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DC-9 Airliner Construction - 12/6/2004 7:30:44 AM   
ryancbr



Posts: 75
Joined: 10/3/2003
From: San Diego, CA, USA
Status: offline 		I have started construction on a DC-9 airliner, and just thought I would share some pictures. This will be my first scale composite project, so any tips on things I could be doing different would be helpful.


The picture below is of a real DC-9, just so you guys would have reference.

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RE: DC-9 Airliner Construction - 12/6/2004 7:35:45 AM   
ryancbr



Posts: 75
Joined: 10/3/2003
From: San Diego, CA, USA
Status: offline 		First, I cut the profile of the plane out of formica. I chose formica because it sands very easily on the edges, which helps out a bunch when you are doing final sanding and the splitting process later. What you are seeing here is 2 profile pieces of formica that are rubber cemented together. It is important to use rubber cement, because later you will have to split these two pieces in half.

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RE: DC-9 Airliner Construction - 12/6/2004 7:45:38 AM   
ryancbr



Posts: 75
Joined: 10/3/2003
From: San Diego, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Then, I cut out these half circles and 3m77 glued them to the ends of pieces of blue foam. I then used my homebuilt foam cutter to cut out these half circle long pieces. You do not want to cut out blue foam blocks and have to sand them into a circular shape (trust me.)

My home built foam cutter is just a vertical stick mounted to a horizontal stick with a spring attached to some nichrome wire that goes down to the base of the table. I drilled a hole and attached the nichrome wire to a hook underneath the actual table. This allows me to cut nice straight cuts, which I found very difficult to do by hand.

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RE: DC-9 Airliner Construction - 12/6/2004 7:53:29 AM   
ryancbr



Posts: 75
Joined: 10/3/2003
From: San Diego, CA, USA
Status: offline 		I then glued those half circle blue foam pieces onto the formica with 3m77. My foam cutter is not long enough to cut the entire length, so thats why you see the split at the end.

Leaving the circular pieces a little flat at the top will make the profile cutting easier.

Then, you simply pull the hot wire against the foam on the sides to cut out your profile, and you end up with the shape below.

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RE: DC-9 Airliner Construction - 12/6/2004 7:54:37 AM   
ryancbr



Posts: 75
Joined: 10/3/2003
From: San Diego, CA, USA
Status: offline 		4 and 5

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RE: DC-9 Airliner Construction - 12/6/2004 8:02:35 AM   
ryancbr



Posts: 75
Joined: 10/3/2003
From: San Diego, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Then, I made a little formica piece that was of the profile of the nose and tail. I double sided taped them to the top of the fuse and cut the top profile out.

I then used a sharp foam cutting blade (available from tower hobbies) to start shaping the foam.

Then, you whip out the rough sand paper and go at it. I found rough sand paper will sometimes dig into the foam, and you will have to do some patching later. I found it much easier to sand and patch, then to start sanding with fine grit from the beginning.

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RE: DC-9 Airliner Construction - 12/6/2004 10:33:46 AM   
ryancbr



Posts: 75
Joined: 10/3/2003
From: San Diego, CA, USA
Status: offline 		For patching, I use the lightweight drywall type filler from Home Depot.

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RE: DC-9 Airliner Construction - 12/6/2004 10:36:37 AM   
ryancbr



Posts: 75
Joined: 10/3/2003
From: San Diego, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Sand the drywall filler off and finish it with some really fine sandpaper.

Then your ready to split your fuse in two. Just take a sharp knife down the center and it will cut right through the rubber cement.

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RE: DC-9 Airliner Construction - 12/6/2004 10:39:48 AM   
ryancbr



Posts: 75
Joined: 10/3/2003
From: San Diego, CA, USA
Status: offline 		I waited to cut out the wing location in the fuse so that I would get a nice even cut in the fuse.

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RE: DC-9 Airliner Construction - 12/6/2004 5:01:09 PM   
Mike James



Posts: 2438
Joined: 1/19/2002
From: Anchorage, AK, USA
Status: offline 		Cool.

Will this be an EDF project? How big will it be at the end?


_____________________________

Mike James
RC Design and Building - www.nextcraft.com

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RE: DC-9 Airliner Construction - 12/6/2004 6:42:39 PM   
erbroens



Posts: 1947
Joined: 11/20/2003
From: Curitiba, Parana, BRAZIL
Status: online 		Very nice & clean, keep the pics coming!


Rgds, Enrique

_____________________________

E pluribus unum

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RE: DC-9 Airliner Construction - 12/6/2004 7:42:19 PM   
ryancbr



Posts: 75
Joined: 10/3/2003
From: San Diego, CA, USA
Status: offline 		I will be making the first one into a slope soarer. The round shape of the fuselage looks perfect for an edf unit. I was thinking of cutting a cheater hole in the bottom right in front of the wing with a small scoop. Then, have the exit at the tail be straight out. You wouldnt be able to tell it had holes underneath while on the ground, only during fly-bys.

The wingspan will be 44 1/2 inches.

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       Post #: 12

RE: DC-9 Airliner Construction - 12/6/2004 7:49:45 PM   
ryancbr



Posts: 75
Joined: 10/3/2003
From: San Diego, CA, USA
Status: offline 		You will need to lay a piece of plastic over your work bench, then lay out your fuselage halves. Measure from the top to the botton, then add half an inch. Then, cut your frame foam out at that measurement.

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RE: DC-9 Airliner Construction - 12/6/2004 7:52:36 PM   
ryancbr



Posts: 75
Joined: 10/3/2003
From: San Diego, CA, USA
Status: offline 		Then, I put the fuselage halves up on blocks, and painted the fuse with clear polyurethane. The first coat will soak in, second one will be better, then the third will be nice and glossy.

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       Post #: 14

RE: DC-9 Airliner Construction - 12/6/2004 7:54:22 PM   
ryancbr