Chris Barlow Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 I've also done a little more covering on the fuselage whilst the bench was clear. The A-4M canopy is completely different from the supplied canopy and I just know that even if I painted different frame lines and closed one eye I would still be dissapointed with it. I have made a plug for a new canopy and tried to shring a pop bottle over it but the curve around to the front screen is just too much. I may try again but heat the plastic and at the same time drive in wedges below the plug to push it into the soft plastic but to be honest I can see a simple vac forming machine on the horizon! For vac forming the plug will have to be a lot smoother so I'll get some paint on it and some fine sanding. I skinned the wings late Saturday night but ran out of pins so this morning I completed the last 2 peices then went out flying the PSS Vulcan whilst it dried and set the wash out. This evening I have added the aileron torque rods and trailing edges. Last job this evening was to join the two wing halves together with packers under the wing tips. All being well it should be well set when I get in from work tomorrow and I can get on with the wing tips and ailerons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 A craftsman at work, like your colour scheme Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Barlow Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 Thanks John. Hope to see you guys again in August. Another weekend of precious time gone, but worth it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 Looking good Chris - do watch the height of those aileron torque rods any more than 20mm and they will clash with the wing bolt plate from experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John A H Posted August 4, 2016 Share Posted August 4, 2016 Neat solution for the centre line drop tank, I think it will drop out fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Barlow Posted August 6, 2016 Author Share Posted August 6, 2016 Thanks Phil. Torque rods now cut down and the plastic ends are just rubbing the wing plate so one more turn and they should clear nicely. John, I may line the inside of the slot with 0.8mm GF sheet to harden it and to reduce the friction in the slot in case the tank wants to twist around when dropping. A quick update but not too much done due to being ill for the last few days. Two kids with tummy bugs and it's like Typhoid Mary's come to visit. The wing is now sanded and ready for covering. I've added the belly fairing and bolt load spreader plate but cut differently to look a little more accurate. I have also hinged the ailerons and mounted them to the wing. They were then brushed with Peter's vinegar and pinned to match the trailing edge which has twisted them to the wing washout nicely. This way is only a little quicker than sanding the washout in to oversize ailerons and carries the risk of the aileron un-twisting itself over time. I may give them a sealing coat before covering to try to prevent this. After drilling the wing for the bolt and mounting the wing to the fuselage properly for the first time for the above photo I realised I'd somehow resisted the premature assembled photo and some shed flying making aeroplane, in this case jet, noises! With one of my young models fit for duty again I dutifully took the photograph, but I didn't run around making jet noises, honest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Barlow Posted August 9, 2016 Author Share Posted August 9, 2016 The wing and ailerons have now been covered as well as the remainder of the fuselage. I've also got on with the undercarriage fairings and a few other details for the wing. I think I may need to go off scale and re shape the leading edges of the pylons to reduce how much they will snag on landing. I've also extended the front of the u/c fairings to take them to the leading edge of the wing. Like the pylons this does mean that the mating face has to be profiled to match the curve of the wing at the front. More carving and sanding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted August 9, 2016 Share Posted August 9, 2016 covering looks great Chris! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Garsden Posted August 9, 2016 Share Posted August 9, 2016 Looking good Chris - what colour and type of film are you using? Didn't know you could get off white? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Barlow Posted August 9, 2016 Author Share Posted August 9, 2016 Peter, I'm using Oracover light grey and white. It isn't an off white, I just don't used flash on my phone camera! It will be a little off white though when I get around to some weathering. Although that may not be before September! Must get it flying first! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Barlow Posted August 17, 2016 Author Share Posted August 17, 2016 Hard point pylons and fairings have now been covered and glued to the wing. I pinned them in place and very lightly cut through just the film on the wing to expose the balsa beneath. The pylons and u/c fairings were then glued to the wing skin with 60 min epoxy and micro balloons which was filleted in the corners with a Costa coffee stirrer. Smudges of the epoxy were removed from the white covering with denatured alcohol although methylated spirit works just as well. The centre pylon plugs into the drop tank slot with a ply plate. The pylon can be removed and replaced with the drop tank or maybe 4 x 500lb iron bombs! Just had to bolt the wing to the fuze to have a look... Finally some little trinkets of balsa have been carved out and covered in white film. These bits of details will be my time scale down fall if I don't watch out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Barlow Posted August 18, 2016 Author Share Posted August 18, 2016 Along with a couple of other bits I seem to have spent hours tonight sticking the trinkets onto my nose! Still need tidying up a little. Tomorrow I hope to do a bit on the braking parachute and arrestor hook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Barlow Posted August 21, 2016 Author Share Posted August 21, 2016 Finally got the tail pipe, fairing and braking parachute canister done this evening and made a start on a seat for the pilot. I have added 2 fillets of 1/32 ply covered with film to hide the gap between the tail plane and pipe fairing. I also closed off inside the tail pipe fairing with some 1/16 balsa and painted