RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

Hey Garry....
You can save some time by not shaving material off the former and let the aeropoxy fill the small voids between the fuselage molds and the former. Procurring some CA accelerater maybe more efficient!
That is one of the main benefits of Aeropoxy, You can tack with CA and set aside until several assemblies are ready for Aeropoxy, apply it, then set aside overnight for cure.

Keep up the good work!

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

Managed to grab a couple of hours last night too.

I cut the nose gear doors out. Carbon is hard to cut through!! However, again, reasonably good straight lines, must be getting better at this!!!

I have chosen to do as Ian Richardson suggested and will make the doors removeable. Once the pin is in place through the hinge, rather than trapping this rather long pin under formers and such, I will use a length of hard wood and glue the hinges to that instead of the fuz, I will then make a fillet of aeropoxy and microballons, protect the wood with food wrap and screw it to the sides of the fuz from underneath. This means the nose gear doors can be removed for any future reasons, and that with the fillet mix it will conform to the shape of the fuz a little easier.

Used the aeropoxy nozzle but could not find my acetone so have written the first one off!! Where can I get some more nozzles??? Still all in place with the formers and quite tidy too.

So about another 2 hours last night, and now have more holes!!! Need to get the bits of wood and some nice countersunk screws to finish doors off.

Then have a lot of cutting out to do in respect of the inlet, retract cut outs belly pan etc. Possibly a nopisy weekend in the garden if the weather holds!

I will work out how to use my digital camera and give some pictures soon!

Gazzer

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

Not sure about sources in the UK ... here in the US you can get them from all sorts of places, from industrial suppliers (e.g. McMaster Carr) to glue specialists (e.g. Glueguru.com) to hobby suppliers (e.g. BVM and probably Tamjets, Dreamworks, etc.)

I seem to recall that Mike's Models in the UK is a BVM dealer - maybe that's a good place to start ?

Gordon

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

Hey Garry...
If you remove a small amount of material off the inside lower edge of the F2A former, that will allow you to remove the NG doors hinge pin in the future, if necessary. It may save some time over the other approach, and still leave a clean appearance.

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

Dave Wilshire/Motors and Rotors is where I get mine from.

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

Thanks guys,

Motors and Rotors do the nozzles 50p each so cost effective.

Had another idea re the nose gear. I will use a couple of small hardwood blocks with a small slot in the bottom to trap the wire. Bit of silicon on the slot, and then screw the block to the former, with its base flush to the fuz. Should be quite secure and easy to remove for future. The hinges can be glued to the nose gear doors.

Much quicker!!!

Doing the speedbrake doors now, hard work but coming out neat so far.

Will let you know, but so far, so good!!

Gazzer

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

Hi Gazzer. Sounds to me like you simply have two of the lines crossed. You are getting air on both sides of one cylinder somewhere in the system. You can disconnect each line at the nipple one at a time until you find the crossed one and then just switch them around on that cylinder. Here is a pic of the one that I built last winter. If you have any questions I'd be glad to help if I can.
Dave.

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

gazzer
if you have a digital camera, I would like to see pictures of your building process
thanks

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

You can also put Aeropoxy in the corner of a zip lock bag. You twist the bag so the aeropoxy is contained in one of the corners. Mix the Aeropoxy with your fingers and cut a small corner from the bag. Then just squeeze the bag and apply through the hole. Cut a small hole for smaller areas and a larger for the bigger areas.

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

Guys,

P47dman,

Spot on there with the analysis, doh!!! Nice looking ship you have there, in the snow it is so realistic!!!
Please chip in where you feel with advice and guidance, may well be asking you for help!

Kenny,

Great tip, I guess you could also mix with Micro balloons to fill with, you can't do that with the nozzles!

Will try and upload an image but have loads of network problems, this is the 5th time, so lets see where we get now!!

Gazzer

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

This should be the plane in vertical mode, with nose gears cut out, speed brake doors cut off and not installed, and the belly pan opened.

Gazzer

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

Yee haaa,

Well I just have to rotate and store the image first next time, and also do a bit of framing but you get the point!!!!

