OK... I've just about finished all the mechanicals associated with my first build.

I read and reread RCKen's "Pay it forward" build thread. It convinced me I needed to redo several aspects of my plane. So, even though my plane has never flown. I ripped all the covering off, and redid the control surface hinges. I also added individual aileron servos to the wings.

I just received my new radio setup. (Futaba 2.4GHz FASST system. Way cool!)

This bird is electric powered. Right now I'm finishing up motor battery, receiver, and receiver battery installation. And I should be ready for final balancing and then onto covering.

I borrowed the graphic from Ken's thread, and cranked up "MS Paint" to get an idea of a color scheme. Hopefully it'll upload.

I have two caveats for you to keep in mind while you look at it.

1. The red isn't dark enough. I'm wanting a good 'ol fashioned US Flag "red"

2. I plan on adding stars. One (1) white star to the rudder and four (4) stars to the bottom of the wing. I can't decide if I want those to be white, or blue, or two (2) of each.


Thoughts???? Comments???

As long as there is good contrast between the top and bottom so that orientation is easy to tell you should be fine. I took my SIg somethin extra out one day when it was cloudy (it is covered in a chrome colour) and just about lost it several times due to it blending in. Everyone wants their plane to look awesome but with your first plane visibility should be key.

Geoff

Visibility is the reason I chose this scheme. I've been building and rebuilding on this plane since April.

I want to add stars to the bottom of the wing to add to the visibility and crontrast. The more I think about it, the more I'm leaning toward blue stars.

Your scheme looks like a good one.
Minnflyer does not really promote this very much but here is the link an excellent series of videos he made about covering and it illustrates a great scheme to consider.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/a...article_id=726

Yup.... Downloaded it... watched it several times...

Good, i am glad you had already found them.
I watch it every time I get ready to cover a plane with film. I still can't get those unsupported diagional seams to work, I need wood under my overlaps, but maybe some day I will get good enough to do it.

I have two suggestions:

First, carry the white LE that you have on top around to the bottomIt doesn't have to come back as far as it does on top, but you want to bring it around the LE to keep the seam out of the airflow. If you stop the white right on the LE, the airflow can catch the seam and lift it up.

Second, if you want to put stars on the bottom, great, but blue over red will not be seen very well. If you must use blue, outline it with white and it will show MUCH better. But just white stars will stand out the best.

One of the best color schemes I have found to be highly visible is to put alternating bars on the bottom of the wing. I alternated blue bars on a whte wing and it worked wonders for visibility. Also I use yellow sun glasses I got from Wally-world and it really sets the airplane apart from the clouds. My flying skills have increased now that I can see where the plane is.

MinnFlyer...

1. I was going to carry the white around the Leading Edge.. I just didn't draw it....

2. I was wondering how blue would have looked against the red background. I had the feeling it'd look cool close up, but blur at a distance.....

This scheme worked great for me. Very discernable up high to know which way the plane is pointed.

More LT-40 build pics here - http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_32..._1/key_/tm.htm

Good luck!

somegeek

A lot of people think blue will look cool against red or vise versa, but as you can see in the pic above, it's really muddy looking without the white border

OK... I got some good work in on covering my LT-40. I haven't started the wing yet. I wanted to get a bit more practice in on the fuselage before I started on the wing. The wing will have the largest areas of covering, and will show any errors the most.

I worked my way from the back/bottom of the plane towards the front.

I ran into one problem. While trying to tighten the monocoat on the rudder, the coat would slid up from the inside corner at the base of the rudder. Finally I got fed-up, and ripped the coat off and tried a second time. Following RCKen's methods, I put a small strip to cover the inside corner.

I needed to cut the bottom of the rudder angle into the monocoat so I could get a tight fit. To do this, I taped some paper onto the rudder, then used a 1/2" stick as a spacer traced a line onto the paper. I then taped the paper onto the monocoat, and cut the paper and monocoat together. Then placed the monocoat/paper onto the plane. I tacked the monocoat in place, and removed the paper.

Another thing I did this time, was I used the iron on the bottom, front, and top of the rudder. And tacked several places along the back. But I didn't completely sealed it. I wanted to make sure the hot air had a way to escape. I also made sure not to iron along the rudder ribs. Then I shrunk it with the heat gun. The wrinkles came out pretty quickly this way. Once I was happy, I hit it with an iron, and sealed down the back, and along the rudder ribs.

I then went on to finish the fuselage. Right now I plan on adding a white star to the rudder. I really like that I put white along the leading edge of the elevator. It wraps under and extends 1/2" onto the bottom.

Thoughts/opinions??? A part of me thinks I'm missing something yet, but I can't think of it.



TIA,

Lyndon

I'm coming late to this discussion, but you should really consider a bold pattern difference between the top and bottom. If the top has lines extending out span wise, the bottom should have lines chordwise, and vice versa. You will not see the colors as the plane gets further away, but you will see the contrasting pattern. Thats why starbursts and checkerboards are popular.

Brad

Your scheme is nice and it will work fine if you add BIG white stars to the bottom. I recommend just one each wing out near the tips as big as you can fit. or alternate stars and bars a good piano key like option visually but with a little more originality. stars on the vertical fin will show up nice as well.

My Kadet flew today!!!


I wanted to upload a few shots of the completed scheme.

I want to thank RCKen and MinnFlyer. Without their help and advice, the plane wouldn't have turned out 1/10th as well as it did. My bird got a lot of compliments at the field. A LOT thought it looked good. Many commented on how easy it was to see in the air. And one, a 17 year RC flying vet with a georgeous Pitts Special, complimented me in the coating job.

Again, much of those compliments need to be channeled to RCKen and MinnFlyer....

Ken and I go back a long way and I know I can speak for both of us in saying, "You're more than welcome - We're just glad we could help out!"

Ditto!!!!!!

[sm=thumbup.gif][sm=thumbup.gif][sm=thumbup.gif]

Great looking plane.......I wished mine looked that good

Farr301

VERY COOL

I am curious to what your electric set up is and how do you like it?

Current Electrical setup:

AXI 2826/12 motor
JETI 40 Amp ESC
ThunderPower 4200mAh 5S2P batteries (1 3S2P and 1 2S2P connected in series)
Master Airscrew 11x7 E-Prop


Jury is still out on the e-setup. I think I need to change prop. Working on dialing it in.

The bird loops and rolls with authority. Lept off the ground in about 20 feet.

I love that Texas flag look, I was thinking about some thing like that on one of mine..