30" REARWIN SPEEDSTER    I made the wooden wheel pants as per plan, and I stained all of the wing struts, nose block, and wheel pants and struts, with "Golden Oak" color, and then spray clear-coated them all with Krylon Clear Gloss.

To install the super great peel 'n stick decals for the wing, fuse, and rudder, onto the right spot, I cut out templates, with the individual call sign letters and numbers, and templates for the fuse side decals, the holes thereof being cut out a little larger for the decal placement, and I masking taped these templates to the fuse and wing first, in order to place the decals straight.
LWM
Richard

Footage of the late Bob Bojanowski's rubber-powered, giant scale, 6 foot wingspan, free-flight Rearwin Speedster.   3  1/2  MIN  VIDEO   Used 8 oz. of rubber.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlbrx10EOZY

"SWAN LAKE" by TCHAIKOVSKY  - SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=SWAN+LAKE+ORCHESTRA&&view=detail&mid=B2D54E...

REARWIN SPEEDSTER, 30", scale 1:12.8 , Dumas Kit #326, $51, weight 83 grams, completed May 19, 2015.  It has a 9" high torque prop.

The REARWIN SPEEDSTER was a "Golden Age" high-wing strut braced monoplane sport aircraft of the 1930s, which had an enclosed cabin, a narrow fuselage, and fixed tailskid undercarriage, and was founded by Andrew "Rae" Rearwin.
LWM
Richard

Hi Neal - thanks for the compliment!  I think it took me about 180 hours to build the 24"  Nieuport 11.  A lot of firsts.  I really recommend the DARE wheel kits and the Jig kits - they only start at  2 1/4"  diameter and only go larger.  Here is a link to "Supplies" on the S&T site where I posted the kit and jig info  http://www.stickandtissue.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1512006232
LWM
Richard

French "NIEUPORT 11"  -  Guillow 24" Laser-Cut Kit #203, Scale 1:12

I tried a lot of first attempts with this kit.
First attempt at a removable slip fit cowl.  Lift straight up to remove, straight down to replace.
First attempt at a one piece balsa, hand carved, "Langley" Prop.
First attempt at some engine detailing using rivets and copper tubing.
First attempt at a two color spray can, paint color scheme - khaki above and almond below, using lots of painter's masking tape and acrylic brush touch-ups.
Eight layers total of paint and Krylon Gloss Clear coats.
Hand made Primitive "Le Prieur" Incendiary Rockets made from wooden dowels. Lots of masking tape and brush painting using acrylic paint.
First attempt at  hand made, threaded spoke wheels, from the 48-spoke "Dare" Spoke Wheel Kit   2 1/4" diameter, from Brodak - very strong spokes - super kit and not too expensive.   More details on these spoke wheel kits at this link ...  http://www.stickandtissue.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1512006232
First attempt at turnbuckles, eyelets,  and rigging wires, using empty ball point pen ink tubes, screw eyes, and regular thread.
First attempt at a hand carved windshield frame - I thanked God several times for the C.A. Cyano-acrylate super glue, when the frame snapped repeatedly.
LWM
Richard

The SKATERS' WALTZ or Der Schlittschuhläufer-Walzer (German), Op. 183, is a waltz by Émile Waldteufel.  Andre Rieu symphony https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Skaters+Waltz+Orchestra&&view=detail&mid=B6...

French "NIEUPORT 11"  -  Guillow 24" Laser-Cut Kit #203, Scale 1:12

I was so excited to get my first laser cut, big 24" Guillow kit, especially after warming up on two die-stamped   16 1/2"    Guillow kits in the spring of 2013 - the Spitfire and Stuka, whose decals are crumbling off right now.   I only started back into the hobby in the spring of 2013, and completed the Nieuport 11 in the summer of 2013.   It weighs 181 grams with the hardwood dowel rockets, and it will never fly with its glide ratio of a man hole cover, even though I hold the prop in with a rubber band motor.  I intend to fly, it but with out the rockets, and when there is no wind, and when there is that mythical long tall grass LOL which probably means never ... 
LWM
Richard

Ok Mountain King...I do mean you, Richard...bravo!!!  Love the music...love the airplane...wonderful subject!

I must add that I was in Russia a few years back (the music you included appears to have been performed by Russians), and the place (Russia) was wonderful...as were the people...such personality.  My party was standing at a bus stop waiting for our ride to pick us up when a Russian woman walked up to me and asked a question in Russian.  I responded with the only Russian I knew..."No panimaye paruski"....  She responded in perfect English..."Oh, you don't understand Russian? I was wondering if the bus had already come."  Uhhhhh...so much for my world culture.    After she got onto her bus, I asked the folks with me, "Hey, do I look Russian to you?" 

Great model, Richard!  And the pilot looks like he means business. 

Neal

     This kit has a neat little detailed engine of built-up balsa and laser cut card stock for the cylinders. To enhance the blue-gray color of the engine, I made a chrome color "backplate" out of adhesive-backed (peel 'n stick) Trim Sheets from Top Flite, which are made of Monokote, which come in many different designs and colors, including 5 checkerboard schemes and neon colors as well.
     I brought the engine to life by gluing that chrome "backplate" , cut to the shape of the front of the former sitting directly behind the engine, with the chrome side facing forward towards the engine.  The mirror reflection of the engine adds to the glimmer and shininess of the engine compartment behind the cowl.
     COWLING: This kit comes with a beautiful 0.015" thick sturdy Vac-formed Plastic Cowling with well marked cutouts of the engine air cooling holes. I securely thumbtacked the back flashing of the cowling to my workboard, put on a fresh new #11 Exacto blade, and carefully and slowly cut out all the holes with no major mistakes, thank goodness. I then finished them all of with some more thin slices with the blade, and sandpaper sticks and metal files as best I could, and sprayed it inside and out with Metallic Silver which actually turned out to match the fuselage Metallic Silver tissue.
LWM
Richard

"in the Hall of the Mountain King" by Edward Grieg   Video with 4 accordion quartet.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ACCORDION+in+THE+HALL+OF+THE+MOUNTAIN+KING&...