The Airliner Modeling Site › Forums › New Kit & Decal Releases › New 3D Printed 1/144 DHC-7 Kit?
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Dutch.
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January 1, 2025 at 12:32 am #247069
Is anyone aware of a new 3D printed 1/144 DHC-7 kit from the UK? I saw this one on eBay.co.uk and decided to get it.. It is definitely NOT the old Sasquatch or ATP offering. Will try to do a product review when it arrives.
Kind regards,
DutchJanuary 1, 2025 at 12:42 am #247074
Kind regards,
DutchJanuary 1, 2025 at 12:52 am #247076I have the old ATP Piedmont decals, but I think that I will use the CanMilAir #411 CC-132 markings.
Kind regards,
DutchJanuary 11, 2025 at 5:54 pm #247144Okay, the kit arrived last night and came very well packaged. No damage whatsoever! This is a very basic kit, very little detail, no instructions, but none are really necessary as it is pretty self explanatory. Also, no decals are provided. I already have a set of CanMilAir CC-132 CAF decals coming from Above&Below Graphics on the way.
I am uncertain as to the origin of this kit. It is clearly neither the old Sasquatch nor Welsh Models offerings. Neither does it appear to be 3D printed. It may be a self cast model from the ebay seller in the UK. I will ask. On to the photos.
Packaging. I removed the Styrofoam peanuts which really kept everything from shifting during transit.
Fuselage port side and wing bottoms.
Fuselage starboard side and wing tops.
Tailplanes, undercarriage and propellers.
And again.
A look at wing dihedral and u/c bays.
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This reply was modified 1 month ago by
Dutch.
Kind regards,
DutchJanuary 11, 2025 at 6:42 pm #247151Sorry but I don’t actually see any photos.
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January 11, 2025 at 8:13 pm #247153My initial impression is that this is certainly a DHC-7/CC-132 aircraft model. The propellers have a strange twist to them, but appear to be feathered as if at rest on the ground, as they should be. I have not measured the fuselage or wings to see if it accurately scales to 1:144 scale as advertised, but it certainly looks the part. While the u/c doors front and main appear too thick, the rest of the u/c appears a bit clunky. The surface detail is smooth with recessed panel lines on wings and tail planes only. Some small amount of flash is present leading me to concur that this may be an injection molded promotional or desk model kit. Bcleanup with a sharp razor knife will be necessary. It could be a press-fit model, though I will certainly use cyanoacrylate glue in assembly. A solid two thumbs up!
Kind regards,
Dutch
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This reply was modified 1 month ago by
Dutch.
Kind regards,
DutchJanuary 13, 2025 at 12:17 pm #247166Is it possible that this is the old ATP Airliners America kit? SCM says that ATP is a rebox of the Sasquatch kit. However, the ATP box says that the kit is “solid polycast with injection molded plastic gear and props.”
Kind regards,
DutchJanuary 13, 2025 at 11:17 pm #247173Interesting kit and history questions Dutch,
I don’t have any answers. Did you hear back anything from the seller? Anyone here have a Sasquatch or ATP Dash-7 in their stash to compare photos to?
Ken
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January 14, 2025 at 3:04 am #247176I am also no help, but that looks like a cool little kit, and could help complete my Hawaiian Air collection. You say you found it on eBay?
I don’t always say “Proceed as requested”
But when I do, it is because I have no clue what you just said.January 14, 2025 at 4:23 pm #247187My ebay vendor has not as yet responded to my query. Here are two different build blogs on the Welsh kit. As you can see from the vac fuselage and basic wing / engine design, it is clearly NOT the Welsh kit.
Welsh Models’ 1/144 scale DeHavilland Dash-7 Geophysics Survey Aircraft by John Chung
Dash 7 – Welsh Models 1/144 – Canadian GB – Britmodeller.com
Here is a link to the ATP release of the Sasquatch DHC-7 kit from vendor OldModleKits.com (no endorsement whatsoever). . .
Airliners America 1/144 DeHavilland DHC-7 Dash 7 Piedmont Airlines
. . . and a link to an actual Sasquatch DHC-7 kit on the Japanese Amazon website.
Amazon.co.jp: デ ハビランドカナダDHC-7 1/144スケールキット : Toys & Games
Again, clearly NOT the Sasquatch kit either. I would have said it was 3D printed, but it lacks the usual striations in the surface of the plastic. It could be resin cast, but the fact that the engines are cast on the wing with deeply recessed wheel wells tends to dispute that theory. Which leads me back to my injection molded travel agent or desk model theory. I will measure it tonight to determine actual scale.
K/r,
Dutch
Kind regards,
DutchJanuary 15, 2025 at 2:21 pm #247192After doing a little more research, I discovered that Welsh did indeed release an all-resin DHC-7 kit, however with metal props & u/c; #SL543R 1:144 DHC-7 Dash 7, Air Wisconsin. Again, not this kit.
And I found the seller once again on eBay.co.uk: 5001chrisa, and the listing is for “1/144 model aircraft kits.” He has not responded to my initial query, nor to another I sent last night. I also made an “offer” on ebay to purchase multiple kits at a reduced price to which he responded by offering me one at the reduced price. I replied requesting multiple kits, to which I am awaiting an answer.
