1/48 Hobbycraft DH.100 Vampire F.1

[Stikpusher]

Thanks guys! It’s great to finally have this bird taking final shape.

Medic, I was quite worried about potential alignment issues, but fortunately they did not happen.

John, the twin boom design allowed for the tail pipe to be shorter and reduce loss of thrust. I’m no aerospace engineer, but from reading up on this aircraft and engine design, early jets would lose a good percentage of available engine thrust as the tail pipe lengthened in a conventional fuselage design. The twin boom design worked around that challenge. That’s one resin most other early jet designs were twin engined. Only the Volksjäger He-162 and P-80 would also successfully deal with the single jet engine approach in an early operational jet fighter.


I just have a few more small details to attend to and of course all the landing gear PE to add, but this one is picking up speed again.

[Stikpusher]

Images fixed

[KennyX]

Well hot damn, Carlos! That’s one fine-looking airplane! I’m happy to see her with the tail booms on. She’s coming along great!

You mentioned filling the seams at the wing roots. I had to chuckle, because seams at the wing roots bother my OCD so badly. I remembered being really happy when the top wing halves fit perfectly flush with no no extra effort st all on my part. It was like a gift straight from Heaven LOL

Anyway, your fills look great! You do great work, my man, and I’m loving watching this build come together.

[Stikpusher]

Thanks Kenny. One thing I do when fitting wings is to do my best to get the upper wing fuselage seam as minimal as possible, and leave any major fixes for the undersides. Why? Most people will not see the undersides. Especially if it’s displayed on a base stand...
I have a few more brass details to add in the cockpit before I install tha canopy, and I need to clean up the boom seams.

[jkim]

Another benefit, Carlos, is that the underside may be more easier to access that the top side wing root, which is always awkward to get at.

[Stikpusher]

Depending upon the aircraft design, yes. Certainly so on a low mounted wing. Not so much if it’s high mounted. Midline mount is a 50/50 toss up.

[KennyX]

It never occurred to me to do that! Thank you!

[Stikpusher]

A few years of local IPMS competitions had me figure that out. Watching the judges have a go at your latest build is a humbling experience.

I added a few more PE pieces into the cockpit area: a brace for the armor plate at the rear and a gunsight for the front portion.

[speedgraflex]

Your work looks amazing! That is one teensy pair of PE circles... or is it one piece folded? I went back to look at your first post inventory but I still am not sure... some bending as well? Looks great!!!!

[Stikpusher]

That is one piece folded. A late addition from another PE set. A generic RAF detail set..