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Post by Bruce on Apr 3, 2016 22:04:27 GMT 12
I'm just starting work on scratchbuilding a 1/72 DH86 Express to diaplay in RNZAF colours in my collection. It will be a Resin Cast project so basic component kits may be available in the future. At the moment I have one little question that I have been bouncing around friends. What Colour were the code numbers on the RNZAF expresses?  The above image is one of very few showing the Expess in RNZAF Colours - aparently Silver overall. However, the undercarriage trousers have some coloured bands around them, which seems the match the colour of the ID code on the nose (Which, incidently doesnt relate to the serial!) The code number has a black border and is a lighter colour, but what colour is it? My call would be yellow, but Light blue or red have also been suggested. Does anyone have any conclusive evidence or better photos? It is certainly lighter than the Roundel blue, and I'm not convinced they would use a black border on Red, but its the old story of interpreting colour shades from poor, greyscale images! Dave wondered whether the Expresses ever wore Camouflage in their RNZAF careers - since they served on active duty in Fiji for a time, it would be a possibility. I have never seen any evidence of this however so I'll be sticking with the silver! |
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Post by Peter Lewis on Apr 3, 2016 22:25:46 GMT 12
I can offer the following photo of DH86 NZ554, which appears to show similar bands on the undercarriage fairings. The code number on this one is a dark colour - black? I thought that the u/c bands might be a hangover from Union Airways days, but a quick look at the photos I have of their DH86 fleet does not show this colouring. My guess would be red for these bands.  |
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Post by Bruce on Apr 3, 2016 22:39:37 GMT 12
Thanks Peter, I have seen that photo before as well, and at slightly enhanced brightness / contrast levels it also shows a black border around the code numbers, so they probably are the same as "2" (NZ553). Its a pity you cant see the centre of the fuselage roundel for comparison - the under wing roundels are shaded so not as useful...
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Post by shorty on Apr 4, 2016 11:33:04 GMT 12
Looking at this photo red would seem most likely but no outline visible?  |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 4, 2016 12:09:48 GMT 12
That must have been a scary ride, crashed on take off and went through a fence and trees before settling there!
As I said to Bruce yesterday on Facebook, my educated guess would be red lettering, or red with black outline.
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Post by davidd on Apr 4, 2016 12:22:33 GMT 12
The final DH86 in Fiji was definitely in camouflage in 1943 - it was severely damaged that December just prior to being ferried back to New Zealand. The wreck was shipped home and was the basis for the rebuild carried out by DHNZ at Rongotai which eventually became ZK-AHW.
David D
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Post by camtech on Apr 4, 2016 12:35:53 GMT 12
Remembering the vagaries of the older orthographic film, I would vote for red.
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Post by davidd on Apr 4, 2016 14:01:48 GMT 12
I believe that the circumstances behind the demolition of NZ554 at Ohakea in November 1940 was a very black night, and a 180 degree change of the briefed wind direction of which the pilot in command (nor his off-sider) was unaware of (and no advice of change from the tower). They were on take off on a hunt for German raiders after the RANGITANE sinking from memory.
David D
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 4, 2016 14:06:04 GMT 12
Interesting about the camouflage on the DH86 in Fiji, Bruce and I were discussing it yesterday as a possibility but I'd never seen any photos of these aircraft in Fiji. I wonder if it wore the Pacific blue/green scheme and the operational style Pacific roundels? That would look amazing.
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Post by davidd on Apr 4, 2016 17:11:28 GMT 12
I have a relatively poor shot of the camouflaged DH86 in Fiji, although I think it was in dark earth and dark green, with RAF-type A1 red/white/blue/yellow roundels, and appropriate fin flash (and not later RNZAF types). This photo must have been taken shortly before it returned to NZ. It has a group of men standing in front of it, presumable connected with the Fiji Communications Flight at Nausori.
David D
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Post by ams888 on Apr 4, 2016 18:10:51 GMT 12
 Seeing the Union DH86's were red, I would say a red stripe would be the logical conclusion |
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Post by Bruce on Apr 4, 2016 18:22:36 GMT 12
The stripes appear to be completely unrelated to the Union Airways scheme so I don't think that would have a bearing on it. On Shorty's pic of the broken NZ554, I would have to agree the code number is likely Red, comparing it to the roundel centre. That said, Orthographic film also shows yellow as a dark colour... Maybe each Express had a different colour?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 4, 2016 18:55:45 GMT 12
There is undoubtedly an air publication with strict guidelines laid out of the colours that were to be used to paint identifying numbers onto silver aeroplanes at that time. Barf at Wigram is your best bet to ask.
