A little progress report is in order, and as I'm working ahead of my typing things are a bit further advanced than they may appear. I have been busy with the fretsaw, cutting the lifts from half-inch and quarter-inch balsa, and while recovering from cramp in the right hand I've put down a few preliminary thoughts.
My intention is to use the wartime 'make-do' ethos, by using whatever I have on hand, rather than going out buying the proper stuff. I'm sure that is probably how it went on. According to the plan I should be using deal for the hull, but this would mean shoving some planks through the thicknesser, which is against my rules! I have plenty of balsa about, so I'm using that.
According to the instructions I could buy a kit of wood (deal and satin walnut), dowel, motor, propeller, blade and shaft, wire, 8 turned metal guns, and screws, foor 11/6 plus 1/- postage. For comparison I did a quick check on current hobbies prices for the timber only, and this comes out at - balsa £30, obeche £82, and spruce £104. I have a prop and shaft but the only two motors lying around are a)too big or b)too small, so I'm going to have to purchase one.
Choice of glue was a problem. Modern glues are not allowed and a check of the 1940 annual shows only a choice of 6 adhesives. Two are paper pastes, then we have Tenastine, Ste-Fix, Hobbies Glue (all in tubes) and Croid Aero Glue in a tin (needing hot water to melt it). I haven't got any Croid (which I remember my father using) so I'm using clear tube UHU, as it's water-resistant and paint should seal it.
More pictures of progress next time.