Lets see your 2013 rides
 

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...33686937_n.jpg
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...42739744_n.jpg

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

This is my tribute to Jimmy Leeward and The Galloping Ghost. (YS 110 powered, Silver class, back-up plane)

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Looks great.....your choice of colors worked out well!

Cheers

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Maybe why I'm not flying much anymore...

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

You just need to spend less time at work and with the family.

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Me too.

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Thanks! It was my first attempt using color-changing paint. I couldn't find a silver metallic that looked as good the real Galloping Ghost. It seemed to have a pearlescent effect to it. So I went with a cool metallic effect with different colors. They'll help me see it better, too.
<br type="_moz" />

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Mine will be the same old tired airplanes as last year. The blue one may have a different lump of aluminum in the nose.

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Nothing hones your building skills like racing. Crash, build, crash, and build. Zero is coming along. Primed and ready for sanding. Thank God the rain has been on hold or I would be even farther behind. How is everyone else fairing on their builds so far?

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Jake,

I think you mean, "Nothing hones your building skills like crashing in races. Build, crash, build again, midair, build again, crash again . . . " http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f...ssed_smile.gif



Besides "The Galloping Ghost" from my Warbird Trinity Build thread (pictued above), I have a Silver class Kyosho Bf109E ARF with a YS .91ACclose to finished and a Bronze class Hanger 9 .60 sized Corsair that I am putting a DLE 20 into that I am working on now. I intend those last two to get me back in to racing g-r-a-d-u-a-l-l-y and rebuild my confidence, before I try to maiden "The Ghost." I finished and test flew 3 sport planes since Winter Break so I am able to get out and get consistent stick-time on a regular basis, now. I maidened my SAM Outlaw racing Spitfire, pictured below, today as well. Having a series of successful maidens does wonders for the confidence level, too!

I'm back!!!

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Getting ready to paint this Zero. Thinking of going the warbirdcolors.com route, but any other ideas for paint that is fuel-proof. What are some other paints that you guys use?

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Jake,

Klasskote is my favorite. I highly recommend it. If you choose to go that route, let me know; I have a couple pointers.

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

What is Klasskote, do tell...

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Jake

I second the klass kote!!!

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Provide the pointers here, I should be using some KlassKote soon for the first time.

James

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Is it Green ??? :-)

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Macchi C202, It's a little different, powered with a YS 120SC, From my mold

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Jake (and anyone else interested)

KlassKote is an epoxy-based paint and is highly nitro-resistent.

It's adhesion is the best of any paint product I've used to-date. I have never had paint peel up from masking once properly prepared. I even use their sandable grey primer as a surfacing primer for all my composite plugs, and yet to ever have paint separation from the plug, even under extremely high air pressure. Only one brand of surfacing primer worked as well for me, and it cost four times as much (after a hefty HazMat fee when shipping to California), and only had a usable shelf life of 6 months. KlassKote's primer is usable for years.

It comes in gloss and matte finishes, but you can also order a "flattener additive", if you need a truly flat finish. My P-47s and P-39s have all been painted in matte finishes, and that is flat enough to look reasonably scale to me. To me, the authenticity of the color of their Olive Drab looks unbeatable! I've yet to encounter another brand of paint or surface overing that it won't adhere to well. The <u>only</u> possible drawbacks I've encountered . . . and these are very minor . . . is that the reducer is not foam-safe; and the reducer deforms my frisket masks such that they were only usable once. TRUST ME Jake, this is good stuff!

One other value that is hard to beat . . . service. Nathan (the owner) is a heck of a nice guy and has happily spent time with me on the phone to give me advice when using his products. Especially when using them for my composite work. He, his products, and his advice has been as good as his word each time!

You can check out the colors, pricing, and more in-depth product information at www.Klasskote.com

Ollie

Hmmm . . . after all that, maybe they should sponsor me! http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f...wink_smile.gif

Oh, I nearly forgot . . . It covers extremely well, compared to most other brands, too. (Is the term I'm looking for that it is more "opaque"?)
<br type="_moz" />

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

(Sorry Kaze, not trying to detour your thread, just answering the questions as being asked.)

James,

The biggest pieces of general advice that quickly come to mind are:

1. I've achieved great results with even the "El Cheapo" Harbor Freight detail gun. In fact, that is all I use. So if money is tight, and you don't already have painting equipment, using KlassKote doesn't have to break the bank with top of the line equipment.

2. The mixing ratio is supposed to be "<u>up to</u> 1-to-1-to-1" (Epoxy Part A, Catalyst Part B, and Reducer). Although that is the maximum amount of reducer they recommend, I would never again use anything less than that ratio, or I find it is still too thick to come out of the gun as well as I want. In fact I actually like just a <u>tiny</u> bit more reducer. (But, when I say "a tiny bit more" I mean just the slightest bit more, otherwise it is quickly too thin and will run likely run on you.) Start at1-to-1-to-1 and I am quite certain you will be happy with the results, and can tweak ever so slightly as you gain familiarity and confidence with the product and your particular equipment.

