CANVAS EAGLES???

[Dubar]

Fitz,

I picked up an Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro a couple of days ago, along with a roll of white and a roll of gray PLA filament that should arrive today.  There was a length of white in with the printer and it printed the mini buddha file that came with the package just fine, so I decided to try the rest of the filament out on a 1/144 Halberstadt DII (I think).

Didn't come out so fine, underneath the wings was real "stringy" (?) but the undercarriage and fuselage were good.  I'm hoping it is nothing more than using a "free" file I found on the internet, which didn't have any supports under the wings or anywhere else.  I purchased some files from Wargame3D this morning, hopefully they'll be more "refined" and they include supports.

[Fitz]

What orientation to the print bed are you using? If the undersides of the wings are "stringy" as you say, then it sounds like the model is pretty much flat on to it.

I get best results with one-piece aircraft models by tilting them up steeply on their tails so that all the supports form along the trailing edges. But I also usually add critical supports in Blender and create a new STL from there.

I demonstrate the method here: https://mojobob.blogspot.com/2023/08/printing-petite-planes.html
It'd a WWII monoplane (Thunderbolt) but the principle is the same for biplanes. The supports are just a little more complex.

Alternately, I sometimes split the model longitudinally using 3d Builder (comes with Win10) and print each half with the split flat on the platen. It takes a bit of care to glue them back together again, but it's doable. That's how I printed the Fiat Falco:
https://mojobob.blogspot.com/2019/01/fiat-cr-42-falco.html

[Dubar]

I've got an Albatros printing now, I added supports but I'm not sure of the outcome yet.  May be too much support.  More later!

[Dubar]

After 5 tries I finally got a decent print of an Albatros DIII, still have some cleaning out of the cobwebs to do but it's useable.

Thanks Fitz for the "enlightenment".  I played around with the Cora Slicer program and found that, on this model, a 45 degree nose up angle gave me an acceptable print.  I'm still playing with it though so maybe I can get one to come out perfect.

[Dubar]

Been printing my brains out trying to learn this 3D printing, they need to offer an apprenticeship!!!  Here's several of the "keepers" I've printed so far, just starting to apply paint.  There's that many again at the bottom of the trashcan!!!  Long view (from the observation aircraft!!!) so I'll try to get some better shots later in the week.  Right now I'm fighting...THE COVID!!!  Had this mess for 10 days now but I think the worst part is done.

Sorry for the sideways photo.

Starting with the top row (with the 2 linen colored aircraft).  I'm thinking they need a coat of PC10 late, but I need more research.  I also have PC12 and Reflective Green just in case:

(2) Sopwith 1-1/2 Strutter
(3) Fokker DVIII
(3) Hansa-Brandenburg CI

Bottom row:

(2) RAF RE8, 1 painted in PC10 late
(2) Ansaldo SVA5
(1) Albatros DVa
(2) Halberstadt DII
(1) Fokker DVII

If anyone can turn the photo for proper viewing, please feel free!