I wanted to start a thread on DH4's that are being built. I have one I am getting ready to start and wanted to start a thread of information sharing. Building, Information, Engines used as well as Modifications to the Kit. There is not a lot out there yet on this Kit so building sort of a data base here might be of use to future builder's.
I have been collecting reference material for Scale details as I plan on Heavy Modifications to the Airframe.
So if you have built one or are building one lets share success, failures and Modifications to this Kit.

I have just about finished building one for one of my club mates. Only mods are to fit pull-pull control linkages on all the surfaces with horns in the scale locations. Also put lots of wire rigging on the wings. Kit parts fit was excellent. Suggest you inventory the die cut parts when you locate them on the sheets as recommended in the book. You will only need 9 sheets of the main rib rather than the 10 on the instruction inventory. You will need more false ribs than on the inventory. This may have been corrected by now. Our kit was one of the first batch and I have advised BUSA of the discrepancies I found. And they were very quick to make up the shortages. I would also suggest sorting bass wood vs balsa and sorting sticks by length. Makes it easier to find the right piece. I had some balsa blocks in the wing parts bag that I never did figure out where to use. BUSA plans tend to distort due to them being Xerox copied. Make sure you use a square to get the wing root ribs perpendicular to the spars or you will have to fill a gap when you mate the three sections of the top wing. Experience speaking. Did a few construction things my way rather than as in the instructions. Instructions are very good. We are using an RCGF 50 cc. Supplied muffler can now being shortened so engine/muffler/prop/radiator clearances will work. I have over 250 hours on the job at this point. It has been enjoyable.
Chuck

Chuck.
Great looking Model. I sure do understand about BUSA plans, I have ran into that before and it is very much worth mentioning for those who have not built a BUSA yet. They make awesome kits but as with any kit there is a hick-up there.
I really like your USMC version from 50th Aero Squadron. I myself being a Former Marine am planning on doing A USMC Version from Squadron C Northern Bombing Group. I noticed you stayed with the Early Airframe. I was hard pressed to find A USMC Bird in that version. I am planning on changing the Fuse to resemble the DeHavilland 4 D1 used by the USMC. I will need to Square it up however will not strech it and will keep the tail moments as designed. The Rudder will also have to have a new profile. I have also decided against the Laminated Longerons. I ordered Spruce in the Finished Dimension from Aircraft Spruce and Specialty company co.
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...s/capstrip.php If you ever need top quality spruce cut the way you want it and affordable, check em out.
Again very nice DH 4 Very respectable.
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Chuck.
Could you post a few pictures and information on your Pull Pull set up.

Thanks.
Trev

Trev,
My Dad is a WWII vintage Marine aviator and my next build will be an SBD in markings of his squadron during their combat tour.

I tried to duplicate the geometry and horn locations for the DH-4 pull-pull, but didn't get carried away with duplicating the exact scale shapes. Our intention with this model is to have a good looking plane for our club's big annual airshow. It wasn't practical to replicate the entire aileron control setup so I used "faux" rigging there. A servo drives the lower aileron with a pushrod and then a closed loop cable system drives the top aileron. There are pulleys at the leading edge of the wings to route the cables.

First photo shows the elevator drive horn and the end of the rudder tiller bar. The elevator cables cross and the up cable goes over a pulley on the stab leading edge. A shot of the aileron pushrod. Dual elevator servos. Rudder servo and tiller bar.

Chuck
What an Honor that will be to Model an Airplane from your Dad's Squadron. That will be a very fulfilling build to say the least.

I sure like what you have done with the control cables. I had the same Idea in mind. With all of the research I have done into the various models of the DH4 I have yet to come across good drawings of the cable routing. Your pictures will help a great deal. Are you using Proctor Pulley's? If not what did you use?
I was actually disappointed not to find a whole lot of reference on the early DH4 as Kitted. I bought the kit taking for granted that there were more of this kind out there than there really was. I have been making plans for the alterations but I still like the version as kitted and still might just do it that way.
What do you think of the engine you selected? I am new to gas engines and have not heard that much about RCFG. I had planned on using the same engine Dick Pettit used in his DH4 mail plane, The YD Aero 56cc. Not a lot of room up front for the more popular choices.
On your finish, Is this Painted or the colors of covering used. I am planing on using Solortex Myself.

Great work.
Trev.

Trev,
I'm having a tough time posting photos, and my last attempt to post disappeared.

