Aeroclub's 1/48 scale
de Havilland Tiger Moth

by David Valinsky

HyperScale is proudly supported by Squadron

Here is Aeroclub's latest release of their 1/48 scale Tiger Moth.

The kit represents one of the oldest Moths flying with the de Havilland Flying School.

The kit parts consist of fuselage halves, wings, tail, wheels and cockpit in high quality injection moulded plastic with other details provided in white metal. The windscreens, plus an enclosed cockpit for a Canadian Air Force version, are provided as vacuum-formed components.

Apart from posing the flying surfaces the only other additions were some seatbelts out of of thin aluminium sheet and a rudder bar in the rear cockpit that passed through the fuselage sides to connect with the flying wires. These wires were of fine nylon while the wing rigging is of elastic. This stuff is flat, just like the RAF wires and also allows you to stretch the rigging tight without danger of snapping something!

The fit of the parts was overall very good, with no more than the usual amount of sanding expected from a limited run kit. I usually use good old-fashioned brushes and acrylics for painting purposes but I just cannot find a good acrylic silver to replicate these painted fabric surfaces. The scarlet is from Humbrol's acrylic range while the aluminium was sprayed from a can of car paint, I think it was a Ford. I'm stocking up on this stuff to do some inter-war RAF fighters!

Decals are a highlight of this kit, Aeroclub providing for two civilian versions, one red and silver, one yellow and silver, an RAF trainer (perhaps two? forgotten already) in camouflage with yellow undersides and an all-yellow RCAF trainer with that enclosed cockpit. The decals went down very well with the help of some micro-sol and -set.

Shading was done with a dry brush and pastels and weathering was kept to a minimum. The whole thing (apart from the tyres) was given a coat of Humbrol gloss to finish. The tyres got some Xtracrylic matt varnish although it must be said this stuff is not nearly as good as the Humbrol version, you need a lot of coats to even begin to remove a shine.

Generally,Aeroclub's 1/48 scale Tiger Moth was a very enjoyable kit of this grossly neglected subject.

Aeroclub releases suggest the possibility of a Gypsy Moth in the near future, I'm keeping my eyes peeled!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Thumbnail panels:

Model, Images and Text Copyright and 2008 by David Valisnky
Page Created 13 June, 2008
Last Updated 13 June, 2008

Back to HyperScale Main Page