Posts: 1423
Joined: 2/2/2002 From: Lakeside, AZ, USA Status: online
I desided to build the Kate from 2 views, Thanks to David Foster. and using a plastic model too.' I started with the tail feathers. The horz and vert stab were built from 5/8 by 3/32 balsa strips. With a 1/4 leading and trailing edge. I build them over the enlarged plan. Then sanded them to an airfoil shape. Draw a centerline arround the outside edges. That gives you something to sand to and keep it even. The rudder and elev are built over 1/16 balsa sheet with 3/32 strips as ribs by 1/4.. Build top and bottom before sanding. 1/4 leading edge. Then set my tubing between two 1/8x 1/4 strips. Then cap the leading edge with 1/4 balsa. The tubing is for my wire hinges. Hinge materal . Plastic tubing, Piano wire or aluminum wire and phanalic board cut for hinge materal. After shaping leading of the rud and elev cut slots in scale location just past the plastic tubing. Cover ONE side of the elev and rud with 1/16 balsa . extend the trailing buy 1/4 in. Now cut a slot in the vert and horz stab for your hinge about 1/4 x 1/16. It should end up by a rib to clue to. With the hinges in the rudder with the wire in place put the hinges in the slots.Clamp hinges to the ribs. Check for clearance both ways. Glue hinges to the ribs. Now cover the other side with 1/16 balsa extend past the trailing edge to match the other side. They should work nice and free with no gap to see. Do NOT glue in the wire. Now you have a removable surface. I put a J hook in the end to hold it in place.
Posts: 1423
Joined: 2/2/2002 From: Lakeside, AZ, USA Status: online
Got the wing done. I used Aero shaft through the ribs to keep the wing straight. The center cection is flat on top with taper on the bottom from the ribs. I used the same hinging on the ail and flaps as I did on the tail.
The fus is built over 1x4 blocks to keep it straight. I added a 1/8 balsa doubbler to the wing saddle area. I made the wing fillits from 1/16 hard balsa on the bottom and 1/16 soft balsa for the top curved area. On the front where it raps arround the leading edge, I cut 1/8 soft balsa to make the filler instead of using bondo or wood filler. It worked out good. Just use yellow glue it is easier to sand. Now I have to work over the CJ retracks to get rid of some of the SLOP
Posts: 1423
Joined: 2/2/2002 From: Lakeside, AZ, USA Status: online
Got the fush and wing glassed using polyu. Made the cowl from 2in blue foam glued together then used some all thread through the middle and clamped in the drill press and sanded it to shape . Then glassed it. Put pannel lines using primmer sprayed next to masking tape. Added rivets. Made a canope plug from 2 pieces of 4x4 wood and shaped sanded and primed. almost ready to pull the canope. I will have some pic tomorrow. Rich
What's the span of this project? What are you going to power it with? Always nice to see uncommon planes modeled. Looking foward to seeing more photos of your progress.
Posts: 1423
Joined: 2/2/2002 From: Lakeside, AZ, USA Status: online
Darren The kate has a ws of 77 in. I am going to use a YS120 fs for power. I usually build bigger planes 85 or so. I had the retracts and the motor sitting arround. I got some paint on it today. will post some more pic this weekend . Rich
Posts: 1423
Joined: 2/2/2002 From: Lakeside, AZ, USA Status: online
I made a canope plug for my Val from blue foam. It worked and easy to sand, but took a lot to get it to a finish stage .. Making the plug for the Kate out of a 4x4 wood was a lot simplier and made a better plug. After pulling the plastic canope I used the plug to hold the canope for sanding and masking off for painting. I desided to go with the yellow instead of a nother olive drab warbird. The yellow is a softer yellow than what the pic showes. Now I need to camo the top of the wing and tail with brown and green. This is 1/8 scale but the cowl is small 5 1/2 dia. My Val cowl is small to for a big plane 84 in. I used crome plummers tape to simmilate doors and hatches. More to come. Rich
Posts: 1423
Joined: 2/2/2002 From: Lakeside, AZ, USA Status: online
Thanks EG I do like something different. Got the camo and the black nose done. I ordered stencil from Gary at Get Stencil. I threw in a couple pic of my Val 85 in ws. Rich
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All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> Scratch Building, Aircraft Design, 3D/CAD >> Building Nakajima B5n2 <Kate> 
Building Nakajima B5n2 <Kate> - 
