All this balsa building fever has finally got me infected, but I'm trying something different.
I've just started a 17.5" Dumas P47 rubber-powered free-flight "stick and tissue" kit, which I will convert to 4-channel electric RC. This is intended for outdoor use.
It's been a long time since I built anything like this.
Very cool, Michael!
And some fast progress.
That's a pretty small plane. Do you think the weight will be reasonable with the radio, motor and batt? There's not a lot of room for error in that size, but I know you have experience with it.
I'll be following so I can learn what works. I like the concept.
I built a 28" Piper Cub that weighs between 3 and 4 ounces.
My target weight here is about 2 to 2 1/2 ounces, but I still want to do as nice a job as possible making this thing scale-like and with details.
Laser cut parts and CA glue are a big advantage over kits from years ago, but it still takes patience. ;D
Awesome! Will you still cover it with the dope/tissue method or "regular" iron on covering?
Colin
It will be tissue covered but with water-based products.
I have one of those spectrum brushless rx boards with the two servos on it if your interested. Its new in package. AR6400LBL
I'll be using the guts from an E-Flite micro Sbach; 180 brushless motor, recvr/esc, 4 super micro servos and a 2 cell battery.
Yes I think this is the same main board. That should work great Michael
The conversion has started!
Fuselage has been modified so that the upper portion can be removed (for battery changes and radio installation), and the wing has been modified to accept ailerons.
Wow Michael. Kicking ass and taking names. Why do these other balsa builds take so long? LOL
Looks great and I can't wait to see it in person. Much more attractive than a hunk of foam
At this rate she will be flying by next week
Btw she great
Erm.... That wing spar looks a little too thick.
Quote from: Ededge2002 on January 10, 2013, 11:43:06 PM
Wow Michael. Kicking ass and taking names. Why do these other balsa builds take so long? LOL
Ya! What's the deal?! Stop making everyone else look bad!
Sure is cute as a button, though ;D
It's a small model so the construction goes pretty quickly.
However, the custom work takes longer; Cutting off the top half of the fuselage and altering but maintaining the integrity of the structure took longer than building the fuselage, and cutting out and re-enforcing the aileron bays took longer than building the wing.
Stabilizer/elevator and fin/rudder done, with tiny CA hinges (not glued yet), ailerons done with hinges, micro servos in wing, (no linkages yet), motor and recvr/esc in place.
That's a work of art Michael. Awesome work.
What colour scheme will you be finishing it in?
I haven't decided on a finish yet, but I'll have to choose soon; I have to cover the model before I can progress with the radio installation.
Photo shows radio installed in fuselage; still have to make a battery tray.
Quote from: sihinch on January 13, 2013, 09:03:23 AM
What colour scheme will you be finishing it in?
Thinking of this.
Hi Michael here are some unusual colour schemes.
Love that Cuban version, Jack! Very nice.
I think I like Charlotte the Harlot.
That plane looks great, Michael! You finished it off quickly... paint and all! ;D
If you put Charlotte on there no one will look at the rest of the plane! Damn fine
Wow! The little stuff takes a lot of time.
I just spent about an hour-and-a-half installing tiny magnets onto the fuselage (top and bottom) halves.
They fit very well, and the top holds down firmly, but I'm done for the night.
Now I'm off to record some music. ;D
A hour-and-a-half for custom plug-in/removable landing gear.
"Gear up" for outdoor flying; "gear down" for indoor flying.
Just too cool. 8)
A little more progress.
Hey Michael,
How are you attaching the tissue? And what water based products are you talking about? Water based Poly Urethane? Does it work for planes this tiny? If so, do you thin it?
At one of our last funflys, small bottles of white/canopy glue were given out as gifts.
I'm using that thinned 50-50 with water.
I carefully brush it on the balsa, and then carefully place the tissue on the structure.
It takes about an hour for each part to dry, and then I trim the excess.
I will shrink the covering with water when the components are all covered. Some parts will be pinned down during the tissue shrinking process to prevent excessive warping.
I will not be painting anything other than plastic parts, so the plane will be covered in the appropriate coloured tissue where needed.
So no dope or anything on the open surfaces of the tissue?
If not, and the material is strong enough, I like that option. The tissue can look so nice and silky as is, and it's always a shame (in my opinion) to have to brush on dope.
I may coat the finished model with water-based Poly-urethane, or thinned white glue, or thinned matte medium.
As far as dope is concerned, I don't believe he's a member of TEMAC anymore.
The covering is coming along nicely.
I think the finished product will resemble this:
Beautiful, can't wait to meet her! ;)
A little more progress.
The tissue has not been shrunk tight yet.
Covering is essentially complete, and all surfaces have been shrunk and coated with a water/white glue sealing layer.
Belly of fuselage is complete, ailerons and wing installed.
Next will some work on the landing gear, tail installation, canopy and some more decoration.
Last will be the battery tray/holder in the fuselage, the location of which will be determined by balance considerations.
Nice work Michael that looks terrific
Work of art!
Lookin' awesome! You're moving fast!
More progress.
Landing gear (removable) is shaped/wrapped with tape and painted black; wheel hubs hand-painted; landing gear doors made of stiff paper sandwiched between light grey and light green tissue; canopy decorated with 2 layers of light grey tissue; pilot's head-rest installed; canopy glued on.
A pilot will probably be installed from inside later on.
It's beginning to look like a P47 Thunderbolt! ;D
The running build thread is great. love seeing the progress. this is a beautiful build with great photos. you should have built two so I could have one! I built one of those balsa stick models once..... a size 10 on it in a fit of frustration finished it off!!!
The photos look like studio shots! Very nice.
The model work/craftsmanship is something else.
Michael, would you like to build my next plane????
Tail mostly installed.
OK, that's it for a few days, but at this rate, I might get it done in a week or two.
OK, finished, and ready for flight. If it's a great flyer, I will add more details later in the season. An antenna post has been added since the photos were taken.
Some decals (thanks Jack), fake cowl detail, tail controls connected, interior has had major changes to include a battery tray location to suit balancing the model, and tail wheel done (all landing gear is removable for outdoor flying).
Total weight is 2.7 ounces; 2.5 ounces without landing gear. The power system comes from an E-Flite model of similar size and a weight of 2.65 ounces.
Fits in the E-Flite box, with landing gear attached, with simple modifications.
That looks wonderful! Great job. The little details really set it off. Very inspiring
Wonderful now if it only had teeny weeny retracts!!!
Jack.
That looks really nice, Michael. Congratulations on an awesome build.
Maiden and second flights today, outdoors: Flew great!
I'm no Andy but i was able to get a couple of photos
Why does it look so tiny in the sky? Oh wait it IS tiny!
Disappointed I missed this one I'm interested in seeing it fly. Please Michael if I'm there and your going to fly it let me know.
Greg its a great shot of a very small subject
I'm very please with how well this model flew, especially the second flight.
From Greg's image:
This model is a real accomplishment, Michael. Congratulations!