Phewww! All the heavy duty carving, hollowing, and sanding is done! It's finally starting to look like a Mach 1. There has been some talk about using the OS AX .55 in the Dirty Birdy threads. The AX .55 along with a Performance Specialties muffler is what I plan for this one. The fuselage as you see it weighs 15.2 ounces.

Beautiful!!






DM

Clay,
That's truly awsome looking. Sure wish I could build that nice!!!. The canopy and fin really set the fuselage off. Going to be a fine plane when your done!!

Todd

Yup, she'll look great!!

Jeff

Truely a craftsman at work. Not a hint of a square corner left. Unlike some balsa fuselages I've seen. I bet that thing will be SWEET to fly.

Neil

That is one beautiful fuselage!!! It looks absolutely flawless! Great craftsmanship, Clavy.

I'm really glad to see you're using the AX .55, I have been wanting to get one or either the new Enya .61 CX which weighs about the same. I honestly think these planes are much better suited for these small-case engines (as opposed to big .91 four and two strokes).

Please keep us up to date on your progress. Oh, are you scratch building from plans or is this from an old Midwest kit?

David

Thank you everyone for your compliments.

Dave, I'm building this one from plans. It's been alot of work but I'm thoroughly enjoying the build. The plans are pretty good but they are like most of the plans from that era in that they contain some minor inaccuracies. For instance the former drawings are not quite symetrical. So before I began the build I took the time and drew them out using my CAD program. I then printed the formers off on sticky back label paper, and slapped the patterns on the wood for cutting. It's the next best thing to a laser cut parts.

All in all the fuselage is not that hard to build. There is an extensive amount of carving, shaping, and sanding involved.

Clay

The label idea is very clever. I have been using regular printer paper and attaching the patterns with 3M Super77. I'll have to pick up some label paper; it's one less step to do. I'm sure you already know this, but it's good to leave the paper on the parts until your ready to use them. It prevents them from splitting and getting broken while sitting around.

David

Very nice work Clay.

Vince
Hobe Sound, FL

Fantastic! Very nice work, and I'm glad to see another scratch builder at work (we're a dying breed 'ya know[])

Propbuster,

Yes we are and that is unfortunate. For me building is half the fun. It certainly seems that is not the case with most these days.

Clay

Really Beautiful!! What Craftsmanship!! Looking forward to more!!

Have Fun...

Chuck

Hi Clavy, very artistic and professional work, congratulations...
if possible send more photos from this wonderful bird
cheers

Hey guy's wait till you see his wheel wells! amazing!
I stop by his house from time to time to see the Mach 1 in person--- "well mainly to scratch the dog" anyway, I thought about building one also but just cant compete with his work.
REALLY nice!

brother curt

Very nice and beautiful workmanship

Clay.

I have a fiber glass fuse that has been molested by someone, do you have a copy of the plans you can email me?
I want to get mine in the air soon.

Thanks.

Martenson,

I'm sorry, I sure don't. All I have is the plan I purchased from RC Store as it was published in Model Airplane News back in 1973.

I do have dwg files of the fuselage formers from the MAN plan I could email, but I don't think they would help you much.

Clay

8178 & everyone else. Thanks for the Kudos. I'll post more pictures when I get further along. I'm having a blast building this one.

Clay

I just aquired a NIB Midwest Mach 1 kit. I just love the look of your fuse Clay! Very nice job!

FB