DH 60 Gypsy Moth - Amy's Jason G-AAAH ++ Finished ++

[CedB]

Phil ( @HP42 ) very kindly sent me some kits "to help reduce his stash problem"; what a very kind man - thanks again Phil. Among them is this one:

 

 

Amy Johnson's Jason G-AAAH. The 'This Day In Aviation' website says:

 

24 May 1930: After a 19-day, 11,000 mile (17,700 kilometer), solo flight from Croyden Aerodrome, London, England, 26-year-old Amy Johnson arrived at Darwin, Australia in her de Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth, G-AAAH, named Jason. She received a £10,000  prize from the Daily Mail newspaper.

 

So I'm a bit late with the start but have a couple of weeks to finish. The aircraft is preserved at the Science Museum, Kensington, London.

 

It looks as though the silver parts are pre-painted:

 

Untitled by Ced Bufton, on Flickr

 

but there's 'some flash' on the parts:

 

 

Ahem. The Amy figures are interesting:

 

 

and I'll be using the seated pilot - the monster standing figure, which looks as though it's wearing hot pants, will be unused (sorry mega-Amy).

The painting instructions are a bit unhelpful:

 

 

but there's another set of instructions on the Scalemates site that say 'Mid Brunswick Green' which the 'net says is BS226 and my Modelkit app says that's a match with Humbrol 116, which I have. Looks a bit dark? Please let me know if there's a better match.

 

Robert's doing the 1/48 Amodel version and there's some interesting references there, including a link to the actual rigging instructions.

[Grandboof]

Good choice Love the box art 

Martin H

[HP42]

Ooh goody! I was hoping you'd do this one first! I'm wondering how you'll sort the decals out as the kit ones were toast.

 

It occurred to me to get a picture of the actual badge on the real aircraft, do a little mucking about in photoshop and then print it out on decal paper. Having said that, here's a website who do the real thing as a vinyl graphic, though the background might be a different colour to Jason.  http://graphicsmaxx.com/de-havilland-gipsy-moth-aircraft-logo-vinyl-graphics-decal.html/

 

Here's the AA badge... again, an image for inspiration..

 

Still working on the 'Jason' artwork.

 

 

 

 

Ringside seat on this one, popcorn on order  along with a Westlers Hotdog you used to see advertised (...but were never convinced they were actually edible foodstuff ).

[CedB]

Thanks Martin  I like the box art too, except it shows a closed front cabin and a windscreen... not present in it's current state or in the model. I think I'll take the easy route as usual (but I may scratch a screen)

 

Thanks Phil, especially for the kit! The kit decals do look, er, old, so I've scanned them and given them a coat of Decal Film. In case they fall apart, here's the first go at cleaning up the scan:

 

Transfers Cleaned by Ced Bufton, on Flickr

 

not to scale! I can do some more close up work - that one's just colour selected and white filled in a few minutes. The hardest ones are going to be the silver ones so I'm hoping they'll survive - they are tiny.

 

This afternoon I used some masking tape to 'template' some instrument panels:

 

 

hack them to rough shape:

 

 

and then sand them to fit, holding them in one side using Blutak (Giorgio's tip - I'm learning!). I'm going to use Ian's technique for wood effect and stick some Mike Grant decals on.

 

I searched the 'net to find some pictures of Amy for figure painting and... er... oooh missus... I say, pretty gal what! Fnaar snurf... oh no, wait, that's Amy Jo Johnson. Amy (the pilot) appears to be clothed in a large leather coat with leather helmet and what look like Sea socks (unlike Amy Jo who wears much less, yip yip). The figure and seat got painted along with the first coat on the i/ps:

 

 

More soon!

[The Spadgent]

Oh I see. Two on the go is it? Great start Ced, that kit looks as old as the hills. I'll look farward to watching this from my sitting/lying position. 

 

Johnny knot.

[DAG058]

That box art! You've got to save that, it would be a crime to bin it. The kit looks fun, watching with interest. 

[CedB]

Thanks Johnny - get well soon! I suffer from back pain too, like many Some time ago my GP said I needed a muscle relaxant and a pain killer. "What do you suggest?" I asked. "Do you drink?" he replied. "Yes" said I. "Do that." he said and then refused to prescribe anything. It's a 'remedy' I've been using ever since - just drink responsibly, lie on the floor and, occasionally, make sure you can still get up. If it persists see an Osteopath - they'll soon bash you back into shape!

 

Thanks DAG - I don't usually keep my box art (it's on the 'net) but if you'd like it PM me and I'll pop it in the post  

 

Mike Grant decals applied and all ready for assembly:

 

Untitled by Ced Bufton, on Flickr

 

Notice anything? Neither did I. The i/p carefully marked with a 'F' for front was then stuck on a stick with 'tak thereby hiding the 'F'. I thought I'd put them 'in the right order' in the foam but obviously not. Sometimes, honestly...

 

Even the non-F won't fit with Amy in place:

 

 

so trimming is required before applying some more dials.

Better news - I've completed the clean up of the transfer scan (oh my poor eyes!) and they're a big improvement over the originals:

 

 

just test printed on plain paper but even the silver looks OK. Here's the file:

 

 

I'll fit the i/ps and close up next. When I've had some patience juice!

[nimrod54]

Amy looks very snug in her sheepskin Ced. Watching with interest.

