De Havilland Hornet Moth.

[alancmlaird]

Hmmm...resin. Ok, I'll give it a go.....

 

Unusual subject. Unusual box opening too...

 

...with everything neatly and separately wrapped...

 

....now I'm intimidated!

But the nicely produced but simple plans help...

 

I suppose I should start building it then, Can't put it off any longer. Resin....never tried that before. How difficult can it be?

 

Edited April 1, 2021 by alancmlaird

[Paul J]

Go for it! I am looking forward to seeing this. STill hoping that someone like AVI Models will follow up their Fox Moth and Puss Moth with one of these and the Leopard Moth.

[BritJet]

I've been tempted by this kit but Dekno's earlier releases were pretty rough so I've kept well clear. Trouble is I'd then want to get the rest of the DeH Moth family and end up spending a fortune!

 

This looks very nicely done and you shouldn't have any problems, apart from getting used to working with resin. First of all wear a mask, I know it's automatic at the moment, but you'll want to keep the dust out of your lungs. Use a razor saw or repeated shallow cuts to separate the parts from the pouring blocks, file/sand down the face of the parts preferably with plenty of water to kill the dust. Keep looking at the area so you don't take too much off. Resin is brittle so handle carefully but normally any breaks will glue together again. Wash all the parts in warm soapy water as a greasy release agent is often used on the moulds to help the castings to come out, paint doesn't stick to it and whichever day in the future you paint this will be ruined! Glue all parts together with superglue or 2-part epoxy.

 

Most of all, enjoy it! Are you doing the kit scheme?

 

Steve

[alancmlaird]

3 hours ago, BritJet said:

I've been tempted by this kit but Dekno's earlier releases were pretty rough so I've kept well clear. Trouble is I'd then want to get the rest of the DeH Moth family and end up spending a fortune!

 

This looks very nicely done and you shouldn't have any problems, apart from getting used to working with resin. First of all wear a mask, I know it's automatic at the moment, but you'll want to keep the dust out of your lungs. Use a razor saw or repeated shallow cuts to separate the parts from the pouring blocks, file/sand down the face of the parts preferably with plenty of water to kill the dust. Keep looking at the area so you don't take too much off. Resin is brittle so handle carefully but normally any breaks will glue together again. Wash all the parts in warm soapy water as a greasy release agent is often used on the moulds to help the castings to come out, paint doesn't stick to it and whichever day in the future you paint this will be ruined! Glue all parts together with superglue or 2-part epoxy.

 

Most of all, enjoy it! Are you doing the kit scheme?

 

Steve

 

Thanks for the useful tips (especially the soapy washing one!).

 

No, not the kit scheme - I especially wanted to do the early tapered-wing version, and the prototype which was kept by DH was one of the few that weren't converted to the later squared-off wing. It was used by the manufacturer as a wartime communications aircraft, so it will be in standard camouflage with civil registration in the BOAC-type style. Although I haven't seen a photo of this aircraft in that scheme, the other DH comms aircraft all had that standard scheme (eg 'FOJ, their Moth Minor). Anyway, that means I'll have all the paints I need for the wartime civilian Tiger Moth I intend for the next Group Build!

[BritJet]

Was that G-ACTA? Didn't it have a shorter span wing with rounded tips? Not sure that I've seen a photo of it in camo either and I've had a look through The Moth magazines I've got without any luck. It might have to be best guess.

 

Steve

[alancmlaird]

6 hours ago, BritJet said:

Was that G-ACTA? Didn't it have a shorter span wing with rounded tips? Not sure that I've seen a photo of it in camo either and I've had a look through The Moth magazines I've got without any luck. It might have to be best guess.

Yup, but 'CTA was part of a test programme (that's how the aircraft originally was conceived anyway) along with two other DH87s , and all three got the longer tapered wings of the '87A. 'CTA kept these tapered wings all through the war (don't know what happened to it afterwards though). 

