Instructor

My Feedback: (16)

Ok, here we go. I decided to build my very first fiberglass fuselage jet. After looking at a lot of subjects, I decided to make a early 1950 style jet. I fly mostly off grass fields here in North East Pa. I have a Jet Cat P-80SE and I thought I would use it for the power plant. Since this is my first fiberglass fuselage, I didn't want anything with a lot of angles. The Fury has a rather deep fuselage with radius angle top and bottom. I also wanted something that I could have a lot of room inside. This fuselage is 9" wide and 13" deep. I took a three view drawing and had Office Max enlarge the drawing to a 76" wingspan with a 70" fuselage. All of the bulkheads are on this drawing. They were made of 3/16" underlayment. I took a 1" woden dowel 75" long and glued all bulkheads to this dowel where the side view suggested. Then I used the 2" Green insulation foam and glued it between each bulkhead. This foam was sanded down to make the outline of the fuse. I then used 6 oz fiberglass cloth and Z-Poxy to glass this plug. It was sanded down and more Z-Poxy was applied. This went on for about 4 to 6 coats of Z-Poxy. Then I sprayed it with light gray primer. This was sanded down with 400 grit wet or dry paper. This went on for about 5 more layers of primer. At this point I waxed the plug and sprayed it with Partall release agent. I took 6 oz fiberglass cloth and polyester resin and layed up the mold. I used at least 6 layers of 6 oz fiberglass to lay up this mold. I used malamine to make a parting plane between the right side and the left side of the mold. After this was removed from the plug, the inside of the mold is washed with warm water and soap to remove the partall. The mold is waxed and the release agent is spayed inside the mold. When this is dry to the touch, the fiberglass is layed up inside of each mold half, using laminating resin. After 24 hours the fiberglass is sanded down to the mold. The lip formed from the parting plane is waxed and covered with release agent to keep the molds from sticking together. I forgot to mention, you have to drill holes around the lip of the mold so you can bolt the mold together. At this point I bolt the mold halves back together and then I use 1.5" of fiberglass tape and laminating resin to glue the fuse sides together. This is done through the hatch opening, the inlet and the outlet. Then this sits up for 24 hours and the mold is unbolted and the fuse is removed from the mold. If the plug is smooth, the fuse outside will be smooth. I'll try and load up some photos.....


Larry

hooker53

My Feedback: (106)

Subscribed. Looking good and a great subject. Keep-em coming.

Instructor

My Feedback: (16)

Thanks Hooker53,

I'll load up some more photos tomorrow.....


Larry

RCISFUN

My Feedback: (44)

Larry,
That looks great

Instructor

My Feedback: (16)

Thanks Rich,

Ok, here are some more photos. The first one is of the plug with the parting plane being fitted to the plug. The second photo is the plug with the left side of the mold already laid up with the parting plane removed. The next photo is of the mold removed from the plug and cleaned up and then bolted together. Here is a photo of the hatch plug being set up to make the hatch mold. More photos to follow, so check back later.....

Larry

rhklenke

My Feedback: (24)

Looking good Larry! Take good care of those molds - there are several of us out there that are interested in "unusual looking" Navy jets!

Bob

ps, I figured out how I'm going to change the incidence on my Panther and then fix the sub-wing to wing panel joint. As soon as I get my Xtreme Jets F-4 done, I'm going to get after that - and fixing my canopy after the hatch came off in flight at Farview in August... []

Bob

Instructor

My Feedback: (16)

Hi Bob,

If anyone wants a fuse, I'll have to add more fiberglass to the outside of the molds. I only made them thick enough to pull just one fuse, but that's no big deal. If I didn't have my Panther already painted and decaled, I would drop the front of the wing to get rid of that 1º positive AOA. You could split the difference between the leading edge and the trailing edge and that wouldn't be hard to do. If I get a chance, maybe I'll load up some more photos later tonight of the Fury. Got to love the old style NAVY jets. Just something about them that draws my attention.......

Larry

Instructor

My Feedback: (16)

Ok, here are some more photos of my FJ-1 Fury under construction. The first photo is the hatch mold. The second photo is the fuse pulled from the mold. The third photo is the fuse and the hatch sitting in place....

Instructor

My Feedback: (16)

OK, here are some more photos of my FJ-1 Fury under conctruction. The first photo is the top of the right wing. The next photo is the bottom of the right wing with landing gear installed. The next photo is the pilot and cockpit under construction. The next photo is the pilot and completed cockpit tub sitting under the hatch. The next photo is the plane sitting on it's wheels for the first time at the Farview Flyers Jet rally in October. Here is a different look of the instrument panel.......

mr_matt

My Feedback: (10)

Wow this is so cool. Thanks for posting.

IIRC this was a jet that North American did and copied the moments of a P-51 as close as possible to minimize development risk.

Larry what trick did you use to mark and cut the outline of the parting plane so close?

