petera38

Hi All,

I have finished my Ziroli Panther and have started on another scratch-built project. This time I´ll build Kerry Sterner´s 1/5 scale Vampire and supply you with photos and text as the build proceed....
Bought the lazer cut kit from Belair in UK and got a copy of the drawings from my friend Ivve Hallberg, who recently finished his Vampire.
My goal is to finish this model at the lowest costs possible....and if everything goes the way I hope, finish it this winter...


Pete

Per Strommen

Good idea Peter, but now the pressure is on!
A couple of photos for inspiration.

Per

Vampire

My Feedback: (2)

Hi Peter,

I'm just back in from a business trip and will enjoy watching your thread as you progress thru your assemebly as their is always something to be learned and shared with others based on each persaonl modelers experiance.

Hi PER, Great looking 1/4 Vampire, how many flights do you have on it now and what have you used for power ?

Mike Emilio

Well, , , an attitude improvement after all. It sure wasn't that way when I built mine.

petera38

Hi Per,
Yeah ..I know the pressure is on..I guess that´s part of the reason, why I started a thread! Otherwise I might use too long time to finish it...hope it helps???[&:]
I like your photos..great inspiration!
A blood-red, or ferrari-red Vampire would be different[:'(]...???

petera38

Hi Kerry,

Don´t hope you´ll be disappointed....!

Let´s see what I can come up with....?

petera38

I discovered that it was a good idea to study the drawings well for all the small details...parts of formers to be glued on etc. And I also discovered it a good idea to check if all the parts were present! Former number one- among others - was missing, so I had to make one myself.
In Europe we use the metric system and thus have to buy balsa and spruce stringers in millimetres, which is a problem with notches cut in inches, so I decided to cut them myself. For the purpose I bought a table circular saw from Proxxon tools - their largest models...as per the photo.
An extremely useful and accurate tool, saving you quite some bucks.

petera38

The crutch and the formers lined up on the jig. Front part of the crutch was made by laminating the balsa with white glue to ease the bending and was hold in place on the drawing using small brads....

Vampire

My Feedback: (2)

Hi Pete,

I'm sure you will do a first rate build espeically if you have done a Ziroli build as there are similarities in design and construction.

Looking forward to your progress.

Best Regards,

petera38

I´m working on more than one project for the time being .....so I´ll be on and off he Vampire build.

So far I have cut the stringers and solved the problem of how to make the pair of spruce stringers which separates the hatch. The formers are glued onto the crutch ....!
Photos will follow.....

Pete

PS: The other projects are not related to modeling::![&o]

petera38

Some small detail, which had me think...was the two spruce stringers separating the hatch. My spruce stringers were way too stiff and I was afraid that they would lead to warpage of the hatch..so I solved it by splitting it in two and gluing it together with 20 min epoxy while clamping it in place. I had to do this operation 4 times .... and ended it up with "pre-bent" stringers.

petera38

I know that this part of the building proccess isn´t the most exciting! But just to show that there is progress.....some pics of the fuselage with stringers in place on top waiting to be covered with 1/8" balsa strips....

mick15

when I built my dh110 I used lime, found it much easier to work.

m

petera38

Hi Mick15,

I´m not sure I understand what you mean by using "lime"?

petera38

Started to glue strips onto the fuse...but this is what my 1/8" balsa sheets would suffice for.... New sheets has been ordered and more cyano [:'(]

Warwick Laken

Hi Pete,

I am putting together the wood before I start my build. I am having a great deal of trouble trying to get the 5/8 spruce and balsa. I would brefer to buy the correct sized timber before having to laminate the spars and crutch. What did you do, and if you were able to get the materials, where did you buy it. Wood supplies here are difficult and have to import everything.

Cheers

petera38

Hi Warwick Laken,

I am not so worried about the 5/8" balsa or other sheet dimensions I can´t get here. I just use the nearest dimension in millimetres, i.e. 5/8" is close to 1,5 mm, so that´s what I use. It doesen´t actually matter, except for the dimension in the lazer cut notches. That´s where my new circular saw comes to use.
With this saw I can most accurately cut those spruce- and balsa stringers I need.
The only reason that I laminated the stringers in the crutch and those separating the hatch was to avoid too much tension building up ..and it was a lot easier to work with...perhaps a little more job.....

Pete

petera38

Hi all,

Just to let you know, that I´m not lazy or doing other stuff!

Actually I came back home today after spending one week in the hospital due to a heart attack! The only thing I´m allowed to do the next 6 weeks is to take it easy, so at least I might be able to do some work on the Vampire ....

Pete

Warwick Laken

Hi Pete,

Thanks for the info, Pretty much decided on laminating everything. I bought the laser cut kits so stuck to making up the wood sizes.


Hope you recover quickly and take it easy with some strees free building and frequent updates on your build.

Warwick

jonastecknare

Hey man, take care of yourself! Better to do it later than not at all!

Carsten Groen

Hey Pete,
take care and get well !!

Vampire

My Feedback: (2)

Hi Pete,

Wow, I hope things are well with you now after such an event. Take care of yourself and best wishes for a speedy and full recovery.

petera38

Hi all,

Thanks for your concern....I´m recovering and feel pretty well
As soon as my 1/8" balsa sheets arrive from Germany, I´m continuing the build...

Pete

ivves

Pete ! Stay away from those gyms they can kill You in no time !

Your friend / Ivve

petera38

Desperately searching through my workshop to find some 1/8" balsa sheets, I had the great luck to find 3 sheets!!!

So I have now planked most of the upper part of the fuselage...letting a small part be open around the hatch lines to be finished after the hatch has been freed.

As a matter of fact I´m not allowed to work out at the gym for at least 6 weeks, so don´t worry Ivve...I´ll stay away..