|
|
HISTORICAL MINIATURES BY GEORGE GRASSE |
|
|
|
HISTORICAL MINIATURES BY GEORGE GRASSE |
|
AIRCO de HAVILLAND DH.2, No. 24 Squadron , RFC 1916
by George Grasse
|
EDUARD 1:48 SCALE PLASTIC INJECTION KIT EU8093 of the DH.2 |
|
EDUARD EU8093 BOX ART
|
 |
|
AIRCO DH.2 THREE-VIEW DRAWING
|
.jpg) |
| This 3-view drawing is credited to J. D. Carrick or F. Yeoman and appeared in Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War compiled by W. M. Lamberton and published by Harleyford Publications Limited. The onset of the Fokker Eindecker with its synchronized armament accelerated the development of Allied types that could counter the Eindeckers with some effect. However, the Allies had not yet developed synchronized aircraft armament. Instead, two different approaches to forward-firing armament became popular: the French top-wing machine gun mount and the British pusher. The Airco DH.2 carried a single forward-firing machine gun and had to compete with twin Spandau-armed Albatros scouts. The DH.2 was supplied on the Western Front to these RFC squadrons: Nos. 24, 29, and 32. |
|
THE
MODEL TO BE BUILT
|
,%20RFC%20(Pusher%20Aces%20WW1,%20Guttman,%20profile%2017,%20pg.056).jpg) |
| This image shows Major Hawker's Airco DH.2 No. 5964, the model to be built. The prominent red wheel covers and red/white striped wing struts would indicate a Flight A aircraft. Upper surfaces including the nacelle were finished in PC-10. Under surfaces and nacelle sides were clear doped. |
|
CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No.
1
|
%20Airco%20DH.2%20No.5964%20No.24%20Sqdn%2001.JPG) |
| GETTING STARTED: Inside nacelle details. The solid plastic seat supplied in the kit was replaced with a PE wicker style seat with seat belts from my stash. The five different instrument panels (center, top) do not all go into the model. There are three instrument variations detailed in the kit's instructions and you choose which combination to install. |
|
CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 2
|
%20Airco%20DH.2%20No.5964%20No.24%20Sqdn%2002.JPG) |
| GETTING STARTED: Inside nacelle details. The solid plastic seat supplied in the kit was replaced with a PE wicker style seat with seat belts from my stash. The five different instrument panels (center, top) do not all go into the model. There are three instrument variations detailed in the kit's instructions and you choose which combination to install. Note the first streaky brush application of Humbrol HU0155 Olive Drab |
|
CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 3
|
%20Airco%20DH.2%20No.5964%20No.24%20Sqdn%2003.JPG) |
| Some details are completed, namely the wheels, Lewis gun, engine, prop, tail unit, and nacelle details including a second coat of PC.10. |
|
CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 4
|
%20Airco%20DH.2%20No.5964%20No.24%20Sqdn%2004.JPG) |
| Wing and nacelle struts are set in place. The next step is to attach the wiring to the underside of the top wing before the wings can be joined. |
|
CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 5
|
%20Airco%20DH.2%20No.5964%20No.24%20Sqdn%2005.JPG) |
| Underside of the top wing with all flying wires attached. |
|
CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 6
|
%20Airco%20DH.2%20No.5964%20No.24%20Sqdn%2006.JPG) |
| Top wing attached and all flyying wires attached. |
|
CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 7
|
%20Airco%20DH.2%20No.5964%20No.24%20Sqdn%2007.JPG) |
| The landing gear was modified by exchaning the plastic 'V' struts with brass tubing and rod. The original spreader bar was retained. |
|
CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 8
|
%20Airco%20DH.2%20No.5964%20No.24%20Sqdn%2008.JPG) |
