Hobbycraft 1/72 DHC-8 / Dash-8

[DrewP]

Shame is, not only 2 months ago and this kit was going for $23.99 + $6.99 shipping. If only I'd taken advantage of that! Now the cheapest one is $28.99 (after 1 bid) and $24 shipping! The most expensive one I've seen just from basic research is $80 plus $25 shipping! It's a cool kit of a cool subject, but not even close to worth $100!!

[rossm]

Good walkaround here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDDVlFmx1o0

If you stop it at 1:12 you can see all the detail I want to scribe into the nacelles - engine access panel, rear u/c doors, tailcone and one panel line from the trailing edge to the tailcone under the exhaust.

I've looked at the nazca-decals set found by Alex and it provides most of that - just not sure decal is going to look convincing and 13 euro is a lot just to check that out. Even so I've sent an email to see if they are still in business, the dates on the site are all from 10 years back!

Still a couple of questions I couldn't answer from that video - is there an obvious intake for the APU and the exact exhaust shape is clearer but not totally resolved.

Exhaust helped by https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_MClH3f6Zo

Have been trying the windscreen panels, some fettling is needed to make them fit but should look OK for me. More as it happens.........

[rossm]

After plenty of CAREFUL chamfering, sanding and scraping the two windscreen halves do pretty much fit, just slightly proud at the lower rear port corner so a shim needed before fixing (just tacked in place at the mo). The "ledges" moulded in by Hobbycraft to aid alignment show very obviously but little can be done (LTS again).

Wondering what to use for adhesive, my usual Krystal Klear may not take the handling needed for masking but I don't want to craze the clear parts so maybe fix with KK then reinforce with epoxy on the "ledges" where it can't be seen?

[rossm]

Just got an email, Nazca decals are still available, do I or don't I?

[rossm]

Just got an email, Nazca decals are still available, do I or don't I?

I did go for some. Minor update today, not worth a photo, in that I have glued the windscreen panels with KK, any worries about masking will be solved by doing as much as possible before I join the fuselage halves. Have also decided to use KK for the cabin windows as the kit glazing didn't sit flush with the surface but that will be done after painting. Also decided to use a lengtht of tube as a wing spar so some drilling to be done which I wish I had done before attaching the cockpit glazing but nobody is perfect. Dry fitted one nacelle and it definitely needs an exhaust, I have a drinking straw which is almost perfect but if I can find one a mm or so bigger it would be better.

Spinners rubbed down and a second coat of Mr.Surfacer will be needed to build up the shape.

Final thought is that to simplify masking I will paint the blue before attaching the wings.

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

Nice!

My father was the station engineer for Brymon in Aberdeen for a number of years. I knew the Dash 7s pretty well and saw the Dash 8-100s in and out. By the time I started going to help wash the aircraft down on Saturdays (all pre-9/11!) the -100s were gone and replaced by the -300s.

I have a real soft spot for the big de Havillands. I'll be watching this with interest and enthusiasm

[rossm]

Having a bit of a go slow on this, I've done my regular migration from Norfolk to Cornwall which brings me back to the B-57 mentioned in my first post so that'll be the focus for now. It's at the decalling stage so shouldn't hold me up too long.

In the meantime I have some Albion Alloys 1/4" brass tube which will make the exhausts but the shape of the nacelle will need some careful adjustment at the rear of the upper wing part. Strangely the box art shows the missing engine panel detail and the correct exhaust shape - if only it had made it into the kit.

PS next time I think of travelling on the A14 on a Monday (or a Friday given that the last time I tried that was an exact replica of last Monday) someone please shoot me, it'll be less painful!

Edited July 21, 2016 by rossm

[rossm]

Nazca decals have arrived and look good, will say more when B-57 finished.

[rossm]

B-57 finished http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235007705-vnaf-b-57-canberra-172-italeri/ so will be restarting the Dash 8 real soon now!

Current thinking is to ditch the BA scheme and go for Brymon instead as that is basically overall white and I can use the Nazca decals for all the doors and the missing panel lines - there is far more detail in the decals than I could ever scribe. It will be an experiment to see how it turns out, hopefully not too toylike.

Anyone want the BA decals?

[rossm]

Brymon decals have been ordered and I'm about to go back to fixing the windscreen and joining the fuselages halves while I ponder the next problem - the exhausts. This is what they look like in the kit and if anyone has any reference shots to help me figure out what they should look like please let me know.

Edited August 28, 2016 by rossm

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

I am glad you are going through all this before I start mine Ross!

I can see why you are after pictures of this area, what do you do with it without refs!

I found a couple of distance shots on Airliners.net that give an idea of what is in that area.

Jazz Air

US Army

[rossm]

Thanks TrojanThunder - that US Army shot helps a bit.

I probably should have posted the walkaround link before now http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234922933-bombardier-de-havilland-canada-dash-8/

Work today has been adding the cockpit interior and nose weight - all of the lead I could find and three of Her Majesty's pence - plus filling the wing leading edges using Mr Surfacer and drilling out the blobs that are meant to be landing lights.

I must remember I was going to mask the windscreen before joining the fuselage halves in case of adhesion problems with the Krystal Kleer.

Another task in the near future will be to add the little fences near the wingtips, they show so clearly in the walkaround I think they overrule the Life's Too Short (LTS) policy I'm trying to follow for this build.