I would like to make a Maersk Air example using the Max Decal sheet and possibly a Greenlandair example using as yet to be determined decals, probably modifying two Lima November DHC-8 sheets. My last project would be the ice reconnaissance airframe with the extra cupola above the cockpit and ventral SLAR used by Transport Canada, again modifying some Above&Below DHC-8 SURVEILLANCE decals.
Kind regards,
Dutch
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This reply was modified 4 weeks ago by
Dutch.
Kind regards,
DutchJanuary 16, 2025 at 10:10 pm #247199Well, I heard back from the vendor and she was able to add a couple more DHC-7 kits to my order for the same shipping price, so the price per kit has come down considerably. Still no clue as to the origin of these kits. They are definitely injection molded.
Kind regards,
DutchJanuary 17, 2025 at 3:52 am #247201Cool….
Good news on combining shipping. I believe there are no decals with the kit but it looks like are a handful of aftermarket ones out there. For smaller planes I’ve built two Metros along with a BAe146 which were all fun builds. I have quite a few other small planes in my stash but not a Dash 7.
Ken
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January 17, 2025 at 7:38 pm #247202Injection molded?
I don’t always say “Proceed as requested”
But when I do, it is because I have no clue what you just said.January 24, 2025 at 12:15 pm #247230After looking more closely at the parts, flash and breakdown, I have decided that this is probably a 3D printed kit. However, the ebay seller is still mum as to its origin. I wonder if it is a free CAD file and she is just printing them and selling them for twice what it costs to print. Every time she sells one, the next auction reappears for a generic “1/144 model aircraft kits.” Odd. Now I am on the hunt for ATP DHC-7 windows decal. Maybe Greg Drawbaugh will produce one for me.
Kind regards,
DutchJanuary 24, 2025 at 10:54 pm #247234Not the ATP window set but I see that Joy Decals has some Classic Airliners Dash 7 decals. Looks like separate windows and two windshields. Maybe an option?
Ken
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January 25, 2025 at 8:43 am #247241I just received one. The listing said “last one” but was relisted straight away.
Now there’s a second listing, slightly lower price, saying 3 available.
It’s a nice little kit, I also think 3D printed. The detail is a bit clunky. The fit of the left wing to the fuselage is quite clean, not so the right side which will require some clean up around the wing tab area. That area is cleaner in the listing photo.
Roy
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January 27, 2025 at 1:33 pm #247257Not the ATP window set but I see that Joy Decals has some Classic Airliners Dash 7 decals. Looks like separate windows and two windshields. Maybe an option?
Ken
Thanks Ken,
Yes I have been all over the usual airliner decal haunts and saw those. I could easily trim out the cabin windows and windscreens, however at $16 / sheet, an expensive way to go. That and he only has two in stock. I have asked Greg Drawbaugh at Draw Decal to make some for me from his PanAm sheet, so I am waiting to hear back.
Kind regards,
Dutch
Kind regards,
DutchJanuary 28, 2025 at 9:08 pm #247260I have just bought 3 kits, and looking foreward to receive them.
Happy modelling,
Ruben
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January 28, 2025 at 11:49 pm #247261Out of interest is the nose pre-weighted or will anyone building the kit have the joy of hacking a hole in the fuselage big enough to take sufficient weight to balance the model on its undercarriage?
Dave G
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January 30, 2025 at 4:40 pm #247267Out of interest is the nose pre-weighted or will anyone building the kit have the joy of hacking a hole in the fuselage big enough to take sufficient weight to balance the model on its undercarriage?
Dave G
Dave,
You will have to drill a hole (or more than one) and add lead ballast. I use “Liquid Gravity,” a model railroad ballast that pours easily and can be secured with an epoxy cap. The trick is to determine the correct amount.
I received my final three kits yesterday, for a total of four. Greg Drawbaugh no longer does “custom work,” as noted on his website contact page (Message – Please note we are unable to offer ANY custom decal design services.). So I just purchased 3 sets of DHC-7 PanAm Express (Late) decals for $11 each, cheaper than the Classic Airliners option from JoyDecals. On the “early” PanAm decals, the PANAM title cuts into the rear door outline. The late scheme will be easier to trim the windows away from the title. I will use spare white or black door outlines as appropriate.
My planned projects include:
CC-132 CAF
DHC-7 Air Greenland
DHC-7 Maersk Air
DHC-7-150IR Transport Canada Ice Reconnaissance
I will do some dry fitting of parts when I get a chance and determine the correct ballast load. Taking care of my wife right now.
K/r,
Dutch
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This reply was modified 2 weeks ago by
Dutch. Reason: added links
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This reply was modified 2 weeks ago by
Dutch.
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This reply was modified 2 weeks ago by
Dutch.
Kind regards,
DutchFebruary 4, 2025 at 1:19 pm #247301Woohoo! My box from Hannants arrived last night. Inside are Max Maersk Air (720B/737/CRJ-200) and LN Air Greenland (DHC-8) decals. I will do some test fitting over the weekend and see how the decals size up to the DHC-7 kit. I will post pics.
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Dutch.
Kind regards,
Dutch -
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