FROG 399P de Havilland Dragon Rapide

Trade Notes

Frog's l/99th scale Handley Page Hampden and 1/115th Wellington are attractive W.W. II additions to their 3|6 range of plastics, while the Dragon Rapide (l/68th) joins the range as a "civvy" and the Lancaster (1 /96th) comes at 6|6. The pity of the new series, beside the scale variations, is the apparent lack of research for authentic markings. With the Lancaster we have a choice of WP or VN for 90 or 50 Squadrons with correct disposition of the letters: but scale adherents will positively cringe at the thought of putting G-AGUK on their Dragon Rapides for that was the dismantled Lancaster with Lancastrian nose observed by so many modellers when Northern Heights Gala was held at Langley! So if you have both kits, you could paint the Lancaster silver as "Star Gold" in the British South American Airways fleet and use the fictitious "Rapide" transfers!

When such colourful Rapides as 'HKV in Automobile Association black and yellow, 'HLL, 'FEZ, 'HKU in B.E.A. maroon, white and silver, or OO-AFG in Avions Fairey's flame and white are so well known, it seems incredible that the manufacturers should not take advantage for sales appeal. Other than these points, International Model Aircraft Ltd. are to be congratulated on a really fine plastic model of the Queen of biplane airliners.

AeroModeller 1960-03"

Over the counter

Received just in time for this feature are the latest kits from I.M.A. For only 3s. 6d. there is a beautiful kit for a 1/68 scale De Havilland 89 Dragon Rapide. This excellent and original choice builds up into one of the most delightful plastics we have seen for a long time. There is lots of scope for the ingenious modeller to add interior detail and, of course, there are many colour schemes from which to choose. (See Here & There page 64.)

Here and There
De Havilland Lancaster?

WHY oh why do reputable manufacturers, after spending considerable sums of money on accurate moulds for their plastic kits, continually include inaccurate or fictitious markings ?

We seem to be getting over the spate of G-BOAC registrations on every other new airliner kit, but now Frog have perpetuated the crime with their otherwise excellent D.H.89 Rapide (see Over the Counter).

The transfers with this model read G-AGUK, but this registration really belonged to Lancaster "Star Gold" (serial P.P.688) of B.S.A.A.

A most colourful authentic scheme for the Rapide would be that still used by the Automobile Association on their aircraft—yellow and black, with registration G-AHKV, or, of course, as B.E.A. still use Rapides on their Scilly Isles to Land's End run, the model could be finished in their livery.

MODEL AIRCRAFT March 1960

Model Talks
WELCOME BIPLANE:

"For over a quarter of a century the basic shape of the de Havilland Dragon Rapide has remained unchanged. Frog have shown a great deal of imagination in adding this well-loved biplane to their series of plastic kits. The model (price 3s. 6d.) is just over l/72nd scale (1/69 to be precise).

It is a pity that this company, which produces such high quality kits, should spoil them for a ha'porth of transfers. Even before I had received a kit from Frog, a spokesman had phoned me up and told me that the registration number supplied with the kit, " G-AGUK," never, in fact, belonged to a Rapide, but to a Lancastrian. Nor could I trace any note of shame in his voice as he told me this.

A colourful and authentic present-day version of the Dragon Rapide is " G-AHKV," which belongs to the Automobile Association and flies around resplendent in the AA's vivid yellow and black colours. As the photographs on this page show, the top of the wings, top and bottom fuselage and tail-plane are black and the fuselage sides and undersides of the wings are yellow. Markings are yellow on black, and vice-versa. If you want an exact colour match you will only have to go to your nearest main road and wait for an A A man to come along. His motorcycle will be in exactly the same colours as the Dragon Rapide.
Geoffrey Norris

RAF Flying Review May 1960 Vol XV, No.9

DE HAVILLAND DH.89A RAPIDE
Manufacturer: Heller
Scale: 1:72nd
Price: £3.15

The DH Rapide was the classic biplane air liner of the immediate pre- and post-war eras, and was used extensively for military training and communications from 1939 until the 1950's. As a kit subject, it has always been near the top of the 'wanted' list ever since the days of the Frog kit (which was 1:67th scale). There is the l;72nd scale vac-form from Rare-planes and the recent offering by Veeday, both of which require experience to produce a satisfactory model.

Heller have come to the rescue, as we almost knew that they would, with the definitive 1:72nd scale kit of the Rapide, molded delicately in the usual light grey plastic. The initial impression given by the kit was very favourable and construction proved to be straightforward, with only two small problems. Surface detail was generally very well done.

I was unable to find a set of 1:72 scale plans with which to check the accuracy of this kit, but length, span and height check-out satisfactorily against published data. Comparing the fuselage lines with photographs shows the outline and window/canopy shapes to be accurate. Somehow the fuselage centre line looks wrong. The box-side drawings show the correct line through the lower part of the entry door and curving up at the nose. Unaccountably, the kit moulding has a much higher line through the point of the door, resulting in too flat a line all along the fuselage and especially at the nose, with the associated stringers being insufficiently curved.

There is a full set of windows on each side of the fuselage, even though many aircraft did not have the port rear window. Window corner radii are too small. A snag showed up on assembly of the two fuselage havles (the cockpit and cabin interiors having been built-up, painted and installed in the starboard half). The two halves of the fin and rudder were slightly displaced when the fuselage was lined-up, possibly due to slightly different lengths of the two halves. Correcting this fault before gluing the fuselage together led to a port-leaning fin, which had to be fixed later.

The lower wing is in two pieces, split horizontally, and goes together very well to give the required 'gull winged' shape. The rear parts of the nacelles are moulded into the lower wing. This assembly fits very nicely to the fuselage.

The top wing is a solid moulding which fits the fuselage snugly — in fact care must be taken to avoid getting a difference in level along the fuselage top surface.

Fitting of the well moulded interwing struts to the lower wing first, and subsequently to the top wing, proved easy. The Heller recommended bracing wire system was not used following my problems with the Gladiator kit, stretched sprue was used at the end of the construction sequence. The tailplanes are delicately moulded and fit by way of locations which simulate the tailplane trimming system.

The engine nacelles and the undercarriage legs are moulded in two halves, with the main wheels caught on a spindle, a very neat arrangement but remember to paint the wheels first! Unfortunately there is no engine detail inside the cooling ducts.

The propeller units are in my opinion rather poorly moulded. The spinners are too lone and 'blocky' and the propellers do not have the characteristic twist of the Fairey units. I corrected the spinners but left the propellers as they were. The tailwheel is correctly represented, but it is delicate and vulnerable to damage, so take care!

Markings provided in the kit are for an RAF navigational trainer with civil registration, seen in 1940; an Air Couriers machine and a l'Armee de L'Air radio trainer. There are numerous schemes that could be used, several good ones are shown in Profile No. 144. I produced my model in RN markings, as my very iirst flight was in a similar machine from Lee-on-Solent.

Modification experts will doubltless be able to produce the Canadian Rapide with floats and revised fin, and possibly some of the related family of DH designs.

This is altogether a notable kit from Heller, who have just the right approach to their model programme. We can really do something with this Rapide kit—how about a Dove to go with it?
Tony Bamford

Scale Aircraft Modelling AUGUST 1979 VOLUME 1 NUMBER 11