it gloss black. Not sure if you'll be able to make it out? I covered the outside of the tail pipe with silver solar trim and painted the bottom orange because I like how the Tornado's and Peters A-4 tailpipe seems to glow when flying away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Barlow Posted August 22, 2016 Author Share Posted August 22, 2016 After finishing in the shed last night I made a start on the decals for the Skyhawk. The letters and numbers will be cut in vinyl and applied with a backing tape just like sign writing. The US insignia will be cut in 3 layers of coloured vinyl and stacked together to make a single decal. The flags down the side, Blue Angels insignia and safety arrows etc will be designed in the cutter software and printed onto white adhesive vinyl and cut. The cutter software will print registration marks in the corners which will enable the cutter to line itself up after the sheet comes out of the printer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Twist Posted August 22, 2016 Share Posted August 22, 2016 Stunning work Chris! Love what you have done with the tailpipe and the warty nose! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Barlow Posted August 22, 2016 Author Share Posted August 22, 2016 "Warty nose" That describes it perfectly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Barlow Posted August 23, 2016 Author Share Posted August 23, 2016 Vacuum former is now made with 2 sizes of sheet holder, A4 and roughly 300mm x 500mm. Just need to drill the hole for Henry. I plan to make a plasterboard shroud for a small portable gas stove to heat the poly. After watching many videos on youtube I see that many first attempts fail so would really appreciate any tips on how to achieve a successful result or how to avoid it going wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Garsden Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 You have my complete respect and admiration. I just wouldn't attempt it and would commission vacforms or whatever they are to make me one. Or I would just use a standard one from traplet - but what do I know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Jones Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Chris, I'm doing an M too and Phil's threatened violence if I use the kit canopy, any chance I can get one of yours please? Beer tokens available Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 I'm starting to feel inadequate with regard to my effort. Can I claim mine's 'cartoon scale'? Seriously, excellent build Chris, looking forward to seeing it in the flesh. Ade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Barlow Posted August 23, 2016 Author Share Posted August 23, 2016 Posted by Matt Jones on 23/08/2016 22:22:15: Chris, I'm doing an M too and Phil's threatened violence if I use the kit canopy, any chance I can get one of yours please? Beer tokens available If it works yes no problem Matt. I suspect you may be pushed for time with yours anyway! But have a look at the photos on my blog as I have built the rear of the cockpit up with balsa to help where it joins the avionics hump. Peter, I always prefer to make rather than buy. I find I get more satisfaction from it although it doesn't always work first time, or at all! Flyer, many thanks and don't worry, as long as you're there for the fun and secondly, it flies, you've achieved the same as the rest of us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Barlow Posted August 24, 2016 Author Share Posted August 24, 2016 Almost ready for the moment of truth! Still have to drill the vacuum hole and pinch the wifes vacuum cleaner but here's what's ready so far. The vacuum box with lots of holes and a foam seal around the outside... The sheet holder loaded with an A4 size sheet... The heater box made of acoustic plaster board, powered by a portable gas stove... The heater box has a big cut out in the front to allow air in and access to the controls. It's also big enough to pull the stove through if things go bad... When ready the heat from the cooker will rise up and heat the plastic. Hopefully it won't set on fire and drip flaming balls of molten plastic onto my cooker! Now to smuggle the vacuum cleaner out of the house and see if it works! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Jones Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 Looks good Chris, I've got everything crossed!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Barlow Posted August 25, 2016 Author Share Posted August 25, 2016 Panic over Matt! It worked, eventually! After a few failed attempts with 0.04" thick sheet I tried a 0.02" sheet which formed almost perfectly over the plug. A little heat from a heat gun and the sheet pulled in tight to the front of the plug! I had noticed from the youtube videos that many people didn't seem to get enough heat into the sheet and in the most successful video the sheet has sagged like a big inverted bubble before the guy transfered it to the vacuum box. With this in mind I let the 0.02" sheet heat up until it was sagging quite alarmingly! You can see from the light reflection the hollow "dish" forming. When the "dish" was all the way up to the corners I switched on the vacuum and transferred the sheet to the plug. It was a bit of a struggle getting the plug from the moulded canopy and for the next one I'll use a light smear of vaseline as a release agent. A bit of trimming later and I think it fits OK I've also done a couple of other bits too. Intake side boards (yet to be glued in) and blades for the sides of the fuselage. I've also made the arrestor hook by planing the corners off a length of 1/4 sq balsa then passing it through an M6 nut acting as a die to make a 5mm balsa dowel which weighs nothing! The hinge block was cut from balsa and the hook also in balsa but with a 1/32 ply plate on each side to preserve the shape of the hook. Now to order another 0.02" sheet for Matt! Edited By Chris Barlow on 25/08/2016 00:47:01 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Garsden Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Complete respect. You made it, and all the equipment to go with it. You just need to find a name for the business now, and then we will all be ordering. If I were you, I would charge Mr Jones a commercial rate - say free beer at PSS events for a year? Which reminds me Andy, I owe you a beer or two - don't forget to remind me. - for the fuel probe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.