Percival Vega Gull RAAF / Racer #49

[greggles.w]

Manual-feeding a multi-page drawing set through a work-from-home bubble-jet printer ... loitering at the computer ... what better time to start a new thread!

 

All going to plan, this thread will lead to a two-part finish!

 

Finish 1

 

My local club is working towards an ambitious goal to mark the RAAF's 100th Anniversary; as part of the annual ScaleACT public show (for 2021, COVID delayed to February 2022) the club is preparing a display of one of every machine the RAAF has ever operated.  This has involved much effort by the subcommittee to collate & administer a master spreadsheet, collecting members builds & new-build commitments to account for all types.  I have found one of the dwindling final remaining machines which works for me, this Percival Vega Gull, as operated by RAAF No 1 Communications Unit & No 82 Wing Headquarters:

 

 

 

 

This machine was 'impressed' into service in January 1940, retaining it's civil maroon & silver paint scheme, with registration replaced by roundels & RAAF serial no.  As shown here on DEKL'S II decals sheet;

 

So my plan is to build and finish in this scheme, to contribute to the club display, but with decals not sealed in, so they can later be easily stripped off ...

 

Finish 2

 

Before stepping in for war service, this privately-owned machine was quite a competitor, being entered into at least two pre-war air races.  One of these was the 1936 South Australian Centenary Air Race, from Brisbane to Adelaide, and this machine was the winner of the Speed Section!  Despite the race being over 1,440 miles - via Coffs Harbour, Sydney & Cootamunda in NSW, then Melbourne & Nhill in Victoria, and on to Parafield South Australia - the Vega Gull beat the second-place Stinson Reliant by a mere 1½ sec!!

 

So after I peel off the RAAF decals, I will add VH-UVG registration & race number 49 in white circle like so, returning it to pre-war race livery to sit with my other air racers:

 

 

 

 

 

This is the kit, received in the post earlier this week:

 

 

And this oh-so-beautiful sole surviving - airworthy - UK machine shall be my benchmark for the 'maroon & silver' base scheme common to this machine's RAAF & Racer finishes:

 

 

OK, printing nearly finished, time to sign-off.  February deadline requires rapid action, so I ought to have something to post of progress soon ...

Edited November 27, 2021 by greggles.w
+ one, + two, +three more images

[Derek_B]

Excellent plan Greg! The sweetest Percival design in my opinion! Looking forward to seeing your rendition  🙂

Edited November 26, 2021 by Derek_B

[AdrianMF]

What a gorgeous subject! Looking forward to your build.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[greggles.w]

Found this in my late-night research trawling …

 

https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/brisbane-adelaide-centenary-air-race

 

Fascinating, great footage of a variety of machines on grass airstrips, even if not directly useful to me as a reference.  There is - briefly - the nose of a Vega Gull, but the prop has a spinner, which identifies it as the one other Vega which was entered.  There is also - less briefly - the nose of one pilot proudly recalling the days of widespread use of the handkerchief!!

[AdrianMF]

7 hours ago, greggles.w said:

widespread use of the handkerchief!!

Brightly patterned and no doubt freshly starched and ironed too! A super bit of film, lots of period atmosphere and DH-9 right at the end.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[bigbadbadge]

Great project and lovely scheme.  The video certainly shows some lovely machines the DH9 at the end looked lovely , I saw a few moths including a Puss Moth too  lovely.   Looking forward to seeing this build. 

Chris

[greggles.w]

Thanks for the enthusiasm all.  For those as interested in the history of the real machines as much as building the kits, here’s my latest discovery in the wee hours of the morning .. 

 

This is a photo of ‘competitors in Brisbane to Adelaide centenary air race’ c/o the State Library of NSW.  It’s dated the 17th December 1936, which makes it the 2nd day of the race, so taken at either Mascot Sydney, Cootamundra or Melbourne.  While the individuals are not identified, I am quite confident after triangulating several sources that this is our Vega Gull VH-UVG, and the two on the left are the husband & wife, owner & pilot team:

 

On the left, J.W.F.Collins, 30yrs. A most interesting - if sadly short - biography found here, c/o the Australian National Univeristy:

 

https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/collins-john-william-5740

 

In the middle, Margaret Eleanor Collins, as follows (published 1939, c/o State Library QLD):

 

It’s not clear if she shared the flying duties, even if the above caption shares the credit for the win.  Such a fuss is made of the other women pilot entrants in media of the time that I would have expected same for Mrs Collins if she too were flying .. but no, so probably not.

 

Nevertheless, this all just adds to the appeal of this as a subject to build at scale.  Speaking of which .. I have made a start .. will post progress soon!

 

Edited November 27, 2021 by greggles.w
Eternal battle against auto-correct!

[Derek_B]

Greg, great research there, fascinating information. The race rules stated that flying duties could not be shared (from the AHSA Journal, March 1964, The 1936 Brisbane-Adelaide Air Race by Ian D. McArthur). 

[bigbadbadge]

It certainly is fascinating info, great research. 

