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It is cloudy here today, actually. I have started on the covering and it is going slow. I am using Coverite fabric (white) and am afraid I will burn it. So this afternoon, I only got the fin, rudder and a wing hatch done. I am also trying a new technique which seems to be giving me better edges. The picture itself is no big deal but it is an important milestone for the build. After covering this part and looking at it laying there, it strikes me how small it is relative to the rest of the plane.
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Schnap Roll, my Camel is working well now with JR digital servos on the ailerons and a more precise linkage setup. Nonetheless, it is awaiting a small repair job from my last attempted takeoff with a bit too much side wind. Should only take a couple of hours but I have been concentrating on the Pup. I am about half way through on the covering.
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This is an update on the covering. The wings are done (upper set shown), as are the tail parts. Tomorrow I tackle the fuselage, aileron hatches, etc. I had a problem of some concern but it worked out okay. The trailing edge on one of the upper wings came loose from several of the ribs. Fortunately I was able to peal back the Coverite to glue it - and add a little gusset. The Coverite doesn't have very aggressive adhesive and I am glad I used Balsarite (in spite of the fumes). Also, after doing one side of each part, I used a q-tip to paint a little Balsarite around the edges where the second piece would be ironed to the covering. This helped a lot in those areas where I have had trouble with it lifting on other planes.
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The fuselage was the task for today. The top is tricky to cover at the back and the fairleads on the top and sides take some time and thought to work around. After covering the top and sides, I could run my Kevlar cables through the fairleads and hook up the little wires that will work the tailwheel to the little floating bar (in the first photo) - then cover the bottom.
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Thanks Abu. This model is easy because the replica it is representing has a fresh new look. On my next plane I will have to weather it so I will be reading the RCU threads on that, especially the ones you posted. The white Coverite has the perfect color and gloss level to match the Australian Pup that I am modeling so I will just paint the trim over it. I am now working to determine those colors. I probably won't be able to get swatches but I have a good (altbeit small) color photo sent to me by the RAAF Museum. I think I can use it for color reference but I have never entered a serious scale event so I don't know what the judges would accept. The trim colors are probably typical WW-I colors because that is what the replica builders should have used. If anyone has some suggestions, I am all ears.
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Rib tapes today… Probably the most tedious, back breaking job in model building. Too hot an iron will kill the gloss on the Coverite and, a couple of degrees cooler it won't seal. So I have little flat spots on my gloss wings where the little iron got too close to the adjacent fabric. I will probably have to clear coat the wings later to even things out. In spite of the hassle, it does make the parts look like they are from a real airplane. An un-taped wing next to one that is taped looks like a model. Even though I am using fabric, without the tapes, I might as well use plastic film. The Coverite is very hard to apply the tapes on. It is almost totally opaque so one can't see where the ribs are underneath. It is also thick enough that it is hard to feel them. I ended up using a soft pencil to mark them so I could get the narrow tape with the simulated knots down on the ribs accurately. Since my 15' roll of covering is almost all used up, I had to save every scrap in order to still have enough for the tapes. Even then, I am having to use some old Antique White Super Coverite for the knot tape strips. It looks like one more day of this. The bottom wings and the center of the upper wing have been done. Just the top wings and tail parts remain.
< Message edited by allanflowers -- 5/19/2008 2:27:37 AM >
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I use a method I learned on one of these groups (maybe from Bob H.?). Two rows of pins are arranged a foot or so apart, on 1/2" centers. Put down a piece of iron-on fabric (adhesive side down) between the rows with a piece of thin plastic under it (to cut on). Ordinary thread is run back and forth between these two rows. Spray with 3M-77 to hold things together. After the 3M-77 has dried for an hour or so you can cut the strips with a roller cutter & straightedge. Don't cut more than three or so strips at a time or they will get messed up. Align the strips on the wing, tack iron it in place. You will lose a few of the thread "knots" but you can usually put them back in place with a tweezer or the tip of your Exacto knife. My strips are .1" wide and the overlaying Coverite strips are .3" to .375" on the wings and .25" on the tail surfaces.
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As I said it looks really good. I went with the full stitching more for my own historical interest than anything else. I have to admire you for going with the unpainted white covering. That's sort of like an acrobat working without a net! I'd need the security of knowing I can paint over any goofs!
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Some progress to report on the many details. First I finished all the rib stitching and tapes. What a grind but it amazes me how much less toy-like the part suddenly look. It actually raises the ante on finishing this plane well. While my cockpit hatch - with an additional stain coat to deepen the color - is drying (shellac, preparatory for polyU varnish), I am experimenting with the combing. I couldn't get glue to stick to fuel tubing (silicon, who would guess it?) so it is on to plan B. I want to thank Abu who suggested getting a cheap purse for material. Ross had the perfect one for a whopping 9 bucks, all I have to do is paint some alcohol on the back of the material to get the cloth backing to come off. Of course I am in trouble for invading the wife's sacred sewing room to get thread, etc. While waiting for the Nelson trim paint to arrive, I started making patterns and marking them onto the plane. This prepainted Coverite fabric doesn't take pencil well but an HB seems to leave a faint line. Yesterday I fabricated and installed the step. Today, I installed a quarter-turn type fuel dot in the forward hatch, as close as possible to the location of the fuel cap on the real plane (which is right in the center but the servos dictate moving mine forward and to the left side. There go the scale points).
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All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> RC Scale Aircraft >> RE: CD Scaledesigns Pup build 
RE: CD Scaledesigns Pup build - 
I'd need the security of knowing I can paint over any goofs!