1:72 S.B.S Model de Havilland DH.88 Comet

[Navy Bird]

Hi mates,

 

Let's see, this year I've built one resin model and I'm soon to finish another. So why not grab a third resin kit from the stash and stick to my theme? After all, 2020 is a goofy year no matter how you slice it, so I might as well swear off injection moulded styrene - resin rules! And maybe, just maybe, all that resin dust will nuke the bioaerosols floating around from that coronavirus thing.

 

So here is what I found lurking in one of my cabinets: the S.B.S Model kit of the de Havilland DH.88 Comet in glorious teeny tiny scale (1:72). I don't know much about this aircraft, but I'm sure you folks will educate me. Now, way back when this kit came out, @general melchett mentioned that it had some of the finest resin castings he had seen, and darn if he's not right. This is a sweet little kit.

 

As can be seen on the box, you have two choices for the paint and marking scheme - red (G-ACSS) or green (G-ACSR). Both of these flew in the 1934 MacRobertson UK to Australia Race, and I seem to recall there was a black one as well. I rather fancy the red one myself, it being the winner of the race and all. Although the green one reminds me of a Lotus, and it has the Union Jack on the tail...

 

 

The parts breakdown is conventional, and the detail is exquisite. This is 1:72, so the fuselage is a mere 4.5 inches long or so. The engine nacelles and wings are one piece castings.

 

 

The fuselage-wing fairing is a separate piece, which is a feature that I really like. The Aki Products Sea Fury that I built last year is engineered this same way. The remainder of the parts are all nicely cast and detailed, although there aren't a lot of them.

 

 

In addition, S.B.S provide a small photoetch fret with the usual seat harnesses and instrument panel (with film instruments) and white metal landing gear struts. The canopy is cast in clear resin, and the model has provision for mounting it open (it's hinged on the starboard side in real life). The other clear resin part in the photo is the tip of the nose. I'm guessing this was a light?

 

 

Well, that's all there is to it. At my current rate of completion it should only take me about a year to build it!   

 

Luckily, this aircraft still exists so there are lots of photos out on the Interweb thing. The last I read it was part of the Shuttleworth Collection, and I think that's reason enough for me to return to Old Blighty for additional research. I'll need @CedB as my chauffeur again, otherwise I may not be able to find which pubs have Doom Bar on draught. I think he has them all committed to memory.   

 

Cheers,

Bill

 

PS. I wonder if I can find a 1:72 scale typewriter somewhere...

 

 

 

[Graeme H]

 

and Bill a man of your bore and stroke would knock up a scratchbuilt typewriter in no time

[Andrew.S]

Good luck with this build!

[Hamden]

 

Looking forward to another @Navy Bird master class in resin building

 

           Roger

[geedubelyer]

That looks very crisply cast Bill. I look forward to seeing how it all goes together. Should look splendid when you're through.👍

 

She's a sleek and elegant design with a fascinating history once one starts to delve in with plenty of colour schemes to boot.

 

Enjoy this project to the full and next year, when you're over your resin kick and feel like another challenge, try the old injection molded plastic version from Airfix. 😉

[72modeler]

10 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

PS. I wonder if I can find a 1:72 scale typewriter somewhere...

I bet our resident Toilet Tweaker, @Moa could show you how he did his, but you're on your own for a ribbon, methinks! Can't wait to see how yours turns out, as it's a might purty airplane!

Mike

[Dave Swindell]

Exellent choice Bill, I'm sure you'll make a fine job of this one!

10 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

I seem to recall there was a black one as well.

Indeed there was, piloted by Jim & Amy (Johnson) Mollison in the race, they broke the UK to India record on arrival at Karachi but retired form the race with blown engines at Allahabad after refuelling with ordinary motor fuel at Jabalpur due to unavailability of aviation fuel. This airframe still exists and is currently undergoing restoration to static dislay condition

10 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

I'm guessing this was a light?

 Yes, Landing light.

10 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

Luckily, this aircraft still exists so there are lots of photos out on the Interweb thing. The last I read it was part of the Shuttleworth Collection,

Lots of differences between how it is now and how it was for the MacRobertson race, cockpit, propellers, engine nacelles, undercarriage, colour scheme.....

10 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

PS. I wonder if I can find a 1:72 scale typewriter somewhere...

Yes, SBS did 4 versions of the Comet, the "Australian" issue has a nice little rendition of the typewriter. Note this was only fitted for the 1938 UK- NZ record flights by Clouston & Ricketts when G-ACSS was named "Australian Anniversary" in a grey & blue scheme. 

