crash bandicoute

alright, how's everybody doin' today? i have a question regarding plan types. i've ordered kits and just plans from online before and some of them come with the templates or drawings for all the formers, ribs, etc., and sometimes they only have like the fuselage and the wing and what-not on them. what's the difference in them, and what do i need to ask when i order plans to get everything, like the formers and ribs,for doing up my own plane and picking my own wood and all that fun stuff? i want to start collecting them so i can build multiples of a planeagain later, or just to have so i can avoid buying the kit, with the sometimes shotty wood quality. i didn't really think about tracing them inthe past before building the planes.and kind of off the subject, if FSI or Stan's doesn't have a cowl or canopy for a particular subject, and the plane isn't like a regular kit that i can just order a cowl or canopy for from the company, how do i get one or make one? i've kind of figured out the cowl, but the canopyi have no idea?

Avaiojet

Crash,

Just make sure you're purchasing all "templates" or parts drawings. Some of this is shown on plans as dotted lines. Former sections are needed, no guessing there. Just ask the seller.

I understand the "shotty wood quality." Especially if it's an old kit. Bad wood or not, a kit can be a good start or beginning. Not ALL the wood is shotty. Kit can save you plenty of work even if you have to replace a piece or two.

Don't get ahead of yourself here. Not having a canopy or a cowling available "off the shelf" isn't a reason to not take on a project.

Modelers make canopies and cowlings all the time, from scratch. I would cross that bridge when I came to it. The help and advice will be there.

Exactly what are you thinking of building?

crash bandicoute

well right now, i have a rich uravitch design of a 3.25 extra sitting on the back burner that i have been tinkering with for quite some time that does have the plastics available for purchase from him or FSI. but if i get into building something from a set of plans that have been shrunk down or enlargened, how do i make a canopy for it? my first cowling was designed for a 4*40 hand cut and sanded by hand,shaped out of pink foam, then glassed. custom job. it turned out pretty nice. but i have no idea how to fashion a canopy. i want something unique (as far as nothing out of a box) to take to the field. but just about everything i'm interested in, has some sort of canopy or windshield. how do i get about that?

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Try contacting Fiberglass Specialties and let them know the size and style of cowling you need. I have found them very helpful in the past.

jonastecknare

When the canopy isnt too large i make a plugg from wood or MDF then i shrink a PETbottle over it with a heatgun. With a little practice it works fine! The canopy in the pic is from three pieces and coloured bottles. frame is from thin plywood and balsa! ( the plane is made of mostly white foam and covered in brown paper)
Jonas

wigwam

Hi Crash Bandicoute
I have built two of these models from the plans, which were a freeby in Model Airplane News. Got the canopy and cowl/wheel pants from Rich.
Looked really nice, however.......
First one went in first flight. Spun in on first turn to Port. Went into a spin and could not be recovered.
Second was very similar and didn't last much longer than a couple of flights.
In both cases model was balanced correctly and was being flown by an experienced aerobatic pilot.
I used a .25 OS FP, however felt it was a bit underpowered. Would have been suited by a .32 or thereabouts.