De Havilland D.H.89a, Heller, 1/72nd scale

[StephenCJ]

I have had an interest in the DH 89 for a while and have wanted to buy one from Hannants. It is a beautiful aeroplane. 

 

Just bought a 1:72 Tasman DeHavilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide Civil Version, some military decals and a Tasman vac form canopy from evil bay.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/210365-tasman-model-products-ug2002-de-havilland-dh-89a-dragon-rapide

 

There is a Frog one on evil bay here if anyone is interested.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Vintage-Frog-Dragon-Rapide-1-68-Rare/192509731245?hash=item2cd27961ad:g:3cMAAOSw6HJZxRak

and a Heller one 

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/HELLER-1-72-SCALE-PLASTIC-CONSTRUCTION-KIT-DH-Dragon-Rapide/292492145233?epid=1728583743&hash=item4419e3f251:g:JrIAAOSw~l5asZJj

 

I will certainly be tagging along now to watch the progress. 

Stephen

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

Rapides in service in Argentina with TAASA (An aero taxi service that operated more like an airline) were modified by the reinforcement of the bottom of the fuselage with metal sheet, the elimination of the lower part of the engine gondola fairings (revealing the LG legs and full wheels), the adoption of different props and spinners and other less visible changes. Accordingly, to obtain an Argentinian version so modified, parts of the kit have to be adapted or replaced.

Just in case I go for one of those, I started to make new props:

 

 

The detail on the split flap bays is toned down:

 

And since I don't care much for Heller's solution for the rigging, I glued the lower panels to the upper wing:

 

[Courageous]

A joy to watch .

[shortCummins]

this is my favourite aircraft, I'll be watching with interest

[CedB]

A great start Moa - you're certainly improving on the kit already, good stuff

Thanks for posting a link to my build and apologies for not doing it myself! It looks like you've identified all the problems I had - watching with interest.

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

The seats' legs, rather thick, are removed (I am doing this because I cut the door and will pose it open, otherwise I don't think you should bother):

 

Small lengths of wire are cut, the seats drilled:

 

Wires inserted, later to be trimmed to proper length:

 

And the triangulation lengths added too. The seats are not 100% accurate, but are much better now. The cabin floor has been straightened:

 

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

The interior is being assembled:

 

 

Rudder separated:

 

Elevators deflected downwards (they are upside-down):

 

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

1 hour ago, Moa said:

 

Could it be a connecting point for a control linkage ? 

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

14 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Could it be a connecting point for a control linkage ? 

It is exactly where the rudder control horn should be, but Heller provides no horn, nor shows one in the instructions.

It is also quite large for the small part that could have gone there.

I'll fill it and insert a metal horn.

 

Edited April 25, 2018 by Moa
to correct typo

[Courageous]

Coming together nicely. Your cabin interior looks like a mini cinema.

[CedB]

Great work on the seat legs Moa, they're looking very good

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

9 hours ago, Courageous said:

Coming together nicely. Your cabin interior looks like a mini cinema.

Oh, well, there was that 😁:

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/passengers-watch-a-film-on-board-a-commercial-flight.html

[Brandy]

Those seats look fantastic. Oversized parts like those seat legs are what really kills a model in 1:72. Replacing them with brass rod is always well worth the effort.

 

Ian

[Tomoshenko]

Fine work so far. I love the scratch work and detailing improvements. I have this kit in the stash and I'm itching to build it, so bookmarked the thread for reference, but also in anticipation for what will be another excellent build thread.

[The Tomohawk Kid]

On 23/04/2018 at 22:21, Martian Hale said:

Nice work! I have the FROG kit of which you speak and this thread has already got me casting glances at it.

 

Martian

 

I too have a couple of Frog Rapides. It wasn't that long ago they could be picked easily and reasonably cheaply (not that they hard to find or mega expensive now). In in my opinion the Frog is engineering far superior to that of the Heller/Airfix kit if one can put with the slightly odd scale.

 

My intention is to cross kit it with Airfix/Heller kit using the Whirlybirds conversion to build G-AHKV in the AA livery.

 

Thomo.