Gazzer

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

I hate modelling!!!

Having cut free the nose doors and had a lovely 1.5mm gap all around, the left door was binding against that side of the fuz. A few checks and worked out it was between the hinge and the rear of the door well.

I used a pencil to mark out where to shave off, but did too much! No binding but a big gap now, maybe nearer to 3mm. Why did I do it??? Well I did say my building skills were not overly impressive!! Worst case can fill it I guess, but then it probably wont open. As I wont be entering it into scale competions I shant lose too much sleep but it looked gorgeous and professional before. I guess as it is underneath it wont cause too much of an issue, but I will know!!

Will try a bit more on Sunday and take some more piccies, you can share my dissapointment!!

Gazzer

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

Hey Garry....
Don't beat yourself up too badly over this, it happens. Probably should just leave it alone and not try to fill the gap. The doors are only closed in flight, so nobody will know.......unless you spill the beans on RCU!
You can still attend a scale competition, the judges eyesight is not good enough to see door fit in flight!
We are all our own worst critics, and just consider it a learning experience and press on!

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

I have a couple of questions if someone wouldn't mind helping me out.

I am getting the DF version of the BVM T-33 this next week. I want to repaint the plane in a color scheme that my dad had on a plastic model.

1. Where can you find the metallic aluminum looking paint?

2. Where can you find the scale decals or do you have to make them?

Thanks
John

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

John,

BVM do a Metal Kote aluminium paint. I have seen the results and they are 100% realistic and beautiful.

Decals from Pro Mark are well known and they do a decal kit for the T-33, will be getting some in the distant future for this project!!!

All the best,

Gazzer "big gaps" builder novice!!!!

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

Hey John.....
Gazzer is correct about the Metal-kote paint system from BVM, very realistic. If you are an experienced painter, give it a try. Another good choice is PPG satin aluminum. If you cut the pigment 50% with 2021 clear, you get a decent look. Finally, there's good ol' Model Masters aluminum, metalizer's both buffing and non-buffing. Do some test samples and experiment to see what looks the best for you.

Good Luck

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

Thanks Guys for the Great help.

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

Folks,

Will try and upload a picture or two later,

OK landing gear mounts and F4 now fully installed and Aeropoxied in. The weather here is quite cold so even after an overnight cure in the conservatory where I build, the aeropoxy is still a bit tacky in the morning, but should be OK for tonight..

I CA'd the l/g mounts together, using the instructions and pictures I found a little hard to understand, so I took the parts to the model and worked it out that way. After all was assembled I realised that the parts are all mirrored, and had used Left for Right, no problem as I had used the model to work it all out! So even though good old BVM try and help you, it is the modeller who usually lets the side down, but no matter here, all worked out!

The port side LG mount was really hard to get into place and a small crack on the fuz underside along a small seam occured, I will aeropoxy this and put a carbon tow down as I am paranoid!! Else it went it quite well. I did have to use a drum sander to enlarge the hole in the former for taking the phenolic large tube, which was a bit of a surprise, but I guess this will allow you to position it better to make sure the wing mounts up nice and close to the fuz wing stubs.

It was a real pain to get to F4 for gluing but the nozzle on the aeropoxy gun managed it a treat. I was told to put my finger in methylated spirits and use this to smooth in the seam, as it leave a shiny finish and does not stick to your finger, and it seems to work!!

I wanted to keep going and fit F3 etc, but you do really need to wait until all this is cured else things will move I guess. There is a slight discrepancy between the ribs on the L/G mount that is closest to the wing stub. On the port side it is about 2.5 mm gap and on the starboard it is about 1.5mm. The ribs are parallel to the fuz stub however, so I don't think it will make for a problem,and I could not work out how it happened. I am putting it down to manufacturing tolerances being at both ends of the scale on the mating parts, but as I say I can't really see it is being a problem.

I started the Kevlar tanks too, using fillets of aeropoxy to mount the brass fittings. I had to drill the vent holes in two of the tanks, but no drama. Very good quality fittings and with the aluminium inserts it means easy clunk management. More fun when I glue them together later!!

