abufletcher
Posts: 5154
Joined: 2/13/2004
From: Zentsuji, JAPAN
Status: offline
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I'd like to remind folks that I'm still just building a kit. It's just an "early production" one. For the most part my fuse looks just the way it's designbed to look. I've found a couple areas that I thought could be improved on -- and have passed these comments on the Chris who will be incorporating many of them in subsequent kits.
The early production rudder is one of those areas that needed improvement. The plans as they were at the time they were printed for me (in September, 2006) do include an early rudder but its outlines were not scale. And since one for the major plusses of this "sports scale" kit, IMHO, is that Chris admirably has stuck to near 100% scale accurate outlines, the early rudder clearly needed to be updated.
The need to update unfortunately rendered the parts included in the kit for the early rudder unuseable. The larger, late production rudder BTW is dead on scale in terms of outline. So I was going to have to scratch-build a replacement (rather than waiting for Chris to send replacement parts from Germany to Japan).
I started out by making one using the same construction techniques used by the kit: balsa core with laminated edges. I still think this is a good choice for a kit. It's strong, practical, economical, and relatively easy to do. I love my bamboo rudder but bamboo doweling is not readily available in many areas (for example Germany). For a modeler living in Japan, bamboo is an obvious choice.
Anyway, I imagine that I'll be building the wings (virtually) stock. We might find a small problem or two that needs some thinking but I continue to be impressed with this Snipe kit. It's a model you could build entirely stock in a month or two (assuming you had a nice, photo-illustrated construction manual  ) but it's also a kit that you can take to the limits of your skills without having to redo major structures (as I ended up doing on my "BUSA" Eindecker -- and to a certain extent on my Flair Legionaire). This Snipe is sports scale at its best.
ADDED LATER: Here's another thought of the "philosophy of kit building." Some people enjoy just following a set of instructions and ending up with a model that's "exactly as it's supposed to be." Let's call this the "2+2=4" approach (though there always seem to be a few people who manage to add 2 + 2 and get 3). Most trainer kits are assembled in this way. Ditto for 98% of the BUSA eindeckers out there. This can be contrasted with an approach that treats a kit as a foundation -- a point of departure for the builder's skills and enjoyment. A great example of this is Randy's outstanding built of the GTM Hanriot. Sure that was a kit -- a GREAT kit. But anyone who thinks they can just buy the kit, follow the instructions, and get Randy's model will be in for a shock.
< Message edited by abufletcher -- 11/16/2006 7:45:06 AM >
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All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> RC Scale Aircraft >> RE: CD ScaleDesigns Sopwith Snipe build 
RE: CD ScaleDesigns Sopwith Snipe build - 
But of course if what you want is the best flying Snipe you can have, then you should be thrilled with both the larger rudder and cool balanced ailerons. 
If for no other reason than to have matching thicknesses. 
