Roden DH-2

[paddy]

So this is a challenge to myself..........basically do i need to pay £200 for a WnW model to get a half decent DH-2 on my shelf....?



I loved the wing nut models, the detail and ease of construction, sharp mouldings and excellent instructions but i am not now prepared to pay through the nose for a used example. So often i paid over top in the past for discontinued kits only to find them re released shortly after and the value of my tiny stash slashed.
An example of this was several Hasegawa models i grabbed back in the day as they were to subject of Aires resin kits only to now find hobby 2000 producing the same models at a greatly discounted price to other comparative models

So here we have Roden 1/32 DH-2. First look in the box and i am already thinking i made a mistake here ...then i thought...it would be boring if it wasn't a challenge.

The engine is really simple, i found some pictures of a Gnome rotary, remember a radial has a spinning crank and a rotary has a stationery crank so its understandable that you don't want ignition wires and other parts spinning round at 2000 rpm

The kit motor is just 6 pieces and you don't use one of them

All i have done is drill out the push rods and added Nickle replacements

Off we go

 

[Rhino]

I LOVE the DH.2! Like a deadly Box kite, without all that castor oil on your goggles! I await your "Paddy-process" on this model!

 

[paddy]

I have a soft spot for them which is why i wanted to build this even though its mostly rigging which could be my downfall as i want to make my own fittings ....
These were state of the art until the Jerries came up with the monoplane.. As a pusher it could have an effective forward firing gun and it was the jerry interrupter gear on the Focker Eindecker that made the DH-2 obsolete

 

[moon puppy]

I've listed to several audio books lately about WW1 airwar, "If You Survive", "Winged Victory", "No Parachute" and "Above the Trenches". All of them written by those daring young men... None of those books are complementary to the leadership of the RFC/RAF at the time.

 

[paddy]

They were very different times Bob dominated by the British class system which eventually was wiped out by the end of the war
Summed up by the phrase
Yours is not to wonder why, Yours is but to do and die. which was associated with the charge of the light brigade but applied very much too the forces in WWI.
The very fact that the pilots were not allowed parachutes in case the bailed out rather than fight says it all really.
In fairness this was all very much the RFC, With the formation of the RAF things changed as people were deemed to be joining "The most exclusive flying club in the World" Which was all "Jolly good fun"

 

[moon puppy]

The very fact that the pilots were not allowed parachutes in case the bailed out rather than fight says it all really.

Arthur Gould Lee really dug into the records trying to find who in leadership was responsible for the refusals to allow parachutes but came up with nothing definitive other than some notes in the margins of the request.
The idea that they thought pilots would rather bail out instead of fight just boggles the mind. But this was the same leadership mindset that would shoot someone for not going over the wall to certain death.

 

[paddy]

To get over the ejector pin marks i chiseled them of flat then covered them with Tamiya masking tape sections to cover the damage , then washed the masked parts with a doped linen colour wash so the masking take stays and is also held in place by the .3mm nickel rigging wire diagonals and its own glue..

The seat is PE and the wood is oils brushed to give a grain. Brass is alclad polished brass.

 

[jknaus]

Looking good. You're really doing a great job of whipping this in to shape.
James

 

[Brokeneagle]

Looking great!

 

[paddy]

cheers just rigging the top wing

 

[moon puppy]

Looks hairy.

 

[jeaton01]

Unless it grows more it's going to need a comb-over!

 

[paddy]

I am going to call it Trumpy

 

[paddy]

I have started the rigging and gone ahead and finished one section to be sure this method will look ok and is actually possible. It takes forever as its all tweezers and threading line through tube but it seems to give an acceptable finish. Once done i will probably do the lines and fittings black

 

[moon puppy]

Looks good Patty.

 

[paddy]

Half way with the wing rigging. Trying not to think about all the bracing wires for the fuselage and tail as well as control cables

Once its done i will paint the wires and fittings black and tension up the wires with a hot something or other

 

[moon puppy]

Do the ailerons get control horns?

 

[paddy]

yes but fragile so will wait till last i think ..

 

[razordws]

Looks great Paddy. I've found a small soldering iron works a treat when tensioning up those wires.

 

[Barney]

Rigging!!!!!

This is why I don't build biplanes!