Gary's Brian Taylor P-47 build

The end is in sight Nick!! Really do think you've made a great job of it and it is great to see the little innovations you have made in the cowl area. Lots of great ideas for people to use or adapt if they need.

I don't think you need to change the canopy because it is not noticable in my opinion but I think you are the same as me in that when you know there is something not quite right, you end up focusing on it until it changes!!

I prime all my parts separately as well to allow for little touch ups but chances are you will need to prime around the joints when attached because you might need to add some filler to blend them in. Arguably you could do this first then prime after but all personal preference I suppose. Also, the final coat of primer is a massively pleasing time on the build for me, it signifies the end of the build and the beginning of the finish!

Gary

How many coats of primer Garry? I have a pretty smooth finish already from the primer filler that has mostly been sanded away. Will be using the P 88 you recommended and was planning to thin 50:50. Have bought tape from Phil at Fighter Aces for panel lines.

That primer is great Nick. The way I generally do it (and you are already past the first stage) is brush on a coat after glassing then sand that all back. This let's you see areas that obviously need filler, then spray on the next coat. Depending on how the finish is depends on whether I'm going to leave it or sand back again. Ideally, I want it all sanded back to a good finish then just 1 coat of "finishing" primer, especially with a good quality primer like p88.

I've only done a couple of models with this primer and that's worked well but I copied it from Danny Fenton (like I do with lots of techniques now! Thanks Danny) but the results are excellent. I usually thin it until it's the consistency of blue top milk but I think that will be around 50:50 as it is a thick paint before.

Gary

Yep sounds about right you can also use a more conventional primer for that final coat. But watch mixing paint types that can sometimes backfire.

Cheers

Danny

Thanks Garry. Hopefully one coat then if I am lucky. Need to mask up first (thank goodness I didn’t build a Texan) but been trying out a way to suspend the fuselage for spraying so I can simply rotate it as I go along and do it in one go.

I like the spray booth Nick, have you built that up?

I have an old stone wood/store shed with a bench along one wall. Made a simple frame from scrap wood and stapled heavyweight foil backed paper I had left over from a sauna I built. I have a drop down lightweight dust cover to keep dust away when not in use and can put it down after spraying too till paint hardens. Very basic. Will warm the space with a greenhouse heater prior to spraying as its not so warm these days.

I like it Nick, looks purpose built! I just hang plastic sheets from the roof in the garage but that has to go up and down whenever I spray so much prefer your idea. During the summer I spray outside but waiting for a still wind and dry day is like rocking horse poo this time of year

Standby to be shocked everyone.......................I've done something with my P-47 again!!!

The moth minor's wings came down from the shelf to get a final sand and glass them but i found that the cold damp weather has warped the sheet on one of them. A total pain but they're are inside to dry out properly and ill sort it from there. Mixed with this and the fact the Kougar rebuild is on hold waiting for paint meant that the Jug is back out!

The legend that is Brian Wood very kindly made me a new set of retracts so i have started making them scale. I got a block of Chemiwood from Phil at Fighter Aces and started carving me some forks. I haven't used chemiwood before so this a new experience and it seems like very useful stuff, easy to carve and tough.

Only very roughly carved them so far and still have to shape the edges and carve out some of the centre to match the photo behind them. I do think the ends are a little short so will extend them if needed before carving out the middle.

Never made forks before so chip in if yo have any advice but it feels good to get back on the Jug again.

Gary

Edited By Gary Clark 1 on 19/11/2020 17:45:43

Interesting, i use a fair bit of chemiwood, the blue density.

Never seen it used like this. The blue can be filed, drilled and machined in a lathe. I use it to make masters for silicone moulds.

Not sure it will be strong enough?

Cheers

Danny

Edited By Danny Fenton on 19/11/2020 19:39:59

I have no idea if it will be strong enough Danny! Brian recommends it so I am giving it a go. If not, I will probably design a set of forks on Fusion 360 and 3d print them.

