AZ Models DeHav DHC-1 Chipmunk

The first model to be completed in 2018 is the DeHavilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk. This is one of AZ Models’ recent series of Chipmunks with a resin nose replicating the Lycoming engine. The real attraction to me was one set of markings that came in the box: a club aircraft painted in British Airways colors. I will take just about any opportunity to put commercial markings on a 1:72 scale model. AZ has done this before and will hopefully continue the trend as the opportunity arises.

Fit was not great. Lots of fettling and amendment to just about every piece. The Lycoming nose, as I mentioned, was resin, thereby requiring superglue. That’s never my favorite medium. The canopy provided some drama as well. It didn’t fit well, and after sanding a bit here and there, I decided to get a clamp out and put some pressure on until the glue cured. Alas, the only clamp I had that would fit was a big one, and it turned out that it put too much pressure on. If you look closely, there are many little spider-cracks on the forward part of the clear bit. Ah well, another lesson learned.

Plus, this project exhibited some of the problems I’ve had with kabuki tape lately. I did get a set for the DHC-1, though it was a Peewit set (72102), not Eduard, who doesn’t make a set for this kit. But it appears to be the same tape medium. The problem was that it generally started to pull away from the plastic, and did not make a very good seal. Hence, when the model was painted, some color went to places it was not supposed to. I seem to have been having this problem with just plain Tamiya tape as well recently. Change in formula? Just inattention on my part? Whatever the case, I have begun to re-burnish the edges down right before I move things into the paint room. I did clean up the clear bits with the usual WD40 on a Q-tip. 

If I had it to do over, I would have moved the fuselage line between White and Blue higher up on the fuselage. And I would have found a smaller clamp.

This is completed aircraft #484 (1 aircraft, 0 ordnance, 0 vehicles for the year 2018), finished in January of 2018.