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Two Sea Dragons: De Havilland D.H.89s converted from the 1/72nd scale Heller kit


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Who says Dragons don't do well in water?

Well, The Hobbit says it. But -whatever destiny befell to Smaug the Chiefest and Greatest of Calamities- the ancient Chinese, according to Jorge Luis Borges' "The Book of Imaginary Beings", had sky dragons and water dragons, and even amphibian dragons.

 

The Dragon is among the planes that captivate me so much that I have built them more than once.

Four D.H.88 Comet racers and three D.H.89 Dragon Rapides, all of which are here somewhere.

These are the more recently converted Rapides:

 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235039785-de-havilland-dh89a-taasa-argentina/

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235039442-de-havilland-dh89-tainui-macrobertson-racer/

 

 

This time -in an effort to further extricate modeling potential from the kit- it'll be a seaplane.

The conversion of the old and venerable Heller kit into a floatplane involves of course some changes:

1) Getting or fabricating the floats, either EDO or Fairchild, depending on what subject is being modeled. But there are no accurate options for those in the market, so you have to adapt/modify what there is available.

2) Modification of the bottom of the engine nacelles, fairing the location of the landing gear according to photos.

3) Reshaping the vertical stabilizer extending the root of the leading edge as per photos.

4) Researching and fabricating all the connecting float struts.

 

The first Rapide here then will be CX-ABI, an Expreso del Plata machine, that operated in 1938 plying the Río de la Plata waters, uniting Uruguay and Argentina (my country of birth), shuttling back and forth from Colonia to Buenos Aires.

I was fortunate enough to find some photos and a description of the colors.

 

I had in my stash already two other Rapide kits, one being the Tasman limited edition upgraded kit. To that box I further added all I could find: an Arctic Decals masks and "metal" frames set, a very nice P.E. Kuivalainen set, and some other bits, just in case.

IMG_0444+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

IMG_0446+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

IMG_0447+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

The subject for the second seaplane on Fairchild floats is still undecided, although I already have a folder with candidates. 

The second kit is an old release, but I added a set of vacuum-formed floats from the Execuform kit of the Fairchild Super 71, which I built long ago on skis (saving the floats), these are the correct ones to cover other versions of the Aquatic Rapide.

IMG_0448+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

 

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I started building this model from the outside, so to speak. Well outside in fact, acquiring and building a Revell (Matchbox) Noorduyn Norseman. I built it on wheels, so I could snatch the floats. Those unfortunately are quite inaccurate, and were modified to better approximate them to reality.

Here is what you get with the Norseman kit:

IMG_0126+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

IMG_0129+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

IMG_0155+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

The rudders are excised, since they are in the wrong (taxiing) position:

IMG_0156+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

The curve on the nose is accentuated by sanding plastic, which fortunately is pretty thick:

IMG_0158+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

Missing strakes are added:

IMG_0160+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

The step is moved back a bit:

IMG_0161+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

Spaces filled:

IMG_0185+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

Some sanding

IMG_0186+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

Priming and refining:

IMG_0202+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

Beaching gear locating hole and little perforated part on the step keel:

IMG_0203+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

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10 minutes ago, StephenCJ said:

 

Hi Stephen

 

Much better than that, I had acquired several of Khee-Kha Art Products array of superbly cast floats, including that EDO model:

 

http://opland-freeman.com/khee-kha/extras.htm#floats

 

Nonetheless, the model you portrayed is not the one used by the Rapide, that used EDO 6470 and 6235

 

Cheers

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  • fjaweijfopi4j48 changed the title to A Water Dragon: De Havilland D.H.89 - converted 1/72nd scale Heller kit
1 minute ago, StephenCJ said:

Thank you for the link.  They have some wonderful things on their site.

They certainly do.

I have acquired many engine/prop/exhaust sets too, plus of course bought, built, and posted here most of his vacuum-formed kits, some of which I have built more than once.

Good ole Lars is a VERY nice, knowledgeable and fair chap (with a beard!).

Cheers

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Parts separation and clean up begins. The molds are clean and sharp, barely a trace of flash. The fit is good. And how old is this kit?

IMG_0449+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

The second pair of float halves are glued together. As it is sometimes the case with some vacuformed parts, they will need their sort of roundish edges made better. For this task I will use 90 degree angle styrene sticks. The top will need battens and the anchoring points for the struts. Rudder will need to be added too:

IMG_0450+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

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1 hour ago, Moa said:

Good ole Lars is a VERY nice, knowledgeable and fair chap (with a beard!).

Costa Georgiadis is also one of the above but in the garden.  Gardening Australia Guru with a lot of hair.

 

Costa-780-x-493.jpg   Screen-Shot-2020-05-07-at-10-2.jpg

 

Off topic again, but lovely modelling by the way.  I seem to have 2 of these lovelies in the stash. 

 

Stephen

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I am looking forward to this Moa. Looking at the KeeKaa  site there reminded me ,as I suspect you are likely to know , does anyone produce a TraveAir 6000? I had the pleasure of flying in one in Alaska in 2001. I have kept a weather eye on the market since but drawn a blank. A scratch build has temted me on occasion but then the small problem of decals rears its head. Katchemac bay is a little fiddly.