Final thought - do I droop the elevator?

Edited August 29, 2016 by rossm

[Jessica]

Radleigh, on 12 Jul 2016 - 03:32 AM, said:

Cool! Not seen a WIP before of one of these... Don't see too many built either.

There's a reason for that.

[rossm]

Wing fences done and cutouts made for wingtip lights - hoping I can build them up with Krystal. The penny is too far forward so needs a little filing before the fuselage will fit but these things happen.

The answer to drooping the elevator is that it's a complicated cut and would make 3 pieces to align without any help from the kit so LTS applies!

[rossm]

A bit of modelling mixed with a lot of decorating these last couple of days.

I've been working on the exhausts - just one side so far - and before joining the nacelle halves I cut ut the 'bulkhead' and opened out the cutout with a 6.5mm drill followed by a 7mm drill using my normal DIY type cordless drill/driver set to slow and holding the parts in my fingers. Please don't try this at home, health and safety would have a fit.

I also thinned the rear of the wing part - a bit too much as you can see in the photo. I joined the nacelle halves and with some filing got some 7mm brass tube to fit. Two points - the tube makes an excellent reamer and I chamfered it to slide under the wing part a little. When I have cut and shaped the tube I plan to build up the plastic around it using a mix of two part epoxy glue and talcum powder.

First the parts as worked on and then how they all fit together (sorry about the quality but hopefully you see the idea)............

[rossm]

So time to join the wing and the nacelle, I carefully cleaned up the mating surfaces but it really isn't going to happen

Time for brute force and ignorance - the patented clothes peg extender (piece of sprue wedged by the hinge) comes in handy, note the rather agricultural file used for opening the exhaust in the background!

Looking forward to doing all this for the other side in due course

Edited September 4, 2016 by rossm

[rossm]

Well the other side wasn't too bad, I suppose it's easier when you know what you are doing. I wasn't brave enough on the angle of the cut in the brass tube so plenty of filing to be done, better than going too far though. Fit between the rear of the wing part and the nacelle isn't great either.

[rossm]

And after some filing I'm getting there....

[Scott Hemsley]

Of a general note, while in a PM discussion of his build and in addition to the refinements rossm has already done to his build, he suggested I post the following list to aid others embarking on the HobbyCraft Dash 8 kit. This list of obvious kit flaws originally appeared on the decal placement instructions for a CT-142 'Gonzo' (Canadian Forces Dash-8 navigation training variant. The 'Gonzo' nickname stems from the long bulbous nose and it's resemblance to the Muppet's character, Gonzo) that was produced by Leading Edge Models. Unfortunately, the two CT-142 sheets Dave Koss did, are now long OOP.

However, this list will apply to all Dash 8 builds - military or civilian:

- nose too narrow

- cabin windows too large. (If your aftermarket decal sheet provides decals for the cabin windows, that may be an option to consider. This may be an issue if the final appearance of a chosen livery is dependant upon a relationship of the windows to a cheat-line )

- wing root fillet too small. It needs to be 'beefed-up' both on the front and the rear, as well as widened.

- the 'mystery bump' running along the base of the fin fillet and a portion of the rear spine, needs to be removed. (I would suggest backfilling a portion of this bulge prior to it's removal, lest you go through the plastic)

- engine nacelles too square along the bottom

- engine air inlet-to-spinner contour not deep enough

- tail bumper incorrect size/shape

- APU inlet/outlet not present

- Dash 8 doesn't have a 'gull wing'. Dave suggests you fill the wing directly above the fuselage to make it straight and level between the nacelles, then add a 2deg dihedral to the outer wing sections

- elevators/ailerons need a more airfoil shape

- tires/wheels are inaccurate

- small wing fence needs to be added near each wing tip

Scott

Edited September 7, 2016 by Scott Hemsley

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Nice work on the exhausts Ross and thanks of the list of refinements Scott.

Off to buy some 7mm brass tube.

[rossm]

Off to buy some 7mm brass tube.

In old money - 9/32"

[rossm]

and that's both done as much as they are going to get, now for the filler. Note I flattened the top of the tube to try to get it as near flush to the upper surface as possible and put some plastic card onto the inner end of the tube to close it off. I've had a think about Scott's list and decided that as this work on the exhaust was as much about making a neat job as a correction then I'm going to ignore most of the points and continue just adding detail - e.g. some aerials rather than going all out on correcting the kit. LTS rules OK!

Edited September 9, 2016 by rossm

[rossm]

In case you're thinking it's all gone quiet I've been doing some decorating while my epoxy/talc mixture set (sort of). Obviously the new epoxy glue I bought wasn't like the old lot which set rock hard in 24hrs.

 

Have now started rubbing down / Mr.Surfacer / rubbing down loop and will post more when I move on.

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

I was going top have a go at my exhausts on the weekend at a club build display table. I manged to leave a few critical bits out of the kit box I took with me. I managed to open up the engine intake and add some bulkheads to hide the internals of the nacelle though.

 

Now I have had another look at your attempt Ross I have a few ideas on how to tackle mine.

 

[rossm]

Shooting at my feet again, after the epoxy that was not a good idea now I have decided to attach the windscreen parts with solvent glue as I tried rubbing down and polishing the bits that were proud but, of course, the Krystal Kleer couldn't take it. So Mr. Surfacer and polishing around them as well. Still, it's progress of sorts.