SARO London 1/100 Construction Report - Draco Models

[gomidefilho]

Well friends, another assembly diary on top of a build test for Draco Models.

This time we are going to talk about the SARO London, a large English patrol seaplane, contemporary of the Supermarine Stranraer that we have already demonstrated the construction here.









The acronym SARO stands for Saunders Roe who developed a series of seaplanes in the 1930s with limited success. The London of all these designs was the most successful, built on the Air Ministry's R24/31 specification which called for a large, general purpose seaplane. The London was developed from the SARO A7 Serven and entered service with the RAF in 1936 in two squadrons, replacing other obsolete seaplanes like the Blackburn Iris and even very old types like the Supermarine Southampton and Scapa. When World War II broke out, the Londons equipped two RAF squadrons in Metropolis and Gibraltar. Due to its fragility, poor defensive armament, it was quickly replaced by more modern types like the PBY Catalina and Lockheed Hudson. Still, it's an interesting plane showing very clearly the ultimate transition from the biplane hulled seaplane to the ultimate modern monoplane airboat.





Next post: analysis of model.

[gomidefilho]

The model that Draco developed by hand closely follows the same formula of development of the Stranraer that I have already demonstrated the construction here on the forum at 1/100 scale. I received the 1/100 version in pre-war silver finish for testing. Like the Stranraer the fuselage and keel are divided into several sets with a profusion of formers. This model has the novelty of having an alignment jig for fixing the wings and adjusting the dihedral. At first glance, you can't say that it will be an easy model to build, but I foresee a lot of fun. It was printed on an Epson L100 Bulk Ink printer on 120gsm filecoat paper and we selected 2.5mm paperboard for gluing the formers.











Updates soon...

[RyanShort1]

Following with interest.

[Siwi]

I'm about to start a thread for the construction report on this same aircraft in 1:72 scale. The only issue so far has been part 5D which is slightly too wide to fit neatly.

[gomidefilho]

Thanks my friends!

Thanks for advice Siwi. My build status are at the moment laminating and cutting the formers.

[gomidefilho]

Well friends!

We are still in the phase of preparing the construction of the fuselage, the formers were cut with Olfa scissors, drilled, sanded and glued respectively, they will only be manipulated again until the glue curing process is over (24 hours) the fuselage parts have also been cut and will still be prepared for gluing.

[Siwi]

Interesting to see that you've made your formers thicker than mine despite the smaller scale.

[Don Boose]

Lots of very welcome and good information on the characteristics and history of the aircraft and on paper model building in this thread.

Well done.

Don

[gomidefilho]

Thanks my friends!

Continuing with our construction of the London, last night was the moment for the construction of the fuselage slices, note that the formers have a dual function, forming and at the same time reinforcing and joining the segments.











The kell add after all fuselage build

[Rata]

Progressing well Péricles. Flying boat hulls are always challenging though made easier with what is a sound design in the first place.