dirk tinck Posted February 16, 2020 Author Share Posted February 16, 2020 Today i started on the canope works .Not my favorite job !! After a lot of mesuring and fitting i decided to make the rear part remouvable , i may regret this later but hey ,no guts no glory ! I drew a line where the dividing has to be made . I had to cut with scissors because i can't lose a mm of the canope,it wouldn't fit proper(like with cutting with a disc ).I took extremely care,not to damage the plastic. I then placed the front part in the frame and marked the edge of the front canope part on the inside of the frame The photo makes the line look out of place but i double checked , it's fine .The idea is to place the frame on the canope in a way that the aft canope part slides under the front part of the frame. It will be clearer later...Like the plastic canope ,the epoxy frame lets itself cut best with scissors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirk tinck Posted February 16, 2020 Author Share Posted February 16, 2020 With this precise job behind me,i realised i have to finish the interior first so i looked up some examples on the net and did my best to copy the front part first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted February 16, 2020 Share Posted February 16, 2020 Great update Dirk, superb canopy work - is the canopy going to be sliding on rails as per the full size - or just removable for RC access? Any job that requires a special tool making to get that perfect finish is always a rewarding job - and you've certainly achieved that with your 10mm bolt and plate! For me, welding like that would be a major task, I dont have the kit at home, I guess to you in your business applying a few spot welds is no big deal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirk tinck Posted February 16, 2020 Author Share Posted February 16, 2020 Hi Phil , the canope will be held by magnets . I like the possibility of having access to receiver and switch without removing the wing. As for the tool ,you could make it in hardwood too i guess,and glue in the handle. It must be one of the best tools in my toolbox ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirk tinck Posted February 16, 2020 Author Share Posted February 16, 2020 Just something in between while i'm waiting for my pilot to arrive :Has anyone gave it some thought to replicate the gun ports in the front of the fuse ? Well i did today and i realised it's not going to be easy with the former on the inside.I ran a little test on a piece of scrap balsa .I drilled a hole with a round perma grid file until i could slide in a 8mm carbon tube.Glued it in and sanded off the tube part that sticks out.Not bad for a first test . Any thoughts about it ?Suggestions ?How about the size ? Cheers , Dirk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McG 6969 Posted February 17, 2020 Share Posted February 17, 2020 Great idea once more, Dirk. If you allow me, I think the 8mm tube is a bit 'oversized'. If you look at your first posted pic and compare their size with the front of the canopy, they look 'smaller' in diameter than the ones you have been drawing on your fuselage. Could be an optical illusion though... The standard F-86 was equipped with 6x M3 Browning machineguns with caliber .50. That's 12,7mm and thus 1,27mm at 1:10. Double that size for the barrel and double again for the gap between barrel and exit tunnel. That's 12,7 x 4 equals 50,8mm or 5mm at our scale. I think using a 6mm carbon tube should be closer to scale. IMHO, that is... Superb idea anyhow. But then, maybe I'll better head back to bed now... Cheers Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted February 17, 2020 Share Posted February 17, 2020 Hi Dirk, I had given this a bit of thought a while back as they are such characteristic features - you've got to be very brave though to file an accurate pattern of oblique holes into your lovely finished, sanded fuselage like that!! I did speak to Andy M about a 3D printed 'panel' with the holes built in - which you could let into the fus similar to what you've done with the airbrakes... relies on getting the complex 3D curved surfaces exactly matched though - as I think you also found on the airbrakes. A carbon tube or a snake outer fitted and sanded flush to the surface is a nice idea - its just accurately machining the pattern of holes that I find daunting... we could do with some sort of file guide to fit against the fuselage nose up against F1 to guarantee position, angle and alignment. Edited By Phil Cooke on 17/02/2020 09:44:55 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirk tinck Posted February 17, 2020 Author Share Posted February 17, 2020 You might be right Chris,but it's the inside of the tube that counts and that's 6.5 mm. Today i found a tube with a smaller diameter : 6mm so that's a little gain there. @ Phil : Tanks mate for pointing me in the right direction :the idea of inserting a panel with the gunports incorporated got me thinking all day !Just a little adjustment to that plan.Why not make an insert for every tube apart? This got me testing most of the evening ! I found out that it's very difficult to get the same result every time.Different file angles makes different hole lenghts... In most photo's of the real thing it seems that the top gunports are smaller than the rest but my best guess is that that's because the curvature of the fuse is flatter around the lower ports. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McG 6969 Posted February 18, 2020 Share Posted February 18, 2020 Great approach once more, Dirk. I believe you're nearly there now. What a mess you can obtain with just a bit of carbon powder, isn't it? Question, please: I can't find the reference of that magnetic switch at Aerobertics. Any suggestion? Cheers Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirk tinck Posted February 18, 2020 Author Share Posted February 18, 2020 Here you go Chris !May i point out to you the hazards when entering the shop !Better take Iris with you to prevent you from buying to much !