It began as an email to Kreinik from model plane builder Rob Stewart. He wrote, "I just bought four rolls of your metallic threads "cord" size. I build scale plastic models of WW1 era aircraft and I thought the threads would be perfect for some detailing in engine wires, cockpit parts, and rigging wires, etc. In order to recommend these to fellow WW1 model enthusiasts, I would like to know roughly what diameter these threads come in..."

When we emailed the information to Rob, it started a wonderful conversation about model aircraft, the tiny threads you need to accurately replicate details, and a needlework connection.

"There is quite a large community of modelers, building in different scales, and different thread sizes would have different applications for many people," Rob told us. Colors like 011C Nickel, 021C Copper, and 001C Silver in Kreinik Cord realistically replicate certain wires and cables.

Rob ended up making a WWI "Eduard 1/48 Fokker EV Weekend Edition" model airplane with a little help from Kreinik metallic Cord (for aileron and rudder cables), and wrote about it here: http://www.internetmodeler.com/artman/publish/aviation/Fokker-E-V-Weekend-Edition.php. He also made a "Fokker Eindekker" with the threads and shared photos here: http://www.wwi-models.org/Images/StewartR/CP/index.html

So we found out metallic threads are perfect for replicating aileron and rudder cables, plug wires and rigging, among other various parts. Since we didn't know a lot about model airplane making, but were extremely impressed at the detailed work and use of our threads, Rob volunteered to make us a model. We contacted Jeff at Rare-Plane Detective who had an EDUARD 8036 Albatros D.III Weekend Edition model plane kit. Rob built the model for us and we are excited to share photos here. See if you can spot the Kreinik threads — threads so familiar in stitching techniques and fishing rod-wrapping are marvelous micro-threads to model makers.

(blog post originally published August 2010)