Sky Master F-16 Conversion and Facelift
12-10-2009 | 08:43 PM
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From: Pasadena, MD
Sky Master F-16 Conversion and Facelift
Now that the move is completed and I'm settled into the new workshop I thought it was time to show what I've been working on. I'm glassing and detailing my buddies 80 inch BVM F-86. While waiting for the glass to dry I started converting my Sky Master F-16 using a BVM EVF fan. The first thing I needed to do was remove the existing ducting. I got the replacement ducting from a friend. When trying to get the ducting in the fuse I found I couldn't get it past the nose gear formers. I wanted to re-enforce the gear formers with a layer of carbon fiber away so I knocked them out. I placed the front section of the ducting in the fuse and centered against the intake lip. There was a gap at the top corners where the ducting wasn't as wide as the intake opening so I laid tape in that area, then I tape laid tape all around the ducting to hold it in place. Next, I mixed some epoxy and milled fiber glass and poured it inside the fuse around the ducting and stood the fuse on its nose. Once the epoxy had cured, the tape was removed. The epoxy fixed the ducting in place and filled the gaps. I used filler to make a smooth trasition from the intake lip to the ducting (Photo 1). The next step was to reinstall the nose gear formers (Photo 2). After that, the rear section of the ducting was attached. It was about eight inches too long (Photo 3). Measurements were taken to get it to mate to the front of the fan and the extra length was cut off. The opening that mated to the fan was too small so the duct was split open down the seam. The front part of the duct was temporarily reattached to itself with ca. The rear of the duct was opened to the size needed to mate to the fan and a wood former was inserted in the rear opening to hold the duct open at the correct diameter. The wedge shaped opening of the ducting where it had been split was glassed over. When the glass had dried, filler was used inside the duct to give it a smooth finish and the duct was primed and painted. The fan was installed and run up (Photo 4, Photo 5, Photo 6 & Photo 7). I am very pleased to see the fan run with very little ducting loss. It is running at 5400 watts which is the same power seen on the BVM Electra. With winter setting in, it looks like I will have to wait until Spring to fly it.
Kirk
Kirk
12-10-2009 | 09:10 PM
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From: Trofa, PORTUGAL
RE: Sky Master F-16 Conversion and Facelift
ORIGINAL: k_sonn
Now that the move is completed and I'm settled into the new workshop I thought it was time to show what I've been working on. I'm glassing and detailing my buddies 80 inch BVM F-86. While waiting for the glass to dry I started converting my Sky Master using a BVM EVF fan. The first thing I needed to do was remove the existing ducting. I got the replacement ducting from a friend. When trying to get the ducting in the fuse I found I couldn't get it past the nose gear formers. I wanted to re-enforce the gear formers with a layer of carbon fiber away so I knocked them out. I placed the front section of the ducting in the fuse and centered against the intake lip. There was a gap at the top corners where the ducting wasn't as wide as the intake opening so I laid tape in that area, then I tape laid tape all around the ducting to hold it in place. Next, I mixed some epoxy and milled fiber glass and poured it inside the fuse around the ducting and stood the fuse on its nose. Once the epoxy had cured, the tape was removed. The epoxy fixed the ducting in place and filled the gaps. I used filler to make a smooth trasition from the intake lip to the ducting (Photo 1). The next step was to reinstall the nose gear formers (Photo 2). After that, the rear section of the ducting was attached. It was about eight inches too long (Photo 3). Measurements were taken to get it to mate to the front of the fan and the extra length was cut off. The opening that mated to the fan was too small so the duct was split open down the seam. The front part of the duct was temporarily reattached to itself with ca. The rear of the duct was opened to the size needed to mate to the fan and a wood former was inserted in the rear opening to hold the duct open at the correct diameter. The wedge shaped opening of the ducting where it had been split was glassed over. When the glass had dried, filler was used inside the duct to give it a smooth finish and the duct was primed and painted. The fan was installed and run up (Photo 4, Photo 5, Photo 6 & Photo 7). I am very pleased to see the fan run with very little ducting loss. It is running at 5400 watts which is the same power seen on the BVM Electra. With winter setting in, it looks like I will have to wait until Spring to fly it.
Kirk
Now that the move is completed and I'm settled into the new workshop I thought it was time to show what I've been working on. I'm glassing and detailing my buddies 80 inch BVM F-86. While waiting for the glass to dry I started converting my Sky Master using a BVM EVF fan. The first thing I needed to do was remove the existing ducting. I got the replacement ducting from a friend. When trying to get the ducting in the fuse I found I couldn't get it past the nose gear formers. I wanted to re-enforce the gear formers with a layer of carbon fiber away so I knocked them out. I placed the front section of the ducting in the fuse and centered against the intake lip. There was a gap at the top corners where the ducting wasn't as wide as the intake opening so I laid tape in that area, then I tape laid tape all around the ducting to hold it in place. Next, I mixed some epoxy and milled fiber glass and poured it inside the fuse around the ducting and stood the fuse on its nose. Once the epoxy had cured, the tape was removed. The epoxy fixed the ducting in place and filled the gaps. I used filler to make a smooth trasition from the intake lip to the ducting (Photo 1). The next step was to reinstall the nose gear formers (Photo 2). After that, the rear section of the ducting was attached. It was about eight inches too long (Photo 3). Measurements were taken to get it to mate to the front of the fan and the extra length was cut off. The opening that mated to the fan was too small so the duct was split open down the seam. The front part of the duct was temporarily reattached to itself with ca. The rear of the duct was opened to the size needed to mate to the fan and a wood former was inserted in the rear opening to hold the duct open at the correct diameter. The wedge shaped opening of the ducting where it had been split was glassed over. When the glass had dried, filler was used inside the duct to give it a smooth finish and the duct was primed and painted. The fan was installed and run up (Photo 4, Photo 5, Photo 6 & Photo 7). I am very pleased to see the fan run with very little ducting loss. It is running at 5400 watts which is the same power seen on the BVM Electra. With winter setting in, it looks like I will have to wait until Spring to fly it.