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McG 6969 Posted February 18, 2020 Share Posted February 18, 2020 Thanks for your help, Dirk. I've been spending half my yearly budget with HP Textiles already... I will just buy the DPSI nano and do it online, so no need to disturb Iris for budget safety reasons. Cheers Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted February 18, 2020 Share Posted February 18, 2020 great stuff Dirk, I admire your enthusiastic approach and willingness to experiment / fail / refine & improve! I agree the top port is shorter as the fus pulls in more around the canopy thus reducing the apparent length of the port. Your idea if individual blocks is good but we still have to align the 3 separate blocks... and final sanding will have to be done against the fuselage to get it all to blend up. For this reason - maybe its best to glue the blocks in with a 4" extension of each tube - this linear extension would help visually align them parallel in both plan and profile view - once fully set you can then sand them flush with the surface of the fuselage. Just a thought? Edited By Phil Cooke on 18/02/2020 10:25:33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted February 18, 2020 Share Posted February 18, 2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted February 18, 2020 Share Posted February 18, 2020 ..or alternatively just paint on some elongated ellipses - less drag and right first time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callsign Tarnish Posted February 18, 2020 Share Posted February 18, 2020 ...and they won't let water in where it's wetter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirk tinck Posted February 18, 2020 Author Share Posted February 18, 2020 Hi Andy ,no can do Sir !I have to give it a try... @ Callsign Tarnish : The holes will be closed up out of sight. They would be great cheat holes tough... Some more testing today left me with four pairs of gunports ready to use !During testing i found out ,if you sand the top of a gunport (open side )on one side,for example the front side ,the port gets shorter;If you sand it on the back side,it gets longer .This way i could match them in pairs. It's logic afterwards! It sure makes a mess , sanding carbon fiber ! Tomorrow i will try to put the first one in the fuse.For alignment i will place a piece of round hardwood in the port,fingers crossed !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirk tinck Posted February 18, 2020 Author Share Posted February 18, 2020 I ordered a pilot yesterday ; Got the message she was busy....not available at the moment... Damn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McG 6969 Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 ... WAUW, Dirk. ... really realistic paint job... ... she will be absolutely great when becoming 'available'... Cheers Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Garsden Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 The clue is in the embroidery "FlyGirls Pin-Ups". She wouldn't be much good in a dog fight in Korea, unlike Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer. Something for you to 3D Print though Andy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McG 6969 Posted February 19, 2020 Share Posted February 19, 2020 Not that sure about the "dog fight", Peter... Her FlyGirl name appears to be Vally Cruise !!! ... AAACK! Cheers Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirk tinck Posted February 21, 2020 Author Share Posted February 21, 2020 Hi guy's ! About Miss Cruise , i think she has other quality's! Tonight i cutted up my fuse !!First i located the position of the largest gunport. I had to be sure not to cut into the ply stringer , if possible...Lucky it 's just under the port ! I sanded the insert a little conical so i could slowly enlarge the hole for the insert , bit by bit , keeping the right angle in mind. As soon as the insert sat deep enough,the carbon ends flush with the fuse,i glued it in with red zap.Because of the fuse curvature the middle of the port sat a little deeper,nothing a little filler couldn't handle. Sanding the whole even, gave a satisfying result. There is really not much possible in changing the angle of the port but checking it with a dowel it couldn't be much better. Send in the mig's ! I will give them a warm welcome !! Too late to do the other five , so i did a little frame therapy with the dremel. looking good !!zzzzz zzzzzz ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted February 21, 2020 Share Posted February 21, 2020 love it Dirk - brave, bold modelling cutting into your fuselage like that to add the gun ports - they look great!! And the canopy frame is awesome... hats off!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McG 6969 Posted February 21, 2020 Share Posted February 21, 2020 I'll second Phil's comment, Dirk. Bravely cutting into your nearly finished fuselage like that... ... do you really expect me to obtain that kind of result with my canopy... shaking & shivering already... Do you cut a complete window panel out only with a Dremel? ... and what kind of tool do you use on it, please. Cheers Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Gay Posted February 21, 2020 Share Posted February 21, 2020 Dirk, Ivan will be waiting in his foam aircraft - be gentle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirk tinck Posted February 22, 2020 Author Share Posted February 22, 2020 Hi all !Look what the mailman dropped on my doorstep !A genuine retro style sabre pilot. I ordered it a few days ago at WEMOTEC Germany for 37 €. It only weighs 40 gr ! In the box included was an invitation for the EDF meeting in Wey , Germany. Guess 3 times for the date... I introduced him right away to his new ride ! Time for the second gunport !Marked the position on the fuse according to photo's,give or take a little,.I made two holes with a round file because drilling is not an option here.cut out the rest with a knife 1mm from the edges. xNext i made the sides of the insert conical as stated before.This helps a lot ,filing the opening not too big.You really need to do this step by step as the balsa is like butter Here ,the insert sits almost deep enough,one mm and it's flush with the fuse. The front and end are now in line with the fuse. Time to secure it with thin cyano,solid as a rock.To my surprise the second port needs zero filler!The fuse is getting flatter here and i sanded the upper suface of the port a little rounder than the first one. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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