RE: Value Hobby Chinese ARF 80.5 inch P 51 Build
weekend update!!!
I've asked a club master builder, Wayne Spani, for help and he's been very gracious... He's given me all the build pointers, add web stringers, sheeting, what glue to use (Aircraft Spruce T88 structural adhesive), West Systems 105 w/ Micro filler for the fillets...
He's done most of the work on re-shaping the leading edge and the air foil... he's taken the leading edge from as sharp as the top of your thumb (I'm not kidding) to warbird sharp. He's added a trailing edge reflex and shown me how to glass it...
I had a bunch of 5oz glass from home depot but he had me use 1.5oz with West Systems 105 mixed with a little acetone to brush on... The fiberglass looks amazing... I don't know why someone hasn't put the time in to create a wood finished warbird... it looks cool except for all the bad joints patch with filler.
I'm working on the wings now and I'm putting on Dupli-Color high fill primer and waiting 10 minutes between coats... once that's done I'm going to sand it with 400 until its almost gone... that should be enough for today...
I've come to the conclusion that this plane was never going to be a scale warbird. I've grown a set of balls and will just believe in Wayne's addage "it is what it is...". In this case, it will be a P51 shaped 80inch 55cc screamer!!!
more to follow once i get some pics...