DONE@p.3 +++ 1:72 Airco TR.2 of RAF 157 Sq., Battle of Amiens; July/August 1918

[Dizzyfugu]

We'll go way back in time with this one, right after the RAF's birth in early 1918. Things have to start somewhere.
This will be a slightly modified Revell Airco DH.2, as a very late WWI recce/attack aircraft.



Yes, I obviosuly have masochistic tendencies... 

[NARSES2]

I built that when it first came out. My hand/eye co-ordination was obviously far better back then 

Sensible for an attack aircraft, no pesky prop to get in the way of the guns 

[Dizzyfugu]

And with excellent view for the pilot, too. I also built one, when I was about 10 years old, with corresponding results, and I hope to get it better this time. Still a bit nervous, though... 

[zenrat]

I think I also built one as a kid.  I remember building a DH2.  Did anyone else do one in the one true scale?

How about a trench strafer with downward pointing guns and an armoured tub?

[Dizzyfugu]

 

[Dizzyfugu]

Things started moving this morning, and since there's not much model to build I am already about to place the struts on the wings. The kit is, well, just what you should expect from a 50+ year old mold - lots of flash and cleaning, and no part seems to match any other. However, thanks to some modifications (e .g. external armor plates, rhinoplasty, different wheels from a Gloster Gladiator), most problem zones can be hidden or simply outmanoeuvered, but the wings and the tail between them make me nervous. The pilot figure is cool, though: the guy even has a mustache!

[zenrat]

I can't wait to see this.

[Dizzyfugu]

Some live pics; things start very OOB...


1:72 Airco TR.2 of the Royal Air Force 157 Squadron; Battle of Amiens, July/August 1918 (Whif/Revell kit) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


...but soon things go astray, e .g. with a four blade propeller for a beefed-up engine:


1:72 Airco TR.2 of the Royal Air Force 157 Squadron; Battle of Amiens, July/August 1918 (Whif/Revell kit) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Some more hp are required, because of the external armor plates that protect the pilot now:


1:72 Airco TR.2 of the Royal Air Force 157 Squadron; Battle of Amiens, July/August 1918 (Whif/Revell kit) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Furthermore the nose recived a channel so that the machine gun can be tilted downwards by up to 60° for strafing attacks:


1:72 Airco TR.2 of the Royal Air Force 157 Squadron; Battle of Amiens, July/August 1918 (Whif/Revell kit) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


The landing gear has just been fixed:


1:72 Airco TR.2 of the Royal Air Force 157 Squadron; Battle of Amiens, July/August 1918 (Whif/Revell kit) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


And here's the pilot - looks pretty happy? Probably just had some afternoon tea and scones... 


1:72 Airco TR.2 of the Royal Air Force 157 Squadron; Battle of Amiens, July/August 1918 (Whif/Revell kit) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[zenrat]

Love the pilot.

Do you think the undercarriage would be up to the job?

[NARSES2]

In all honesty it's not that bad considering it's age, probably in better shape than me 

I can remember some kits of German WWI aircraft the pilot even had a dueling scar 

[kitbasher]

Some of those elderly Revell kits aren't as bad as one might expect.  Certainly better than the old Airfix Gladiator, dH 88 Comet and NARSES2's favourite, the RE8.

[Dizzyfugu]

Progress went on yesterday at interstellar speed: I got so far that not only the wings and tails could be attached, I even managed to finish painting by 90%! Well, it's not much aircraft to work with, but the paint scheme is ...complex, you'll see it soon. Just finished painting the struts final pre-rigging setp this morning, and this evening I expect to dive into rigging hell...

Well, and besides the lots of flash the kit is not as bad as expected - it went together (relatively) easily. You have to keep in kind that all twelve(!) wing struts are separate pieces, the whole thing is a wobbly affair. But I glued all the struts into place on the lower wing and the fuselage, and - once semi-dry - glued the upper wing to the four fuselage struts. Shaky affair. When this connection was more or less dry I pushed the long, outer struts into their respective attachment holes and glued them into place - and this method miraculously worked at the first attempt! Mounting the wobbly tail was then an easy task.

More pics to probably come this evening, when decals and wires come to play.

[PR19_Kit]

What are you hanging about at Thomas, it's the SECOND day of the build and you haven't even finished ONE model yet....... 

[NARSES2]

Progress went on yesterday at interstellar speed: I got so far that not only the wings and tails could be attached, I even managed to finish painting by 90%! Well, it's not much aircraft to work with, but the paint scheme is ...complex, you'll see it soon.

Ah I take it your going to use something similar to the proposed schemes for the likes of the Dolphin etc ?

[Dizzyfugu]

Salamander (or, to be exact, a scheme that was proposed with the Orfordness Report E/30A). Similar role for what I want to nmake out of the DH.2