John H. Rood

Oh, the timing! Looks like there's HURRICANE the movie -- just 'round the bend! 303 Squadron (Polish), 1940.

Working on the 2016 Mass Build A-4 Skyhawk I have found that Squadron Leader Cooke's build blog efforts are thoroughly helpful. So now for this one I shall follow Phil's RN Sea Hurricane IIC blog to the letter --- and limit my posts here to anything in particular about my build that might somehow be worth mentioning.

  Carefully packaged -- thank you, Sarik Hobbies.  Plans were enclosed in a heavy ziplockbag and the the canopy double-wrapped in foam and looking in perfect condition.        Edited By John_Rood on 14/03/2018 02:52:27

Until today I had absolutely no idea that these two-part plastic wine glasses for camping, hiking, picnics -- ACTUALLY WERE DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR MOLDING A-4 SKYHAWK ENGINE INTAKE SKINS? They are a PERFECT fit!

Me, I haven't slept a wink ever since I saw this crucial drawing!   I will not be able to build and fly my PSS model without EVERY detail correct!   Edited By John_Rood on 10/03/2018 19:04:13

That blue line in the "avionics bay" is the datum for the the early A-4 nose shape.  I used it here to help me toward getting the nose config reasonably correct. And then this very strange alien creature landed on the deck... the shadow is positively H.G. Wells-worthy! Edited By John_Rood on 10/03/2018 18:27:18

Apparently I strayed from Phil's build sequence, and I might just make those intakes now, and then see what next I should do with filling everything in and resolving my upper shape deficiency between F2 and F3. Ref: his build page 5 http://www.modelflying.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=115393&p=5 Also I shall cut out the canopy and that may also help me get a better picture. Edited By John_Rood on 10/03/2018 14:51:49

This Point Mugu A4D-2 (A-4B) shows the belly curve we crave! Edited By John_Rood on 10/03/2018 11:41:49

Thanks, gents. Great fun! Piers, I believe I’ve sanded too much off in some areas. So I’ll add some soft 1/16 sheet to correct those low/thin spots. For example, her belly just aft of the TE can use a bit more girth. Next will be to correct my aforementioned construction error between F3 and F2: her shoulders are too narrow. Then I’m to add the engine intakes — and REALLY give that ammonia a workout!

Love the look of the Douglas Skyhawk! Plenty more to do, but the nose shape is now finalized and she just needs a 1/2" balsa panel to cover the ersatz "avionics bay" and a few zillion other little things. Great fun being had here.

    Edited By John_Rood on 09/03/2018 12:42:38

More photos re: the above post:

Cheers, guys. The elves and mini-erks here at the imaginary Douglas Skyhawk factory have been busy, and the sawdust has been flying. Why is the imaginary avionics compartment open? Through trial and error I wound up going with my original intuition, that I'd be best off making a pretty dang SOLID balsa nose on this first attempt at an early A-4 Skyhawk. At first I thought I could just begin that from bulkhead F1 position forward, but as the nose datum is completely different and the curve between F2 and F1 was resulting in a what I believe will be a too-fragile compartment there, so I have decided to go back in there and beef-up that area from the inside-out. Also I just wasn't happy with the way the shape was emerging, -- the fattest part was too low relative to datum. So, I pulled out the surgeon's scalpel and all is going well: I've kept the hardpoints and hardened the nicely-curving sheeting at the undersides via sloshing around drops of thin cyano. Works great so far. Another issue that emerged was that last week amidst the ammonia elixir I somehow overlooked an important step: adding the 1/2" balsa triangle stock to the upper area between F3 and F3. So the "starved horse" look I mentioned earlier, well, it never really went away, and in fact I wound up with that F3<->F2 compartment looking all wrong on top -- pulled in wayyy too narrow. So that will be next installment, correcting that lil' snafu.  I'll either will add skin on the outside or go from the inside.  Also plenty to do still with the routine fine tuning of low and high areas on the fuselage, such as adding a slight fill to the belly just aft of the wing TE.   All good. Having a blast here cutting balsa and making a mess everywhere. And speaking of fun, who doesn't love the beginnings of a jet tailpipe?   Edited By John_Rood on 08/03/2018 16:13:28

Last night I dreamt I was building a scale model of a combination submarine, Hound Dog missile, and Russian oligarch's yacht (complete with BOTH a heli pad AND an angled carrier deck. Oh! The power of ammonia, sawdust, and Jules Verne, unchained.

Using Ammonia to Correct the Dreaded "Starved Horse" Look: As the nose skins dried to shape I noticed I'd introduced a bit too much pull-in on them up towards the top, just aft of bulkhead F2. So, I re-soaked the entire area in ammonia, inside and out, placed the soaked paper towels inside the fuselage, and added more paper towels, and more, and more, until I was gently but firmly "packing" the interior to create outward pressure within there. Meanwhile I used my eyes and hands to feel my way to a more suitable exterior curve, a more Skyhawk-like curve. We'll see how she turns out as everything evaporates and fully dries out. So far so good. And I've been pleasantly surprised at how little problem I've had with the ammonia fumes; I've been dreading the thought of it for a year and half and jeeze it was no big deal. Sez the guy with permanent lung/brain damage and an aeromatically-fuzzy future.

On The Importance Of *NOT* Doing What I Do, #1,789: Do NOT use push-pins "down low" -- as I done did! ((( Can I re-vision it as, ummmm... "shrapnel over the Mekong Delta"? )))

Easing the upper sides into a bond with F2 and F3; lacking clamps of a size I could use here, I managed to coax things via the mess you see here. The ammonia really helped, as did the warm light.

Using wood glue, I attached the nose section, following closely what Phil laid out on page 2 of his Top Gun A-4E build blog. Apparently I need to get some larger clamps, some that will reach deeper in situations such as here. But I was able to secure the lower quarter or so of the sides via those red push pins and the usual finagling. Happy that things seem square (so far!) and everything fits well, pretty much locking into place throughout. All feels mighty strong, too. Good job, designers!

  Ade, shush! I’ve seen the photos: your model is beautiful! Gutsy venture, to go with the two-seater and that unique colour scheme. Also, your made the deadline, whereas I am a year and a half tardy, and I still have a lot more work ahead! 😇 Tonight I've installed (with Super-Phatic wood glue) the 3/32" ply nose profile piece and the 1/2" soft balsa top decking, spanning bulkheads F4 thru F7.   I've not yet finalized the cross-section for the nose, so I postponed making a bulkhead to replace the A-4E/F "F1" bulhead until then. Gallons of wood glue drying there, it seems!  OOPS Edited By John_Rood on 05/03/2018 23:53:20

Taking my teflon template to 3/32 ply for the A4D's short nose profile.

The XA4D-TS Troop Ship, Tank Carrier, and Space Shuttle. 🔱

Installing bulkheads 4, 5, 6, and 7 on the starboard fus side. All that misc junk in there is "ART", I agree, but also it is a feeble and amateurish stab at keeping angles and things straight and true. And thanks, Phil, for the heads-up again about extending that 1/2" triangle stock to a bit forward of F4. Done! Seafaring with the glorious HMS Skyhawk!

Thanks, Phil! Doublers and triangle stock now added, and the 1/4" nose floor has been sanded to meet the A4D-1 and A4D-2 profile.

Lines transferred, sides cut. Ready now to add balsa doublers and triangle stock.