Member postings for McG 6969

Hi again,

Not an enormous progress, but for me some kind of a milestone anyway.

I had the definitive shape of the canopy adjusted to the Dogs fuselage with just a bit of sanding of the acetate at the back.

The front part was OK and I only needed to refine the transition to the front balsa triangles.

A bit of shaping and a smear of lightweight filler where needed.

As you might have noticed, Maj. Yvan Deprins started to get ‘mutilated’ a bit as well. More about him later on…

For those interested, when I have to use lightweight filler - mine is Red Devil Onetime - I always mix it with PVA diluted at 20 - 25 % as it sticks a lot better to balsa or ply and sanding remains a doddle.

Hakuna matata but keep safe

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR PVA Control

Thank you for your kind words, Ade.

Partly due to that detailing, my progress is even slower at the moment.

But anyway, there's no reason to have a 'rush' at the moment, is there?

How are your builds progressing? Any updates concerning your canopy 'plug'?.

Cheers

Chris

Excellent refurb job, Gary..

I guess you must have 'something' with that number '46' and with 'Shell'...

I'm a little bit missing 'Rizla+', though...

Cheers

Chris

Hija Dirk,

I just meant that the full size received a 16mm camera after its restoration in Chièvres.

But on a relatively small model, you'd better use a light cam fixed on the wings close to the fuse or even better at the wingtips.

... and no, I'm not lazy at all... still very busy with the cockpit area details and 'your' canopy.

Cheers & stay safe all

Chris

Hello to all,

Not really a lot of progress with those fiddly cockpit bits, I’m afraid.

At the back of the canopy, this is supposed to be an antenna (VHF?) but I don’t know for sure. Anyhow it’s a very current equipment for the Sabre K-series including the Dutch Q-259.

Before it left Soesterberg, our subject was obviously ‘demilitarized’ with the removing of the 20mm cannons but also the corresponding radar outfit and the gunsight.

The fuse front console remained and will - later on - become the base of a camera mount.

Matata mingi

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Equipment Control

Superb craftsmanship as usual, Phil.

Did you have some progress with your canopy height already?

Cheers

Chris

Thanks for commenting, gents.

@ Mark > I just try to be nearly as neat as you are with your PS2 build…

@ John > I guess Gaston is suffering a bit from that confinement we have since a while now…

@ Martin > thank you for the compliment, but as this is my first canopy build. I’m mainly ‘copycatting’ from other blogs just adding a bit of own inspiration, while I still have some that is…

I knew ‘salama’ means ‘safe’ in Swahili. Just like in ‘safari salama’, meaning ‘safe travel/trip’.

I thought ‘kaa’ did mean ‘crab’, but then I might be confusing with Lingala, the second language of ex-Belgian Congo.

But it could also be an imperative form, then meaning ‘be safe’ or ‘stay safe’… which in this case is probably more appropriate than ‘crab’…

I had a lot of different things handled at La Grotte; things like the pilot, some office furniture, some dummy wiring for it, etc…

I know I’m a slow builder but this time I’m nearly innocent… all those small details take so much time.

Matata anuwai

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Details Control

Hi again,

A bit of progress with the canopy area.

I had the canopy front parts glued in without any problems except that they will need some ‘adaptation’ to the Vortex canopy later on.

I had a doubt regarding the build-up of the cockpit details with the available space and finally decided to have it in two parts, being the fixed part to the fuse and a removable central one - like a sliding-in ‘tub’ - allowing me to build up some detailing while I still have access to the internal sides of the fuse.

Gaston doesn't seem convinced at all regarding my projections, but do you gents think I’m already mentally ‘contaminated’??? …

Hakuna matata

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Tub Control

You're mostly welcome, Phil.

You're right, it looks like there is 'too much glass' without a framework.

I'm convinced, reading Dirk's post, that your pilot's head should be quite close to the canopy, just following the side/lateral pic you've posted a while ago.

My pilot's head - albeit not the same as yours but a correct 1:10 scale - stands about 10mm under the canopy.

Please give us a return on your measurements as it could help a few of the builders.

Cheers

Chris

Hi Phil,

I think adding a bit of height to your fillets is truly improving their scale look.

Strangely, I added 3mm as well to mine on the Dog and it looks quite better.

I just came back from La Grotte 'fighting' with a start to the cockpit details and it made me think about your canopy 'height'.

I took some measures as it might be of help.

