Author Topic: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane - FINISHED  (Read 5866 times)

Offline robunos

  • Can't afford the top wing of his biplanes...
De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane - FINISHED
« on: February 13, 2021, 12:26:33 AM »
Okay, here's my contribution.



De Havilland Australia Sun Moth

This aeroplane was designed (in Australia, De Havillands in England weren't interested in the job, they wanted to sell Fox Moths and Dragons) in 1932 for use by the Australian Aerial Medical Service (the  'Flying Doctors' ) following their nationwide expansion that year, as a supplement to, and eventual replacement for, their currently used De Havilland D.H.50s, and also as a replacement for the RAAF's ageing Westland Wapiti aircraft.
For use by the 'Flying Doctors', the plan was for the aircraft to be procured by the RAAF, then leased to the AAMS at a nominal rate. A prototype was built and successfully tested, but the required funding was not forthcoming from the Australian Government, and the AAMS continued their operations with commercial aircraft leased from various airlines.
The wings, tail surfaces and undercarriage were copies of the then standard Moth components, enlarged as required to suit the new aircraft. The fuselage was a welded steel tubing framework, covered, in thin plywood, with an inner ply box forming the cabin area. The cabin was lit by portholes in the sides. Large doors were also fitted, to allow the loading of stretcher cases and large freight items. The open cockpit was forward of the cabin, and although the aeroplane was designed to be flown by a single pilot, a jump seat was fitted to allow the carriage of a second crewman, for instance a navigator.
The aeroplane was intended to be able to land in small, restricted spaces, in order to get as close as possible to patients and casualties. To this end, it was fitted with full span combined camber-changing flaps and ailerons, (the term 'flaperons' hadn't been invented yet) as well as leading edge slats. Also fitted were balloon tyres to allow operation from rough and soft surfaces.
Power was supplied by a uncowled Bristol Jupiter. The whole aircraft was designed for ease of repair and maintenance away from established bases. The aircraft was designed to carry a pilot and up to four other people.
The aircraft was named 'Sun Moth', after the day flying moths native to the Australian bush lands.


The idea for this Build came about because I needed a pair of 1/48 DH Moth wings for another project. This meant that I had an almost complete Moth kit left, so I invented the 'Sun Moth' to use up the parts. I was originally going to use the Moth kit fuselage, but it wasn't 'right' for this Build, so I adapted a 1/48 Fokker D.VII fuselage I had spare . . .


EDIT: story updated to reflect the aeroplane being re-designed.


cheers,
Robin.
« Last Edit: March 27, 2021, 06:25:34 AM by robunos »
By the pricking of my thumbs, Something Whiff-y this way comes . . .

Offline robunos

  • Can't afford the top wing of his biplanes...
Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane
« Reply #1 on: February 13, 2021, 12:27:44 AM »

Okay . . .
Here we go. Here are the D.VII fuselage halves.





I removed all the moulded on details, the filled the strut holes with scrap.





Next I cut away the top decking,





then I started to build up the new fuselage. Not finished yet, as I'm designing it as I go along . . .   :o    ;D







cheers,
Robin.

By the pricking of my thumbs, Something Whiff-y this way comes . . .

Offline robunos

  • Can't afford the top wing of his biplanes...
Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2021, 06:31:44 AM »

Okay . . .
Update time !
After assembling the fuselage, I painted the inside dark grey as usual,





Then added the fuselage top, the step at the tail end is for the tailplane seat,





then I cut out the cockpit. You can just see on the fuselage side where I've sketched out the arrangement of the portholes and door.





Finally for this time, Moth bits !







That's All For Now, Stay Tuned . . .


cheers,
Robin.
« Last Edit: February 19, 2021, 06:33:56 AM by robunos »
By the pricking of my thumbs, Something Whiff-y this way comes . . .

Offline Robomog

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Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2021, 07:31:26 AM »
This is all shaping up rather nicely   :smiley: :smiley:

Mog
>^-.-^<
Mostly Harmless...............