3. If painting a glossy composite surface, wet-sand with 300 grit sandpaper to ensure a good mechanical bond and avoid paint peeling up when removing masking tape.

4. Find the lowest air pressure you can use and still get a good "draw" of paint from the cup. In some atmospheric conditions (hot and dry), if too much air, you could end up with it going on too dry and getting a "texturized" surface, rather than achieving a smooth"flow-coat."

5. Their reducer is definitely QUALITY. I wouldn't try to skimp here and use acetone. Acetone just doesn't do the job even half as well! Get as big a size of reducer as you can afford, to save money by buying in quantity. I'm going to have to start ordering it in Costco-sizes, myself! You will use it not only for mixing, but for cleaning your equipment (and the occasional drips and spills), too. (I only use acetone for the initial wiping out of the cup. Acetone alone never reduces it well enough to get the gun, etc., clean enough.)

6. Have lots of small, disposable, metered measuring cups on hand to use to measure out the proper ratios of paint.

7. Carefully inspect any teflon lined paint cups - such as with the Harbor Freight detail guns I use. They will last for quite awhile, but once you see a spot missing with the aluminum showing underneath, that reducer will quickly deteriorate the rest of it. Soon, you'll have a bunch of little black specks ruining your light-colored finish. (That happened to my Galloping Ghost pictured above!)

8. Let it cure overnight (or longer) before masking and applying the next color.

I'm happy to answer any more specific questions you might have, to the best of my ability. Just before you are ready to paint, PM me and I'll give you my number so you can call me, if you want.

Ollie<br type="_moz" />

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Totalled.

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

I'm hoping to see your work up close. It looks beautiful. Are you keeping it for the Bay Area Races only, or planning to bring it to Sacramento?

Ollie<br type="_moz" />

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Thanks Iron Dog, not sure what I'm going to do yet. Haven't had time to work on race planes. To much time being spent on my car and it's still not done yet. But I do intend on racing in the silver class at SAM's again

Babe

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Heres your twin Dave,
My back up for 2013
Stiletto, YS115, Kelso Wing

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

nice i like the blue think i gonna put checkers on the wing of mine also to match the tail where does yours cg at?

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Dave,
I'll have to check. I have a 12 hr shift on the mountain today so it wont be for a day or two, so dont feel like I'm avoiding you. Tomorrow is an all day ski day.
So Ill be looking Friday some time.
I do know your battery should be behind trailing edge and then it balances perfectly. Well, actually it will be to the extreme of the acceptable tail heavy side. That gives the best turning capabilities. Knowing Verano, that thing is very tail heavy. Not beyond its limits, but right at the edge. If its a bit touchy onlanding, just bring btty up to where RX is located, and it will tame it down. That one of yours if I remember right also wants to nose over on landing if not flown all the way to a stop on landing. It has more to do with the way they installed the Landing Gear than the CG. Yours was the version l. Mine was V2 and they bent the gear forward to prevent that.

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

In regards to the KlassKote, I was sponsored by them for quite a few years. Probably still am, but haven't bought any in several years.

You do not need to use their reducer to clean the gun, normal acetone will work fine here and save you some money.

1:1:1 ratio is standard, but I would add just a little more reducer to it to help it flow better.

Make sure you let the color and catalyst mix sit for 30 minutes before adding the reducer.

Nate is a great guy, and would often come to our club meetings for painting demonstrations.

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Man, that sucks. Not the best snow car.

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

the gear on mine is shimmed in the back so no more nose overs the battery is under the tank lands real easy im thinking it is a little nose heavy turns real hard though feels like a fat quickie im so used to 3 pole racing 2 pole is lots diffrent but ill get it .......:D

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Theres not alot of pics on here, what are you guys building stealths??? I have not picked up my bronze racer from Speed yet.

</p>

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

What do I have an airplane for you? Must be that pile of wood in the corner LOL

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Dave,
I put the mustang on the CG machine and it is set right at 4" from LE. Yes that is right at the fuse sides where wing meets it.

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Hey guys.

Trying to finish up my Zero, but having a hard time finding the font for the Japanese numbering Stencils. Anybody got those or the font so that I can enlarge them and use them? Having a helluva atime finding them [:@]

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Which ones do you need Jake?

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

This is a downloadableJapanese militaryTrueType font. See if it contains the characters you need:

http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/foru...9/japanese-59/
<br type="_moz" />

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Cool fonts, but still no Japanese numbering font. I am suprised that it would be this hard to find. Maybe I will just have to use other countries instead. Thanks for your help Ollie.

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Jake I'll scan some for you when I get home from work.

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Cool, Thanks Tim!


Here is a video on how things are going on it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYlkUKbpsig

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Jake you should have asked earlier?

Here are a few scale schemes that would work well for racers.

Hope you like :D

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Looking Good!!

RE: Lets see your 2013 rides
 

Well here are a couple pictures of my 2013 airplane. Still waiting on decals, but she is getting close to being done. Might make it out for a flight this week end.
Skids