DC 3 Dakota

[David Jones]

I know there’s another current Ziroli C47 Skytrain build thread on the Forum, but I thought I’d put this on as well. You can’t have too much of a good thing, so I thought I’d let you all in on my efforts to date.

I’ve always loved the shape of the Dakota, to me it’s as iconic as the elliptical wing shape of the Spitfire, or the gull wing shape of the Corsair. I started this build eight weeks ago and, by my standards, I’ve made pretty good progress. It’s from the Belair short kit of the Ziroli 12 foot span DC3 / C47. I’ll be utilising the fibreglass nose section, which should save a fair amount of work. Robart retracts will be fitted and power will be supplied by two Zenoah GZ38’s. To make life in the workshop and transportation easier, I’ve decided to make the tail plane removable. The final colour scheme will be L4, those of you who have watched ”Band of Brothers” will know what I mean.

I usually start a new build with the tail feathers but I’ve always loved the shape of the Dakota so, for a change, I decided to start with the basic fuselage construction. I made up the crutch over the plan, then added the formers, wing seats and ply doubler for the tail wheel, which will have its own servo, accessed through a hatch underneath. The stringers were added to the bottom half, along with some planking to keep the structure rigid.

[David Jones]

The fuselage was then put to one side and my attention turned to the centre section. The basic framework was built up over the plan and the undercarriage installed. It was at this point that I couldn’t resist mating the centre section up to the fuselage, just to see how it was coming along.

[David Jones]

The outer wing panels were built up and matched up to the centre section, and the wing joiner tubes were fitted. I decide to deviate from the plan regarding the retention of the outer wing panels and used the same method as Ziroli used on the B25 Mitchell. The top leading edges were then sheeted and the model was taken for inspection of the build so far.

[David Jones]

Provision was then made for the landing lights and servo hatches and the outer panels were then sheeted. The ailerons were then cut out and hinged and the out board flaps were made up and hinged.

[David Jones]

The landing light housings were then cut out and lined with silver tape and the bulbs added and tested, they should be bright enough. The outer wing panels were then handed over to my mate Alan Greaves for glass clothing

[David Jones]

For such a large model, there’s no room in the nacelles for the fuel tanks, so they have to be mounted in the centre section. Bays were made up for two x 16 oz Dubro tanks which will sit right on the C of G, and the pipe work was fitted. The filler / vent tubes exit the underside of the wing via the access hatches and the feed lines to the engines exit through the leading edges inside what will be the nacelles, then extend along the nacelle formers to exit through N1S to the carburettors. It took me and Alan four hours one Saturday morning to sort it out, but we are both well pleased with the final result.

[David Jones]

Servo hatches were then made up for the inboard flaps and the centre section was then sheeted. Slots were cut to facilitate the undercarriage to retract and a plate made up for the air valve and servo installation.

[David Jones]

I put the centre section to one side because I wanted to sort out the removable tail plane. I decided to split the one piece unit at rib two, replacing this rib with two, 1/8th” liteply ribs each side, with the “centre section” being permanently fixed to the fuselage. 1/2” and 1/4” joiner tubes were used and the outer panels retained as per the main wing. Servo bays were made up for each elevator servo and the top was sheeted. All three components were then separated and the bottom was sheeted. The completed unit was then mated up to the fuselage, which meant another excuse for a photograph. I could never tire of that Dakota shape.

This is as far as I’ve got, I’m having a short break from the build because she “who must be obeyed” wants a week away in the caravan before we get snowed in or flooded out. Fortunately for me, she’s taking me to a place with a pub on every street corner, I could complain….but why?

[David Jones]

Last two photos for now.

[DAVE JOHNSON]

Thats looking great Dave---the bad weather has obviously kept you in the workshop these last couple of weeks---

[Alan Cantwell 1131]

Never get to many Dak builds Dave, and the sooner you get this bird done, the sooner the next big twin gets on the board, have a nice week away, hope the weathers good, does the van float???

[stewart clifford]

Nice build Dave, wheres that Tigercat gone?

[ian redshaw]

Stewart, its a different Dave Jones, this ones a Northerner

Ace looking build Dave

Ian.

[paul smith]

Smashing WOW 8 weeks that is superb workmanship
i love what you have done with the split tail
ive taken a year and 2 months so far lol
well done keep it up
i look forward to seeing her in L4 chamo scheme
i think though with all these floods around perhaps be the first to put floats on her

Brill

Paul

[David Jones]

Thanks for the kind words chaps, always appreciated. I'm aware there is another Dave Jones in the LMA so any confusion is to be expected. As Ian has pointed out, I'm the one from up north, Rossendale in Lancashire to be exact. I'm pleased with the speed of progress to date and being retired means I dont have to fit the hobby around work commitments, just my wallet. I've had a weeks break, so now I'm back I can get back into the build, I'll update this thread as and when I've progressed which, hopefully, shouldn't be too long. Regards, Dave (dont say "ecky thump") Jones

[David Jones]

Merry Christmas everybody, I thought I’d do a quick update before the family descend on us and eat and drink me out of house and home. I left off where the tail plane was finished and trial fitted. Next up was the elevators which were simply built up over the plan. Plywood hard points, reinforced with balsa block, were inserted to take the control horns. Once the main structures were built and sanded to shape, I finished them off by installing the trim tabs. They look hinged but are in fact solid, attached to the false trailing edge with 1/32” ply. I’ve done this to avoid inducing any flutter.

[David Jones]

I returned my attention to the centre section and the nacelles. The ply and balsa formers were added, along with an extra former at the front to replace N1, which had been set back for the engine mount. The throttle servo wires and U/C air lines were then fed through, and the nacelles were then sheeted with 1/8” balsa planks.

[David Jones]

I made up the rear of the nacelles out of 1/2” balsa strips and sanded them to shape in situ.

[David Jones]

I’m not sure if they’re air scoops or oil coolers on the underside of the nacelles, directly in front of the wheel wells. Whatever they are, I needed to make two. Because of their location and high probability of being knocked off at the field, in transit or in storage, I wanted to make them reasonably robust. I added a 1/4” balsa former inside the bottom sheeting and used some scrap phenolic wing tubing, mounted on a 1/2” balsa plate. This was then flared in with balsa block sanded to shape and the whole thing covered with 1/64” ply, which had to be cut shape to cater for the exhaust.

[David Jones]

These structures feel surprisingly strong and are well protected back and front by the wheel and engine. I’ve had to compromise on the actual shape of these scoops, but I’m pleased with the final results and I think they portray the essence of how they would look on the full size aircraft.