Official Black Horse 2350mm Gilmore Red Lion

[RCBobP]

FedEx showed up yesterday and I was not home. My wife called to say the box was so big she could barely get it in the door! Got someone to help me carry the box downstairs to the workroom. Today I unboxed and started on assembly. Very impressed with the all-around quality of this model. The packing was excellent. Thanks to @twowingstj for his build thread.

I did laugh at one of the items in the manual. The safety instructions included a reminder to extend the antenna before flying! 🤣

[CitabriaDriver]

Hi all, I’ve been tracking this thread since I bought my BH Gilmore, which is now fully assembled and balanced as per the post flight recommendations on here. It’s powered by a Saito FG61 TS, which I hope is good.

since I’ve been assembling it, I’ve punctured the printed covering on the wings. It seemed there is no chance of getting some replacement printed covering from BH. Has anyone found a very close replacement. I was thinking cream or antique coloured Matt, possibly solartex (if I can find any left) or oratex.

has anyone repaired the covering and got any recommendations.?

I have been tempted to completely recover the wings and detail to match.

[RCBobP]

I'm sure it would take some time and extra work, but what if you used bondo or some other filler and then smooth out the seam between the blister and cowl, then paint?

[Twowingtj]

djmoose The pic of the race #25 is the only "original" Wedell-William Modell 44 surviving. It's in the Crawford museum in Ohio. It is supposed to be the NR-61Y that Turner originall flew as the Gilmore. There are other replicas. I haven't been able to find references that Roscoe's Model 44 didn't have the cowl blisters in the Red Lion livery. I may have just deduced it based on not locating any evidence that it did, other than on replicas.

Some interesting history links, for those interested.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedell-Williams_Model_44

https://airandspace.si.edu/collectio...-3-air-express

https://www.wrhs.org/blog/tag/roscoe-turner/

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...l_44_NR61Y.jpg
http://all-aero.com/index.php/56-pla...ams-model-44-i
http://ww.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeD...?Serial=228177

https://theclio.com/entry/927

Here are several clips of actual race footage from the Golden Age timeframe. https://digital.tcl.sc.edu/digital/s...zH4C9uhXW-N-yc

[djmoose]

Without the blisters, how bad does it look? Is it obvious something is missing? This is my first go at a vintage scale, so I plan to put in some extra time making it look right. I may even go the extra expense and have a professional work on the blisters to try to make them look like they were part of the mold, and not an afterthought.

My decision for mine is that it is "right" without the blisters. I am biased, though....(I will be fully transparent that I also don't want to go through the work to add them...and ending up looking WORSE than the bare pockets. Now...how it will look at the field...in the air...I'll find out this summer. I also have not opened my box yet.)

Check out mechwhizz's post (109) for what the cowl looks like out of the box of the latest batch.

[RCBobP]

Without the blisters, how bad does it look? Is it obvious something is missing? This is my first go at a vintage scale, so I plan to put in some extra time making it look right. I may even go the extra expense and have a professional work on the blisters to try to make them look like they were part of the mold, and not an afterthought.

[djmoose]

<is finished and satisfied with his research at this point>
I have substantiated Twowingtj 's statement about the blisters not being there IRL with the Gilmore scheme:
from http://all-aero.com/index.php/56-planes-v-w/11766-wedell-williams-model-44-i: (however I don't see any citations or even the author of that write up)

"In 1934 Turner upgraded the engine to a R-1690 Hornet, for which 61Y had a smooth NACA cowl, as well as a bumped cowl for another Pratt & Whitney, and another sponsor change, the Heinz pickle works logo and race #57 on the sides. 61Y had turned all-gold by then only because Don Young found time to finish painting after building a new engine mount and cowlings."

Here is a pic of the real N61Y being moved in Cleveland where it is today. (Blisters for the P&W)
and another of it on display....funny thing is...it appears THESE blisters are very smooth and part of the cowl mold? (not added) However, that could have well been sanded, primer, painted to look nice and smooth. (funny how they didn't do that on the replica if that's the case)

[djmoose]

Check out the blisters on the replica Gilmore at the Wedell-Williams Aviation and Cypress Sawmill Museum in LA. Looks similar to Twowingtj 's cowl! (looks like the blisters are added afterwards) Pretty neat to find this!