Edited April 25, 2018 by The Tomohawk Kid

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

Dry-runs with both wings prove there is nothing wrong and the fit is good enough:

 

 

 An MV lens will be used to replace the kit's part (which was lost absent from the sprue, anyway):

 

The Argentinian Rapides had a particular spinner and prop, the shape of the prop is as depicted on this sketch, with this strange prop tip:

 

[Martian]

1 hour ago, The Tomohawk Kid said:

 

I too have a couple of Frog Rapides. It wasn't that long ago they could be picked easily and reasonably cheaper (not that they hard to find or mega expensive now). In in my opinion the Frog is engineering far superior to that of the Heller/Airfix kit if one can put with the slightly odd scale.

 

My intention is to cross kit it with Airfix/Heller kit using the Whirlybirds conversion to build G-AHKV in the AA livery.

 

Thomo.

I agree about the superiority of the FROG kit. As I have long since stopped worrying about odd scales, I will have no issues in building it, most likely in the colours of an RNAS Culham machine.

 

Martian

[Fastcat]

Coming along beautifully.

Good walkaround here: Linky

 and here: Lnky

 and here: Linky

if you've not already found 'em. Shows mounting for rudder horn.

 

Dave

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

1 hour ago, Fastcat said:

Coming along beautifully.

Good walkaround here: Linky

 and here: Lnky

 and here: Linky

if you've not already found 'em. Shows mounting for rudder horn.

 

Dave

Hi Dave

I do my homework way before I start to build, but the links are going to be useful for many modelers, so thanks for posting those.

By the way, there seems to be a confusion on the first site; the nomenclature should be, I think: DH84 Dragon, square wing tips. DH89 Dragon Rapide, elliptical wing tips .DH89a Dragon Rapide with split flaps. Dominie: military version of the Dragon Rapide.

By the way, the horn was there the minute I realized what it was, pointed out by Corsairfoxfouruncle.

Cheers

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

It would be prudent to add, regarding walk-arounds -which are immensely useful and a fantastic reference- to realize that many times there are a number of differences between the original machines as they were at their time, and the present condition of the airframes.

Many interior and exterior details and equipment changed along the live of the plane; restorations occasionally get somewhat creative, or substitute items nowhere to be found with other elements, or have to comply with today's regulations if they are in flying condition.

Decorations are many times restored based on photos, and mistakes are some times made, in spite of the best intentions, regarding size, placement, color and other aspects.

If you are reproducing the plane as it was in the 30's (as I am), take all the info yo can get from these sources, and then sift them through the screen of a healthy skepticism.

Burned before, learned my lesson.

This doesn't mean, at all, that people should be discouraged from posting anything that they may think is useful. This kind of material helps the builder and surely many other modelers down the lane.

Cheers

 

 

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

The transparencies are separated form their sprue, and one side is cut in three sections to follow the modification practiced to the kit to show the door open:

 

Once the door is opened, some of the interior is made visible, therefore the spars are added to the ceiling, which is the bottom of the center section of the top wing:

 

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

Many Argentinian machines had as explained above their landing gear exposed. This created the need to fabricate them:

 

 

 

 

More elements and a base will be added later, and the groups somehow anchored inside the engine nacelles that will have their lower part removed, and their bottoms re-faired.

Oh my poor little eyes!!!

All this will be unendurable without the help of Arvo Part, Samuel Barber and Debussy's music.

[k5054nz]

I missed the mention of the "naked" legs on my first visit to the thread, so I'm intrigued to see how it all comes together. I really enjoy builds showing an aircraft a little different to its brethren.

On 4/26/2018 at 9:20 AM, Moa said:

It would be prudent to add, regarding walk-arounds -which are immensely useful and a fantastic reference- to realize that many times there are a number of differences between the original machines as they were at their time, and the present condition of the airframes.

I almost exclusively build museum/private/warbird aircraft, but I think I'm very odd like that among modellers! It makes getting references a lot easier.

[bigbadbadge]

This is progressing very nicely.  I am also  interested in the naked undercarriage too. I am looking at scratching the U/C legs for my Oxford build too.

Keep up the good work. 

All the best 

Chris 

[TheBaron]

7 hours ago, Moa said:

 

All this will be unendurable without the help of Arvo Part,

Quite appropriate for soundtracking a kit 🤪....

...and by golly this is fine work Moa; your refinements and additions are most impressive.

Tony