ETpilot

All this military talk, I have to say a Master Chief Petty Officer in the Navy is God. I went from active Air Force to Navy Reserve. I was made an offer I could not refuse. So, it was a career. I still have all my uniforms, dress blues, dress whites, whites, khakis, and cammys. I can't force myself to give them up. And that P-Coat Gray Beard, I have one still very new. I keep saying, one day, I will change out the gold buttons for the anchor buttons and use it as a civy coat.

Skylark-flier I have been following this thread since you started it. Nice plane, nice build looking forward to see it finished and painted. It is unique and will get a lot of attention at the flying club. Good build.

I read a lot of these threads but I don't post much.

skylark-flier

Hey ETpilot, glad to see you here brother. Geez, that P-Coat is a true prize, take good care of it - they're rare. I wouldn't change out the buttons either - keep her original and you'll get lots more appreciative looks all around. Besides, it's cool!

Yeah, this plane has been more fun than any in a long time. This past winter has been one for the books - one kit-build for another guy, 3 restorations - 2 near complete recreations, and the Stratus. Kinda looking for what I'm gonna do next winter - got no idea yet. Shoot, I may have to crash a plane (if I can figure out how - it's been a lot of years since the last one) this summer so I've got something to do this winter.

Naw, seriously, I'll come up with something, I'm sure. Also looking forward to the maiden though. I wanna see this critter in the air!!!!!!

Pork Chop

My Feedback: (5)

I think it might be hard to beat the Stratus Dave. It wins hands down in the "cool factor" with the twin rudders! How bout' next winter build a Sig Komander or Aero Bipe?

skylark-flier

GOT IT!!!!!!!!

I've been looking for the pattern that I actually liked but I've been going with lines across the wings, like several of my other planes. Finally abandoned the "across" thing and went with an old pattern idea from C/L, and came up with one that I actually like!

Whachathinkofthisone?



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Michaelj2k

That will get you noticed!

Pork Chop

My Feedback: (5)

Looks good Dave

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Love it! Easy to tell which side you are looking at easy to follow in the air! a 110% winner!

skylark-flier

Yellow finally arrived today (yippee!!). Spent most of the day mowing/trimming my place AND the stables - pooped! Gonna start masking tonight though.

skylark-flier

Well, first coat of yellow is brushed on fuse sides and h-stab bottom. Second will go on this evening. Then she sits upright again and h-stab top & rudders get their coats, probably in the morning.

Shouldn't have any trouble seeing this lady in the air.



BTW, anybody want a maple tree? I'm getting bombed by CLOUDS of those darn seeds. Looks like a carpet on the ground (and my house roof) in places around the yard.

Michaelj2k

There's nothing better than getting maple seeds, critters and dust stuck to your freshly painted surface. Keep the the 600 wet or dry handy.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Ah! The joys of painting outdoors to avoid a messy divorce!

skylark-flier

Ahhhhhhh, no chance of a messy divorce - she'll just bury me quietly in the garden (LOL).

Actually, fuse is getting 2nd coat on the dining room table today - no argument from her at all (I think she's sharpening the shovel as I type this).

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

So she'll kill you quick instead of slow and painful, that very accommodating!

Pork Chop

My Feedback: (5)

The yellow is nice and bright and should definitely be easy to see Dave! Looks good.

Michaelj2k

I saw that in a movie.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Now that's a classic!

skylark-flier

One thing's for sure - I'll never be able to claim I couldn't see my plane, or pick her out of a crowd of them.



A blind mancould see this plane!!!!

First coat met. maroon is on the fuse. This color hasn't been in the air since around 2001 as far as I know.

skylark-flier

Hey guys, most all y'all have a lot more experience with building than I do, so I've got a question - - will SIG clear butyrate (sprayed) seal down water-slide decals? The "Made With SIG Products" decal I've got and my "vintage" AMA decal are both waterslide and I wanna make sure how they're sealed down for fuel proofing.

TomCrump

Back in the day, dope used to eat decals. I think that the same is likely, now.

We used to coat them with some clear product, but the names escapes me.

Decal-it could reproduce those Sig decals in vinyl. The AMA may have their logo in vinyl. You could apply them over your finish, and not worry about the need to clear coat them.

skylark-flier

THAT'S WHY I NEED RCU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!! Thanks Tom, I knew that - just couldn't remember exactly what it was that I knew that was wrong with my idea. The clearcoat we used to put over decals, if I remember rightly, was Testors Fuel Proofer - it worked over Aerogloss, SIG, whatever you wanted to use it on and was thin like alcohol. I remember brushing it over decals and it worked just fine. Sure wish they still made something like that (they probably do, I just haven't found it yet).

Yeah, I've already sent a couple gif's & jpg's to Decal-it for pricing and some kind of time projection - haven't heard back yet though. Already talked with AMA. They don't keep OLD logo decals with the exception of the 1976-era red-white&blue sheet that you can still get (and I have 5 untouched sheets of) - which is unfortunate. The Stratus comes from '66 and I really want to use "period-correct" markings on her if I can. I've got the correct computer font so I can put the name, date, my AMA #'s on her with the font that was used on the instructions & box top too, which is pretty cool. I've already got my VR/CS logo on vinyl, as is my Classic Pattern Assoc decal, so I'm all set there.

Of course, all this happens AFTER I get my new supply of yellow dope & thinner from SIG. You can't get the quart cans of dope anymore, just pints, and I've got about half-enough to do the wings. Got plenty of the maroon & blue - they're both quart cans from 20 years ago, and they both took an awful lot of thinner to bring back to brushable, which is some of why I came up short on thinner too - 2 quarts GONE and I'm just less than half-done with painting.

It's relaxing to do it all this way though - no rush, no fuss.

Love it!!!!!!

Michaelj2k

Won't have any problem finding that one in the cornfield. Just be careful of the children. You Steven King fans know of what I speak.

skylark-flier

OH, for sure!!! If I ever lose this critter in the grass I'm also going to need a driver to get me home because I will have gone completely blind.

Still waiting for the new can of yellow & thinner, which is no big thing, but I HAD to get some color onto the wings anyway. Gotta tell ya, I like this bird!

First time, all together, out of the house.
The unpainted areas on the wings are what's going to get that can of yellow, then I get my graphics on her and hopefully the ones I sent for will get here about that same time - then she flies!!!!!!!!!! (hopefully)

Pork Chop

My Feedback: (5)

She looks great Dave, she's almost done. Are you going to shoot a video of the maiden for all to see?

skylark-flier

That's a "for sure", IF I can figure out how to get videos from my 'puter to here. Cheapy camera formats them as .mov and sometimes they take an awful long time to transfer online.

However, FOR SURE there will be lotsa stills. Planning to have at least 2 cameras there, maybe 3 if I'm lucky.

New wheels arrived today, USPS, so I'm kinda looking for UPS with the SIG order today too - they tend to match each other around here at lot. Then just 3 coats of yellow to go on the wings, the graphics when they arrive (and I get mine cut out and put on) and we're good to go.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Even I could see that one in the air. Looks good and I like the design. I thought I was familiar with most of the old C class planes but I had never seen this one.