EDIT: I read about this and the other early USN fighter in this book, it is awesome

http://www.amazon.com/U-S-Naval-Air-...owViewpoints=1

Instructor

My Feedback: (16)

Hi Mr. Matt,

What I did to get the close outline of the fuse was this. I had Office Max make me another side view of the fuse. Then I took this side view and glued it to a large piece of cardboard that I got from a refrigerator box. Then I traced around this on the parting plane. I then drilled a hole below this outline and used a jig saw to cut out the outline. The fuse plug and the parting plane was then supported in green foam formers. I then used modeling clay to seal the parting plane to the fuse plug so no resin would drop through to the other side......

Larry

Instructor

My Feedback: (16)

Jst in case someone wants to see just what this plane will look like when it's finished, here is a photo of it.......

Larry

sidgates

My Feedback: (2)

Instructor,
My mold for my project (F-94C) is probably not as thick as yours but I stiffened the mold with blue foam. I don't consider my mold a "production" mold but I think I could pull a lot of parts the way it is built.

You can see my project at: http://www.sidgates.us/HOBBIES/F-94C/F94C%20PROJECT.htm

Good luck on your project, it looks like you are headed for success.

Instructor

My Feedback: (16)

Hi Sid,

Thanks for the information on your F-94C. I don't consider myself a great model builder, just average. My FJ-1 Fury weights 11 lbs sitting on it's wheel in the last photo. I'm hoping to keep it under 25 lbs so the Jet Cat P-80SE, with it's 22 lbs of thrust will fly it just fine. I have been flying turbine jets for 12 years now and only just in the last four years have I flown simi-scale jets.

I thought I would let you know, I met someone here in North East Pa. about 30 years ago when I flew Formular 1 racing RC planes. His name is John Cottle. He mentioned you and the times you guys had in the Air Force. Wow, just to get to talk to you like this is an hornor. I hope my Fury comes out half as good as your F-94C........

Larry/Instructor

sidgates

My Feedback: (2)

Yes I know John very well. He used to help me every year when I was showing at White Plains model show. I tried to call him last week but no answer. John and I were stationed at Rome,NY in 1956-58 when I was flying the F-94C. I love the 50's era jets too. Yours is a lot lighter than my F-94C, I am at approx. 21lbs which is a concern at our altitude of 5700ft.

I saw a Panther fly at our altitude about 2 years ago on a 12lb. engine and it was very scale flying so I have some hope.

Keep us posted on the Fury.

flyinwalenda

My Feedback: (5)

I have seen the step-by-step progress of this plane and Larry has spent a lot of time on it so far!  In it's present state it looks really good and is shaping up nicely.
If you can't buy it ....make it !

Instructor

My Feedback: (16)

This is the latest photo of the FJ-1 Fury. This photo was taken at our Mall show in Wilkes-Barre Pa. Right now I have the wings glassed and waiting for warmer weather to prime and paint, then it on to installing everything I have to install, landing gear, flap and aileron servos, elevator and rudder servos. Right now I'm working on a plug to get a canopy pulled for the Fury. Nick Ziroli Plans will be pulling the canopy for me......

Larry

Jetdktr

My Feedback: (21)

Great looking jet Larry!! Hope to see it at Hamburg. Let me and/or Ron know when you test fly, maybe we can come up and fly with you.

Jimmie

P.S. Fury, Fury ,Fury

Instructor

My Feedback: (16)

Thanks Jimmie,

I will do that. Sure has been a long year just to get it to this point. Build as I go so I can change things if I have to. Keeping track of the changes that I had to do, just in case I have to build another one for someone else. Let's hope warm weather gets here soon....



Larry

kimhey

Wow! Great to see pictures of a scratch built jet

Good luck with the rest of the build, which btw looks very nice.

Instructor

My Feedback: (16)

Thanks Kimkey,

I just got tired of seeing the same old thing at the jet rallies I go to, so I decided to build my own. I search all of the major companys that have ARF or kits of jets for something different. I just didn't like what I saw. They were either trainers or you had to fly 200+ MPH. I like to fly scale Warbird jets and there was the cost of these jets. What you are looking at, from the material used to build the plug, make the mold and build the fuse along with the stainless steel thrust tube, landing gear, pilot, wheels and brakes is $1,250.00. Now I have to paint it and get it ready to fly. Hope it won't take too long.....


Larry

Meesh

My Feedback: (135)

Nice job Larry. Hope to see it at Hamburg in August.

Bob

Jetdktr

My Feedback: (21)

[quote]ORIGINAL: Instructor

Thanks Jimmie,

I will do that. Sure has been a long year just to get it to this point. Build as I go so I can change things if I have to. Keeping track of the changes that I had to do, just in case I have to build another one for someone else. Let's hope warm weather gets here soon....

Larry

[quote}


Build another one?? You offering??? Lets talk

Jimmie

Instructor

My Feedback: (16)

Here is the latest shot of my FJ-1 Fury. This was taken at the Afterburner Jet Rally in Hamburg Pa over the August 1st to 4th weekend. I just have to run flap and aileron leads, do a CG and balance sheck and it's ready to test fly.....

Larry

Instructor

My Feedback: (16)

I'm having a problem loading up photos with this new RCU. As soon as I figure it out, I'll try it again...

Larry