So as well as having to deal with resin, I'll also have to hand-cut the registration letters to get the correct silver outline!
I seem to remember buying a Spit or a Messershmitt at Woolworth's on Saturday morning, and it would be finished by lunchtime! What ever have we done to the hobby with our over-ambitious enthusiasm?!!!

[alancmlaird]

First snag, making the old joke "If superglue was any good, you wouldn't be able to get the top off" a reality!
Used once a couple of months ago, brute force, boiling water, and high-volume profanities were insufficient to gain access to the magic liquid therein.

...an alternative was available though, with still-removable top a bonus. The package said 2 hour hardening. That seems like a safer solution anyway....

 

Time to make a start......

[alancmlaird]

Fuselage moulded as three sides with floor separate - great idea!

Instrument panel needed minimal filing to fit. There is a very slight halo of flash on just about everything, but nothing a sharp scalpel and a little care couldn't sort in seconds. Panel goes inside fuselage with rather well printed dashboard instruments decal on after painting.

Other interior parts are assembled on the floor, painted and then installed to close up the fuselage. That keeps any inept joint filling to the underside. Seems like it was made just for me! 

Before that happen, the transparencies go on. Wonder if I can do this without superglue stains on the clear bits. I'm tempted to use PVA instead, but that just adds to the danger of the things falling inside afterwards (been there, done that!).

[Mjwomack]

My son-in-law put me onto Gorilla Glue- it's what he uses for his Games Workshop models and I get on very well with it.

Such a tidy way of assembling the fuselage- all kits should be like this! 

Transparenencies and me aren't the best of buddies and vac-form ones are definitely on my list of Room 101 occupants, as well as PVA glue (same result as you) I've tried Clearfix, which seems to work (or maybe it's just early days yet)

[BritJet]

 

3 hours ago, alancmlaird said:

Yup, but 'CTA was part of a test programme (that's how the aircraft originally was conceived anyway) along with two other DH87s , and all three got the longer tapered wings of the '87A. 'CTA kept these tapered wings all through the war (don't know what happened to it afterwards though). 

So as well as having to deal with resin, I'll also have to hand-cut the registration letters to get the correct silver outline!

 

I'd only seen photos of 'CTA with the original wing but at least it makes your life easier being able to use the kit wing as it is. Looks like it survived the war, but not for long - https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-ACTA.pdf

 

Are you using letter decals or printing your own? I could cut you some masks for the silver if it would help.

 

2 hours ago, alancmlaird said:

Instrument panel needed minimal filing to fit. There is a very slight halo of flash on just about everything, but nothing a sharp scalpel and a little care couldn't sort in seconds. Panel goes inside fuselage with rather well printed dashboard instruments decal on after painting.

 

Other interior parts are assembled on the floor, painted and then installed to close up the fuselage. That keeps any inept joint filling to the underside. Seems like it was made just for me! 

Before that happen, the transparencies go on. Wonder if I can do this without superglue stains on the clear bits. I'm tempted to use PVA instead, but that just adds to the danger of the things falling inside afterwards (been there, done that!).

 

The flash is actually a good thing as it means the resin has managed to get everywhere that it needs to and then into the gaps between the two halves of the mould. Without this air bubbles often get trapped on the edges of the parts and can be awkward to fill. At least the flash is easily cleaned off. Be careful using superglue inside the fuselage as the fumes may get trapped and fog your transparencies. I always leave mine for a couple of days before fixing the transparencies with PVA, although a clear coat on the inside can prevent it happening.

 

Steve

[alancmlaird]

Some routine progress...

Interior with some rudimentary paint slapped on. In the absence of any knowledge of the scheme the subject might have used, I followed the general colours a friend's pre-war Riley car carried! The seats, as well as ribbed cushions, also had moulded in lap belts, but they resisted all my attempts at painting, so the fall-back of some strips of masking tape should be fine through the not-very-clear windows. Cabin walls and ceiling were painted overall maroon to match, with grey inserts i the doors. I expect most of this to be invisible once the fuselage is closed up.

[alancmlaird]

...and some not-so-routine progress.

