1/72nd scale 'Dan Air' Dakota.

[Tony Hill]

Terry, I just love it mate! That gleaming silver just looks fantastic. A great one mate...I bet you will be sorry to see her go.



As a boy I watched the Daks come in and out of Kalgoorlie airport, particularly during the floods on the Nullabour Plain. At that stage we were just pensioning them off and handing them over to the newly independant (from us) PNG. I watched one narrowly miss the tower one day, on takeoff roll. The RAAF pilot was quite descriptive later on the skill levels of what would these days be termed "indigeonous pilots". What he actually said could, in these enlightened days, not be printed here but it did encompass the whole spectrum of skill, parentage, reflectiveness, utility, reproduction and other bodily functions...

 

[Wayne Little]

Sweet Terry!

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Daryl and Wayne. I sort of will be sorry to see it go, as it brings back many memories. Might even do another one for myself some day.

 

[109ROAMING]

Whata cool name for an airline! haha

Nice build mate! nice looking scehem

 

[Airframes]

Cheers mate! The name was derived from the names of the founders Davies And Newman = Dan-Air, not to be confused with the Danish feeder airline Danair.
We used to always refer to it as Dan Dare, after the comic character !

 

[plheure2]

What a beauty, Terry! Lovely finish in white and silver. Just one gorgeous DC-3! Congrats!

 

[Airframes]

Cheers mate !

 

[MaxCamps]

Excellent Stuff Terry - I guess it makes a nice change from SEA Spits Hurricanes!!!

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Max, and yes, it's a change to have something other than brown and green !

 

[A4K]

Thanks Evan and Karl, and thanks for the kit info Evan. I can't be certain, until I find the decal sheet from the kit I built approximately 30 years ago, but, although the Italeri kit, and the old one, are identical, I seem to recall that the old one had the Esci label.

Do let us know Terry, be keen to know what the story is there!

I also remember regularly seeing the Calibration Flight Dak's as a kid, operating out of Paraparaumu airport (NZ) before being replaced by F27 Friendships. Always have a soft spot for the Dak/ C-47...

 

[Gnomey]

Coming along nicely Terry!

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Hugh.
Evan - I found the old decal sheet, which has the same (poor) RAF decals, but a US Navy R4D as the alternative, and they are Italeri too. Just shows what age does for memory !!
Anyway, the model is very nearly complete, with just the props, upper side antenna and a couple of small things to do, plus the base. I hope to have it all wrapped up by tomorrow night. Total build time to date is 50 hours, and i guess there's probably another 4 or 5 hours needed to finish it completely.
PIC 1. A general top view, showing the contrast of the control surfaces.
PICS 2 and 3. The main undercarriage has been fitted, and the lock struts added from stretched sprue. Brake lines are in the process of being fitted here, made from lead wire, and painting has not yet been completed.
PIC 4. The tailwheel as provided in the kit is a rather basic, solid item. And no, I don't know why I painted it either !
PIC 5. The part was trimmed and filed, and the shock strut added from plastic rod.
PIC 6. The modified unit fitted and painted.
PIC 7. Hollowing out the solid exhausts.
PIC 8. Exhausts fitted and painted, and main gear painted.
PIC 9. The pitot and D/F housing fitted, and the transponder wires in the process of being fitted, made from thin stretched sprue. These were trimmed once set, the masts cleaned up, and painted as required.
Thanks for the continued interest and kind remarks, and I hope to post pics of the finished model tomorrow.

 

[Tony Hill]

Beautiful!

 

[woljags]

love the detail Terry,good job

 

[Wurger]

 

[rochie]

great stuff

 

[Wayne Little]

looking real good Terry!

 

[Airframes]

Thanks very much indeed chaps, it's appreciated.

 

[A4K]

Sweet work Terry!

No worries with the decals and the memory - I have a t-shirt printed that says 'Hi! In case I ask, my address is..'

Looking forward to further progress!

 

[Lucky13]

I say old boy, looking dogs spherical what!