advice for beginners

[325LATIMER]

hello all,

i have just joined the forum and i have a confession to declare: i am a complete novice in the WWI aircraft models hobby.

after discovering the hobby some months ago and taking to it with a passion, i have so far completed 5 models, four of them biplanes and although i have enjoyed enormously the process i know that i am lacking quite a lot of basic knowledge and know-how.

in an effort to learn more i have looked as much as i can in the internet and have acquired some publications, but still they are areas that remain grey. i have found it difficult to find guidence and advice for those of us who are at the starting point, and so i would like to ask for your adivice.

1:72 is my scale of choice and so far i have built four models from revell (dh.2, fokker d.vii, sopwith camel & spad), one from eduard (fokker e.1) and in the worktable i have a fokker dr.1 (revell) and stored for later a bristol f.2 (roden) that i am putting off as i am not sure if at this moment i am up to the challenge.

one of the things i would like to know more about is wing jigs: i have read about lego blocks, cd cases, bits of cardboard and even the aeroclub offering, but i have not completly gathered how are they built and how they operate, could anyone throw some light on this direction? so far i have used the 'steady-hand' method, that although in this early stage has not been a total disaster has left me with considerably less hair . . .

also, what about painting? what is the general agreement on enamels and acrylics? any advice regarding undercoats? any advice regarding a good 'beginners' guide for WWI aircraft builders??

full of questions and full of hope: i will be very grateful indeed for the advice you could offer!

many thanks!