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


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16 minutes ago, Moa said:

The source states 8 people in total, 6 passengers, pilot and copilot.

 

I don't know about that source- the one I sat in was most definitely single-pilot.

 

I love the '89, too.  The example of the kit I have now (which I think says Airfix on the box) has a warped fin, which is a bit off-putting.

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32 minutes ago, gingerbob said:

I don't know about that source-

The source is impeccable.

There was a misunderstanding, I think.  There was a copilot, but no "normal" copilot seat. The Pilot flew the plane, the copilot handled the mooring and surely other duties. They shared and alternated in those duties, sometimes the copilot would fly the plane. In fact, it was the copilot who was flying the Uruguayan plane as one engine failed in take off and eventually the plane crashed (no fatalities).

The copilot had to seat wherever he could. If there were free seats in the cabin he sat there, if not I guess that there was some kind of foldable seat, or at least some sort of cushioned surface, in the back.

 

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The new bulkhead is given a door, so something can be seen behind.

As I did with the other Dragons, in a completely convoluted, unnecessary, time-consuming and nerve-wracking way, I removed the not very good legs of the seats, and drilled three new locations.

Once drilled, these were given new wire oversized legs. Then more wire lengths were used to replicate to some extent the additional metal frame of the seats.

That is seven lengths per seat. Once all is set, they have to be trimmed to proper size:

IMG_0477+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

IMG_0478+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

IMG_0479+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

IMG_0480+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

 

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On 6/9/2020 at 7:52 PM, Moa said:

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 would be very happy if there was still a seaplane doing this stretch ... But the Buquebus is also great! And my motorcycle traveled in the cargo deck! :D

Ah, and the sun setting over the Rio de la Plata...

 

 

Edited by Lúcio
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18 minutes ago, Lúcio said:

But the Buquebus is also great!

Indeed, Lúcio!

Montevideo+going+back+to+Buenos+Aires+4.

 

And the Uruguayans know their street food!

(Anthony Bourdain did a feature on this very depot market):

port+area+inside+recycled+facilities+res

 

The+humongous+Chivito+Sandwich.jpg

 

Not that I want to start a row with the locals (and extraterrestrials), ahem, but much better than the pub food I had to endure in, err. you know where... :ninja:

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The locating holes on the floor are filled:

IMG_0482+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

Unfortunately the hub/spinners of the props have an inaccurate cylindrical-conical shape:

IMG_0483+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

I had to do this on every Dragon I built:

IMG_0484+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

 Reshaping at very low speed takes place:

IMG_0485+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

Et voilà!:
(These props are for the Canadian Dragon, the Uruguayan Dragon used Fairey-Reed pressed metal props that will require the same scratching I just did for the DH60)

IMG_0486+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

 I am not using French to show off, my instructions are in French!

IMG_0487+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

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The pub food is really sad in mighty Casino.  Casino is the "Beef Capital" and we get deep fried crap from frozen packets, soggy sad chips...... Stop....

The modeling is fantastic, Moa so are the food pics.

 

Stephen now hungry

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Hi Moa 

This is a real treat and great work so far, I built one a long time ago but after seeing one you were doing a few years ago I had to buy another, they are a wonderful kit. 

Keep up the good work

All the best

Chris

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NOTE:

I have edited the text at the beginning, and will repeat it here since it's relevant:

The vac floats for the Canadian model which I thought were coming form the generic Aeroclub sheet that many times have saved my scratch projects, actually came from the Execuform vac kit of the Fairchild Super 71, that used the same Fairchild floats as CF-AEO. I had built the Super 71 on skis, saving the floats, which now have found a new home, or... plane.

IMG_9827+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

IMG_9828+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

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Once you open a door in this kit, you will be looking at the windows' plastic strip on the other side.
To attenuate the undesirable effect of that, the windows are glued in place, masked, and the interior painted, thus the only clear and reflective surface will be the individual windows, not the strip.
Once you paint the interior, do not forget to remove the internal masks:

IMG_0493+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

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Thus. The aft windows can be left unmasked as they were as we mentioned blanked out on these seaplanes:

IMG_0494+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

It's a good idea to protect the exterior with tape to avoid overspray mist attaching to the windows:

IMG_0495+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

 If the task of cleanly separate the door as I have done looks too daunting, you may carve-out the space, and then cut a new door from clear stock as thick as the fuselage walls. Then you mask the window, paint, and presto:

IMG_0496+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

 

 Whichever way you choose, it's nice to later on add a handle or any detail visible in photos:
IMG_0497+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

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On 13/06/2020 at 03:00, Moa said:

Not that I want to start a row with the locals (and extraterrestrials), ahem, but much better than the pub food I had to endure in, err. you know where... :ninja:

Inter-stellar relations really aren't your forte are they Claudio? :fight:

 

Martian 👽

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Work starts on the second kit. This is a newer release molded in white plastic, something that for my not very good sight makes it not really apt to spot things, due to the higher reflection rate. Some parts were a bit warped and there was a teeny tiny bit of flash here and there. The general quality was good, though. I have built many a Dragon, and I am amazed at how different the nature of the plastic and the quality of the molding can be, depending on when and where the copies were made. This one was a special edition that had some extra perks and a comprehensive decal sheet for four interesting civil machines -of which I already used some marks for "Tainui".

Anyway, separation, clean-up, and even some gluing took place:

IMG_0517+%25281280x960%2529.jpg

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The DH-89 I think is one of those eternally beautiful planes. I also built my Heller... I made it from the SCW of the tricolor side. Surely I will have used a lot of cement for plastic because I remember that one month after I finished it, the entire upper wing had twisted... It took me longer to build it than it did in the showcase. Finally I gave it to my niece, little at the time, who really enjoyed it between playmobils and figures. 

Anxiously waiting to see how the livery and floats will suit it.

^ ^

Edited by matihagen
misspelling
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