Chris

[greggles.w]

5 hours ago, Derek_B said:

Greg, great research there, fascinating information. The race rules stated that flying duties could not be shared (from the AHSA Journal, March 1964, The 1936 Brisbane-Adelaide Air Race by Ian D. McArthur). 

 

Thanks Derek & Chris - & I welcome your extra research there too!  I must see if I can source that article ...

 

But now, as promised, something tangible!

 

I’ve leapt out of the gate with this one - less than one calendar week from receipt of the kit in the post and I’ve completed the wing assemblies. I’m sure most of you knock that over in an afternoon, but for me that’s scorching progress!

Once again, as I step over the line, committing to building leads to learning so much about these interesting machines.  For instance I had not expected to find this one had folding wings.  A large section - with integral flaps - hinged up to allow the fold, as shown here plan & period photo demonstration (by Mr Percival I seem to recall .. but can't find my reference now to double-check!):

The Dorawings kit breaks each wing into eight parts - excluding landing light parts - which articulate these folding panels & the ailerons, but not the flaps. Having said that, it’s not like it offers an ‘either / or’ option for display. To build with wings folded would require some sawing & significant supplementary scratch-building.

After some testing with the very snug-fitting parts I thought it wise to add a shelf of sorts to support the wing-fold panels, as butt-joints all round seemed too optimistic:

 

There’s quite a hierarchy of panel joints on the Vega wing; from quite substantial around the wing-fold panel to subtle & streamlined at the ailerons, as seen here …

 

 

This is nicely replicated with snug fit of the kit parts at upper surface with wider joints below. Seems appropriate? However I did think the flaps were relatively ill-defined (left below), so these were scribed a little deeper (right) …

 

A note for others building the kit: those little pieces boxing out the landing lights are handed! They are subtly tapered to match the wing. This is not some revelation on my part, as it’s shown as such in the instructions, just others may near-miss that as I did!

As plenty of others have noted, the Dorawings kit is configured for various Vega Gull & subsequent Proctor variants. As such there are tiny wedges to fill the space for the later Proctor wing-tip navigation lights. There’s also a ‘blanking’ piece - not acknowledged in the instructions - where the later Proctor has some bulbous appendage .. shown here on the Dorawings Proctor test build:

 

The blanking piece straddles the join line between wing & fuselage’n’wing root .. shown here on someone else's online build thread:

 

It just so happens that junction is the very same delineation between burgundy and silver. The opportunity to paint this two-tone scheme as sub-assemblies, rather than masking, is very appealing! So I fixed that piece to wing now .. the little tab seen far right ..

 

 

.. & then sliced off the projection ..

 

.. & promptly popped the little offcut into the bag before I loose it - I'm going to need that later!

So that's major wing assembly done, here showing the close fitting upper surfaces …

 

... & the more open-jointed lower surfaces ...

 

Now to fill, clean up seams & prep for fitting the landing lights ..

Edited November 28, 2021 by greggles.w

[Fastcat]

Hi Greggles,

                               Nice research - the back story is great and I love that you're doing something of local interest rather than just what's in the box.

I have the same boxing and despite Dora's research  I'm sure the colour of Lady Sherborne's plane was blue, not red. I also know that when de Severne raced it, he painted a simplified CFS badge on the nose which isn't in with the decals. It's a pity because it's otherwise a good kit.

 

Looking at the plastic in the box, I'm inclined to think that the nose is a bit short too. I've compared it with drawings and photos and it always comes up short scaling off side views whichever medium is used.

I may be wrong but I think it's around 2 or 3mm which makes quite a difference to its appearance - much less pointy at the front end.

Whatever, it's still a nice kit and I can't see anyone else kitting it.

 

Dave

[Courageous]

Nice bit of wing surgery there Mr G.

 

Stuart

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Nice start Greg 🏆

 

As you know I have the 1/72 kit to build as A32-2. I have yet to receive the kit so I am unsure if is broken down like the 1/48 version.

[greggles.w]

On 11/29/2021 at 3:30 AM, Fastcat said:

Whatever, it's still a nice kit and I can't see anyone else kitting it.

Nice to hear from you again Dave!  ... & I agree, on balance this is a sweet little kit, and kudos to Dorawings for launching it.  Given the February deadline - which causes a cold sweat whenever I think of it - I am inclined to avoid any rhinoplasty for this one!

 

On 11/30/2021 at 10:27 PM, Romeo Alpha Yankee said:

Nice start Greg 🏆

 

As you know I have the 1/72 kit to build as A32-2. I have yet to receive the kit so I am unsure if is broken down like the 1/48 version.

 

Thanks Ray, these two at the two scales & such different schemes should add interest.  Will be nice to contrast the two kits as they unfold.  And file received today, many thanks!!

 

OK, so another step forward, wing related.

 

I'm probably overly cautious, but I've been thinking it might be worthwhile reinforcing the wing to fuselage connections, so today I've prepared a set of spars.  These have been threaded through the 'tunnel' between the floor & bottom piece of the three-piece fuselage ...

Rummaging around I found workable diameter styrene tube, plus some brass tube which neatly sleeved within that, paired together & welded in place like so ...

