RE: MK Beetle Build
 

dhal found the Cog :D this thing rocks

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Well T brooks, you got me hooked. After seeing where you hail from, I did a read on New Zealand. I have a friend that lives in Tauranga and I am ready to move; push everything on the ship and get out of CA. Beautiful place you have there.

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Hello Everyone

Many of you may have thought that NZ had fallen off the face of the Earth but this is not the case. The Beetle has gone to new home. Not that I have sold it - just that it is at my father-in-laws workshop.

The Beetle is not finished yet. After a bit of a hiatus I am working on it again. Since the last update I have had the servos in, made pushrods, nose wheel steering and throttle push pull cables etc.

I have done a lot of sanding and shaping and filling and more sanding and next on the list is glassing the wings and fuse. I decided to glass the whole lot as opposed to dope and tissue as there is a requirement to glass two sections of the fuse for strength. I figured I may as well glass the whole lot if I am going to do two sections.

I will try to get couple of photos up soon.

Cheers
Tarquin

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Not off, just in. At least after the quake in Christchurch. Glad to hear that progress is being made, I have projects like the Beetle which get finished eventually, but it may take a few years :). Looking forward to more photos, especially of the finished airplane.
Happy building,
Will

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

+1 Glad to have you back Tarquin.:D

Take care,
David

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

+2!!! Glad your back going and looking forward to it!! I love this plane and know there are not too many of them in existence!! So this is a real treat... [8D]

Have Fun...

Chuck

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

on such a beautiful plane, why would you hang an ungodly muffler outside. This plane is setup for enclosed tuned pipe - thats what gives itthat sleeknest and beautiful lines. This is the first time I have ever seen any MK kits that are designed for enclosed tune pipe have a "muffler" hanging on the outside. Well, to each his own

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

I wished I could get a copy of your belly pan. Any way you could send it to Don (RCAiir)? I would pay the postage and insurance. I am thinking about cutting soon but need a pan.

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

I think Don has a Beetle.<div>Chris...</div>

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

I thought the pan was holding that back.

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Hello All

The parts were glassed over the weekend. One side on each day. I did the fuselage in 2oz and everything else in 3/4oz. The plans call for glass cloth in two places on the fuse for strength and so rather than just do two small sections and overlay the whole lot with 3/4 I just went for one lot of 2oz. A big thanks to my good friend Woodsie for showing me the techniques, and doing most of the glassing :D

I snapped a couple of pics on my phone on Sunday morning of the previous days work before trimming.

Auggie, Are you referring to my build or one of the few pictures on the net? My Beetle will be running the OS61-RFP with tuned pipe inside the belly pan. Most of my pics dont have the belly pan on.

David, You are welcome to come to NZ and take a mold off the belly pan if you wish. I can probably even hook you up with a place to stay and a workshop. :)

Cheers
Tarquin

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Fuse and Wings

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Tailplanes and control surfaces.

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Nice job!

That's the perfect base for painting.

How did you glass the control surface faces overlap or cut flush? or combo of both?

Bryan

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Hello Bryan

At the trailing edge the cloth just hung out the back and was sanded off flush once cured. At the leading edge of the surfaces the cloth was wrapped as far as possible. On the wing LE the cloth wrapped right around for the first side and the second side it wrapped onto the previous layer but not quite as far.

Same thing on the fuse top there is a sharp spine. The first layer wrapped right over this and was trimmed off. The second side came up to the overlap and hopefully slightly beyond. Careful sanding is required.

Cheers
Tarquin

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Hello Everyone

The attached photo shows the various parts back from the FG workshop and still with excess cloth.

Cheers
Tarquin

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Here is the fuse and wings after sanding off the excess cloth and and all over light scuff.

Next up I will be laying on a super heavy coat of filler/primer paint that will get almost completely sanded back off. This will highlight any high spots quickly and by the time I am finished it should be nearly mirror smooth.

Cheers
Tarquin

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

here is one with the belly pan on.

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Sexy....

Brian

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Wow!! That's Beautiful Tarquin!!

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Hey Chuck,
Wow is right..........:D I sure wish I had the talent to build like that....................[&o]

Take care,
David

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

I'm saving my Wows for the paint job......................................

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Thanks for the kind words. I am just a mere mortal putting together a really nice kit.

I have arranged for samples of the paint so I can test for fuel proofness. I am getting an spraying enamel and a acrylic lacquer clearcoat. The enamel should be fine as is but if I use lacquer it is likely to be attacked by the nitro in the fuel. Much better to find out before putting in all the hard work.

I am planning on doing a simplified box art scheme. Solid dark blue on the fuse bottom, yellow on the top, white wings with the yellow and red flashes and a blue triangle instead of the pink.

Cheers
Tarquin

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Tarquin,

If I may, don't put enamel on such a labour of love. Its heavy and you'll wind up wet sanding most of it off anyway. Also a lacquer clearcoat is not the way to go - it isn't fuel proof and won't bond to the enamel basecoat. Generally you can't shoot lacquer over anything but itself or lacquer primer.

I'd suggest waterborne basecoat glossed up with an acrylic urethane clearcoat. Light and very durable. Urethane will also bond to just about any substrate.

David

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

I think someone came through with a Beetle for him to copy. That, or he was building one from scratch.
Chris...
<br type="_moz" />