Thanks Alexis, Dan and Gene! Next up? Having just finished up a heritage build of a 1/48 Otaki P-40E Aleutian Tiger (a kit I've wanted to build for 50 years!), I am returning to WWI plastic by attempting to convert a WNW DH.9A Ninack into a DH-4 Liberty Plane of the USAS 50th Aero Squadron, representing the Medal of Honor mission to relieve the "Lost Battalion." I really like the paint scheme and markings of this aircraft.
DH4 Liberty Plane by
Robert Hallinger, on Flickr
DH4 Liberty Plane by
Robert Hallinger, on Flickr
I have the Windsock Datafile on the DH-4 Liberty Plane, and the issue of Over the Front above has lots of good closeup photos, so I have enough information. This conversion will require significant surgery on the fuselage, cowling and interior of the Ninack, and most likely some vacuforming (new cowling and parts of top deck). I'm looking forward to the challenge. It will also require a good deal of forethought and problem-solving. I realize that the wings of the Ninack are slightly longer than those of the DH-4, and the chord as well, but I am not going to bother about that, as I am going for the look and feel rather than precision. Someone suggested that I could use the wings from the WNW DH.9 kit, which apparently are the same as the DH-4, but I can't see sacrificing a second $200+ dollar OOP kit for the sake of a few centimeters on wings this long already. Close enough will have to do.
After the DH-4, the current plan is to return to paper with the Igualada paper kit of Frank Luke's SPAD XIII no.26. This is essentially the same kit Dan recently completed in a French scheme, and his accolades for the kit have moved it to the top of my paper kit list.
Thanks for all of your support on the Hanriot build. Much appreciated. Take care everyone.
Best regards,
Bob
