CliffB Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 As my Dragon Rapide build is nearing completion, it's time to think about my second entry in the GB, which will be this. I will be building the blue option which, like my Dragon Rapide, was operated by the Yugoslav airline Aeroput. Aeroput operated their Puss Moth during 1931 and 1932. They then flew it back to Hatfield and part-exchanged it for a Fox Moth (UN-SAK) which, by a happy coincidence, just happened to be the subject of my build in this year's KUTA GB! The Omega Puss Moth resin kit appears to be quite nicely moulded (definitely better than the Omega Breguet XIX that I built). However, the framing for the front of the cockpit canopy must be scratch built and all glazing must be cut from acetate sheet (a small piece of which is provided), or in-filled using Krystal Klear/Clearfix. This is definitely going to be the tricky bit. Here are the parts - note the three little bombs and the pair of skiis . See you later. Cliff 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Swindell Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 Got a bit of a theme going there Cliff! Nice to see the Puss Moth, I've been eyeing th Omega kit, but it's a bit on the pricy side. Quality doesn't look too bad though, so I'll be interested to see how it progresses. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allyby Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 Where's my popcorn. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAG058 Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 Your certainly throwing yourself into this GB Cliff, another very interesting entry! If it turns out half as good as your KUTA build it will be a stunner. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted March 10, 2017 Author Share Posted March 10, 2017 10 hours ago, Dave Swindell said: Got a bit of a theme going there Cliff! Nice to see the Puss Moth, I've been eyeing th Omega kit, but it's a bit on the pricy side. Quality doesn't look too bad though, so I'll be interested to see how it progresses. Thanks Dave. Yes Omega kits can be a bit expensive, although I think they're cheaper if you buy direct from them. The Yugoslav boxing is quite difficult to find now, so I paid top money for this one. Probably a mistake, as the markings would not be difficult to source from spares or print off oneself. 10 hours ago, allyby said: Where's my popcorn. Welcome aboard allyby! 8 hours ago, DAG058 said: Your certainly throwing yourself into this GB Cliff, another very interesting entry! If it turns out half as good as your KUTA build it will be a stunner. Cheers DAG. It's probably my favourite ever GB theme (apart of course from Radial Engines Rock ). Cliff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandboof Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Another one to watch Good luck Martin H 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 Nice choice of subject again Cliff. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted March 18, 2017 Author Share Posted March 18, 2017 Thanks Martin and Col I've been taking a break from my Dragon Rapide build, waiting until I'm in the mood for rigging So I've been cracking on with the Puss Moth It's gone together remarkably easily, with just a few surface blemishes requiring attention. As provided though, the nose seems to be the wrong shape. The part is curved on top, whereas I think it should peaked (like a ridge tent). I've sanded it to a better shape, although overall I still think that the nose is a bit bulbous. As I mentioned before, the major challenge with the kit is the cockpit glazing as no transparency is provided. I'm planning to use a combination of clear sheet and Kristal Klear (for the smallest windows). To help support the clear pieces, I've added some strategically placed bits of plastic strip. After getting used to the Dragon Rapide's long slender wings, the Puss Moth's appear particularly short and stubby. Quite different to most other inter-war de Havillands I think. The plan is to get this finished in time for Cosford, to be part of a small display of Yugoslav de Havillands that will be on the Shropshire Scale Modellers/IPMS Telford stand (Hanger 1) Cheers Cliff 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisk Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 Nice progress Cliff. Making your own glazing will be a challenge and I look forward to seeing your approach of the task. Can't see an easier way without making a vacu mold. Cheers, Peter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandboof Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 Great work Will be watching your glazing with interest Martin H 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyTiger66 Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 I'm watching this with interest Cliff. I have the Spanish boxing of the kit. I remember opening it, looking at how the front glazing was to be done, and closing it with a very furrowed brow! You've done a grand job on it. I have a good 10 or more Omega kits, including a couple of variations the Breguet. I've built..none! I had better look up your Breguet . Superb subject, nice reshaping of the cowl Best regards TonyT 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted March 22, 2017 Author Share Posted March 22, 2017 Thank you Peter, Martin and Tony I have a plan for the glazing, but let's see what happens. It will be the last thing I do (hopefully just on this model, rather than ever!). In the meantime I've painted the flying surfaces and applied the wing decals. There is good news and bad news regarding the Omega kit decals. The good news is that they apply wonderfully, having good colour density and settling down nicely over contours with no effort at all. The bad news is this, from which you are supposed to