Ninak H 3433 no. 30 SQN circa 1926 WNW conversion

[janh]

Hi fellow modellers
Afler long deliberation i've decided to start a build i have been considering for years. After the release of de WWI Ninak some gifted modellers ventured into the Twenties when these aircraft were deployed in a "policing" duty, in Mesopotamia and the British Indies. The actual aircraft were adapted for use in a hotter and harsher climate and for longer distance flights. There's a nice book on this piece of history by Vic Flintham : Truculent Tribes Turbulent Skies st. the RAF in the Near and Middle East 1919-1939 (9780851304687). Some time after the first DH9a WNW announced the future release of a post-war Bristol Fighter and Ninak. the sprues were displayed conform one of their announcement policies (I.E. a KIWI modellers fair). I personally consider the DH9a more or less of a footnote in WW1 so i decided to wait for what was coming... Eventually in 2015 in their last christmas surprise the kit was announced. By then the Windsock datafile 141 was already in my posession. The subject of my interests is displayed on the back. It is compared to the drab WWI PC clad planes a rather gaudy piece to work. What makes this plane so interesting is the amount of bits an bobs that it has sprouted compared tot the original. This is what i'm after! Alas WNW wasn't entirely helpful. Their new sprue contains the tropical radiator under the nose, the slats, the sturdier landing gear and spare wheels and a few details but the fuselage is still the same. Unfortunately details of the so-called camelback version ar extremely sparse. i've asked our expert Ray Rimmell but there's no issue of Windsock international that is of any help. Ronny Bar kindly provided me with pdf's of his artwork and in Windsock Datafile 139 there's a sideview of the late version.
2 gifted modellers went before me. Our forum member (king) Kong built one based on the original kit, Kudos! A British modeller (Bill van Heerden) displayed his model last year at Telford and has sent pictures ti WNW as can be seen in the customers models section. I've desperately tried to get in touch with him to pick his brain about  the particular aircraft, alas op to now without success.
 Well i'll give it a try myself then.


first the obligatory photos of the model and documentation:



the books:





extra's (i like the seatbelt, i'm not so sure about the fotoetch...



parts after a soak in lukewarm water with Dreft, our local brand of washing-up liquid :





the all important side view:




   

after a bit of experimenting with my printer setting i managed a print thats exactly the size of the model. with my trusty geotriangle
 (an instrument dating back to my high school years, way back when) i found out that the incline of the deck behind the observer/gunner was increase from about 11 to 15 degrees.

BIG GULP, i have got to cut up the fuselage of a fantastic model to get what i want, so here we go:



and the result thanks to my razor saw:






next, i made a template using my print:

[URL=http://www.imagebam.com/image/7a7d77586591153]

here's the result hardening after the first glueing together of the parts



As you may notice i'm simultaneously starting another postwar NINAK albeit not the camelback.

I have NO experience with deal printing, nor do i know anyone with an ALPS printer who might help me with the A, the Palm tree and the serial number. i'm no great painter. Any assistance will be greatly appreciated. Does ANYONE (KONG??) know what the dark part is below the observers position? An oblique camera window??

[RAGIII]

It looks as though you are off to a great start! I have an old theory: If you are brave enough to do the first cuts you most likely have the skill to complete the conversion  Your cuts look true and the replacement/ additions look like they are spot on.
RAGIII

[mgunns]

I just finished a Post War NINAK using the PHEON for the blue "JAN."  I think the NINAK is a neat airplane and I am looking forward to seeing you do the Camel Back.  There is a damaged postwar NINAK  still on the shop.wingnutwings.com page.

[davec]

Looks like you are off to a great start.    I admire your daring in doing major modifications-  I usually get really intimidated.  I bought a few of the discounted damaged WNW kits in the hopes that I would feel OK about trying some of the things you are.  Will watch with interest.

Dave

[coyotemagic]

I've been doing major mods on cheap 1/48 scale kits for years, but never had the guts to chop up a WNW kit.  Kudos for your courage and artistry, Jan!  I'll be following along with great interest.
Cheers,
Bud

[Juan]

Great start, good luck with this project.

[KONG]

Kia Ora, Hi Janh

Good to see someobne else having a bash at the old Ninack. I wish you all the success and loadsa fun doing it.
Like your choice also. The Windsock Datafile is the bible man! Worth every cent and so of course are your fellow
members. Best source of information. Best of luck with it, and I for one, will be watching it progress.

All the very best from NZ

Dave (Kong)

[KONG]

The picture . . . 

[KONG]

Here be the beast. The far away one in the picture.

All the very best, and if you need any info just ask.

Cheers


Dave

[lone modeller]

Great to see another modeller attempting t chop up a kit and make it a bit different. Kudos to you - I will be following with interest.

Stephen.

[mgunns]

This is such a cool model with so many possibilities.  I remember KONG when you did this, what an outstanding build.  Janh, we are all watching and rooting for you.  This is going to be neat as you break new ground with this model.

[janh]

Progress is slow...  i do not posess too many details so here and there it's an educated guess


the observers position adjusted to height. the cut on the lee side is not entirely straight so a shim is added to help with filler. Part A30 is cut in half to ajist it to the requred height. i  suppose there's a panel there to avoid draft in the observers cubicle.


the hardest part is the changover from the curved part of the fuselage to the square deck behind. a strip of card is added to part A5/A6 to assist this, the problem being the glas panel ahead thats affixed to the panel on the observers side


on the fuselage i've marked out the place where the 2 windows are cut out of the canvas

there's an interesting picture i found that gives the impression that the camelback was made of canvas, i still suppose that the decking is wooden board material

i started on the engine and landing gear
 

[RAGIII]

I know absolutely nothing about the Ninak but it looks to me as though you are off to a great start and have a good plan!
RAGIII

[davec]

Following with interest.  Great modifications.  The extrapolating from the pictures is really interesting.

Dave

[mgunns]

Looks like you are making good progress and working out the issues with any conversion.  You are breaking new ground here and leading the way for other modelers who may want to do this conversion.  Keep us posted.