chistech

I'll get some pictures of the body filler border once it's done. It is something Gerry came up with and it works super especially on a scale canopy where you don't want anything showing including glue. We've used the technique on both my Skyraider and P47.While these pictures don't show the "before" filler border they show the canopies in place. The paint hides the filler. The P47 bubble canopy especially is hard as it sits on top of the fuse with no real side contact of canopy. The filler border allows for that side contact.

chistech

While looking for some paint schemes for the new Ki84 Hayate I found this one. Pretty easy to paint yet it's got a cool effect. Definitely different.

http://img.wp.scn.ru/camms/ar/771/pics/65_2.jpg

Duplicator41

My Feedback: (1)

Very nice build. In some ways the kit reminds me of an updated version of the old Royal/Marutaka line of kits.

Cheers,

Andy

chistech

I agree Andy. It seems like Mr. Tangiku has the same sort of pride that Mr. Marutaka had when designing these aircraft. You can see quality in these kits like the Royal/Marutaka kits had. Separate bags of parts, quality hardware, high quality balsa, spar wood taped together in respective groups, and even blueprint quality plans. The Tangiku kits are definitely more builder friendly than the R/M kits though. A lot less sanding of big blocks of balsa is really welcomed. Plastic fairings, while not a strong as balsa ones are easy to cut out and install. The fairings fit perfectly too.

Duplicator41

My Feedback: (1)

Sometimes I do miss the cutting, hacking, and bloody fingers. But my Royal A6M5 was an ace flyer. Gave it to a buddy and he still has it. I'll be looking in.

Cheers,

Andy

chistech

I once heard is said: "A Royal kit is a box of balsa in which one carves and sands a plane out of".

shanksow

My Feedback: (2)

Keep me informed about your progress to bring these kits over to this side of the Pacific. The build itself looks pretty good.

chistech

Hi Don,
I am currently working with one of my business vendors who ships containers of equipment here to the US from Japan. Some things going through my mind if there is enough interest here stateside for these. If only slight interest I might take orders from people. Shipping is very costly on the larger kits when sent Japan Post Airmail. It will take longer to get them here but the cost should be very low. I should know in about a month if we can work out a deal. Luckily one of the guys is Japanese and originally lived very close to the Tangiku mfg. plant.

chistech

Here is the canopy border made out of auto body filler. It is all done ready for the canopy to be glued to it. Here is some pictures of the pilot in it's initial stages of paint. While the facial features seem a little "theatrical", they will be toned down on the final version. Gerry did a lot of work to this Magmen pilot. lt came painted and has a lot of detail but some things weren't quite right. Gerry made his body a little wider, his head was sloped severely to the rear so that was fixed, and just overall "body" work. Jerry also took a fine point soldering iron to really make the "wool" on the collar stand out. When it's all painted it will really be impressive.

chistech

Here is some more photos of the canopy on the border. You can see inside the canopy how little shows of the border. I used a round tool bit in the dremel to work the inside edge. The whole thing is kept just below the painted line of the canopy of course.

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

nice work

chistech

Gerry worked more on the pilot and just has a small amount to go. Really looking lifelike now. Look at the last picture which shows the pilot in the "before" state. Made up a seat back out of Evergreen plastic sheet. I cut the shape of the seat bottom through the cockpit floor with a razor saw and then put the seat back through the slot. The slot helps keep the correct shape and gives a better gluing area without having to add any additional material for support. Next will start the painting of the cockpit interior and the gun sight. Once it's all painted then the gun sight, instrument panel, and pilot get pinned in either with dowels or small bamboo skewers to prevent anything from coming loose from vibration or any rough landings.

chistech

Went away for the weekend but here's what we got done on Friday. Gerry finished painting the pilot and he came out incredible. Very life like and at just 1/8th. The bottom of the cockpit got the "fade to black" treatment. The seat back got painted and installed. The upper cockpit got painted a grayed black on the front area and the typical green to the back. Gun sight got painted, lenses installed, and rub n'buffed. We added a drop of epoxy to the center of the gun sight transponder to simulate a glass. The bullet proof glass in front of the sight had the border painted then glued in place in front of the sight. It was pinned with a 1/8th dowel to secure from vibration along with epoxy. The headrest/rear armor was pinned with a dowel and glued in place. After all was completely put in place and glued the pilot was finally added. The lower edge of the canopy that had earlier gotten painted chromate green got sanded to remove the paint and improve the adhesion of the canopy to the filler border. The canopy will be glued down tomorrow.