Offline apophenia

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Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2021, 09:59:22 AM »
Most intriguing. I could see this being an early '30s replacement for an earlier, DH.9-based flying ambulance.
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline robunos

  • Can't afford the top wing of his biplanes...
Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2021, 06:28:13 PM »
That's exactly what it is . . .   ;)


cheers,
Robin.
By the pricking of my thumbs, Something Whiff-y this way comes . . .

Offline robunos

  • Can't afford the top wing of his biplanes...
Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane
« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2021, 12:19:24 AM »
Okay . . .
Another update. After a lot of thought, some of it due to a sleepless night, I've decided to re-design the Sun Moth from a low to a high wing aeroplane.
Therefore, I've modified the fuselage by removing the stub wings flush with the fuselage sides, and adding a wing centre-section, which is also the main fuel tank, along with a cockpit coaming.






Also, and this was intended before the re-design, I marked out and started to scribe the combined flaps and ailerons.





I will also be adding leading edge slats, the hinges are already moulded in, but the slats themselves are not . . .
I will also be updating the Back Story post to reflect the re-design.
That's All For Now, Stay Tuned . . .


cheers,
Robin.

« Last Edit: February 20, 2021, 12:21:08 AM by robunos »
By the pricking of my thumbs, Something Whiff-y this way comes . . .

Offline apophenia

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Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2021, 10:00:46 AM »
Ooo, I like it! Good choice on going to high-winged  :smiley:

This is gonna be good  :D
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline robunos

  • Can't afford the top wing of his biplanes...
Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane
« Reply #8 on: February 23, 2021, 05:49:20 AM »

Okay . . .
Today's update.
Flaperons scribed, and slats added . . .





I also made up a nose piece from plastic card, runner, and scrap,





and here it is attached to the fuselage. The large hole is where the engine will fit . . .







That's All For Now, Stay Tuned . . .


cheers,
Robin.
By the pricking of my thumbs, Something Whiff-y this way comes . . .

Offline robunos

  • Can't afford the top wing of his biplanes...
Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane
« Reply #9 on: February 25, 2021, 06:11:19 AM »


Okay . . .
Today's update, and the fuselage is finished!








What you're looking at; forward, top hinged hatch for stretcher cases or cargo, aft, front hinged door for normal entry/exit,  and a sliding roof hatch.
And just for fun, lets put the tail feathers on . . .





That's All For Now, Stay Tuned . . .


cheers,
Robin.   

« Last Edit: February 25, 2021, 06:15:46 AM by robunos »
By the pricking of my thumbs, Something Whiff-y this way comes . . .

Offline apophenia

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Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane
« Reply #10 on: February 25, 2021, 08:23:50 AM »
Looking gooood!  And plenty of hatch access ... speedier ingress = greater odds of EMS success  :smiley:

... lets put the tail feathers on ...

Yep, now it really looks like a de Havilland product  :smiley: :smiley:
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Buzzbomb

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Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane
« Reply #11 on: February 25, 2021, 12:02:13 PM »
Really looking interesting

Offline robunos

  • Can't afford the top wing of his biplanes...
Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane
« Reply #12 on: February 26, 2021, 03:38:30 AM »
Okay . . .
Wings attached . . .







cheers,
Robin.
By the pricking of my thumbs, Something Whiff-y this way comes . . .

Offline apophenia

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Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane
« Reply #13 on: February 27, 2021, 05:54:19 AM »
Nooice! So, leading-edge HP slats and near full-span flaperons?
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline robunos

  • Can't afford the top wing of his biplanes...
Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane
« Reply #14 on: February 27, 2021, 06:06:10 AM »
Nooice! So, leading-edge HP slats and near full-span flaperons?


Yep, the idea is to be able to land in short, unprepared fields, to get as close to the casualty as possible, see my next post . . .   ;)





cheers,
Robin.

By the pricking of my thumbs, Something Whiff-y this way comes . . .

Offline robunos

  • Can't afford the top wing of his biplanes...
Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane
« Reply #15 on: February 27, 2021, 06:07:24 AM »

Okay . . .
I've fitted the undercarriage today, so that's the construction phase basically done. With the change to a high wing, I've had to redesign the undercarriage from a Tiger Moth to a Puss Moth type, with an axle, radius rod, and vertical strut . . .