 

 

The 'spars' have been extended out as far as the fixed gear spat / struts, within the non-dihedral centre wing sections.  Funny how the floor stepped so conveniently like that - almost as though the real machine arranged its structure in a similar way ..!?

 

... shown in place with a loose test fit with the main fuselage parts:

 

 

The spars won't be visible within the cockpit as above, as the kit supplies wing-chord-shaped blanking pieces to fit to the inside of the fuselage halves.

 

That's all for today!

Edited December 1, 2021 by greggles.w

[gingerbob]

Man, this is my kind of WiP thread!  Looking forward to the next chapter...

 

bob

[Fastcat]

Hi Greggles,

                       Since moving at the end of last year, I've been busy with the house but it hasn't stopped me looking at interesting builds on the net. And this is shaping up to be one of them!

 

Don't blame you for not messing about with the nose - if I'm right it isn't an easy fix and would need more than just a spacer on the end of the cowl. It's too nice a kit to risk.

 

Liking the wing attachment points - no chance of the body being forced apart. The real aircraft seats were mounted on top of the main-spar so the wing mounting arrangement wasn't too different from your solution.

 

Nice work.

 

Dave

[Norman]

Looking great !

 

[greggles.w]

 

A period advert for the specific ‘satin finish’ dope used on the Vega Gull, an example of which just so happens to be depicted in this charming artwork.

 

Speaking of dope, I’m a bit of a dope .. I managed to damage two of the four stabiliser parts while removing from the sprue .. (if on an elevator or rudder I believe this bit would be called a ‘horn’ - do we use the same term for the fixed stabilisers??)

 

.. so I harvested some sprue & grafted that on ..

 

.. & shaped it, with more care, seems passable..

 

.. sufficient to commit to fixing elevators, hanging here as they cure in the hope that gravity helps them find a neutral alignment ..

 

 

With them is the rudder, also curing. It’s another element of the kit seeking to accomodate Vega & Proctor, with a lovely little tail light moulded in.  Suitable for the Proctor, but no such fitting on this (or other?) Vega Gulls.  So that’ll need to be ground out.

 

Escalating pre-Christmas lunacy here in my household, hope you’re all faring well..

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Nice progress Greg, I am starting my 1/72 version now, trying to figure out itnernal colours.

[bigbadbadge]

Looking good , like the wing spars going under the appeture under the cockpit,  great idea.  Wings and tailplanes look very nice.

Chris 

[greggles.w]

A 'merry time of year' diverted me, but I am re-engaging, lots of small tasks, here's two near done ..

 

The Dora Wings wheels & spats are very lovely.  The spats being 3x parts like so..

The separate top strut fairing is a thoughtfully accurate detail, but the main fairing splits lengthwise, while the real parts split front-back, like so ...

 

 

Not that it's a big deal, just focused my effort to ensure I fully removed any sign of the front seam.

 

The last spatted undercarriage I did had spat & wheel combined in one part and that was a painting challenge, distinguishing wheel from spat.  I do like the wheel separate from the spats in this kit, but assembly by the instructions would 'capture' the wheel .. a missed opportunity!  So I put the wheels on a suitably gauged temporary axle & carved out a trench to allow me to fit the wheels after painting...

 

 

Wheels have been painted (most to disappear into the spats!) & the spats are primed - red oxide - in the queue for topcoat red with fuselage when ready.

 

 

Another side task, the de Havilland Gipsy Six inverted inline engine, a lovely little sub-assembly from Dora Wings, plastic & PE ... someone ought to build this kit with the cowling open ...

 

 

For me, tentatively planning another 'in-flight' display, it's merely that which will be seen in through here:

 

Those white pushrod sleeves are prominent.  The kit provides PE for these.  They are incredibly fine as you'd expect, but also very thin, two dimensional, so I switched these out for white styrene rod .. here halfway with 6x done ...

 

 

.. & some time later, all 12x in place (+ 20 odd of the wrong length or launched across the room .. somewhere)

 

 

.. there's a PE plug wiring loom to add .. contemplating if & how best to with that ..

 

Other minor works are also moving in parallel - instruments, wing landing lights - but that's it for this reportage ...

 

Having fun!

Edited April 1, 2022 by greggles.w

[Malc2]

Lovely work as always, but I have to say that I would have sanded that square section profile off the tyres though!

 

M.

[greggles.w]

8 hours ago, Malc2 said:

Lovely work as always,

Thank you!

 

8 hours ago, Malc2 said:

but I have to say that I would have sanded that square section profile off the tyres though!

.. yes they are very ‘automotive’! Unfortunately the cutout to the bottom of the spats is similarly square section.  I can’t quite work out if it would need a ‘subtractive’ solution - sanded as you say - or ‘additive’ .. it may actually need a bulge added to bring the front edge into the curve at the front of the spat ..? Easiest if I had a more rounded profile, suitably larger diameter set in the spares box .. but no.

 

I have been lazy, & am using the excuse that 80% of that wheel disappears into the spat ..

Edited April 1, 2022 by greggles.w

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Nice to see more progress Greg, lovely looking engine

[bigbadbadge]

Great to see you back on this Greg, wheel Spats look lovely.  Great job on those pushrod tubes too.

Chris