Monday 27 June 2016

Albatross builds - cockpit update

I took this photo last week, but forgot to post it.  It's the first L59 just before it goes into final paint, showing off her cockpit details.


Obviously the tape will come off first, but I'm pretty happy with the way the cockpit moulding went.  

Tuesday 21 June 2016

F15C build - introduction

At the weekend, I found this lovely little glass-and-wood F15C on one of the trader's stands.  I did like it, and so did Shona.  After walking away, I asked her to go back and make a cheeky offer for it - she did, and it worked!

...So technically I didn't buy this one! :)

Here it is :


Lovely isn't she?  It's from a HET kit, that would have been for EDF, but we'll have none of those noise makers in this little birdy thankyou!  The fuselage is all lightweight glass mouldings, including the verticals.  The wing is fully built up, and the taiplanes are solid balsa.

Mod's will be quick and simple :

  • Remove the verticals, make them slot-in (after MiG29's tails have been snapped off many times)
  • Make tailerons into all-flying-tail
  • Some carbon reinforcement in the nose
  • Cut-in ailerons, add servo tray in the front for all 3 servos
  • Mould new canopy.
I was going to go for a fancy Japanese aggressor scheme, but I've had enough of complicated spray jobs.  This will most likely be 2-tone tactical grey, just like what can be seen flying through the Mach loop.

Onwards!

Monday 20 June 2016

A great weekend!

What a great weekend, with the best of company and pretty good weather too.

My first trip to Weston Park was brilliant - loads of great aircraft and precision flying, loads of laughs and loads of sun.  I even bought some models, oops!  I also came away with a great big stash of balsa and liteply, ready for this and next year's projects.

Amazing quality B2 Spirit, turbine powered.   I didn't see it fly though :(




Amazing pyros and fun-fighter flying!
Sunday was all about one special lady - XM655 at Wellesbourne.  I will get some photos up of her soon doing her fast taxi, as they are all on the big camera.

I will also update the blog shortly with some details on the new air-frames too - 4 powered aircraft and 1 new PSS!

Thursday 16 June 2016

L59 build progress - cockpit and paint

The first L59 (or L39..whatever) is approaching its paint stage - I just need to get the cockpit detail done first.

Without cockpit

With cockpit, a quick bit of bench flying

Pilots with primer
Pilots now being hand-painted, in between waiting for the glue to dry on Seahawk planking!

Hawker Seahawk progress - Planking

I'm really getting in the groove again on the Seahawk, and enjoying the planking again.  Progress has been swift and I've been marking the plan up with improvements as I go, because I'd like to make a second with removable wings at some point.

From this..

To this...

..And a bit more of this!
I'm off to Weston Park model show on Saturday, so will look at picking up some bits and pieces for her - mainly some more balsa but there isn't a great deal to go on now.  Can't wait to get this one flying!  Which reminds me, I need to look at colour schemes again and make a final decision.

Tuesday 14 June 2016

Vulcan progress - done!

I managed it.  3 resprays on the wings, last minute lacquer, and programming on the hill, but she made it!


She didn't get to fly unfortunately as the wind didn't play ball, but there you go - such is slope soaring!  I'll keep the Vulc on "Ready 1", and make a special maiden trip up to the Big Rock when the conditions come good before the Lleyn hopefully.

So that's 3 meets this year with 3 new aircraft.  Can I keep it up? What do you think!  With 2 months to go until the Lleyn, I have plenty (!) of time to finish off the Seahawk and secret project number 1.  Easy :)


Wednesday 8 June 2016

Vulcan progress - paint disaster! & PSS forecast

Well it was all going so well, until this :

In my haste to get her finished, I used the cheapo masking tape to back up the blue vinyl tape.  I thought that the cheap stuff would need some extra persuasion to stick, so used a seam roller to flatten it all down before paint.  Now, this is a method I have used before  on masking, but not with acrylic paint - usually when using 2K or enamels, which bond a LOT better than the water based stuff.

So, not only did the cheap stuff fetch the paint off, the vinyl did too - right down to the Oracover.  Balls.  So you can see I have started re-applying blue vinyl on the green now, and I will pick up some more Frog tape "yellow" tonight.  I have to go into town anyway to get the satin varnish, but it's something I'd rather not have to do.  Live and learn!

So the weather, then.  At the beginning of the week, it looked good enough to fly everything in the fleet this weekend.  Now - it's turned crap.  No wind, plenty of rain.  Balls.  Rhossili is looking fine with a handy SW  / W that should be good enough to get the Vulcan away, so I will leave it until Thursday night then decide where to go.

Tuesday 7 June 2016

Vulcan progress - nose and intakes, plus PSSA

Just a quick snap from lunchtime showing the decals on the nose and canopy, plus the intakes are now painted black.  She really is getting there.  Today my order of blue vinyl masking tape arrived, so I should be able to finish the wings tonight, after another masking marathon.


This weekend's PSSA meet on the big rock looks like it should be good - some strong SW and W wind coming through, with Sunday looking the better day for the big stuff, which will make the CSA guys happy I'm sure.

Also, Monday looks brilliant (again) - luckily I have booked it off (again)! 3 days of sloping on the rock - can't be beaten.

Monday 6 June 2016

Vulcan progress - decals and tailpipes

I ordered these as a custom job from a chap on eBay - all for £9!  I have the nose-art ones too which I'll post tomorrow.  Looks great!


My worries about the tailpipe manufacture and fitment are over too, I think.  Empty dry yeast containers to the rescue :


A perfect fit!  I'll cut these down and prime them ready for some silver spray tonight.  That was easy :)

Vulcan progress - the paint goes on

XL360 is now getting her colour.  The underside has been done in the lovely light RAF grey that I colour matched to the real XL360 in Coventry, and that has been masked off.
A Vulcan in grey primer

All masked up underneath

Then it was on to the top surfaces.


The light grey is what has been sprayed.  This is the general pattern that I then masked off, ready for the green.

Then the green gets sprayed on.


Then we pray that the masking did its job..it did!  There were a couple of blemishes from the blue vinyl tape, where it lifted not only the grey but the primer too.  Oops!  This was easily remedied with a small brush, however.

Getting close...
I've run out of blue vinyl tape (already ordered and on it's way), so on to the bottom of the wings with some controls system sorting.



All done.  4 metal geared, high speed mini servos (Coronas - my favourite), and some M2 linkage hardware makes this part complete.  I need to spray the hatch covers the correct colour at some point too, of course.

Nearly there!