Hobbycraft Canada 1/72 Dash 8 400Q

[chrish]

Hi again

after cobbling together a Dash 8 300...well it's kinda a 300 I'm going to take what I learned (and with help from another who has sent me info in the way of plans cuts and drawings) I am going to try to complete a 400 Q. Best case I end up with a rare commercial airliner, worst case I toss out a fairly crappy old Hobbycraft kit that I completely buggered up

 

the measurements transferred to the cutting matt and plug measurements marked on the model (cause I'm really forgetful)

 

Gluing begins

Thanks for looking

[chrish]

Plugging away (on fuselage plugs...shameless attempt at a pun)

I've begun adding strip styrene stringers and steel rods to add strength

 

 

Couldn't resist a side by side to see how much bigger the model would be than my previous attempt at the 300

 

adding the skin, made of sheet .020" scored so it'd bend around the stringers

 

 

and the inevitable metric ton of filler

the "fun" continues

Thanks for looking

[LSP_Kevin]

Love this, Chris!

 

Kev

[Shoggz]

Amazing stuff!

[Lee White]

Epic modeling here.

[chrish]

7 hours ago, Lee White said:

Epic modeling here.

Thanks...I sure hope it all works out!

The plugs have been smoothed out, re-filled, re-sanded etc

 

and the shapes of the main planes have gotten some attention

 length added at both ends with taper from root to tip, more needed for certain but it's a start

Thanks for looking

[Gazzas]

You do great work, Chris.

[chrish]

19 hours ago, Gazzas said:

You do great work, Chris.

Thanks Gaz, you set the bar, I'm only trying to get close to it

I've continued modifying the remaining main plane and also moved on to the horizontal stabilizer

A couple of images of that stuff underway, the kit tail the arrow tape indicates the change in span:

 

the panel lines are also wrong for the 400, I've scibed in a new hinge line here, indicated by the tape arrows

 

 

and sawed off all the lumps

 

and added new wing tips

 

and sanding to shape has begun;

 

The play will continue

Thanks for looking

[Alain Gadbois]

Incredible increase in lenth!

Well done!

 

[chrish]

On 10/15/2024 at 12:13 PM, Alain Gadbois said:

Incredible increase in lenth!

Well done!

 

Agreed! We don't have these in the fleet where I work, we run ATR's and 1900's (of which I've built a few) but there was an Air Canada Dash 8 borrowing our hangar space for their technicians to service. the space we could stuff two ATR 42's although a snug fit into, is gobbled up by a Dash 8 with no room to spare. I stood near the front of the fuselage by the cockpit side window and looked down the length of the plane gave a weird optical illusion that there was nothing holding up the back of the plane, with the main gear leg out on the wing and away from the line of sight...Just an observation

back on topic, I've plugged and filled the original kit windows with the thinking being; the easy route, use Nazca decals to replicate the windows, the more difficult route, make a copy of the Nazca decals, tape that copy to the hull and open out the windows...I doubt anybody who posts builds on this site ever takes the easy way.

As well, the wings are nearing final work;

 

 

And now the engines...4,500 horse power per side, the kit nacelles are too small for the 400's big engines so I'm working on some scale conversions and drafts/ drawings to try to get a reasonable representation of the engines

Thanks for looking

[Ben Brown]

Wow, cool project! I love the Dash-8. Great airplane!

 

Ben

[chrish]

I took the plunge and began work on the engines...well, one engine actually and it's well underway now. I made a drawing and am working from that to modify the nacelles

first images illustrating the size difference and my drawing

 

 

 

the engine air intakes are crude and dead ended just inside the opening, I've cut them open, I will need to make the raised lip around the intake opening and de ice boot

 

as well, there's a waste area area between the air intake and propeller hub, the image below shows the left side untouched and the right side having been in a fight with rat tail files and sanding sticks

 

some "Apoxy Sculpt" applied to the rear part to blend the eventual shapes together

 

and that nacelle all glued back together the bottom strip plastic will be filed and sanded to the contours needed much more work needed...looks a little like a 4500 hp engine eh?

 

A noticeable difference from the -8 100 engine

great fun being had here

Thanks for looking

[chrish]

The basic shape is there, some refinements and on to the next engine

 

test fitting:

 

and I've used up the last of my Tamiya basic putty, forgot to check inventory, I'll have to source at least one more tube to keep going here

Thanks for looking

[Martinnfb]

Mad skills, and love it! 

[Gazzas]

Awesome work.  You must have a large putty budget.