It's all just an experiment really. Also, there shouldn't be much stress through them, just aesthetics really and will use a brass tube as a bushes so the hinge doesn't get worn.

The other option is make a silicon mould and cast a resin set? I do enjoy this experimental stuff.

Gary

Gary

Great to hear the P47 is back on Garry. Have heard of Chemiwood but tbh no clue how it is used after carving. Metal work is out of my league for now. Perhaps after the Covid pandemic has passed I shall take some classes as would love to learn.

Gary the obvious question is why not make these torsional brackets from alloy?

The other alternative is to steal them off a cheap set of KobbyKing struts? These are a set of cheap hobbyking struts, hidden in Litho shrouds.

now for Chemiwood, I have been writing about it for years.....

Those wheels you see in that picture and the rear brake calipers are all made from Chemiwood, turned on the lathe, then cast to create resin copies.

The masters are cast in boxes made from Lego, then the part removed through a slit.

These are the parts cast in very lightweight urethane, or for strength epoxy resin

This last shot of a Gypsy cylinder is all made from Chemiwood. its then set in silicone and a mould made.

This is a wheel cover from the above undercarriage.

And the finished cylinder for my Chipmunk, only one cylinder is visible through the front of the cowl

Hope that helps?

Cheers

Danny

That cylinder is a work of art Danny and very informative as always.

The reason I haven't made them from alloy is , like Nick, metalwork is the part of the hobby that I am neither experienced in or equipped for. I'd love a lathe and a mill but those are on the wish list just now.

I could get a cheap set from hobbyking but enjoy trying to make them. Unfortunately I may run out of skill at some point and concede.

I will have a quick go on fusion and see what I can produce

Gary

I decided to carry on with the chemiwood for a bit and I have the rough shape done, will give it a tidy up tomorrow but certainly look like oleo forks!

So does everyone know that old saying "measure twice, cut once"?

Not a big deal, these are more of an experiment but will carve some more anyway and decide if they will be cast or stay as chemiwood.

Gary

So the P-47 almost received a swift boot in the proverbials tonight for a couple of reasons.

I noticed that there is a ridge appeared in the top skin of 1 wing due to the dampness in the garage once it spends a few days in the house then i am sure it will be able to get fixed.

The biggest issue is the retract in the left wing. I thought it was pretty much sorted when i left it last time but it is not and no matter what i seem to do, I can't get the thing to sit it the correct position. It seems to be in exactly the same position and angle as the other side but somehow it is either misaligned and hits the spar on retracting or is squint when extended. I don't enjoy fitting retracts at the best of times but this is brutal!!

If anyway wants to visit Norfolk after lockdown and sort it for me then that would be great as i want to put it on a shelf and ignore it until it fixes itself right now!!

Deep breath and don't let me start anything new!

Gary

The oleo links look great, well done.

As for the retract, I should walk away and come back to it later, if you have made one side work then you can make the other side work too.

Cheers

Danny

Thanks Danny, I think the oleo will be fine after a bit of work and quite enjoying using chemiwood.

The frustrating thing is that the other side was done by the guy who I got the kit from and it is perfect. Therefore I thought copying it would be easy but really struggling for some reason. I think I might start it again as I don't know where its went wrong and it's looking a bit untidy with all the adjusting. Might just make a mock up and see how that works.

Tomorrow is another day and will get the fuse out and do a bit of planking I think.

Its these little challenges that make this hobby fun........that's what I'm telling myself!

Gary

That’s the spirit Garry. There is plenty of other building to do and the retract as irritating as is will certainly be fixable. You may recall the trouble I had with mine and how ultimately had to cut out the bearers and start again. Still don’t know how I got them sorted though, probably more luck than anything. Tbh when deployed I think they are still far from perfect as the wheels appear to have a degree of toe in. Perhaps it will help to keep her straight when taxying.

I like the oleo link work, that’s dedication to detailing. With Danny posting beautifully taken pictures of his very fine detailing work here too ,I realise just how high the bar is in some quarters.