make up the registration UN-SAA. Yes, the U and N are much thinner than the S and A. Crazy! I wanted to use the kit's S as it has a very distinctive shape, so set about printing off my own UN- to match. Luckily, I found that the Arial Narrow font, printed 'bold' gave a reasonable match. Not perfect, but I think it works OK. I have been fortunate to receive expert advice on the colours of this aircraft from Nenad Miklusev (aka Supercuber here on Britmodeller), who believes that these letters should actually be dark blue. Unfortunately this would be a step to far for me (an excuse that I will use again shortly, when I come to do the fuselage lettering ). Cheers Cliff 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted March 28, 2017 Author Share Posted March 28, 2017 The latest update...... Fuselage painted and decals applied (which should apparantly be silver with black surrounds). The photo was taken just after I'd used Kristal Klear to glaze the small triangular cockpit windows (it will dry clear ). I'll be using acetate sheet to glaze the remaining, larger, side windows (a single piece for each side, applied from inside), and for the roof (the last bit to be fitted, from outside). The roof should actually be slightly domed, but will just curve in one dimension on mine. Hopefully it won't look too bad once the framing is applied. Unfortunately, I've no time to work on this now until Thursday, but I should get it finished then. Happy days! Cliff 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAG058 Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 She's looking great. What did you use for the gloss blue? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted March 29, 2017 Author Share Posted March 29, 2017 8 hours ago, DAG058 said: She's looking great. What did you use for the gloss blue? Thanks DAG058 The blue is Humbrol 25 acrylic, which has been buffed and then brush painted with several coats of slightly diluted Klear. Cliff 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted March 31, 2017 Author Share Posted March 31, 2017 The little Puss Moth is now finished The glazing turned out surprisingly well, but I'm not really happy with the undercarriage. I made this out-of-the-box and I think it has a few problems. Most notable are the long vertcal strut (which should be wider, shaped and have a telescopic section at the bottom) and the wheels which are a bit too small (I may change them). Having said all this, on the table it looks sweet and fits in nicely with by other Aeroput aircraft. Thanks again for all your support . I'm off now to build something 'experimental', but may be back later with a Bolivian DH.9! Cliff 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Nice build Cliff, a pretty little model of a pretty plane. Those wings do take some getting used to on an early DH like this though. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAG058 Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Another beauty Cliff! Very well done. Thanks again for taking part and I'm already settling down for that DH.9, please don't make me wait too long... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted March 31, 2017 Share Posted March 31, 2017 Very nice Cliff. But I don't see the wing struts. And... what did you use for the silver dope? I am having a lot of trouble finding any decent silver. My Moth Minor had Humbrol 27001 or 02 (something like that)airbrushed on and I still think it looks too 'glittery'! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted April 1, 2017 Author Share Posted April 1, 2017 Thanks guys - I'm glad you like it 11 hours ago, Paul J said: Very nice Cliff. But I don't see the wing struts. And... what did you use for the silver dope? I am having a lot of trouble finding any decent silver. My Moth Minor had Humbrol 27001 or 02 (something like that)airbrushed on and I still think it looks too 'glittery'! I hadn't noticed the missing wing struts Paul! They are there of course, just hidden from view by the wings - I couldn't have picked a worse camera angle . The extra photos in the gallery show the wing struts in all their glory. I'm currently using Tamiya Flat Aluminium (XF-16), overcoated with satin varnish, for my silver dope finishes. It's OK, but not as good as my old jar of Games Workshop Mithril Silver (alas now all used up), which was somewhat brighter and had incredibly fine pigment. I have yet to try their latest formulation, so I'm hoping that it will be just as good. Cliff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandboof Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 Another awesome creation from you Well done again Martin H 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allyby Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 Lovely model and great finish. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 What a delightful model. Great work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyTiger66 Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 Very nice Cliff. It has turned out very well, thanks to your thoughtful approach and good, neat modelling. A lovely paint finish and those windows have worked out well, a good solution. I'm a little less worried about taking mine out of the box now. Will the DH9 be 1/72? I adore the appearance of the original DH9, simply don't have a clue how to do it in 1/72 (apart from the hard to find Blue Rider fuselage conversion). A lovely build as always Cliff TonyT 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimrod54 Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 Whoosh! There it was done, sorry Cliff, I completely missed this stunning little model until I spotted it in the gallery. Well done on another cracking build. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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