Rehabilitating Sig Spacewalker
 

Hello everyone, I was wondering if I could get some help from you experts out there. In a craigslist find, I purchased this spacewalker and I was wondering if anyone can give me some tips on rehabilitating this plane. It's dirty, and some of the fabric reinforcement strips are separated from the from the plane. I want to know if there's a way to glue/repair this. I plan on repainting the cowl and replacing the pilot. I haven't dug into the mechanics of this plane yet but the engine turns freely and smoothly. I believe this plane is fabric coated and I'm concerned about cleaning it with anything too harsh since it has such an amazing finish. Any thoughts or if anyone is willing to get on the phone with me, that'd be amazing. Thanks for your help. Joshua

Man, that is one fine looking airplane. The engine itself has to be worth a small fortune. As for cleaning the surface of the plane, if it is, indeed, fabric and not knowing what kind of paint was used on it, you might try something like about 90% rubbing alcohol with 10% Simple Green in solution. As far as re-gluing the reinforcement strips, I am not sure what you refer to and what material they are made from. More information will be required to be able to advise much more.

Thank you! I paid $600 for it, so I think i did well. I'm not sure myself on the specifics of materials used, however I did go back to the seller to ask his brother in law (owner) to find out if he can give me the name and contact info of the builder's who built it. Supposedly this plane was professionally built, considering the quality of the work, I don't doubt it. Otherwise, I plan to take it to my club and see if someone there can tell me about it.

Taking it to your club and inquiring about it is a really good idea. You failed to say whether you are an experienced pilot, but I sensed from your posts that you might be a relatively noobie to the hobby. If you are, that airplane is not for a noobie to fly. While the Spacewalker is a very fine airframe and has proved itself to be a good flier for the last 40 years or so, it is still a low wing sport craft, not a trainer. And that thing must weigh in at something over 10 pounds, which means it can cause serious damage if it gets away from you. If you happen to be an experienced pilot, you know all of this. Just have someone at your club fly it for the first time and then maybe get you on a buddy box for the first dozen flights or so. Or better yet, get yourself a trainer to learn with and save this beauty for after you learn to fly.

Thanks for the advice- I'm noobish and I am currently flying a foam electric trainer and I am experienced enough to know that this plane is way too much for me right now. However, it isn't going to stop me from tinkering with it, cleaning it up and letting it be a reason to be excited to keep going out and practicing. But yes, I've thought about the potential of an inexperienced me flying this plane and I do plan to hold off. For now, i'm satisfied to hang it from my ceiling and just look at it..lol.

I would avoid the use of any solvent based cleaners eg rubbing alcohol to begin with. These can have a catastrophic effect.

Hot water and a small amount of dish detergent is what i would use to begin with. Apply with a soft sponge and rinse with plain water. You may need to repeat two or three times.

By the way the engine alone is worth at least $500 to $700 if it runs OK.

Third scale Spacewalkers weight 20 plus lbs. I have one too.

My thoughts, too. Warm water and a little dish soap should clean up the model. Alcohol could easily ruin the finish.

The cowl needs to be thoroughly cleaned, and then sanded smooth. I's suggest using Duplicolor primer and Rustoleum to repaint it.

Rustoleum has several shades of red, and there should be one that is close in color, to the rest of the airframe. A clear coat, using Minwax Polyurethane, should provide a fuel resistant finish.

The Pegasus should prove to be an awesome power plant for the big SW !

I've seen inexperienced RCers buy used equipment and get taken for a ride. In this case, I believe that the OP got a great deal. The Pegasus sells for over %1600, new. Used, it has to be worth at least half of that. This would mean that the OP bought the engine, and got the Spacewalker air frame, for free !