This all began with a bagged 1/48 AMT DH-4 that showed up in a care package a while back (thanks a million, hamsterman!). Soon I realized the spats from a 1/72 Amiot 143 would work as wheels if I wanted to turn it into a car. Hmmm those DH-4 wings & tail feathers will be nice to have in the spares box, too. So here's the starting line up.
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xparts.jpg)
Right off the bat, I knew I'd have to fill that huge 'pit. No way around it, so I started building it.
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xpit_01.jpg)
I scratched the fire wall from card and the pedals from bits of sprue. I found a spare wheel from a Bleriot to use for the steering wheel.
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xpit_02.jpg)
I also made a little gear shift out of spare parts.
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xpit_03.jpg)
The U.S. penny gives you an idea how tiny some of this is.
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xpit_04.jpg)
I had to be careful assembling all this because I needed to make sure I had enough clearance for the instrument panel.
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xpit_05.jpg)
Here's how it looked painted before I closed it all up.
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xpit_06.jpg)
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xpit_07.jpg)
This is a case of doing too much since the pedals can't be seen at all.
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xpit_08.jpg)
Oh well, at least I know they're there.
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xpit_09.jpg)
And a little model bondage so it all sets right.
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xpit_10.jpg)
At this point, I still hadn't figured out how to attach the rear wheels. Then I got lucky and stumbled across just the right part in the spares box.
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xprog_01.jpg)
I have no idea what it is, best guess is part of a swing-wing mechanism, but it sure did the trick.
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xprog_02.jpg)
Here's how it all looked buttoned up and built, but before paint.
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xprog_03.jpg)
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xprog_04.jpg)
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xprog_05.jpg)
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xprog_06.jpg)
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xprog_07.jpg)
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xprog_08.jpg)
It was at this point I realized something was missing, so I fabricated rear-view mirrors out of orphan bomb halves and P-36 wheel hubs.
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xprog_mirrors_01.jpg)
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xprog_mirrors_02.jpg)
Here's how it all looked with paint.
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xprog_paint_01.jpg)
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xprog_paint_02.jpg)
The old hairy stick was used along with a lot of Model Masters acrylics, Medium Gray and Semi-Gloss Black mostly.
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xprog_paint_04.jpg)
I'm not certain where the windshield came from. I think it was the armored windscreen for a 1/48 Henschel 129.
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_xprog_paint_03.jpg)
I've been working on this model for the last month or so. Right after I took those pictures with the paint on, I dropped it and had to rebuild the rear axles which fought me like the deuce.
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_00_under.jpg)
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_00_upper.jpg)
Ah well all's well that ends well and I'm just glad I was able to get this one finished in time.
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_011.jpg)
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_012.jpg)
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_013.jpg)
Here's a couple more shots of that 'pit. Still can't see the pedals but the rest is visible.
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_015.jpg)
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_014.jpg)
The decals were all from spares, the large #23s from a venerable Viscount and the Ethyl ones from a sheet probably for a 1/48 scale racing plane. The Goodyear logos came on a sheet Mr GTX sent me a while back.
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_018.jpg)
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_017.jpg)
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_016.jpg)
I'd like to thank Bill for sending me both the DH-4 and the Amiot that sacrificed its spats and Jon for moderating this GB.
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_019.jpg)
It's not known if alcohol played a contributing factor in this entry, but it can't be ruled out.
![](http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/DH-4%20Racer/DH4%20racer_020.jpg)
Brian da Basher