[djmoose]

I am 95% sure I'm going to leave the cowl as it is...the blister pockets will hopefully create a blister illusion from afar and not look to weird. We'll see! If I don't like how it looks, I can always add them later.

The obvious thought is that if they WANTED the blisters on the model...why aren't they part of the mold...easy peazy.

<my opinion/educated guess>
However, this really seems like rabbit hole time/effort/money design decision. I bet they just blew up cowl mold plans for a smaller version that didn't have the blisters....and it was easier to modify it to have the blisters added afterwards, rather than adding them to the mold.

Black Horse quickly realized (after the first batch) it was not worth the man hours to have them applied in the factory.

My guess is that's a decision they look back on and wish they would have gone the slightly more expensive up front route to create a REALLY nice looking cowl.

This also makes me feel that the designers really only looked at the modern museum pictures of the Red Lion.
</my opinion/educated guess>

However, I have not completed my research to confirm when the blisters were added in real life. Twowingtj I appreciate your quote about them not having blisters in Red Lion livery. Do you mind sharing your source on that?

(this is almost as fun as flying the model)

[Twowingtj]

RCBobP Congrats. Please share your experience with the Gilmore build and flights.

As of this morning, there are only 3 left in the U.S. warehouse.

FYI, Here is a quote from Tom, one of the Motion RC owners. It is from the thread about Motion RC becoming the U.S. distributors of the former VQ line. It will likely affect the Black Horse line as well.
"Jan 28, 2021, 04:18 PM
Sorry for the slow response. I just saw this now. Ideally, I want to carry most of their planes. The reality is that they are a small factory and balsa wood is in very short supply. You will see our selection of planes increasing slowly. The goal is to continue to restock the planes on our website while adding new ones. How long this takes is going to be highly dependent on the wood supply, production capacity, and customer demand. We're seeing prices for balsa skyrocket. Even with these high prices, it is difficult to procure more balsa to make more planes and it is having an impact on production. Unfortunately, the raw material price is seriously affecting our purchase price and we're going to be forced to pass that along as new planes arrive. I know, I'm full of good news 🙄"

mechwizz I had to do some touch-ups on my Gilmore cowl. I mixed Testors Flat Tan, Flat White, and Flat Black to match the paint. It took a while experimenting to get it right. Mainly because the paint darkens as it dries.

[RCBobP]

Just ordered mine. Will go with the Saito FG 90R3.

[Twowingtj]

RCBobP Welcome to Hobby Squawk! There are a few here that have mentioned mounting a radial in the Gilmore. Maybe, they'll post some pics and answer your question.

mechwizz Here's a pic of my cowl. Hope it helps. A pair of canopy sissors would work best to cut the blisters out. I have no idea why Black Horse doesn't install them. Unless it's to give the buyer the option of smoothing over the blister pockets and repainting the cowl. The Wedell-Williams Model 44, in Gilmore Red Lion livery did not have the cowl blisters.

A freind and fellow club member just ordered the Glimore. He's going to redo it as the black and red Miss Patterson color scheme. Jimmy Wedell's own race #44. Simular to this one. Note the radial tucked into the cowl. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHIwhLahddE

[RCBobP]

This thing looks awesome, but really cries for a gas radial engine. How difficult would it be to find the right template to mount one of the radials that have been discussed (Saito or UMS)?

[djmoose]

Start of 1932 Bendix Trophy Race (Burbank to Cleveland)

[djmoose]

<moose is away doing research to see when and which Model 44s had blistered cowls>

[mechwizz]

djmoose I must admit that I am not real happy about them not being applied. Instruction manual says noting about mounting them either. The plastic is very thick on these and the depression in the cowl not deep at all. the cut edges of the blisters will be white and stick out like a sore thumb. I am going to have to try and match the paint and airbrush the look back around.

Well, I guess some modeling will be required... LOL

[djmoose]

I can imagine that the blisters will be a NIGHTMARE to get looking good.

[mechwizz]

Twowingtj Could you post a couple of close up pictures of the blisters on your cowl. I have been plying around with the trim but do not want to go to far. Your picture will help me figure out exactly how the factory did it. Thanks in advance!!!

[Twowingtj]

mechwizz Welcome to Hobby Squawk! Mine was from the first batch and came with the cowl blisters attached.

Looking forward to following your and djmoose builds.

[djmoose]

I got mine but haven’t opened the box yet.