ORIGINAL: Alex7403
Hello,
I’m planning to build a TF GE P-47 Thunderbolt 60 size kit this winter and I would like to fiberglass it.
I read the airfield models tutorial but I have several questions and I need more tutorials about this subject.
1. As I understand you cover bottom wing then top wing, how do you deal with the seam on the LE?
2. If you need to use more than one piece of cloth per surface how do you do it seam wise?
3. epoxy doesn’t like to be applied on existing epoxy, so if you need to fiberglass the wing center with 4” heavy weave tape and fiberglass the whole wing with 0.75 cloth what comes first and how?
4. what paint do you use to paint on fiberglass that withstand glow fuel?
Thanks
Alex
hey Alex I just built this plane and finished it last year, first before I coment on the glassing/finishing I would add keep it light, use as little resin as you can to provide a paintable surface you will be glad you did.
1. I used the lightest glass cloth I could find it was .56oz cloth even lighter than the .75, like the previous posters pointed out it doesn't matter what order,top/bottom first, although I did the bottom first then, trimmed the glass with 120 grit paper no need to use a razor the glass literally wipes away with the sandpaper, so be carefull.
2.you will need to do more than one piece for the wings actually 4 pieces makes it easyer than one large piece on each side for the TF P-47, the cloth is really so light that the seams are hardly noticeable.
3. the model your building doesn't really need the center wing section double glassed its plenty strong built as the instructions say your just adding extra weight to the wing by adding the glass.
I did glass the belly pan with a extra layer of .56oz glass because the wood sheeting is really thin there and in case of a belly landing I wanted it to be a little stronger.
4. for my particular model I used
www.warbirdcolors.com paints there water clean up and fuel proof, authentic colors, and stencils from
www.getstencils.com
I also glassed my plane with water based Varathane Diamond finish polyurathane instead of epoxy using the methods in this thread
http://www.tompierce.net/SBD/index.htm
went with a OS 120 pumped 4st