Kirk
João Matos
joaomatosjets.blogspot.com
12-11-2009 | 10:08 AM
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From: Pasadena, MD
RE: Sky Master F-16 Conversion and Facelift
Thanks guys.
Todd My cell # hasn't changed. The P-38 is a Yellow Aircraft.
Rob I'll let you guys know how it flies. I'll try to get video.
Kirk
Todd My cell # hasn't changed. The P-38 is a Yellow Aircraft.
Rob I'll let you guys know how it flies. I'll try to get video.
Kirk
12-13-2009 | 08:06 AM
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From: UNITED KINGDOM
RE: Sky Master F-16 Conversion and Facelift
Very nice Kirk. iv been looking at my f-16 and have been very keen to try the Dynemax fan in it. Does your friend sell these duct sets? was thinking of trying the dynemax fan with the open duct and see how it goes first before doing any kind of mods. Cant wait to see yours go
Simon
Simon
12-14-2009 | 08:37 AM
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RE: Sky Master F-16 Conversion and Facelift
Thanks Simon and George.
Simon, I think the dynamax would be a really tight fit, if it fit at all. I had to remove some of the mounting rails in order for the EVF to fit. I also had to raise the EVF 3/4 of an inch off of the mounting rails so the ducting would clear the main gear when they are retracted, so I had to also remove some of the rear former (see photo). This former is a structural former that the wing spar and main gear mounts attach to and I would not advise removing too much of it.
Kirk
Simon, I think the dynamax would be a really tight fit, if it fit at all. I had to remove some of the mounting rails in order for the EVF to fit. I also had to raise the EVF 3/4 of an inch off of the mounting rails so the ducting would clear the main gear when they are retracted, so I had to also remove some of the rear former (see photo). This former is a structural former that the wing spar and main gear mounts attach to and I would not advise removing too much of it.
Kirk
12-14-2009 | 08:50 AM
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From: Pasadena, MD
RE: Sky Master F-16 Conversion and Facelift
I just changed the name of this thread to Sky Master F-16 Conversion and Facelift. I decided to change the paint scheme. I'm a big fan of the P-47 and when I saw the photos of the P-47 commerative scheme kdubose posted ([link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_8645116/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm]in this thread[/link]) I knew that was the scheme I wanted on my F-16.
Over the weekend my Black & Decker Mouse sander and I spent a couple of hours removing the red paint and sanding the white gel coat. I shot some white primer over the areas where the red paint had been removed.
Over the weekend my Black & Decker Mouse sander and I spent a couple of hours removing the red paint and sanding the white gel coat. I shot some white primer over the areas where the red paint had been removed.
12-16-2009 | 05:58 PM
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From: Pasadena, MD
RE: Sky Master F-16 Conversion and Facelift
Thanks guys,
The F-14 is a a Philip Avonds. HobbyBarn sells the plans and canopy and they used to sell the glass fuse you saw in the above photo.
Kirk
ORIGINAL: rcjets_63
I love the blue nose with stars. Very nice. Say, looking back at the photos on your first post, whose F-14 kit is that?
Regards,
Jim
I love the blue nose with stars. Very nice. Say, looking back at the photos on your first post, whose F-14 kit is that?
Regards,
Jim
Kirk
01-02-2010 | 11:58 AM
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RE: Sky Master F-16 Conversion and Facelift
The facelift continues. I've added some detail around the panel lines and hatch covers on the left side of the fuse. Now, back to detailing 
01-04-2010 | 10:40 AM
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From: Pasadena, MD
RE: Sky Master F-16 Conversion and Facelift
ORIGINAL: gunradd
Krik that thing looks good man! I was thinking about doing the same on my F16- did you use a soldering iron with a tube?
Krik that thing looks good man! I was thinking about doing the same on my F16- did you use a soldering iron with a tube?
01-06-2010 | 08:46 AM
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From: Pasadena, MD
RE: Sky Master F-16 Conversion and Facelift
ORIGINAL: Doksa
Hey Kirk
Happy New Year Is that the same 16 you had here? Looking nice as always.
John
Hey Kirk
Happy New Year Is that the same 16 you had here? Looking nice as always.
John
Thanks and Happy New Year to you also. Yes, it's the same F-16 I had when I lived in Hawaii. It's 3 years old now and it was time for a new color scheme and power system upgrade.
Kirk
01-06-2010 | 01:01 PM
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From: Pasadena, MD
RE: Sky Master F-16 Conversion and Facelift
ORIGINAL: JohnVH
Hey Kirk! When your done with this youll be a viper master, want to pimp my byron f16 for me? hehe
Hey Kirk! When your done with this youll be a viper master, want to pimp my byron f16 for me? hehe
