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Douglas World Cruiser


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Came across this recently. I thought it was an unusual subject.

Thusly one model was purchased

 

The box, shows it with wheels;

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2001s-M.jpg

 

However, included in the parts are floats as well as wheels;

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2002s-M.jpg

 

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2003s-M.jpg

 

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2004s-M.jpg

 

The decals. The box says you can build any of of the 5 of these; but you can't really. Each was named for a US city [Boston/Boston II/Chicago/New Orleans/Seattle] and the name 'Seattle' is not provided. The red centre dot on the star is printed off-set so I'll have to replace them with decals from the files. I'll probably paint the rudder stripes too.

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2005s-M.jpg

 

Instructions are on two sides of a B3 sized page. One side has the history and detail information, the other has the building/ marking/rigging details.

Two tiny bits of thin clear plastic are provided for the cockpits' windscreens, circled here

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2006s-M.jpg

 

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2007s-M.jpg

 

Four Douglas World Cruisers set off in April 1924 to fly around the world. Only two made it back. 'Seattle' crashing early on, and 'Boston' crashing on part of the last section across the Atlantic.

'Boston II' was the original un-named trainer for the crews and was hurriedly sorted and named and joined 'Chicago' and 'New Orleans' for the very final section. The last two are preserved in museums.

The DWC started off with floats, then changed to wheels for about half the flight, then back to floats then back to wheels.

 

This kit allows you to mainly build one of the two preserved DWC. The instructions are clear on that and advise on a few small changes if you want to build a DWC as they started out.

Thats what I'll be doing - well thats the plan anyway

 

First job, maybe tomorrow, is to drill the holes for the rigging. I use the monofilament fishing line in holes right through the wings method. It suits me well.

Some flash needs removed from parts too.

 

Here I would like to publically thank the people who have taken photos of the preserved DWC and posted them on the internet. I have save some to my reference file for this and those photos show me rigging details, fuel lines etcetera

 

PS; What Humbrol green would be best/closest/nearly right for the green on this? Instructions says 'Khaki'.  Any suggestions?

 

 

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That's a nice choice, and a good summary introduction thank you.

 

I'm interested to see the decals, particularly that pale blue.  Your machine is a contemporary (1925) of my subject for this group build the Curtiss CR-3 (1923). The kit decals are similarly pale blue. I had wondered if this might be a printing error.  A typical reflex - blame the kit - but your decals suggest the more likely case is my ignorance! US national insignia might have been this pale blue back then? I feel the need for a little research coming on ...

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Hi Black Knight,

 

Welcome to the GB! You've chosen an interesting aircraft and your introduction was very informative and a great start to your thread!

 

Best of luck and looking forward for the next post.

 

Cheers

 

Jaime

 

 

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23 hours ago, greggles.w said:

...

I'm interested to see the decals, particularly that pale blue.  Your machine is a contemporary (1925) of my subject for this group build the Curtiss CR-3 (1923). The kit decals are similarly pale blue. I had wondered if this might be a printing error.  A typical reflex - blame the kit - but your decals suggest the more likely case is my ignorance! US national insignia might have been this pale blue back then? I feel the need for a little research coming on ...

I think the blue is too light. From 1917/18 into the early 1920s the blue on the blue/white star/red was lighter

Type%202%2C%201917-1918%2C%20%28differen

than the blue of the 1919 -1941 period

Type%204%2C%20USAAC%201919-1941%2001s.jp

but not that light

The 1917/18 to early 1920s blue was similar to the RAF blue of that period - an ultramarine blue. I find Revell 51 paint a good match.

 

I had time for modelling on Thursday but not the ability.

I have a right eye infection at the mo and it hinders model making a bit

Just need to do overtime on Saturday/Sunday

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Thank you. I have ointment for it now.

 

I achieved some today. A lot of scraping parts to remove over-moulding or flash

And drilling holes, lots of holes, lots and lots of holes.................................ok, so maybe not that many, maybe about 70

 

If you have or get this kit you'll find its like a short-run special type, not a shake'n'bake

 

Other than holes made and scraping I -

put about 20g of lead in the forward ends of the floats;

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2008s-M.jpg

 

Built up the cockpit parts;

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2010s-S.jpg

 

painted radiator and prop;

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2009s-M.jpg

 

Due to the way the cockpit coaming area goes onto the fuselage its hard to do any cockpit insides details, but I put a couple of bits on the sides to have somat there. The i/p are supplied as decals and fit nicely;

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2012s-M.jpg

 

You need to check and recheck at every stage in building this kit.