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Post by ams888 on Apr 5, 2016 18:33:19 GMT 12
Charles Darby says in the book "RNZAF The First Decade" and I quote:"The three Union Airways DH86s also went to the AG & AOS. By January 1940 both Rapides and DH86s were silver overall with flashes on the wheel spats and code numbers, in both cases RED outlined in BLACK. Later in 1940 the codes were plain black."
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Post by Bruce on Apr 5, 2016 18:50:01 GMT 12
Charles Darby says in the book "RNZAF The First Decade" and I quote:"The three Union Airways DH86s also went to the AG & AOS. By January 1940 both Rapides and DH86s were silver overall with flashes on the wheel spats and code numbers, in both cases RED outlined in BLACK. Later in 1940 the codes were plain black." OK, thats a good enough non - photographic reference for me! |
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Post by Bruce on May 7, 2016 15:20:31 GMT 12
I can report the sucessful completion of the DH86 project!:  more photos later in this post, but forst a few progress photos. fuselage patterns started with blanks cut from pine and bandsawed to shape, sanded and sealed with resin:  stringer detail was added with Evergreen plastic half round sections and foil tape:  these were then sprayed with spray filler and a gloss lacquer to finish. the top wings were carved out of 5mm Aluminium bar. These were molded and cast first, and the first set of castings used to make the lower wing patterns.  eventually I ended up with a full set of patterns - Nacelles were lopped and chopped from an old Heller dragon Rapide, Tail feathers also carved out of aluminium, and other detail built up from Knead it Putty.  From the patterns I poured silicone molds (I had to do the fuselage twice since the first mold had some issues...). From these I cast a set of resin components - essentially now a kitset model!  From here it was pretty standard resin kitset building, using a few Heller Rapide bits for detail:    The model was painted before fitting the top wings:  Final assembly with shaped evergreen strip as inboard struts (although a set of Heller Rapide outer struts fitted perfectly!). decals were standard RAF type A roundels and ink jet printedserials, codes and fairing flashes.     To show the aircraft in its historically interesting Patrol bomber config, I used some Pavla 1/72 Resin RAF WW2 Bomb sets to provide the 25lb and 250lb bombs. I scratch built the "Light Series" and "Universal" bomb racks based on reference photos:  This is an accurate bomb load according to photo references, but I cant help thinking how impractical it would have been for anti-shipping work! The 250lb would have been OK against a converted merchantman surface raider (such as Kormoran) but would have been useless against an armoured capital ship. 25lb was more an anti personnel or practice bomb, so its hard to see what they would be effective on! Probably a propaganda exercise more than anything... Finally a photo to compare the size with the Rapide we would be more familiar with - The Express is a significantly bigger beast!  As with all scratchbuilds using this build method, it is quite expensive and time consuming tomake the model 4 times (Patterns, Molds, castings and assembly)but the molds are good. If anyone is interested, I could run off some basic kits, but be aware that they will miss a lot of the detail bits I nicked off the spare Rapide set! |
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Post by saratoga on May 7, 2016 16:56:37 GMT 12
Great work, always interesting to see some real modelling,being a largely an "in theory" modeller these days. tempting...  |
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Post by ZacYates on May 7, 2016 19:20:33 GMT 12
Absolutely magic. Congratulations Bruce, it looks fantastic!! I love the bombs on it too, not what I was expecting.
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Post by agalbraith on May 7, 2016 20:36:37 GMT 12
Bruce, you are a very talented guy! Well done on taking on such a project....and finishing it!
She looks wonderful, you cant have many more left to complete your RNZAF collection now?
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Post by Bruce on May 7, 2016 21:25:04 GMT 12
Bruce, you are a very talented guy! Well done on taking on such a project....and finishing it! She looks wonderful, you cant have many more left to complete your RNZAF collection now? As it turns out, To make the shipment of the bomb sets from Hannants UK worthwhile I brought a Puss Moth kit, leaving only a Boeing 757 to acquire to have the full set of "regular" types (not all built yet though...). That doesnt exist in 1/72 and its a whole different kettle of fish scratch building one of those! |
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