Top Flite SE5A - 50 year old (partially built) kit

[Michael]

Combing (insulation from co-axial wire) and a headrest (carved balsa) were fashioned and fitted.

A dashboard (scale SE5A) was copied from an image on the internet, reshaped and sized in Photoshop, printed, and glued onto balsa.

[Frank v B]

Amazing dashboard.  Nice job.

Frank

[GuyOReilly]

WOW!
Next pilot of the correct size.

[Michael]

David kindly printed and donated a pilot for the project. It is now painted and shown in place.

I wanted to finish and paint the cockpit before covering, because it would be easier to reach these areas.

The windshield is painted with paint that matches the covering.

Combing and headrest are painted; the headrest is glued in place.

The pilot, combing, windshield and gun sight are not yet glued in place. That will happen after covering.

[GuyOReilly]

Beautiful paint job on that pilot.
Looking forward to filming its Maiden Flight.

[Michael]

Parts are painted before covering.

[Michael]

Fuselage front/cowl/radiator painted to match the covering. The first image is a photo of a full scale.

Last photo is the fin/rudder with fake ribs.

[davidk]

Very cool.

[Michael]

I started covering with fabric-texture plastic covering, Oratex.

I used translucent white for the bottoms of the wings, ailerons, elevator and stabilizer, and also on the rudder which will be painted.

I'm trying to do a nice job, so I'm working slowly.

[Michael]

All main components have been covered and mostly painted.

A little more paint to go, followed by receiver/gyro-stabilizer/throttle installation.

Then some basic assembly.

[Michael]

The under-sides of the wings and stabilizer/elevator remain translucent off-white.

[Michael]

Rudder painted.

[Michael]

Radio, receiver and gyro/stabilizer installed.

Lower wing and main landing attached to the fuselage.

[Michael]

Tail secured onto fuselage and hinged.

[Michael]

Assembly started.