chistech

Glued the clear plastic wing fairing on today and the canopy is epoxied on and is completely finished other than painting the outside canopy framework. We use plastic polish to clean up and clear up the canopy before attaching it. Attached the wing after the wing fairings were glued down. The wing helps hold the fairings in place as they are glued to the wing saddle. With the clear plastic it is easy to see that the epoxy is contacting all areas of the fuse and the fairing. The long dowel banded to the fuse in the picture was positioned to apply pressure to an area of the plastic fairing that didn't want to lay flat against the fuse.

Tomorrow the stab gets glued on then the fin fairing. All the joints around the fin will get spot putty to fill any voids. Then all spots will checked over and any place needing it will get primed.

chistech

Here's the fairings epoxied on with all the tape removed. All the edges sanded and the plastic roughed up a little for some bondo to blend the edge all around. Work was done yesterday.

chistech

Today's work. Added the bondo to all the edges then sanded it down. Cleaned all the hinge holes up on the flaps and ailerons and installed them for trial fit. Glued on the stab after checking all. The fairing have come out real nice and are really large. They add a lot of area and flatten out the bottom line. I would assume the fairing along with the fuse help contribute to the lift.

Chad Veich

My Feedback: (60)

Lookin' real good chistech.

chistech

Thanks Chad. Lots going on these past few days and upcoming week, so work time on this has been on the light side. A hour or two here or there, that's it. Will glue on the vert fin and fin fillet tomorrow then glass the seam, fillet to fuse. Then all places needing it will get more spot putty and then more primer on those areas. Then some sanding and hopefully, then paint. We have a big club event on Sunday with a full day of set up tomorrow. Then to top it all off, I just bought a 31' Chevy to restore! I have too many damn hobbies!

chistech

Sorry it's been so long. Lots going getting the yard ready for winter and work. Gerry has done some work on the tail for me. Fin has been squared and glued on. Some very light bondo in seam areas and any low spots. Now ready for small areas of resin where ever needed. Just about ready for paint.

chistech

Work has been progressing somewhat slowly. I've been real busy and the airplane is over at Gerry's house. When he needs a break from his precision, tedious work of scrimshaw, he works on this for me. He resined and glassed up all the areas that needed some going over including the tail area where the fillet was added. Then it was lightly sanded then primed.

chistech

All the primer was sanded off including all the areas around the fillets. Now everything blends in like it's a fiberglass fuse. The tail/fin area looks great. I made up a set of cannons for the wing. I used 1/8th aluminum tubing that I chucked in my lathe and using a tapered pin in my tail stock, I was able to replicate the cone shape on the muzzle of the cannons. The bases are made from wood and will be worked to be nice and smooth. I know my buddy Tom will appreciate them. I am also going to make scale exhaust tubes out of aluminum for a better look than the cowl can give. Gerry will be adding nav. lights to it also. Wing is completely done and sanded in all the nooks and crannies. One of these days we'll see some color on it.

chistech

Glued the cannons to the wing after they were resined. The barrels are soft aluminum and easily bent or straightened if needed. They are off a little in the pictures because they need to straightened. Tail is all done. Getting some paint tomorrow.

chistech

The cowl has been painted aluminum with Klass Kote along with the aileron faces, retract wells, and aileron pockets. The aileron servo hatches have been fitted to make a better fit in the wing. Flaps have also been worked t close up any areas where there was a gap. Now ailerons first then flaps will get glued in then it's time for paint. A little of bondo on the wingtips in the aileron area to give the classic Japanese sweep at the aileron tip. Cowl looks so much better with paint and adds some size to the plane VS. the clear.

Chad Veich

My Feedback: (60)

Shaping up to be a really superb little warbird chistech. Looking forward to some color!

chistech

Having a Nor-Easter right now so no major airframe painting for the next couple days just small stuff. Masking off the canopy tomorrow. The gear legs are getting painted grey and the gear doors are getting painted aluminum. Inner door linkage with get the black treatment like the full scale. Looking at ways to apply some glass cloth to the cowl's inside and how to add a fake radial to the front of the cowling. Will be making a intake air baffle plate for the front to mount the fake engine to.