RCflyboy99

hey guys

i got a Scale Scratch built Hurricane. it has a solid sports scale canopy on it at the moment. I want to cut it and build a proper sliding canopy for scale looks. Does anyone have any great ideas on how to make it slide without coming on in flight?

And the Cowl, The last owner cut the cowl up something shocking to put the motor in. So i have to make a new one.

How can i make a mould for a new one?

i have been flying for years but never scratch built something.

PLEASEHELP

JoeAverage

Try to find out the scale of your model and acquire a scale replacement. Repair may be possible. Use the type of fiberglass cloth and resin the original is made from. Remove old finish inside and out around damage area. Lay up a patch from inside. Some filler may bring the contour out to correct position. Wax paper in a few layers against green resin can be peeled off easily. It helps to form the sticky impossible to manage otherwise matrix. Maybe contour a form to work against. It's hard to say without seeing. If you are familiar enough with Glass/resin this may make a bit of sense. Check arf's for scale parts also. Be safe handling repair materials.

If you can build a mold all power to you. It's more work than can be desribed herein. A plug must be made first. Spraying tooling Gelcoat. Then the mold. The prepping mold with wax, several coats and then a couple spray coats of PVA for lay-up of 4 pieces of cloth. make a breathing hole and cover it with scotch tape not masking. The the hard part begins. Buying one first is the best.

If you fix the cowl then maybe proceed to sliding canopy. I have no ideas about the canopy. Evergreen plastic can be used to make an H beam fastened to canopy that will slide inside a u shaped channel and one u inverted from above as well cemented to plastic flat stock and inset in sides of fuselage. Some rails extend on ouside the fuse sides and supported by post at tail end. I can't picture the Hurricane readily to know what it needs but with some thought it can be done that way. It can be compact compared to metal alternatives. Keep paint, glue and crap out of sliding areas. The tiniest bit of crap will take the tolerance out of a nice fit.

YOADRIAN

Joe is right, molds and plugs are a lot of work but if you really want to start to learn about it u-tube some videos to get an idea of whats involved.

AmishWarlord

My Feedback: (5)

You might be able to find the cowl here. http://www.fiberglassspecialtiesinc.com/

This place sells canapé rail sets. http://www.dbalsa.com/cockpits/sliding-rails.htm

BobH

My Feedback: (2)

Try repairing the existing cowl so it looks presentable. If it's fiberglass then you can add fiberglass cloth to it to fill in the cut out areas. That would be a lot easier than building a new one.

The sliding canopy, if you don't have a detailed cockpit, pilot etc then whats the point. If you do its something that lots of people fancy but in truth there's not much payback for the work you'll have to go through to retro-fit something. Just my opinion.

AmishWarlord

My Feedback: (5)

Bob right about that one. Really that's something you build around. Thanks for the post though. I had forgotten about those scale cockpit kits. I think I'll try one on my next scale plane.