[CedB]

Thanks John

 

I love my RP Toolz punches. I'm trying not to treat myself to the other set. That said, lining up the dials isn't that easy but, with one eye closed, pretty straightforward:

 

 

Just double check the dials. Although they're hard to see 'by eye' someone will notice that you've used a modern compass (the aircraft profile) if you're not careful and you'll have to throw it away (ask me how I know!). Amy and the i/ps were fitted:

 

 

 

Good enough for the ceiling. Close up and clamped using those new things, which seem quite good:

 

 

Especially the stand. Nice.

[Avereda]

Cracking stuff, you're already way ahead of me and I started back in March

 

[CedB]

Hi Avereda - just popped over to your thread (not my scale and I'm not in that GB so I've missed it) and you're doing a great job. I wish I'd seen Robert's link to the cockpit photo but hey ho, too late now  

 

Done some things with the wings and empennage:

 

 

I guess the kit's designed for modellers who keep their models on the shelf:

 

 

Even I can't put those down to weathering. Gaaah! (See what I did there? Oh, suit yourself...)

[Avereda]

1 hour ago, CedB said:

I wish I'd seen Robert's link to the cockpit photo but hey ho, too late now

 

I don't think I'd worry too much about that (I didn't), Jason was restored after Amy pranged it during the victory tour of Australia.

[Grandboof]

Good looking IPs 

Martin H

[CedB]

Thanks Avereda - always good to know there are 'reasons' for variations, especially as I'm pretty lazy  

Thanks Martin - Ian's wood effect requires some practice and I need more, but the decals cover most sins

 

The ejector marks on the wings go right across the ribs. Luckily the marks are raised rather than indented so, marking the rib with Dymo tape, I removed the marks with a 1mm chisel:

 

 

I even used another piece of tape for the other wing - no expense spared - and tidied up with a fibreglass pen:

 

 

Those remaining marks are where, like the Rapide, the sanding has gone through the paint and exposed the darker plastic. I can't feel any ridges or dents. Honest.

Paint will tell later!

[The Spadgent]

Love your docs cure for back pain. I'll have to give it a go. I'm easing up a Bit now thanks. The ip looks great, those pin marks are a bit much though., honestly what were they thinking? Nice chiselling action. 

 

Johnny back

[CedB]

Thanks Johnny - glad to hear your back's improving  

 

Sanding and filling this morning with the same problem I had with the Rapide - when you sand off the excess and go through the paint the darker plastic looks like a seam. Gaaah! (Done it again!)

 

The slot for the stand has had some Humbrol filler:

 

 

which will obviously need sanding. I've splashed some H116 on the seams:

 

 

which looks darker than the box art. Hmmm. Modelkit says Mid Brunswick green is H116, assuming I'm reading this right:

 

 

I can't find a user guide for ModelKit - it's a great app and I'd really like to know how to use it properly. Oh well. 

 

I have to say the photos of Jason in the Science Museum do look darker than the box art so I think I'll carry on and see what we get.

[Beard]

Is there a mid Brunswick green? Brunswick green is Humbrol 03.

 

Nice work on the ejector marks.

 

[CedB]

Thanks Simon Yes, apparently there are three in BS381c; BS225 - Light Brunswick Green, BS226 Middle and, you've guessed it, BS 227 Deep. Who'd a thought it?

 

Jason's slot got filled (fnaar fnaar... too much? Sorry) and then brushed witt Mr Dissolved Putty in the (probably vain hope) that it will self-level and need no more sanding:

 

Untitled by Ced Bufton, on Flickr

 

The transfers for the Rapide have arrived so he's taking second place now, unless I want some 'easy modelling'.

[Beard]

1 hour ago, CedB said:

[...] apparently there are three in BS381c; BS225 - Light Brunswick Green, BS226 Middle and, you've guessed it, BS 227 Deep. Who'd a thought it?

 

Not me, that's for sure!

 

Apparently it was popular on front doors and railings... also on De Havilland Moths it seems.

 

I forsee some paint mixing for you.

[Avereda]

1 hour ago, CedB said:

Thanks Simon Yes, apparently there are three in BS381c; BS225 - Light Brunswick Green, BS226 Middle and, you've guessed it, BS 227 Deep. Who'd a thought it?

 

 

Not Amodel apparently, the instructions suggest Humbrol 30 but I'm not convinced that's any more accurate.

[CedB]

Thanks Simon Paint mixing? Er...

Thanks Avereda - H30? Crikey, that's good old camo dark green and I have LOTS of that. Hmmm. Might be worth a look.

[bbudde]

Just an interisting one, I think. So I'min here for that. And an old school build of a Frog kit.

Please do the Mega figure in a pink hot pants for me like Freddy Mercury in his video of 'I want to break free'

But you will need a vacuum cleaner too

Cheers

[CedB]

Thanks Benedikt - pink hots pants... no chance!

 

As a break from rigging the Rapide I sloshed some H30 on the Gypsy:

 

Untitled by Ced Bufton, on Flickr

 

First coat, obviously, but what do we think?

[Beard]

You may have found a use for Humbrol 30.

The following link gives the RGB (21.57% red, 32.16% green and 25.49% blue)

http://encycolorpedia.com/375241

[BIG X]

1 hour ago, Beard said:

You may have found a use for Humbrol 30.

The following link gives the RGB (21.57% red, 32.16% green and 25.49% blue)

http://encycolorpedia.com/375241

Wow - that is a brilliant website - saved to favourites