1/72 - de Havilland DH.88 Comet by AZmodel - released

[Roger Holden]

6 minutes ago, Jinxman said:

 

No bearing markers for the wings which is a shame as well.

 

Worth getting one just for the decals...

Agreed; close, but no cigar. I think those may have been cross-wind indicators. The DH88 had notoriously bad landing characteristics and was prone to ground-looping.

[Roger Holden]

56 minutes ago, Thomas V. said:

Bought one at Moson Show last weekend, I am not that impressed, its typical AZ/KP short run kit, I expected better quality(  full run toolings like Mezek family, SG 38 etc..), given popularity of the subject. Expected definitive Comet in 72nd scale, unfortunately AZ/KP kit won't be it.

P.S. About half of the decal sheet is out of register.

The CAD-designed Mikro-Mir one looks better from what I have seen of it. Assuming it comes out after AZ beat them to it. I didn't have great hopes for the AZ kit, when I saw it had the 1/72 scale hand-made patterns typical of their limited run kits....it was obviously made very quickly. But at least they *nearly* got the decals right on the most famous versions....

[TEXANTOMCAT]

Am looking forward to a Burberry, though still not convinced on the spine stripe!

 

[VH-USB]

7 hours ago, Roger Holden said:

Wow, the first Comet kit to have gone for the controversial (but in my opinion, correct) silver lettering on the red and green aircraft ! Ellipses for the racing numbers should be silver also. Comet stripe on 'SS was done in a brighter silver, maybe silver leaf or powder. Good marks for AZ getting it at least somewhere near and more correct than previous attempts.... 

Well, to keep poking the hornet's nest on the 'white vs silver' trim controversy I still believe the trim on the red and green Comets was white.

I believe the illusion of silver trim may be due to a number of factors such as film/filters but most likely the effect of the white trim being applied over a dark color.

I have studied the Lockheed Altair 8D *Lady Southern Cross* for decades and have amassed a large collection of original photographs and in some photos the fuselage trim appears white. We know from a number of contemporary descriptions (including that of the Altair's co-pilot/navigator Bill Taylor) that the trim is, indeed, white. Now, have a look at how that white trim appears in this photo of the Altair:

http://www.adastron.com/lockheed/altair/h86vhusb.htm

The same applies to the Lockheed Orion-Explorer hybrid flown by Wiley Post. Once again, contemporary accounts describe the white fuselage trim as being white. Post's friend and passenger on the plane, Will Rogers, described the plane's trim as being "white" in a number of newspaper dispatches writing during the fatal flight to Alaska. But, again, some photos give the illusion of silver this being one:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Will_Rogers_and_Wiley_Post_cph.3b05600.jpg

I have seen a copy of the original *official* rules for the MacRobertson Centenary Air Race and it was stated in the rule book that the race numbers are to be "black on a white background". Of course the black Comet violated this rule with having the tail race number on a gold background!

 

Cheers,

Tim

[Roger Holden]

Hi Tim,

 

I guess we'll just have to disagree on that one (the Lockheeds are a different issue).   I think logically all 3 Comets were finished to a similar standard by DH using the metallic paints which had the lightest pigments, which makes perfect sense on endurance racing aircraft where weight was at a premium (especially as the Comets had limited horsepower). There is no question in my mind that the fuselage stripe on 'SS was silver as it varies in reflectivity along its length and is done in a different medium to the letters (which were undoubtedly sprayed through stencils). There are pictures of the green plane in particular, in which the letters appear silver. 

 

I have read in 1930s finishing articles that white was a 'non-preferred' colour as it had the heaviest pigment, poor covering qualities and poor ultra-violet resistance (it began to 'chalk'). Hardly any fabric-covered biplanes were painted white for that reason, but lots were silver. Some plywood planes like Gee Bees and Lockheeds were white, but they were the exception. There are lots of old newspaper accounts of planes being painted white (especially French ones), yet in

photos it is obvious they were the typical aluminium dope. They were being described by non-technical members of the public with no understanding of aircraft finishing practices. 

 

In the absence of the original manufacturer's painting drawing call-ups (as distinct from the recollections of members of the public), there is no way it can be proved, so we just have to make our own judgements. 

[SleeperService]

In defence of the markings Jan modified them several times in the Discussion thread right here on BM. If they could have done anymore I can't think of what. I'm just grateful to have a great starting point for a Comet, it's never going to be kitted by Freedom Models, AMK or whoever as the numbers sold wouldn't fit their expectations.  