 

Keith

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I like the look of this Moa, hopefully I've caught the wave on this thread in time to not be left way behind. I've long been a sucker for a DH-89, an aquatic one is yet another level of interest. 
Steve.

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6 hours ago, StephenCJ said:

Costa Georgiadis is also one of the above but in the garden.  Gardening Australia Guru with a lot of hair.

 

Costa-780-x-493.jpg   Screen-Shot-2020-05-07-at-10-2.jpg

 

Off topic again, but lovely modelling by the way.  I seem to have 2 of these lovelies in the stash. 

 

Stephen

Costa on BM, now I have seen everything!

 

AW

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10 hours ago, Britman said:

I am looking forward to this Moa. Looking at the KeeKaa  site there reminded me ,as I suspect you are likely to know , does anyone produce a TraveAir 6000? I had the pleasure of flying in one in Alaska in 2001. I have kept a weather eye on the market since but drawn a blank. A scratch build has temted me on occasion but then the small problem of decals rears its head. Katchemac bay is a little fiddly.

 

Keith

Hi Keith

I am not aware of that plane being produced in kit form.

There are a few decal producers take may take commissions, but of course the cost would be higher than a simple purchased sheet, since they most likely would have to defray the cost and time involved on only one sheet or two.

Cheers

 

 

9 hours ago, stevehnz said:

I like the look of this Moa, hopefully I've caught the wave on this thread in time to not be left way behind. I've long been a sucker for a DH-89, an aquatic one is yet another level of interest. 
Steve.

Hi Steve

I don't think I would be breaking the sound barrier with the speed of this build, glad to have you on.

Cheers

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Some parts are glued and cleaned:

IMG_0451+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

Once again Heller surprises with its finesse and cleanness (even allowing for the time these were produced).

Building Heller kits most of the times results for me in a pleasant experience in general, something I can't say for many of the kits of much later release I build.

 

 

 

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Dragon Rapide on floats; I had no idea that had ever been done. Will be most interesting to see how that turns out. Lovely looking machines the Rapides.

 

I well remember my first encounter wit a Rapide as a kid, I was with my father on an England trip, visiting a supplier in Cheltenham, must have been '75 or '76. One afternoon we ended up at a smaller airfield there, to watch a collection of machines in a hangar, and suddenly a red and white Rapide just thundered in and landed in front of us. It was a most amazing sight for the boy, and his father as well.

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1 hour ago, Bengalensis said:

Dragon Rapide on floats; I had no idea that had ever been done. Will be most interesting to see how that turns out. Lovely looking machines the Rapides.

 

I well remember my first encounter wit a Rapide as a kid, I was with my father on an England trip, visiting a supplier in Cheltenham, must have been '75 or '76. One afternoon we ended up at a smaller airfield there, to watch a collection of machines in a hangar, and suddenly a red and white Rapide just thundered in and landed in front of us. It was a most amazing sight for the boy, and his father as well.

What a sight. And what a memory.

 

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On 6/10/2020 at 12:23 AM, Moa said:

Rapide, that used EDO 6470 and 6235

An interesting subject and a floater at that...another one for the list.

I have to ask, how do you find out what floats were fitted to what?

 

Stuart

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17 minutes ago, Courageous said:

An interesting subject and a floater at that...another one for the list.

I have to ask, how do you find out what floats were fitted to what?

 

Stuart

Hi Stuart: research. Looking at all the photos I can find, and comparing to specifications and charts.

Usually the makers of the planes list the type of floats they used.

Sometimes it's easy, sometimes it isn't.

I think that for the first model (EDO floats) it was Lars Opland -long ago- who told me which specific ones were suited.

The second model (Fairchild floats) are very easy to spot, but I confirmed with data that corroborated the assumption.

 

 

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1 hour ago, sjsald said:

Another exceptionally cool subject! looking forward to the result :) 

Your are as usual very kind.

Thanks for the encouraging words.

As side note, I just found that both aquatic Dragons had a modification that added a second passenger cabin door mirroring the position on the other side; surely an extra safety precaution.

Both Dragons had the aft seat row deleted (and their respective windows blanked). Reducing the number of passengers was most likely due to having to compensate for the weight of the floats.

More work!

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I would think the second door was to ease the loading of passengers or light freight as with a float plane moored  to a jetty you can't just walk around the other side.

 

I first flew a couple of times in a Rapide in Scotland in 1957 G-ALPK of Cumberland Air Taxi's. I've since flown in a number of others with my son, My late wife Angela, and my present wife Clare, all making their first piston engine flights and a few more.

 

John

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Since the opposite door will be posed open, the inner edges of the other door have to be engraved:

IMG_0475+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

The floor already received the rudder pedals, control wheel, and two bulkheads (the aft one just for rigidity, since it will be behind the new bulkhead, located ahead of it.
The source states 8 people in total, 6 passengers, pilot and copilot. There was a sort of dingy or float, most likely stored in he compartment created behind the new bulkhead, used by the copilot to moor the plane. For that he had to remove his shoes, since his feet were in the water (again, according to source):

IMG_0476+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

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23 minutes ago, John Aero said:

I would think the second door was to ease the loading of passengers or light freight as with a float plane moored  to a jetty you can't just walk around the other side.

An additional advantage, no doubt, but six passengers don't take an inordinate amount of time to disembark.

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