I glued the cockpit floor to the strbrd fuselage half, aligning it with the small tabs there for it; but the floor needs to be about 3mm forward of the suggested place if you want the coaming with the i/ps to fit over the seats

 

The fuselage is now closed up and the engine built.

Should be able to get the coaming and the lower wing on tonight.

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The floats closed up, a wee bit of fillers along the top to fill some uneveness.

These have a keel which at first look seems like flash along the bottom edge of each half. Also two holes in the side of just one half [each float] needs drilling out for attaching a strut

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2013s-M.jpg

 

The rudder getting painted white. I cut the elevators and glued them in a dropped position

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2014s-M.jpg

 

As it is for the night; the engine has some nice detailing but its all hidden. Upper side of lower wing painted

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2015s-M.jpg

 

Lower side of upper wing painted;

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2016s-M.jpg

the paint will get a chance to dry overnight.

The fuselage mid joint and fuselage/wing joint need smoothing before more painting.

Then the top wing goes on

 

The markings;

Top are the kit decals, lower are on the sheet I'll be using.

The lighter blue splodge is Humbrol 25, the darker blue splodge is Revell 51 Ultramarine Blue ~ close enuf for government work

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2017s-M.jpg

 

 

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Hello BK,

Really good choice, I love that William Bros kits !

And You will finish her quickly, another rush start !

Very nice job, congratulations.

SincerelY

Corsaircorp

What about the knight of NI ?

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Cockpits' trim painted, windscreen for front cockpit is on, some fishing line in place for the cabane struts rigging, all before the top wing goes on;

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2018s-M.jpg

 

With the top wing on fuel lines added using wire and the start of the rigging; working from inner to outer;

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2019s-M.jpg

 

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With the floats assembled and a few struts on and all the top painted the front struts' rigging was added. The rear strut gets rigged when the floats are attached to the lower wing.

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2021s-M.jpg

 

Since these were taken the main interplane rigging has commenced.

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23.30-ish; stopping for a tea break

Main plane's rigging is done, a little bit of fillers into the holes in the wings

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2022s-M.jpg

 

The tail planes and fin/rudder have been glued on and the fin painted - when that is set I can add the struts and rigging

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2 hours ago, janneman36 said:

...

You don't see these often build..i still have one in my stash for about 20 years now:D

20 years? Thats the first indicarion of how old this kit is.

There is nothing on either the box nor the instructions in way of a date

 

no photo [yet]; I decided to paint the top of the tailplanes orange for the last job this evening

I use gloss orange as an undercoat for yellow

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Where I'll leave it for today;

Tail mostly painted, the yellow could do with another coat

Orange on the top of the top wing as undercoat for the yellow

All this paint needs time to dry and harden

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2023s-M.jpg

 

I'm busy this afternoon and evening. I may get back to this late tonight.

The next bit I think is to attach the floats and rig the tail planes

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Thanks chaps.

I didn't get back home until about a half-hour ago, thus nowt more done on it.

Next up-date will be be late this evening.

I reckon I can get this to the almost-ready-for-decaling stage by tonight

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Another couple of coats needed on the yellow. Some minor touching in of some paint and some details need painting.

Later on Thursday I reckon decals can go on.

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2024s-M.jpg

Rather than try to scrape clean the thin straight kits parts for the floats' spreader bars I used iron wire

 

I need to fix the anchor before fitting [very silly to try after irs fitted!] the stock is broken so needs a new one;

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2025s-M.jpg

 

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12 hours ago, jrlx said:

The yellow over orange looks great. Could you please take a close up shot to show the effect better? Thanks

Just for you;

One coat of yellow over the orange;

Patchy looking, yellow has an orange tinge

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%20yellow%20

 

Second coat of yellow on; still a bit patchy, less orange tinge

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%20yellow%20

 

Third coat of yellow, still a bit patchy, just about passable but I'll give it a fourth coat. No orange tinge

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%20yellow%20

 

The tail planes got only three coats of yellow;

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%20yellow%20

 

The stock for the anchor was made from wire; needs some tidying yet

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2026s-S.jpg

 

Painted up it doesn't look too bad. I'll need to wrap some thread around the stock before its attached to a float strut.

Only one achor is supplied in the kit but it looks like all the DWC had two anchors

Douglas%20World%20Cruiser%2C%2027s-S.jpg

 

A few hours for the final coat of yellow on the top of the top wing to dry and harden and I think I'll be onto decaling tonight.

Only two parts left to put on; the anchor and the prop

 

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