on a GV splayed out at the top unlike the struts on a GIV which came together to form the inverted 'v' you describe.

Your model is a GV, so Skytrex were right - apart from the holes not lining up with the engine. You have modelled yours to represent a GIV, so you'd be right to move the position of the struts - in fact they meet where they attach to the upper wing. The engine nacelle isn't quite right for a GIV, but a man on a galloping horse won't notice. Luckily Skytrex chose to use the conventional tail. If they had gone with the double tail it would be a lot more difficult to pass the model off as a GIV.

Resin wings are an exellent idea. Saves between 1.5 and 1.75 oz in weight and significantly reduces wobbliness. I have no idea what the unit of wobbliness is.

Now I've seen your Gotha, I've decided to do my second in a similar day scheme. What I don't understand is how you build them so fast! I finished my night bomber today and edited the first post on the lozenge paint thread to show the new pics. I just need to fit the undercarriage. I had to build mine in a weird order because I needed to apply the lozenge decal before I fitted the struts.

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 10-24-2010 06:49

Originally Posted by Bedlam

Now I've seen your Gotha, I've decided to do my second in a similar day scheme. What I don't understand is how you build them so fast!

The secret of a fast build is twofold. 1. Being retired. 2. The site being down for seversl days.
I pondered long before I decided I could get away with the G1V. type. but it made sense if I wanted a Day Bomber rather than a Night Bomber which would get little use, so when Guntruck found me the decal set, it made my decision easier.
Rob.

**Dom S** · 10-24-2010 07:22

Originally Posted by Flying Officer Kyte

so when Guntruck found me the decal set,
Rob.

It looks familiar somehow - Airfix 1/72 Fokker triplane...?

Dom, who reckons he'll have to make a sheet when his, umm, oops, six Gothas, finally make it to the workbench....

**Guntruck** · 10-24-2010 08:02

Originally Posted by Dom S

It looks familiar somehow - Airfix 1/72 Fokker triplane...?

Dom, who reckons he'll have to make a sheet when his, umm, oops, six Gothas, finally make it to the workbench....

Nope!

I've just emailed you

**Dom S** · 10-24-2010 08:30

Aha, you have been busy....

Must get mine sorted some time - just the small matter of 24 Camels and 18 SE5a models to repaint, decal and get photographed so I can get a couple of other releases out of the way first. Then it's either the Gothas, some DH4s and RE8s, or the Skytrex Pups looking forlorn on the workbench. I've really gotta get out more....

**Hamburger** · 10-24-2010 12:26

Great! Doms decals is down right now or something. :-(

**Dom S** · 10-24-2010 12:45

Just tried it myself and it's loaded up fine.

**BryanR** · 10-24-2010 12:52

That looks great! Can you post a picture of it next to a scout or two so we can see the scale of the Gotha in comparison?

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 10-24-2010 13:18

Originally Posted by BryanR

That looks great! Can you post a picture of it next to a scout or two so we can see the scale of the Gotha in comparison?

Will do tomorrow Bryan.
Rob.

**tonyc206** · 10-24-2010 13:21

I've just recently built one of these too, along with the HP 0/400, and I must say that I wish they all came with the resin wings. Having now built kits from Skytrex, Reviresco and SRAM, I think that all of these kits would benefit from resin wings, and fuselage, and the rest in white metal. This would reduce the overall weight and give strength to the smaller components.

Loved building the HP

Tony

**Dom S** · 10-24-2010 13:29

Well there goes the neighbourhood....

(Actually I assumed you were on here already to be honest Tony.)

**Bedlam** · 10-24-2010 14:21

Click image for larger version.

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There you go. Skytrex Gotha GV, with Lothar Von Richthofen and a Rumpler - both 'official' WoW minis.

**richard m schwab** · 10-24-2010 16:38

Rob!

Another great build.

It looks good!

Rich

**Skullduggery** · 10-24-2010 21:10

Those look so good I tried to scratch build my own Gotha.

**Captain Knowitall** · 10-24-2010 23:12

Originally Posted by tonyc206

I've just recently built one of these too, along with the HP 0/400, and I must say that I wish they all came with the resin wings. Having now built kits from Skytrex, Reviresco and SRAM, I think that all of these kits would benefit from resin wings, and fuselage, and the rest in white metal. This would reduce the overall weight and give strength to the smaller components.

Loved building the HP

Tony

Tony, How was the Reviresco Gotha to build?? And what do you think of the card stock wings and aft fuselage section?

**tonyc206** · 10-25-2010 03:51

Originally Posted by Captain Knowitall

Tony, How was the Reviresco Gotha to build?? And what do you think of the card stock wings and aft fuselage section?

Sorry, I seem to have caused some confusion here (looks like Dom was right - lol). I didn't mean that I had built the Reviresco Gotha, just a number of their kits in metal. I must admit that I don't even like the look of the cardstock winged Gotha. Give me resin, metal or plastic, but not card!

I think the person who produces the resin Gotha wings should contact Skytrex and do a deal to supply them for all future Gotha kits.

**Dom S** · 10-25-2010 03:58

I don't think Reviresco make a Gotha actually - seem to recall the card-winged one in their range is a Friedrichshafen.

**Bedlam** · 10-25-2010 04:20

The Reviresco 'multi media' kit is a Friedrichshafen G-III. I have one awaiting build, and I'm not exactly turning cartwheels at the prospect. The idea is good, and the quality of the printing is reasonable. Unfortunately the casting isn't great, although John sent me some spare parts to replace the miscasts.

Although the card is printed in two patterns (day and night) neither look particularly convincing to me. I'm not sure the card will stand up to gaming (or me dropping the model) particularly well either.

What I intend to do is use the card as a template to make new wings and tail surfaces from plasticard, properly aerofoil shaped and with a bit of rib detail like the SRAM kits. Likewise I'll carve a fuselage from balsa. I'll take a mould and make myself a resin upgrade kit to use with the cast metal parts.

It sounds like a lot of work, but actually shouldn't take too long. Probably not that much longer than making the model from card.

**tonyc206** · 10-25-2010 07:41

Originally Posted by Dom S

I don't think Reviresco make a Gotha actually - seem to recall the card-winged one in their range is a Friedrichshafen.

You're right it is and it looks really flat in the photo's.

Interested to se how you get on Bedlam

**Captain Knowitall** · 10-25-2010 09:31

I stand corrected, you are correct, it is the Friedrichshafen G-III. Every time I see that thing I think of the Gotha for some reason.

I am curious tho', how thick is the card stock that he is using for the wings???

**Schwerpunkt** · 10-25-2010 09:33

It is fairly lightweight, but doubles over around a 'central spar' [not included - I used thin brass wire] which helps add rigidity. With a layer of PVA inside as well it seems to be pretty resilient.

**Boney10** · 10-25-2010 13:07

Nice one chaps. Dom ta for the gen on Gotha. Im relatively new on them only knew about them being used as night bombers. Oh well you live & learn. For my Gotha i am using the clour scheme on this site and printed on paper and gluesto plane. Will post a pic if successful