At the end of that ovoïd front screen - where the canopy should open on the full size - I took a piece of paper on top of the canopy and measured 158mm from the left edge to the right one.

You could possibly measure yours to compare, but it looks like yours is a bit to high on your pictures.

Hope it helps you.

Cheers

Chris

Great job, Dirk.

... and a very helpful tutorial to all of us.

Cheers

Chris

Hello gents,

A couple of days ago, Iris advised me that preparing some stuff that I like to work on would help getting my motivation back… “Focus on some of the tiny bits you like to do.”, was her advice.

Even in these though times, women are ALWAYS right, isn’t it? …

I guess cutting Dirk’s frame into bits was worrying me more than I thought and I changed my plans.

With the canopy prepared, I could transfer its shape to the fuse following my “scientific compromise” positioning.

A mist of ammonia to assist the shaping of the sides and a small block of soft balsa to form the back end curve.

Nothing very impressive here, I’m afraid.

I also prepared some laminations of 6mm light balsa triangles to construct the inclined front part of the canopy.

Matata mingi, but please, keep safe

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Compromise Control

Thanks, Dirk.

Hope you're ok too.

I had a bit of a build mojo depth but I'm sure I'll manage to keep it as 'short' as possible.

I hope that with my cutting, I can 'keep' your splendid frame to a good standard later on.

Cheers & keep safe, young man

Chris

Hi Phil,

Hello Andy,

The Dog version of the F-86 has indeed no dihedral for the elevators.

There are a few other 'exceptions' like the F2-J Fury and the F3-J, both being the Navy and Marine Corps versions of the Sabre. They were heavily modified for carrier use like '6-3'-type folding wings, longer nose strut and a different canopy for better visibility, amongst other mods.

As Phil stated, the more 'regular' types of F-86s do have 10° dihedral for the elevator.

Please don't ask me what the aerodynamic result might be in both cases as I have no clue...

Cheers

Chris

... thanks, young man...

I'm looking forward to your Ejection Seat Manual, Dirk.

Meanwhile, allow me a question, please > regarding your GF frame, I suppose I can cut the main part of the 'holes' with a diamond disc on a Dremel.

But what should I use best for finishing the 'edges' ? A sanding drum? A cylindrical grinding stone?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Cheers

Chris

Hello again,

I decided to have the other elevator halve sanded with both tips still to do, then to abandon the block sanding for a while and, after a marathon of measurements, to have a go with the canopy.

In fact, I started with Dirk’s great fiberglass frame and I only had to adapt/shorten Dirk’s guidelines slightly as the Dog’s fuselage is of course a bit ‘fatter’…

I was still in an internal fight regarding the exact positioning of the ‘office’ but - as usual - I had an almost scientific compromise…

The Vortex canopy was then a touch easier as it only has to sit inside the fiberglass frame.

As per Dirk’s suggestion, simple scissors are very adequate for both jobs.

Thanks again, Dirk.

Matata, but keep safe

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Canopy Control

Thanks for your kind comment, Phil.

And yes, it felt nice to be in La Grotte again being able to progress a bit.

I hope I can finish the second halve today and then start pondering at the cockpit/canopy area.

Cheers & keep safe

Chris

Hi to all,

I had my first visit at La Grotte since a short while now.

The short journey went really smooth with 2 and 4 cars respectively met during my drive both ways.

I slowly started the sanding of the first of the elevator halves.

The tip has still to be done but I wanted to make a cardboard template first to easily reproduce the shape for the second halve.

Shaping/sanding balsa blocks is not really my thing but I convinced myself to be ‘as slow’ for the next part. Just one bite at the time…

‘Matata’, but be safe, all

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Slow Sanding Control

Thanks for your advice, Rob.

I have several indoor-type balsa kits or even a few life-boat type smaller kits to possibly build.

But I have not one bit of 'craft' basic tooling at home.

Anyhow, Iris is working from home now since a while and she is occupying the only possible spare room for her tele-conferences.

I am going to try out my 'escape' trick to get to La Grotte this afternoon.

Shopping bag, dito list and mouth mask are already prepared.

Well there's no special 'trick' about it really. We're allowed to go out for food shopping, pharmacy or petrol station.

So, I'll just pretend going/driving to the local mini-market if someone asks...

Simples, but no idea if it's going to be needed as I'll very probably be the only one on the road...

Cheers & take care, all

Chris