[Roger Holden]

3 hours ago, SleeperService said:

In defence of the markings Jan modified them several times in the Discussion thread right here on BM. If they could have done anymore I can't think of what. I'm just grateful to have a great starting point for a Comet, it's never going to be kitted by Freedom Models, AMK or whoever as the numbers sold wouldn't fit their expectations.  

Bingo.......found it buried in the AZ discussion thread. Confirms my long-held belief:

 

 #925

Posted February 27 (edited)

Dear gentlemen,

we have studied materials we have got from you. All temporary materials and files from Shuttleworth are talking about Silver imatriculation on two Comets, only Black Magic had Gold ones. So we changed our camouflage schemes for the "MacRobertson Air Race" boxing.

Attached is the artwork, so you can see it and all your comments are welcomed.

NOTE: Restored Grosvenor House has imatriculation in White, but it is written in Shuttleworth files that "it was decided to change the colour from original Silver to White".

[VH-USB]

4 hours ago, Roger Holden said:

Bingo.......found it buried in the AZ discussion thread. Confirms my long-held belief:

 

 #925

Posted February 27 (edited)

Dear gentlemen,

we have studied materials we have got from you. All temporary materials and files from Shuttleworth are talking about Silver imatriculation on two Comets, only Black Magic had Gold ones. So we changed our camouflage schemes for the "MacRobertson Air Race" boxing.

Attached is the artwork, so you can see it and all your comments are welcomed.

NOTE: Restored Grosvenor House has imatriculation in White, but it is written in Shuttleworth files that "it was decided to change the colour from original Silver to White".

Great news Roger. Now we are certain that silver is, indeed, the trim color.

It's amazing that it has taken decades for the correct trim color to be determined. Imagine all those years when the restored red Comet was flown with white trim and giving the impression that white was the original color.

I wonder why no one, until now, had researched deep enough to get at the correct trim colors?

 

Tim

 

[Jinxman]

30 minutes ago, VH-USB said:

Great news Roger. Now we are certain that silver is, indeed, the trim color.

It's amazing that it has taken decades for the correct trim color to be determined. Imagine all those years when the restored red Comet was flown with white trim and giving the impression that white was the original color.

I wonder why no one, until now, had researched deep enough to get at the correct trim colors?

 

Tim

 

 

My preference was always for silver, the period photos bear this out where they are clear enough. Perhaps even now someone can counter the Shuttleworth information though. I asked the library at Shuttleworth about 6 years ago about any information they had on the MacRobertson race and Grosvenor House and they said they had very little, especially in respect of colours applied ....🤨

[Roger Holden]

2 hours ago, VH-USB said:

Great news Roger. Now we are certain that silver is, indeed, the trim color.

It's amazing that it has taken decades for the correct trim color to be determined. Imagine all those years when the restored red Comet was flown with white trim and giving the impression that white was the original color.

I wonder why no one, until now, had researched deep enough to get at the correct trim colors?

 

Tim

 

The problem is that the planes were in those colours for a very short time, but accounts (and model drawings) were produced in the 30s several months and years after the event describing the markings as white, based on peoples' recollections, which just became accepted. Plus, access to good quality photos back then was very limited to enable people to question it.  British civil aircraft markings started out being painted white just after WW1, but at some point, silver seems to have become more prevalent and regarded as superior, presumably based on experience.    Regarding Shuttleworth, it seems AZ got through to the right people.... 

[Homebee]

Released

- ref. KPM0099 - de Havilland DH-88 Comet "Mac Robertson Air Race"

https://www.aviationmegastore.com/de-havilland-dh88-comet-racer-kpm0099-kovozvody-prostejov-8592018000995-aircraft-scale-modelling/product/?action=prodinfo&art=154762

 

 

- ref. KPM0101 -  DH-88 Comet "in RAF and Foreign Service"

https://www.aviationmegastore.com/de-havilland-dh88-comet-in-raf-and-foreign-service-kpm0101-kovozvody-prostejov-8592018001015-aircraft-scale-modelling/product/?action=prodinfo&art=154761

 

 

V.P.

Edited September 4, 2018 by Homebee

[TEXANTOMCAT]

Any sign of the second boxing with the Burberry in it? 🙂

[Homebee]

New boxing - ref. KPM0104  - de Havilland DH.88 Comet Prototype & Racers

Release expected in late September.

Source: https://www.kovozavody.cz/2018/09/dh-88-comet-prototype-racers/

Box art

 

 

V.P.

 

Edited September 4, 2018 by Homebee