DH 82A Tiger Moth S Rhodesia 1943

[Out2gtcha 35,923]

Yes me too...........I feel the pain of these times when you are SO close, but the kit just seems to fight getting fully finished. I think in the end you will be MUCH happier with the end results, and you can put the build behind you knowing there is nothing more you could have done. 

[mozart 12,724]

Thank you both for your words of support and encouragement Andy and Brian, it is appreciated. The Tiger Moth is in the Intensive Care Unit right now waiting for a suitably qualified consultant to be available to administer treatment. 

[RLWP 3,520]

On 1/6/2021 at 4:38 PM, mozart said:

Never been in this position before so I don't have the answers!! 

 

I have. 

 

For me, the best way is put the model in a box, tidy up all the research material into a folder, put it all away and clear the bench.

 

Then do something else - maybe not even an aeroplane <gasp>

 

I find when I eventually go back to the model, all the problems are forgotten and all the good work begins to show. That makes it much easier to tackle

 

As I said, this works for me, it might work for you

 

Richard

[mozart 12,724]

Thanks for the suggestion Richard, I am tempted along those lines but I don’t want to admit defeat over this kit and I’m pretty sure that if I put it away, it’ll stay there forever. It may eventually come to that but some TLC is the first part of the prescription! 

[RLWP 3,520]

Be careful though - I notice you see this as being a defeat, which suggests modelling is some sort of fight. It's supposed to be a hobby

 

There's another way, which is to ignore the 'plane for a while. I notice you've been doing this and it already doesn't look so bad

 

On the rigging - if you raise the upper wing, you'll be pulling against the flying wires and the landing wires will go slack. You'd be best cutting out all those wires, you'll probably have to redo them anyway

 

While you are at it, you could fold the wings back....

 

Richard

[mozart 12,724]

The fact that modelling is a hobby doesn't preclude it occasionally being a battle Richard, unless of course you have a magic wand? 

[monthebiff 6,853]

7 minutes ago, mozart said:

The fact that modelling is a hobby doesn't preclude it occasionally being a battle Richard, unless of course you have a magic wand? 

Couldn't agree more Max, its one of the things that go hand in hand with not building uber 21st century kits that pretty well fall together. Very frustrating sometimes but equally the best feeling when you complete one after months of trials and tribulation.

 

Time to start thinking about your next build and come back to the Moth when you are fed up of her laughing at you every day you walk past, generally works for me!

 

Regards. Andy 

[RLWP 3,520]

18 minutes ago, mozart said:

The fact that modelling is a hobby doesn't preclude it occasionally being a battle Richard, unless of course you have a magic wand? 

 

Ahh no, I do have the magic bin of doom though. Very therapeutic putting an annoying kit into a bin

 

I think there's a difference between a challenge and a battle. I don't mind challenging myself, when a build becomes a war of attrition I'm learning to step away

 

D'you think you'll have the problems with rigging wires I mentioned?

 

Richard  

[mozart 12,724]

No Richard I don't.  I spent a bit of time this afternoon trying to set up a jig to firmly hold everything in place and the lines looked fine, I used Prym so there's stretch/give in it.  If I'd used fishing line (and I thought seriously about doing just that) it could have been a different matter.  Time will tell, but I'm happily diverted painting a landscape in oils right now. 

[Alain Gadbois 2,203]

Hi Max,

Don't know where you are exactly now with the Tiger Moth, but I encourage you to keep on and take time to carefully plan out the mods you want to make on the kit. Good planning eases the stress and is a project in itself that can bring your enthusiasm back. The kit is certainly worth it and at this point you have put in so much great work into it. 

In my humble opinion, if you have the top dihedral OK, the interplane struts might need shortening a bit, and redoing the wing rigging will give the rigiddity to the corrected geometry on the wings.

 

Alain

[RLWP 3,520]

3 minutes ago, mozart said:

No Richard I don't.  I spent a bit of time this afternoon trying to set up a jig to firmly hold everything in place and the lines looked fine, I used Prym so there's stretch/give in it.  If I'd used fishing line (and I thought seriously about doing just that) it could have been a different matter.  Time will tell, but I'm happily diverted painting a landscape in oils right now. 

 

[mozart 12,724]

He has a wee bit more hair than me, and a different rather "dabby" style.  This is where mine is:

 

 

Thanks for the words of advice Alain, it could be going back to almost square one is the best way.....more deliberation! 

Edited January 8 by mozart

[Dukie99 2,371]

I have no solution for your aircraft, but your landscapes are amazing and the clouds and sky are just spectacular (the painting on the right on the floor especially). Do you exhibit in galleries? You should change your handle from Mozart to Turner (but maybe you play the violin like no other...

 

Cheers,

 

David

[mozart 12,724]

Thank you David, I’m really enjoying painting right now, it’s the first time I’ve picked my oils up for about 25 years, so I’m still a bit rusty! I’m very lucky in that I live surrounded by beautiful countryside so there’s always lots of inspiration. Just need some of that for modelling now! 

[geedubelyer 1,412]

Hi Max, I've just caught up with your build.

It's a bitter sweet read at present. You were brave to attempt to rectify the dihedral on the nearly finished model and I can see why you had to do it. I had a similar issue with a Camel way back when. Left as it was you'd have never been happy with it.

Now that you've taken the plunge more power to your elbow and I hope you're successful. 

If, for any reason the repair does not completely fix the dihedral might I suggest putting the airframe into a small maintenance diorama? Could you place trestles beneath the wingtips to provide the necessary dihedral and still keep the model looking as if you'd made it that way? A small hangar floor baseboard. A couple of standing mechanic figures, a set of stepladders and a rag draped over the wing here or there. 

Just a thought. Hope it does n't come to that and all works as you planned.

 

Best of luck. 

 

Cheers.

 

(In the mean time, enjoy your oil painting. )