Kora Fairey Gordon MkI

[Sandeha Lynch]

Hi there

 

I bought the Kora Fairey Gordon Mk1 from LFModels a couple of months ago and I just wanted to say - it was difficult.

 

IMGP0106a by Sandeha Lynch, on Flickr

 

Somewhere on the box it says it's for experienced modellers and not for children, and at 68 I'm likely halfway between the two.

 

It's an attractive enough biplane, and as a kit it fit together very well, including the unusual mode of selecting two out of the three body halves, chopping the end off one of them and gluing a new half-nose in its place - basically an object lesson in upgrading the older Fairey IIIF to become a Gordon.

 

IMGP0107a by Sandeha Lynch, on Flickr

 

But the wing struts seemed weaker than on the other two biplanes I'd done, so there were accidents, splints, patches, and wedges, and even some additional paint layers to keep the whole thing together.

 

I also misinterpreted the axle position on the landing gear. Rather than moulding a V shape, it had two supports on each side, requiring some guesswork on how to get the axle into the right position and make it rigid. In the end I cut some half loops of plastic to strngthen it. A V shape with a ring would have been easier !!

 

Does anybody else just feel a bit sad when a propeller won't turn? This is the second biplane I've done that doesn't have a turning prop as standard - I mean, it would be possible with some considerable effort and some decent material for a spindle, but frankly I'd call it a disappointment in the design department.

 

But anyway, it was fun to do. And it kept me occupied as intended.

 

IMGP0111a by Sandeha Lynch, on Flickr

 

I mentioned another time that I am working on those aircraft I found among my dad's negatives from while he was in the RAF in Sudan, etc. There's only one shot of a Fairey wing, the tips of the struts being quite distinctive. There would have only been a few of these aircraft remaining in 47 Squadron when he joined them in late 1939, and possibly only those with floats that were kept for work on the Nile, but I know that one of his mates there had enjoyed flying them.

 

6x6blue_86 by Sandeha Lynch, on Flickr

Edited May 3, 2021 by Sandeha Lynch
Reversed image.

[Buzby061]

Looks great & possibly the first Fairey Gordon I've seen modelled.

 

Pete

[Patrik]

Nice Gordon. I have to say that for me the Kora Fairey IIIF (the kit is more or less identical to your Gordon, except the fuselage) has been rather easy build. But then I build mostly vacforms, resin and shortruns, sometimes of dubious quality, so my criteria for easy may be different from yours. I admit the interplane struts' setup had been rather fragile and thick CA glue was the best option here. Additionally, I replaced the central section struts with wire, which added rigidity.

 

The last photo is for sure not a Fairey. It looks more like DH Moth wing to me.

[Sandeha Lynch]

Aye, and I see you have good reason ... same tips on the struts, squarer wing ends, (and, gulp, I had the negative reversed). 

 

I didn't come across any of the Moth series when searching earlier, and perhaps my assumptions about 47 Squadron were getting in my way. It's frustrating that this is the only shot of the aircraft, a loose 6.3x4cm negative on its own. But I'll look into what use 24 and 173 Squadrons made of them in Egypt. Ironically, my dad may have seen one of these just before he left in April 1942, rather than just after he arrived.

 

And a new one for me to build ... many thanks !!

[JWM]

Glad to see Gordon here! I am interesting in second box, with larger fin... Just to have more differences with Greek IIIF, which is already in stash. 

Regarding photo - Moths has Pitot on other side. On this side Wapity has Pitot but should have slots - here some slots is possible but certainly not that of Wapity. Against Fairey are first of all the double rigging cables absent here. Vincent has a additional strut between ailerons, so also excluded.  BTW - I think that the main  observation here is the lack of ailerons on top wing, what works for Moth. Maybe just the negative was reversed - or it is a Caproni Ca 100, which has it on that side! Especially, that lower wing look longer then the upper one...

Regards

J-W

[Sandeha Lynch]

The image is now in its correct orientation. I presume the two little blisters visible under leading edge of the top wing are for trim controls. I see that some of the larger or later Moths had them - this may help identify which version I should look for.

[JWM]

Caproni has them as well , but now,  on flipped image the marks on aerodynamic drag balance next to Pitot tube look more correct as numbers, I think I can read 70 and 100 (mph?) . You have negatives (film), so you can be sure which is better. Meanwhile I have found photo of DH 69 Gypsy Moth with this aerodynamic drag balance on left wings  (but without Pitot tube), not on right one, as now should be

http://www.dws-xip.pl/encyklopedia/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/DH60_Moth_1.jpg 

So it looks that it could be DH 60 really ...

Regards 

 

[Patrik]

Would need to be at home to make comparison with references. But it may be either DH60X Gipsy Moth with the later slatted upper wing, or DH60M. Both of them served with the RAF. The blisters are (part of) the slats mechanism.

[Sandeha Lynch]

Cheers to you both.

 

The only number that is super clear is the '70', and the numbers higher to the right are three figures but still difficult to read in the enlarged negative.

 

Presumably then, you'd discount the DH.82 Tiger Moth, and it would have to be one of the DH.60 types. Quite a few differences between the X and the M, so I'll probably have to take a chance on whatever I can find. 😉

 

Edit: An 'Amodel' DH.60M was easy to find. 😊

Edited May 3, 2021 by Sandeha Lynch
add info

[JWM]

Tiger Moth, Hornet Moth and Fox Moth have different rigging (long cables are convergent - two goes to one point, not parallel)

I have found in modern photos of DH 60 machines with combination of Pitot and drug balance on struts, for example G-EBWD (DH 60 X ) but I am not allowed to paste it here but you may easy google it. 

J-W

[Patrik]

The later the photo was taken, the bigger the probability of DH60M.  However, we are in informed guess sphere, I am afraid.