jofunk

The stringers behind the plate got doubled up since they were cut a little short. I also started to sheet the area. I will soon install the nose gear and get some glass on the front end and in the intakes.

jofunk

I finished sheeting the bottom and sides. The larger flat pieces got combo glued, CA and urethane.

jofunk

I removed what was needed to roughly install the nose gear. It will take some tweaking to get Vladimir's nose strut ornaments in the correct position. Picture one, if you don't have the tool to make the cut sometimes you have to make the tool.

turbofixer

Super clean!

jofunk

I got the glass cloth out to start glassing and hardening the intakes etc. I put some wax paper down over the door area. I will glass over the wax paper and have a shell of the area. If the gear doors don't survive getting cut out, I will have an extra set.

jofunk

Here is a better shot of the lay up and the tub peeled off the fuse. If I need doors I can cut them out of this.

jofunk

I sawed out enough door area to fit the retract back in. Another door will open over the wheel well. I will save the wood doors and see what works.

ps2727

Joe
that looks great!
you are doing a nice job

paul

turbofixer

Looks great!..nothin like cutting into your fresh work

jofunk

I cut all 6 doors out and got the gear mounted back in. Everything retracts OK and nothing seems to be sticking out.

turbofixer

Outstanding...that looks great...Humm wonder what a scaled down set of gear would cost me..they are pure art work

jofunk

Hi TF,

I think the landing gear are a one off like the plane will be. Vladimir appreciates your kind words and interest..................... With that said Vladimir wanted to come over and see the airframe sitting on his gear. We took it off the table, flipped it over and plugged everything in. It seems to be sitting at a good angle so the nose gear mount will go in where I figured. I snapped a few pictures with Vladimir in them for scale.

jofunk

Like the Panther I built, it is going to be a flying lumber yard.

Roger Shipley

My Feedback: (35)

Guys that is some serious gear & gear platform.....WOW ! ! !

jofunk

I started doubling up the sheeting around the wheel wells to stiffen things. The inside corners of the hoz. stab got cut off on an angle and capped. I cut a piece of lite ply the outline of the camera pod. Pilot G.I. Joe and his radio operator Malibu Ken tried out the cockpit for size.

jofunk

I cut some maple rails for the nose gear mount, with some ply plates to lock them in.

turbofixer

Nice and sturdy looking

jofunk

I cut the sheeting out for the nose gear on the nose. The retract needed to go back a little so i took 1/4" material out to slide it back. I also did a little more work on the camera canoe.

jofunk

Not much just some more work on the recon. canoe.

jofunk

I glued some ply scabs in the bottom of the canoe for the mounting screws. (no pix.) Then some sheeting went on the bottom. I started capping the stringers and edges in the wheel well area for a finished look....... And this is my girlfriends halloween pumpkin. Congratulations to the Chicago cubs, (I'm a Sox fan)

jofunk

I finished capping the wheel well area. I cut and installed some tips for the hoz. stab. I finished sheeting the recon. canoe and cut openings where the cameras go. I flipped the fuse over and bolted on the nose with some wax paper in between to keep from accidentally gluing the nose on. I ran some stringers oner the top. The line looks good.

jofunk

Started a little sheeting on the top behind the hatch.

jofunk

The hatch got more stringers and sheeted. I also laid down some sheeting over the top. The top curve looks good. I need to find more 1/8" sheeting. I may go raid my pal John Roth's balsa stash.

jofunk

All the sheeting is done. A few pain in the butt areas were the compound curves over the canopy and on the turtle deck where the two humps blend. The top is now going to get a bunch of filler and a bunch of sanding and shaping, The very front of the canopy got a foam block. i was going to sheet it but the foam will be a lot easier. The canopy hatch is going to get glassed over and a canopy will get sucked down over it.

jofunk

The last pic in the previous post has a bit of an optical illusion. There is not a severe angle change in the top sheeting where the nose separates. It is the top of the right intake curving down and disappearing at the separation point. Here is a bit better pic of the top.