96" Grumman Albatross flying boat kit/scratch built model

[frajolex]

Looks awesome Michael! I'm planning to do the same with my cessna.

[the giant]

Ready to start the fiberglass work.

The balsa hull has already been sprayed with sanding sealer (so the wood won't warp when it gets wet from the water-based polyurethane.)

What was the sanding sealer product you used, Michael? 

Total weight of the hull, before fiberglassing, including servos and pushrods, but excluding hatches, and the nose-piece, is 803 grams, or 28.5 ounces.

[Michael]

I am using the products in the images below.

The spray is for sealing the balsa (I assume that's what it's doing), and the water-based-poly-urethane is for applying the fiberglass.


Both from Home Depot.

[Michael]

Robert suggested that I apply additional layers of fiberglass on the bottom of the hull if I intend to takeoff from grass. Basically, I applied extra layers and generous amounts of water-based poly-urethane to the keel on the forward fuselage, the rear part of the keel at the rear of the fuselage, and on the bottoms of the tip floats.

[Michael]

The fuselage is fully covered with fiberglass cloth and water-based polyurethane, and is essentially dry. It still needs to be trimmed a bit, sanded and touched up, but later this week I hope to be applying a coat of gray primer.

Weight for this component is now 951 grams, or 33.84 ounces. It ws 803 grams, or 28.5 ounces before applying the fiberglass cloth.

That's about an 18% increase in weight (148 grams; 5.3 ounces). I still have to paint it, but at just over 2 pounds (with servos and a few other things), it still feels pretty light.

[Michael]

I applied oil-based polyurethane to the exposed balsa areas of the inner split flaps.

Nothing exciting; no photo.

I'm in the middle of a busy time at work, but within the week or so, I'll start sanding the fuselage and prepare it for painting.

[Michael]

A little more progress; primer spayed on the treated balsa and fiberglassed surfaces.

[wollins]

Mike do you paint inside the house?

[Michael]

Yes, a little at a time, wearing a breathing filter. I usually paint at work.

[Michael]

Warning to all followers:

In case some of you are accustomed to Robert Pike's flawless but unrealistic finishes on his magnificent models, mine won't look like that.

I have carefully studied images of full scale airplanes (of the Grumman Albatross), and I realized that the surfaces have many imperfections, smudged paint, hand-hammered repairs, etc., and I've decided to try to replicate this accurately.

So, what may appear on my model to be less-than-perfect fiberglass covering, poor sanding, non-exact painting, etc., will actually be the results of my intensive efforts to reproduce an accurate airplane.

[sihinch]

Michael, Slave to Perfection!

[Papa]

He also has some excellent land in Florida for sale!
Right on the water!


Jack.

[Michael]

A rainbow paint job???

[Michael]

Progress!

[Michael]

Great decals!