So, trial fitting and stuff I guess about another 5 hours was taken, some of that looking for bits that I dropped!!!

I also mounted the nose gear cylinders, but the bracket on them allows for a high and low mounting, a difference big enough to matter!! I shall remount these later, and attach the nose gear retract as once the main undercarriage is in place, I want to see what it looks like on the ground!!

If anyone can advise how best to work out the position for F4a, this being the phenolic tube positioning former, I would be grateful. It looks best to have it mounted in the fuz with the top and bottom touching the glass fibre moulding of the wing root, but does not seem to be that way in the pictures and on the plan. I think the closer it is to the centre of the fuz, the less stressed it will become because of leverage.

Thoughts anyone???

Cheers,

Gazzer

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

Gazzer.....
F-4A is designed to have a loose fit in the fuselage wing stubs. The fenolic wing tubes, aluminum spars and wings should all be assembled and adjusted for optimum close fit. Once that is achieved, tack glue the formers into the fuselage with Zap-A-Gap (being careful not to glue anything you don't want glued!). After that, take everything apart and apply aeropoxy liberally to all joints. After the Aeropoxy has cured, there should only be a very small amount of filling, if any, at the wing to fuselage joints.

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

John,

Glad to see another Mississippian getting into the jets. I am currently doing a Metalkote job on my F-100 so if I can help you ain anyway don't hesitate to ask. It's only a short drive from Horn Lake and you can see it going on to an airplane first hand. It is not a diffucult porcess but it is a little on the fiddly side. Surface prep is everything.

Gazzer,

If you are not happy with the door fit there is a really easy way to fix it. Get some magic tape (scotch clear tape) and some thick CA and kicker. Put the tape on the outside of the door hanging over the edge that you want to build up. Drizzle a little CA on it then kick it, do this again building up the edge. Now you get to sand again and get your gap a little more to your liking.

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

David,

I would love to come and watch you put MetalKote on your F-100. I was reading the instructions on the BVM site on how to put it on and it scared me. lol I am a visual person and could understand the instructions more if I saw it first.

Let me know when you are going to get started and I will make sure I can come down there.

Thanks Again
John

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

Mark,

Thanks for the advice again. I realised whilst trial fitting the wing what the point was!!! The closer and flusher it fits to the contour of the wing stub, the closer it is to being in the right place, with dihedrals, incidence etc, the tubes etc are just there to transfer the weight and take the load!!

When I re read the instructions and it talked about loose fits being OK, I could not believe that they meant a sloppy fit was OK, and, they didn't!!!

I used a drum sander and routed some of the wing stub holes a bit further, and some of the wood sub ribs, and after a few trial and errors I have a razor blade thin gap between wing root and fuz stub, which I think once glassed and with some g/f putty, wont be viewable at all.

Internally yes there are some gaps around the ribs where the tubes go through, but a good amount of Aeropoxy will sort that out, and the use of the balsa to trap the whole thing and spread the load, will make them absolutely sturdy.

Hopefully tonight, and I will get some pictures to show how.

David R,

Many thanks for that contribution, so simple and yet effective, I know what I will do to rectify this issue. Once scuffed up too I guess it will take paint reasonably well?

Total time taken so far about 12 hours, I said I was slow!!!!

Gazzer

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

Folks,

Hopefully here are some images proving I am doing something!!

Here is the gap I now have between the wing and the fuz stub, I am going to try and get this smaller, it is about 2mm allround. Something must be stopping it but what.....???

The other image shows the nose gear doors open, the speed brake cut out and the belly pan cut out too. Not a lot of visual progress for the 12 odd hours or so, but it is coming along fine, look forward to seeing it standing on its feet by the weekend, at least I hope!!

Gazzer

RE: BVM T-33 AFS Build thread
 

Well guys, I got my BVM T-33 today and I have a few questions.
1. It came with a spring air retract system and I need to know how much psi the air bottle takes? Its the small but long bottle if that helps. I have no idea what retract model number this is.

2. What are the recommended throws for the control surfaces?

3. What hitec digitals would be good to go in this DF version?

I'm sure there will be more questions to come as I start this undertaking.

Thanks
Iceman