I really don't know how manufacturers expect us to fit flangeless windows flush with the fuselage with maybe 0.4 to 0.1mm of an edge to glue on to the similarly thin surround and not have surface tension bleed glue on to the visual surface.

This model is no exception, as experimenting with various cut bits of vacform packaging as well as a kit window proved.

Aside from these difficulties, the resin windows supplied have a distinct 'bathroom window' frosting to them, even though they seemed pretty clear at first.

So after a bit of experimenting, I decided to try something radical, although I've been considering this solution for a while - make windows with flanges!

I tried layering two pieces of the clear vac plastic together with Gorilla Glue (left) and it dried completely clear. I then glued a single layer of the clear plastic inside the fuselage (right) behind the rear window and have left it to harden and will trim it. The slow-drying glue allows re-positioning, but it does mean only one window can be done at a time, with at least 2-3 hours hardening time. Then a new cut window (or the kit one if I decide my interior should never be seen again!) can be glued in on top.

I can recommend Gorilla Glue (slow hardening) so far. It works almost like a styrene job, but you can get a smear off with white sprit if you are quick, with no surface damage.

 

[alancmlaird]

21 hours ago, BritJet said:

I'd only seen photos of 'CTA with the original wing but at least it makes your life easier being able to use the kit wing as it is. Looks like it survived the war, but not for long - https://cwsprduksumbraco.blob.core.windows.net/g-info/HistoricalLedger/G-ACTA.pdf

 

Are you using letter decals or printing your own? I could cut you some masks for the silver if it would help.

 

Steve

Magic de-achiving Steve, thanks

Regarding the registration letter, I intended to make my own the way I did on the civil Anson (below).....drawn up myself (I'm a retired graphic designer), printed onto clear decal paper in black with an outline as a guide, then stuck on to metallic silver self-adhesive paper, trimming out the letters with a scalpel, then positioning them on the model - worked a treat but was an unbelievable pain to do!

(apologies for the off-topic photo)

So I am very interested and grateful for your offer - I might pick your brains though on what equipment you use to cut your stencils. I'd be keen to be able to do them myself, but maybe not for the Hornet Moth, unless it takes a lot longer to build than I think!

 

[BritJet]

I think what you've done on the interior will be fine as it won't be all that visible once the wings and struts are in place - no point doing loads of work that will never be seen! Nice Anson by the way.

 

I use CorelDraw to do decal artwork and have got a Silhouette Cameo cutter with the optional extra software plug-in to allow files to be sent directly from CorelDraw (and Adobe Illustrator). They do come with their own software which is pretty good but I'm used to CorelDraw and it keeps everything in one place. I've used it to cut Tamiya masking sheet, vinyl and thin plastic card. I've tried cutting solid colour decal but it can splinter at the edges - it's not something I've spent much time on so it may be the speed/cut depth settings aren't right and need playing around with.

 

Feel free to ask any questions.

 

Steve

[alancmlaird]

Still working away slowly, and impressed that the Dekno chaps have such faith in my ageing eyesight that they produce separate components like this intake for me to release from the sprue and attach it to the cowling with superglue without me losing it under a fingernail or whatever! And yes, that is the tip of a scalpel blade!

 

The fuselage floor was a bit distorted (unless it was designed by de Havilland to be slightly concave!), and didn't sit too square when installed. The 'Gorilla' 2hr glue was very helpful in allowing a a bit of movement before going rock solid - it becomes progressively glutinous, so there is still a bit of wiggle room even after an hour or more. Incidentally. this resin is a treat to sand smooth, and the glue helps to fill the joints.

I just gave the fuselage floor three coats of dark grey primer, sanding in between coats for a smooth finish.

 

One unfortunate occurrence, the slightly distorted floor seems to have put some tension into the rest of the fuselage and the screen-pillars have broken....

I'll glue them back with 'instant' superglue, but I might have to reinforce them with wire or a sliver of matchwood.

This notwithstanding, I'm liking working with resin - possibly previously restoring a few of fibreglass cars helps (Scimitar, two Bond Equipes and a Westfield!)

 

Edited April 18, 2021 by alancmlaird