The units were supposed to be slightly farther aft, with the vertical strut picking up under the wing root, but then I realised that it would foul the forward hatches, so I've had to move it farther forward.





Never mind, the more forward the undercarriage position, the less likely a nose-over.


The tailskid . . .





and finally standing own it's own two feet. The axles will be trimmed to length when the wheels are fitted.





That's All For Now, Stay Tuned . . .


cheers,
Robin.

By the pricking of my thumbs, Something Whiff-y this way comes . . .

Offline apophenia

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Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane
« Reply #16 on: February 27, 2021, 06:13:48 AM »
Looking good !  I'm getting a kind of high-wing monoplane DH.34 vibe here  :smiley:
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Frank3k

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Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane
« Reply #17 on: February 27, 2021, 11:57:56 AM »
It has a French 30's vibe, in a good way.

Offline Robomog

  • ...had a very bad experience with [an] orange...
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Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane
« Reply #18 on: February 27, 2021, 07:15:04 PM »
Wot they said,  this is shaping up to be a classic aircraft  :smiley:

Mog
>^-.-^<
Mostly Harmless...............

Offline robunos

  • Can't afford the top wing of his biplanes...
Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane
« Reply #19 on: February 28, 2021, 05:45:58 AM »
Thanks, gents . . .
@apophenia, the DH.34 was one of the inspirations for this build, along with the DH.29 monoplane. But with a radial engine, 1, because I had one spare, and 2, that's one of the ways to establish the scale of the model . . .   ;)
@frank3k, things have turned out a bit blocky around the nose, giving the french look, my inspiration here was the Armstrong-Whitworth Argosy biplane, with it's blunt nose and uncowled engine.


cheers,
Robin.
« Last Edit: February 28, 2021, 05:49:36 AM by robunos »
By the pricking of my thumbs, Something Whiff-y this way comes . . .

Offline apophenia

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Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane
« Reply #20 on: February 28, 2021, 08:02:44 AM »
Robin: I thought of the Doncaster but the wing shape reminded me of the DH.32. Overall, I much prefer your DH to either of those RW de Havilland types. Looking forward to seeing her with the radial in place  :smiley:
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline robunos

  • Can't afford the top wing of his biplanes...
Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane
« Reply #21 on: March 01, 2021, 11:40:07 PM »
The Doncaster gave me the idea to use portholes, much easier to make than framed windows, and convinced me that the Moth type undercarriage wouldn't work with a high wing . . .


cheers,
Robin.
By the pricking of my thumbs, Something Whiff-y this way comes . . .

Offline KiwiZac

  • The Modeller Formerly Known As K5054NZ
Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane
« Reply #22 on: March 11, 2021, 11:13:32 AM »
High wing was the right choice, IMO. And you're creating something that 100% fits in with the lesser-known DH products of the era. I love it!! :-* :-*
Zac in NZ
#avgeek, modelbuilder, photographer, writer. Callsign: "HANDBAG"
https://linktr.ee/zacyates

Offline robunos

  • Can't afford the top wing of his biplanes...
Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane - FINISHED
« Reply #23 on: March 27, 2021, 06:24:11 AM »

De Havilland (Australia) Sun Moth prototype, as seen during operational evaluation by the Australian Aerial Medical Service, 1933.



































The aeroplane was named 'Panacea', after the Greek goddess of healing.
Unfortunately, due to pressure from 'commercial interests', the Government refused the RAAF funding to procure Sun Moths for the A.A.M.S., and the project was abandoned.


cheers,
Robin.
By the pricking of my thumbs, Something Whiff-y this way comes . . .

Offline finsrin

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Re: De Havilland Australia Sun Moth - A One Wing Biplane - FINISHED
« Reply #24 on: March 27, 2021, 06:53:35 AM »
Looks convincing story reads convincing.  :smiley:
Perhaps a Spirit of St. Louis like strut from low fuselage to mid wing.  Or not !