I got my rigging routes from various photos I've seen, particularly the restored mail plane. There was a previous thread on RCU where photos of he aileron rigging were shown. I can't find that thread now, but I think it was the one Pettit started. I don't remember where the wing pulleys came from; they have been i my parts box for years. I'm sure they are not Proctor however. The little ones on the stab for the elevator cables I made.

Covering is olive drab and linen Solartex. Insignia are Klass Kote epoxy. Clear coat is Minwax Polycrylic. It must just be me, 'cause everybody seems to like that stuff, but I'll never use it again[:'(] I got Behr latex color matched at Home Depot for those pieces that had to be painted to match the Solartex. Match is excellent. Only $2.94 for the sample size.

The local hobby shop stocks the RCGF engines and the plane's owner bought it based on price, other club member's recommendations, and the fit in the cowlingexcept for the muffler as mentioned above that I discovered later. I really don't have any other gas engine experience.

Chuck

Chuck.
Thanks for all of your information. I have been doing alot of research on these Birds but it's nice to chat with those who have built the Model as well. Maybe more who are building the DH4 will chime in also.

I think I will go with the YD Aero 56 and use a Header pipe and Muffler as Pettit did. On an old war String bag like these I would really hate to have a muffler exposed. I have planned on using the Solortex Linen and Latex painting it. I still however have plenty of time to make those decisions. I found a set of Scale drawings in the UK for the version I had in mind. However I might just build it as kitted and say the hack with scale realism to that point. It will however still be a USMC Version.

Have you thought of Guns yet. The Marines used Two .30 Cal Marlin guns up front.

Trev.

We wimped out on the guns and went went with BUSA Lewis guns in the rear cockpit and a (totally non-scale) Vickers gun up front. My buddy assembled them and I just got them mounted last night. For our purposes it wasn't worth the effort of making a Marlin. I did set up the Lewis guns to traverse via servo as shown on the plans.

I am going with the BUSA Lewis guns too, I did chat with Williams Bro's and they told me that they are in the process of producing 1/4 Lewis guns. I might check those out if they do. I just decided to do the Marlin's just to be different. There really is very little information out there on them. Those pictures posted above took me forever to find. But then again im not to search savvy

I have been finding imformation on the Bombs from that era. I will try my hand at making functional Racks for the 25 pounders under the wing. Ive done a little vacuforming so I might turn up a master and give that A go.

Few more things to track down then I should be ready to start in on my Lumber yard in a Box.

I will do the traverse too and am looking into pilot figure and gunner from.

http://www.thepilotpeople.co.uk/index.htm Not to badly priced either.

Trev.

I have made bombs for several different scale models. I have been making molds and then lay up two or three layers of 2 ounce cloth. After curing I trim the fiber glass shells even with the surface of the mold and then fill the shells with two part polyurethane foam. Then I trim the foam to the mold surface and join the two halves, still in the molds, with Gorilla Glue. This gives a perfect fit to the two halves. Then I add fins made of polycarbonate plastic. Photo of 1/10th scale WWI British 1650# bomb. The fins get broken over time, but I have never broken a body.

Very very Cool.................Awesome plane too. Did you build that as well?

The DH4 I'snt my first Biplane. It is my First WWI Plane, Have not even built it yet and I'm Hooked.
Thanks for the Tips on Bomb making[8D] Better be careful though, Homeland Security might show up wanting to inspect the Foam Core

I designed and built the HP O-400 to the same "good enough for the airshow" standard as the DH-4.

BTW I used the "filled with foam" technique on the DH-4 exhaust manifolds. After gluing the filled shells together I drilled out the ends next to the fuselage and glued in short lengths of 3/8" dowel. Then I attached the manifold to the fuselage with sheet metal screws through the fuselage and into the dowels. Lots less work than the Rube Goldberg method in the instructions.

Still very nice. Those old Bombers really appeal to me. I would love to do a Gotha or better yet A Zepplin.

Cant Help with building tips but I want to find a kit or a partially built kit. I plan on bashing it to be a DH-4M like the ones my grandfather used to work on, the American built version. I plan on powering mine with a monster outrunner, I like electrics! Anyone know of a 2nd hand kit, please let em know.
Thanks, Denny

Does anyone have a 1/4 DH-4 manual they would part with. I gat a partially built plane, but no instructions. Thanks in advance.

Paul