Tiger Moth DH82 by Value Planes

[Geoff Daunt]

Hi, just wondering if anyone has built this model. 1/3.8 scale and 2.36 m wingspan. Any information on the build… or problems or issues would be appreciated. I want to do the model justice and include a Scale ‘Ish cockpit.I am a competent builder but do not have the skills to build a scratch built cockpit.. so looking for the best Cockpit kit in the UK. 
I guess 1/3 scale would be ok even if slightly  big for true scale…. But not going to get 1/3.8

Any recommendation for a cockpit kit greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

To be honest, much of a Tiggie cockpit could be self constructed using a variety of materials and methods [most details were of traditionally hand crafted wood/leather/metal] but if you’d like the gold-plated option, these 1/4 scale offerings might fit the (rather hefty!) bill - although not UK based I have had instruments sent direct to me in the past:

https://www.aerocockpit.com/de-havilland-tiger-moth-complete-cockpit-ready-made--rmk-04-4-?l=1&barva=

 

A more cost-effective way could be to select individual instruments from the same company and construct the panels yourself. This is maybe better if you’re modelling a specific full size example. Their products are very good IMO. 

 

1/3 scale instruments from them in a home made panel.

 

You could experiment with combining thin ply, prints of instrument photographs and acetate sheet which can give good results at minimal cost. 
 

Chipmunk panels from photos sandwiched as above - harnesses made from elastic. Hair by Barbie!

[David Ovenden]

4 hours ago, Geoff Daunt said:

Hi, just wondering if anyone has built this model. 1/3.8 scale and 2.36 m wingspan. Any information on the build… or problems or issues would be appreciated. I want to do the model justice and include a Scale ‘Ish cockpit.I am a competent builder but do not have the skills to build a scratch built cockpit.. so looking for the best Cockpit kit in the UK. 
I guess 1/3 scale would be ok even if slightly  big for true scale…. But not going to get 1/3.8

Any recommendation for a cockpit kit greatly appreciated. Thanks.

1/4 scale cockpit and instruments would be much closer to 1/3.8 than 1/3rd scale items and easier to find too I would have thought.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

It might save some money if you could get a supplier to provide a single cockpit kit and then cover the front cockpit with a "canvas" cover as sometimes used for solo flight.

[Ady Hayward]

Hi Geoff.

I am a very experienced builder of model aircraft and found building one of these was a bigger task than first expected. The kit in itself has many of the metal fittings and fixtures on two laser cut plates and the mix of woods in the build is comprehensive and has most parts laser cut from lite ply.

 I decided to build it as close to scale as possible as the side and plan profiles are pretty accurate. I intend to use it for stand off scale and went into the detail maybe a tad too far. I soon found that apart from the outline there were a lot of extra jobs to do. It is intended as a sport scale and is closer to a DH60M "Metal Moth" of which the DH82 is a direct descendant. In this respect the aircraft lacks the wing sweep on the top surfaces and the corresponding forward placement of the top centre section. I found this out when at the rigging stage and found the official measurements didn't correspond to the aircraft and thankfully a slight re adjustment of the centre section metalwork had everything lining up as it should. When built the bare airframe looks a bit like the incredible Toni Clarke super detail model but that is as far as the similarities go.

 With respect to the cockpit I ended up making a new control box from an actual control box scaled down and still managed to get the rudder and elevator servos under it to operate the controls in a scale manner. I also ended up getting as many full size drawing files to scale down the instrument panels, seats and internal controls and other fittings which were then 3D printed. Not a task I would want to repeat too soon. The undercarriage is a very simplified affair and far from scale which is my next project to attend to. To be honest I would recommend it as a large semi- scale model unless you are willing and able to create the scale fixtures and fittings.

[Geoff Daunt]

Thanks for the information guys ,especially Ady.  I will only use as a semi scale model which is fine by me. I have since found out that Mick Reeve models do a 1/4 cockpit kit at a sensible price of £40 for front and back and £3 postage.That will do nicely 👍

l don’t have the time or skill to do a full scale project. I am not into competitions or similar, just like building a decent model and got to have an office!!🤣

[chris collis]

Hi Geoff,Detailing cockpits can be done fairly cheaply with just some clear acetate sheet,1/32 ply and instruments cut from a photocopy to the right scale for your model.Very easily done and only takes about a day;day and a half to make.cost of my panels on my ov10 bronco and A37 dragonfly was about £2 each.Hope this may be of some help to you.Attached are a couple of photos that may be of help.cheers.Chris.

[PeterF]

I used the Mick Reeves 1/4 scale cockpit in my Falcon Tiger Moth kit, see the attached page on my build log. The Falcon kit was by far the best scale kit and I assume the fuseage really was 25% of the full scale, Chris Stewart the designer worked on Tiger Moths. The Mick Reeves dashboard was too wide for my kit so it could be slightly larger than true scale. Therefore, there is a good chance it will fit the slightly larger 1/3.8 scale.

https://forums.modelflying.co.uk/index.php?/topic/31228-peterfs-14-scale-falcon-models-tiger-moth/page/12/&tab=comments#comment-677759

Edited November 21, 2022 by PeterF

[Geoff Daunt]

Hi , In regard to my build of this Tiggy how on earth do you bend the 4 mm stainless tube for the rudder ,elevator and wing tips,

l built a Jig for rudder outline , saddle clamped one end and attempted to bend around jig ….. got it roughly around but then just sprung out. And shape not good.

Please tell me how you did it., if you did.  many thanks.

[Ady Hayward]

Hi Geoff.

Sorry I missed your post. I'm guessing you sorted the tube bending but for the record I 3d printed a series of "Pulley wheels" of suitable diameters and carefully helped the tube around until it fitted the  drawings. Small adjustments were made using firm finger pressure only to avoid kinking. A little perseverance paid dividends. I did find they often broke free so a little fine thread wrapped around will hold them firmly in place..

[Geoff Daunt]

Hi Ady, thank you for replying. I don’t have a 3 d printer.

Gave up trying to bend the SS tubes.

l went the old fashioned way of making up some Laminate strips .

Worked very well and kept shape.