DH Hornet Moth scratchbuild

[Scratchbuilder]

With other projects on hold while I await stuff, I thought I'd have a crack at my long proposed collection of Moths.  Simply because there's a Hornet Moth at a little flying club I go to occasionally, I decided to start with that one.  They have G-ADMT there and I've been promised a flight in it next time I go.

 

Now, this is not going to please anyone, but I have decided to make these  models to 1/43rd scale.  A stupid, not on my steel rule scale that I would not normally touch with a barge pole, but because I have over the years made so many masters of cars in that scale, it seems a bit silly to pass up the chance of using some of them in scenic set-pieces with my aircraft.  beyond that it allows me if I'm really pushed, to use any of the modern diecasts in that scale. It's also a bit bigger than 1/48th, for which no decent model cars exist, at least none that I have made.

 

Now, although I got a ransom e-mail from PB recently, I still seem able to post pics from there. I don't understand it all and will keep using them as long as I can get away with it. After that, there won't be any more posts from me as I can't make head nor tail of all the other storers and all that code stuff people talk about.

 

I started by pricking out the side shape of the fuselage through the right sized prints onto 60 thou. styrene This will make the box which DH started with.  Then I'll add longerons to support 10 thou. skins that I will draw a ball point pen down from behind to represent the doped fabric being stretched over the longerons.

Doors and cowling sides will be in aluminium sheet, some litho, some K&S. I find K&S is wonderfully malleable, so the undertray on the nose will also be beaten from that over a Ureol (Renshape, Chemical wood) pattern, as will little scoops and bumps where needed.

 

 

More later when I've taken some pics.

 

Cheers,

Martin

[Scratchbuilder]

Just took some more pics.

 

Made the nose and put more framing on yesterday, then did the door, side panel and side skin today.

 

The lower undertray, which is present on the Hornet Moth, but not many others was beaten over the pattern seen on the left.  The panel fasteners were made in Sellotape aluminum.  The window frame was fretted from K&S 16 thou. ally sheet with a piercing saw and cleaned up with Swiss files.  The frames are a very distinctive aspect of the Hornet Moth's cabin.

IP from 60 thou, drilled for instruments and backed with 20 thou.

The skin can be seen with the longerons showing.

 

Cheers,

Martin

[Skodadriver]

This puts me in mind of the wonderful Harry Woodman.  I'm really looking forward to watching the Moth develop but I can't help wondering if it might not be better in Work in Progress?

[Scratchbuilder]

I'm not really that au fait with the forum protocols, so if it should be put in WIP, I leave it to the mods to decide.  Maybe a note in classic civil that the thread has moved, so that we don't have too bare a section there?

I leave it to the mods. if I may.

 

Just carved the prop from Steamed Pear, now off to make a spinner to complete that end of things.

 

Cheers,

Martin

[Scratchbuilder]

Here we are with a typically lousy picture of the other side's skin added in 10 thou., the seat, engraved with pleats and the luggage shelf behind it. I believe the fuel tank is under it.

The IP is also now in and the prop finished, bar the sanding sealer/varnish. Spinner turned in ally to fit. Ally sheet for door and cowl panel to do next for this side.

 

Cheers,

Martin

[Scratchbuilder]

Rather better quality pics of the Hornet Moth so far. Front cowl side panel and door on the st'b'd side, roof sheet and the sky lights done.  U/c legs done in nickel silver and filed to aerofoil section, fin and rudder made.  I didn't want to have troubles rolling 10 thou round the front edge of the rudder, so I represented the ribs and tapes with the very finest (5 thou.) microrod I have.  Alas I am running out of it and I can't find any more!  To "ramp" off the spaces 'twixt ribs a finger full of my lovely Feines Spachtel, of which I stole a tube from Firme Volke in Wolfsburg when I was making show cars for VW, Skoda and SEAT. That was 1997 and I've been using it ever since.  Dries so much quicker than one shot cellulose filler. I think it might be epoxy.  A finger full of 180 and finish with 800 will get the rudder up to shape.  The ally fairing twixt fin and fuselage will be applied in Milliput and then very carefully filed to shape.

Oh, forgot to mention the very strange his or hers control column!

 

Cheers,

Martin

[k5054nz]

Gorgeous work, Martin! I do love Moths and it's wonderful to see the effort going into this one.

 

The Hawk Moth's the one I want to see you do

[Scratchbuilder]

Zac,

thanks.  I do intend to run through a series of Moths, but the Hawk Moth is not one as I don't like radial engines.  But the methods are similar if you want to have a crack at doing your own one.

 

Cheers,

Martin

 

[JWM]

Beautiful work! Will you park it near an old Aston Martin in 1/43?

Cheers

J-W

[Scratchbuilder]

J-W, thanks.  I have an AC 16/90 that I did the master for many years ago that I can put some decent photo-etched wire wheels on and park near it.  I did once scratchbuild an Aston Martin LM7 Le Mans car, but I don't know where that went.

 

Martin