flylow502

Just got my new 502 air tractor in. It is a fiberglass fuselage and the wings are foam with sheet balsa.My question is How do i finish the plane out to paint it. I have never tried this before. The plane finished out was more than budget would allow. I was hoping a guy here close by me was interested in help me. But he is real busy at work. Just cant find anyone interested in finishing it out for me so i might try it my self. Thanks for any inputs.

gene6029

Some of how you finish it depends on the type of powerplant you'll be useing. If its going to be gas powered, you can just glass the wings, prime & paint with just about anything. With glow, you need to consider some type of paint the glow fuel wont attack. Electric, just about anything works. A little more information about the size model & power plant you'll be useing will get you some better answers.....Gene

Gray Beard

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What Gene said. Sounds like you haven't built before so you may want to wait until your friend has some time to help you. A glass and foam core plane is a lot different then a stick built. I would sheet and glass the wing then paint. If you have never sheeted or glassed one before it can be a problem. Same when assembling the glass fuse. If you search here you will locate all the info needed but reading and doing can be a bit different.

eddieC

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I'm guessing it's the AMR version? Need more info.

FlyerInOKC

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Who made it?

WacoNut

Can't be AMR their kit is wood construction. Wood fuse and wings.

flylow502

Thanks guys for the input.. It is made by Duane Habbets in Montana.It can be seen on the air tractor web site. And as us guys said i am new to this is and under statement. I am a crop duster by trade. This is my 15 year of doing this. I fly a 1/4 scale cub and 100cc yak. But as u guessed the where arfs. I live in north louisian and where i fly is just about 5 of us ,so i dont have alot of infomation from the guys. I have always want a crop duster to fly at a fly in just like my real one. I just got of ole mama,did over 1200 ac today on some corn and beans. I am a a/p and a i/a mechanic on aircraft. I do alot of painting and i have the same paint that goes on the real air tractors.

Gray Beard

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I haven't seen that kit before but you are lucky it comes with instructions that will tell you what glues to use for the build, not all glues or epoxy will stick to the glass fuse. I have run into that little problem in the past on used planes. If you do a search here on RCU there are a lot of pages on sheeting and glassing telling you several different ways to do it. The type of glue used to sheet foam is very important but there are several good glues to use. Glassing is where we do things a lot differently. I have used resin and epoxy in the past then started using Deft Sanding Lacquer. Not everyone likes it but we all have our favorites so there is a lot written about it. Follow the instructions then do a search here to see what people think.

bigstew60

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I have the duane habets airtractor as well. As a matter of fact, My brother flew it in Topgun (Pro Am Sportsman class) this year. If you go to frank tianos website you will see photos of it. It is glassed and painted with panelines and rivets, full cockpit, and working hopper. My plane weighs 18 lbs dry and I power it with a DLE 20. I previously powered it wis an OS 91 four stroke then a YS110fz. the 91 flew it but was a little underpowered with all the extra weight. the 110 and dle 20 fly it fine. If you go to the cropduster thread in the scale aircraft forum, I have picture there as well in the last few pages.

bigstew60

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Oh and I used rustoleum paints in the spraycan to paint it. for glass I would use 3/4 oz glass cloth and z-poxy finishing resin mix with denatured alcohol ( about 50 50) put enough alcohol in till it get to a milky form then brush it on with an acid brush. also Originally my plane di not have panelines and rivets. I crashed it back in august when the glowplug came out shortly after take. The right wing snapped in two, I busted the cowling and ripped the gear out. so I decided to give it a full overhaul and engine upgrade. This was my first attempt at try to scale a plane out and I am glad I did. you will love flying this plane because it flies like the full scale. I am actually thinking about selling this one and buying another. possibly larger. Duane is a one man show. doesn't have a website so you have to call him and he will start putting your kit together. He is an awesome guy. He also does and ag cat with a 110 in wingspan and last I talked to him he just finished building a 132 inch wingspan Airtractor 802 for a guy who plane to put a turboprop on it. It is definitely the most scale air tractor kit out there.

FlyerInOKC

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What paint did you use the first time when you had a glow engine in it? This airplane brings back some nice memories to me. My grandfather and a cousin worked as spotters for a crop duster back in the mid 60s in Ponca City, Oklahoma when I was a little kid. GEEZER ALERT!

bigstew60

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Rustoleum both times. with the glow engine A small section on the bottom began to bubble and peel after about three years of flying it, just behind the engine. other than that no issues. When I first painted it I gave it three week before doing anything that required fuel to make sure it fully cured.

FlyerInOKC

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Than s for the info. I am planning my first fiberglass and paint finish and trying to decide what to use without breaking the bank.