G-ACSS had 5 different schemes in 4 years

Grosvenor House, red with Silver registration & Trim for the MacRobertson race

RAF markings as  K5085, overall Silver A&AEE

The Orphan, Grey & Blue for the 1937 Istres/Damascus/Paris race

The Burberry Grey & Blue (some say beige & maroon, but I'm not convinced) for the Cape record flights 1937

Australian Anniversary Grey & Blue, UK - NZ record flights 1938

Post war G-ACSS has undergone at least 2 rebuilds and has been painted Red with White registration & trim, currently airworthy at Old Warden with the Shuttleworth collection.

 

The decals in the kit you have are more appropriate for G-ACSS as she is now, but the kit is of her as originally built for the MacRobertson race. 

The SBS "black ones" boxing has the standard parts for the "as built" condition

The "French & RAF" boxing has additional parts for modified cowlings and propellers

The "Australia" boxing has the additional parts for modified cowlings and propellers plus extra cowling bulges, typewriter, and radio for G-ADEF Boomerang

 

There's a good selection of original photo's of the Comets immediatly prior to the race at Mildenhall, and also shortly after as G-ACSS was exhibited and photographed both in Australia and back in the UK.

Note, I'm not aware of anyone doing decals for the small but once seen, can't miss navigation sighting markings along the wing leading edges and cowlings on all 3 Comets for the MacRobertson race

[general melchett]

Great choice Bill, you'll enjoy it, by far my favourite medium, if only all resin kits were of this quality more might have a bash at them, (although many companies are starting to get there).

Back then I built G-ACSR for AMW, if I recall there were no real problems noted during the build.

 

Hope you don't mind if I post an image of the finished model, just to give folks an idea of how the kit turned out. Definitely a fun build.

 

 

 

 

[Navy Bird]

14 hours ago, Graeme H said:

and Bill a man of your bore and stroke would knock up a scratchbuilt typewriter in no time

 

Bore and stroke? You make me sound like one of them infernal combustion things.   

 

8 hours ago, geedubelyer said:

Enjoy this project to the full and next year, when you're over your resin kick and feel like another challenge, try the old injection molded plastic version from Airfix. 😉

 

Hey, I like a challenge as much as the next guy, but the old Airfix version? I don't think I'm up for that - I'm too old!  

 

3 hours ago, Dave Swindell said:

The decals in the kit you have are more appropriate for G-ACSS as she is now, but the kit is of her as originally built for the MacRobertson race.

 

Wow, lots of great information Dave, thanks so much. Do you know if anyone makes the correct decals for the MacRobertson race with the silver registration and trim?

 

2 hours ago, general melchett said:

Hope you don't mind if I post an image of the finished model, just to give folks an idea of how the kit turned out. Definitely a fun build.

 

Always a pleasure to see your work, Andy. Great job on the British Racing Green Lotus version! Was Colin Chapman part of the crew?  

 

Cheers,

Bill

[Bangseat]

Wonderful! I'll follow along if you don't mind?

 

I'm lucky to live just 20 minutes down the road from Shuttleworth and see it fly most years. Here she was just last week:

 

 

She often flies displays with the Percival Mew Gull, another 30s racer, seen at sunset it's just unforgettable. Better than Doom Bar even! 

[Dave Swindell]

39 minutes ago, Navy Bird said:

Do you know if anyone makes the correct decals for the MacRobertson race with the silver registration and trim?

I think they're only available in the recent KP kit, you could put a wanted add up for decal sheet leftovers from someone who's built one of the other options?

 

[HOUSTON]

SUPERB....Following with interest.

Perfect  scale too.

 

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

You are there for a treat, Bill!

They are exquisite.

I built three of them, and just tried to locate the posts, but it seems that I never got to post them here at BM (the interest being the WIPs so other modelers may avoid my mistakes).

I'll see if I get around it.

I have built two of their Caudron C.600, their Farman F.190 and Latecoere 28. They all turn into very nice models with a bit of care.

Although resin, theirs' is different, and many of the issues normally associated with resin kits are not present in SBS kits.

Good luck, I am sure you will make a feast for the eyes of this one.

Cheers

 

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

19 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

PS. I wonder if I can find a 1:72 scale typewriter somewhere...

 

8 hours ago, 72modeler said:

I bet our resident Toilet Tweaker, @Moa could show you how he did his,

Hi!

I just made another to show how, and took photos of the process, it took me 5 minutes. Very simple to make.