| The fragile tail boom is now attached. First, the front top spars were glued to the top wing and allowed to set. Second, the bottom front spars were glued to the bottom wing and allowed to set. Third, the rear top spars were glued to the front of the horizontal stabilizer. Fourth, the rear bottom spars were glued to the bottom of the vertical stabilizer. Fifth, a brass rod was glued to the top tail boom spar on both sides as clearly shown in the photo. Sixth, the bottom of the tail boom near the tail had a brass part substituted for the kit part and glued in place. |
|
CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 9
|
%20Airco%20DH.2%20No.5964%20No.24%20Sqdn%2009.JPG) |
| The assembled tail boom. Note the horizontal reinforcing spar attached to the bottom of tail boom just visisble in front of the leading edge of the tail unit. |
|
CONSTRUCTION PHOTO No. 10
|
%20Airco%20DH.2%20No.5964%20No.24%20Sqdn%2010.JPG) |
| The DH.2 has now been rigged except for the aileron wires which have to be installed after painting and wing decal application. |
|
FINISHED PHOTO No. 11
|
%20Airco%20DH.2%20No.5964%20No.24%20Sqdn%2011.JPG) |
| This model turned out to be the "most rigged" to date. |
|
FINISHED PHOTO No. 12
|
%20Airco%20DH.2%20No.5964%20No.24%20Sqdn%2012.JPG) |
| The serial number '5964' is a homemade decal. |
|
FINISHED PHOTO No. 13
|
%20Airco%20DH.2%20No.5964%20No.24%20Sqdn%2013.JPG) |
| Construction-wise, it's a great kit. Rigging-wise, it's the most difficult I've ever done. |
|
FINISHED PHOTO No. 14
|
%20Airco%20DH.2%20No.5964%20No.24%20Sqdn%2014.JPG) |
| Most of the kit's plastic wing struts were replaced with brass rod and tubing. The rigging required extensive handling and some of the struts cracked. |
|
FINISHED PHOTO No. 15
|
%20Airco%20DH.2%20No.5964%20No.24%20Sqdn%2015.JPG) |
| The color code on the outboard wing struts varied among two of the sources. In one, the front and rear struts had the same red-white-red spacing. In another (which I used here) the front strut differed from the rear strut. |
|
FINISHED PHOTO No. 16
|
%20Airco%20DH.2%20No.5964%20No.24%20Sqdn%2016.JPG) |
| The horizontal strut between the bottom tailboom is a flattened brass rod that replaces the kit part for enhanced strength. |
|
FINISHED PHOTO No. 17
|
%20Airco%20DH.2%20No.5964%20No.24%20Sqdn%2017.JPG) |
| The placement of the top wing fuel tank differs among sources. I centered this one. |
|
FINISHED PHOTO No. 18
|
%20Airco%20DH.2%20No.5964%20No.24%20Sqdn%2018.JPG) |
| All flight control horns were painted a semi-gloss metallic black. |
COLOR TABLE
| Paint Color Used | Where Paint Color Used |
| Vallejo VC0824 Orange Ochre | Interior wood framework and formers |
| Humbrol HU0155 Olive Drab (PC-10) | Upper surfaces including nacelle |
| Vallejo VC0856 Ochre Brown | Inner struts and tailboom |
| Model Master 1778 Chrome Silver | Engine highlights |
| Andrea ANC001 White | Outer wing strut alternate markings and rudder central stripe |
| Vallejo VC0909 Vermillion | Outer wing strut alternate markings and rudder red stripe |
| Vallejo VC0963 Medium Blue | Rudder blue stripe |
| Humbrol HU0103 Matte Cream | Under surfaces and nacelle sides |
| Vallejo VC0984 Flat Brown and VC0985 Hull Red (50:50 mix) | Propeller; blade tips to be brass |
Bibliography:
British RFC/RAF Squadrons: https://www.nationalcoldwarexhibition.org/research/squadrons/
Gray, B. J. The AMC DH2 Windsock Datafile 48. Berkhamsted, UK: Albatros Productions, 2009.
Lamberton, W. M., Compiler, and E. F. Cheesman, Editor. Fighter Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War. Los Angeles, CA: Aero Publishers, 1962.
Revell, Alex. Victoria Cross WW1 Airmen and Their Aircraft. Stratford, CT: Flying Machines Press, 1997
Rogers, Les. British Aviation Squadron Markings of World War I. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military History, 2001.
Shores, Christopher. British and Empire Aces of World War I. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 2001.
GO TO?
18 Feb 2024
