Would not take much DIY , to turn into a Royal Navy Wasp.

Not so encouraging - the kit has massive anhedral on the bottom wing stub planes, a fault it shares with every other Rapide kit. It's a Rapide, guys, not a Stuka or a Corsair! For an accurate model, the inner and outer wing panels need to be separated and the inners brought up to level. The actual figure in the rigging manual is 0 degrees, 25 minutes (just under half a degree) anhedral, which is accounted for by the taper of the spar top. Successive draughtsmen and model manufacturers appear to have taken a 1950s misreading of the rigging manual angle literally. :-( Adjustments to inner strut lengths may be needed once the angle is corrected, and perhaps a smidgin taken off the stub plane span. More research needed... Good news for anyone using the gorgeous transfers: RAS interiors were blue leather floor to ceiling, with apparently light grey piping around the seats. The carpet was a lighter shade, probably also blue.

Ciao Geoff che piacere vederti , Ho comprato il tuo libro Luftwaffe figters tanto tempo fa. Tanti saluti Paolo from Italy

Now the search to find one!

I received my Rapide yesterday, and I must say it looks really good. The wing rib and wheel track spacing are correct (phew!). Only two outline inaccuracies are apparent; these concern the inboard flaps (too long), and the adjacent trailing edge, which should curve aft of the flap to meet the lower longeron; Armory have made the straight trailing edge of the flap that of the wing! Easily corrected with a bit of putty or plasticard and careful sanding. 🙂 Fortunately for those who wish to use the beautiful RAS transfers, DH 89A (ex-Dominie) G-ALXT is preserved by the Science Museum in the markings of Star of Scotia (glorious romantic name), so you just have to make up a ''T' from the existing spare letters, and there is no need for a DH 89 tailplane or change to the lighting rig. Not 1930s authentic, but a fine looking Rapide. Dynamos could be mounted on the port or starboard upper wing; Armory have chosen to put theirs on the starboard side, which was in fact the less common. For the real rivet-counter, there are actually two types of generator, one with a wooden airscrew and the other, slightly longer, with a metal constant-speed one. The latter was used by Railway Air Services, but the kit has a "wooden" one. Ho-hum... No great problem.

Mine just arrived, first impressions the kit looks great. Plenty of detail. Toss up between Yorkshire star or Lancashire. I am so glad this period in civil aviation is being covered. More 30s to 60s civil aviation please kit maker's.

If this was a larger scale would be all over this. Airfix seem to specialise in 1/48th scale as their main stream kits these days.

For lots of Rapide manual drawings and photos, Google: RC Groups: Build Log In development - DH Dragon Rapide (1/24th ish). Can't post a direct link from KZfaq.

Seems to be a fantastic kit !

Flew in one at Oshkosh in 1982. Wonderful machine.

The kit is of a DH 89A, which had a different tailplane, rudder and lighting set-up from the DH 89 as used by Railway Air Services. Basically, there were no lights on the wings or rudder (so rudder ribbing was simpler), no landing light at first, no flaps, and the DH 84 Dragon tailplane was retained, being of shorter span with very differently shaped elevators overhanging at the tips. Plenty of published photos show these detail differences. I'm a bit worried about the engine separation, which should scale out to 11 ft 6 in rather than the 12 ft as in George Cox's horrendously inaccurate drawing from the 1950s, used as a basis by most if not all model manufacturers so far. The wing rib spacing looks a bit suspect too, there being no hint of the serrated plywood leading edges or the hourglass-shaped ply reinforcement around the outer interplane struts. No change there... Some lovely detailed small parts and gorgeous transfers make this kit well worth buying, but scratch-built - or at least re-surfaced - wings and tail surfaces would definitely be needed for a truly accurate early Rapide. The Rapide maintenance manuals, with accurate drawings, are easily obtainable online, and G-ADAH, a DH 89 preserved and easily accessible at the Ellesmere Port Air Museum, retains her original fuselage-mounted lighting rig and rudder, but has retrofitted 89A flaps and tailplane.

well certainly looks an interesting kit, a bit of clean up to work through but otherwise looks straightforward. I do like the unusual so may well buy into this. Hope you share the build.

..симпатично..

Flown in one of these a few years back. Top looking kit.

I'm sure it'll be a special build for you, especially after having flown in one. I'm looking forward to the build. I've just about had my fill of WW2 planes lately, and my eye has been drawn to earlier biplanes recently.

Now all we need is a modern 1/72 scale version. One of my all-time favourite aircraft \I've always reckoned De Havilland produced some of the most photogenic aircraft ever produced , giving credence to 'if it looks right it probably is right', the pinnacle arguably being the Mosquito. Looks like a brillant kit.

Poirot!

I definitely will look into this kit, but I would be after either a New Zealand or Australian Markings or Boxing, Civil or Military as both NZ and Australia used the DH 89a pre-, during and Post-war. (Miliatery and Civil.) extensively. There is still a flying Dh 89a here in Auckland, NZ and, I think, a couple in Australia. Looks to be a nice (if Limited run) kit.

Wonderful! Built that kit in the mid '70s. First kit I really tried hard to build as accurately as possible. Turned out very nicely, but I wish I'd thought of your idea, back then!! Kudos!!

やはり、イギリスブランドですね👍

Cool model. Have a great build.

Great stuff Les - fuselage together today and all a nice fit. GC

Looks awesome Geoff. I really want to see this one built. I think the 8th AF version is superb and the right choice of scheme too. Nice one mate.

I remember this kit when first released about 1962, my uncle bought me one for my birthday. The Hawker P1127, EE Lightning F1A and SRN-1 Hovercraft were all released about the samr time.

It ain't "Deckles", it's "Dee-Cals!

This looks like a wonderful kit...your descriptions are first-class and easy to follow... Especially for an old fart like myself!🎸✈️😀🖖

oh i love dopple deckers :D .

Must get one of these

As a result of getting the book I also bought a few matchbox kits and built them through the magic of ebay.

I loved Matchbox kits as a kid in the 70's. They got me started in modeling. The art work was Awesome so dynamic in the early days. I saw this book was available and bought it. Absolutely Wonderful.

This has to be the Homo video...EVER!!!

Awesome kit indeed!!! Received mine today,. Airfix just keeps on delivering.

Gorgeous. Now I’ve got to decide if I build this or the Seaking????

Nice one mate!.. read a book called F4 Phantom A Pilots Story by Robert Prest.. He flew Phantom planes with 43 Squadron.. cool book! 👍

I built this kit had no problems with here, did her as XV-484 Falkland's finest FGR 2.

Now completed detail resin parts.

the reveal kit sucks big time

I built one of these in 1973, at age 12. Also, the Hurricane, Spitfire, and P51.

This old kit gets some knocks from shake and bakers, but yours looks nice.

You’ll love it Paul

Thanks Paul

Got this kit and it does look epic 😊

Nice one 👍

Big kit!.. I got mine the other day.. cheers from down under ✈️🇳🇿

Nice one mate 👍✈️🇳🇿

I have built a few of these Lightning kits,nice relaxing build,looks great on my wall.

b you were asking about the decals. They are water slide decals and very good quality. Airfix now uses Cartograf quality making them among the best in the market. GC

Very nice description of kit. Camera did a Slow pan of parts with a gentle narrative. Well done Sir. 10/10🎉🎉

Great review, nice clear voice, not talking to fast, so as easy to digest. 🎉

I've watched four other videos of this kit, under process of build. I would sue Airfix for selling this pile of junk. Also, DeHavilland is a superior brand aircraft and deserves a lot of respect. Hope Airfix no longer to send trash to the market. Your video is excellent. Thank you for warning about this scam.