Would you like me to post it here, or I could append it to one of my threads and link it here.

Let me know

Cheers!

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

6 hours ago, general melchett said:

just to give folks an idea of how the kit turned out.

Nice!!!!

 

[Mr T]

Hi Navy Bird, the SBS kit is really nice and not too difficult to build but takes a bit of care as some parts are quite delicate. The only issue I recall was the getting the upper part of the nose together. Here is my build from 2018. It is well worth the effort. 

 

Edited September 3, 2020 by Mr T

[bigbadbadge]

Hi Bill 

Hope you are okay fella.  Nice looking kit, amazingly enough I have just bought a Heritage Aviation kit of the same.  It's a resin kit too and is my first all resin kit and got it missing the retraction linkages for the U/C legs so will have some fun there.  Will watch and see how this one builds up if I may.

Chris 

[Dave Swindell]

A few reference photo's for you Bill

https://www.facebook.com/groups/330548433801421/media/photos

[CedB]

Nice subject Bill and I'm in!

 

If you want another trip over let me know - I'll get the T-Roc ready (as you know, top of its class of cars with small trunks!!)  

[Kes]

Aeroplanes from those times have a grace and elegance unrivalled since, great subject from a golden era in aviation

[HOUSTON]

found paper model for typewriter but not 1.72 scale. 

its 1/8 scale 

New Sankei 1/8 Scale MIX S cale Typewriter MP01-113 Paper Craft https://www.familishy.com/new-sankei-18-scale-mix-s-cale-typewriter-mp01113-paper-craft-p-468927.htm

 

 

[HOUSTON]

Search Results -> typewriter : https://www.familishy.com/advanced_search_result.htm?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&zenid=m0jmmloqi0ir7tghvohcqctsn0&keyword=typewriter+

 

 

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

 

OK, here is a DIY (in 5 min) typewriter (Bill, please let me know if this happen to be a bit intrusive and I will move it somewhere else)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Navy Bird]

On 03/09/2020 at 11:36, Bangseat said:

Better than Doom Bar even! 

 

Better than Doom Bar? I wasn't aware that was even possible. Sounds amazing!  

 

On 03/09/2020 at 11:50, Dave Swindell said:

I think they're only available in the recent KP kit, you could put a wanted add up for decal sheet leftovers from someone who's built one of the other options?

 

Good idea, but if I understood that linked thread correctly, the KP kit has the elliptical backgrounds for the racing numbers in white and they too should be silver. Maybe I should take the other tack - what changes are necessary to "update" the kit to today? Then I can use the white decals.

 

On 03/09/2020 at 12:12, HOUSTON said:

Perfect  scale too.

 

Someone once told me it was the preferred scale of the demiurge. And I wouldn't want to cross him/her!   

 

On 03/09/2020 at 14:31, Moa said:

I just made another to show how, and took photos of the process, it took me 5 minutes. Very simple to make.

Would you like me to post it here, or I could append it to one of my threads and link it here.

 

Thank you for posting the photos! No intrusion at all. The typewriter might not be applicable to the version I end up building, but you never know when you might need one! Thanks.

 

On 05/09/2020 at 05:15, Dave Swindell said:

A few reference photo's for you Bill

https://www.facebook.com/groups/330548433801421/media/photos

 

Ooh, nice stuff. Woo hoo!

 

On 05/09/2020 at 03:49, bigbadbadge said:

Hope you are okay fella. 

 

Still sniffin' glue my friend!   

 

On 05/09/2020 at 06:00, CedB said:

If you want another trip over let me know - I'll get the T-Roc ready (as you know, top of its class of cars with small trunks!!)  

 

Depending on what happens in November, I may have to move in with you.    😎

 

 

@HOUSTON - nice searching. Thanks for taking the time to do that for me.

 

 

 

So, on to other topics. The general consensus is that 2020 is a write-off, right? After my tonsils lit up on the PET scan I thought as much as well. However, the biopsy results are in, and I win, not those pesky cancer cells! My diagnosis was follicular hyperplasia, which mimics follicular lymphoma but is a benign infection of some kind. We'll talk about how to treat it this week.   

 

Whew, was sweating that one for a while...

 

And, on the same day that I got the word from my doctor, my youngest daughter let me know that she's expecting her first. That will be grandchild number five, if I'm counting (or recalling) correctly.

 

So maybe 2020 will be OK.

 

Cheers,

Bill

 

PS. Still have a nasty sore throat from that biopsy though...

 

 

[Kes]

Proper modelling done properly, like it! whaddaguy!!