C17 - keep on priming

Lots of bits still being primed and test fitted, final bits of priming hoped to be done this week, with a view to getting top coat started this weekend.

Engines test fitted for magnets :

Engines now have vortex generators and tail pipes added, then primed :

Flaps hinged onto wings : 

Flaps and engines mounted : 

Fuselage spraying has started too :

C17 - Paint at last, let's get her done!

It's been a while since I've posted (happy new year by the way!) but things have (as always) been moving along in the background.

The C17 has finished most of it's glass, but I'm always finding bits to remake or re-finish to tweak it a bit.  The port wing and most of the control surfaces have now been primed in 2k high build primer, with more bits waiting for garage space to get in there and get the same treatment.

After a quick rub down :

I forgot the battery / ballast box in the nose, so had to cut in and get that installed :

Engines are all now being finished off, as is the starboard wing and flap arrangement. Nearly 4 years after starting, the finish line is almost in sight!

C17 - the long slog continues

Flap canoes have now been all printed and attached to the bottom of the port wing, and some more tidying of the rippled veneer was also taken care of :

This wing is now all glassed, final canoe installation complete.

Parts are now being primed for the C17, so we're getting there!

The final official PSSA meet of the year

Well, just over a week since I got back, so here's some pictures.  Most of these are already out there on the 'net somewhere, but I have included them here for completeness.

I manage to stuff the big Antonov into the trailer and drag the big white heap up to the Orme.  No drama in the launch phase, but I was on full pucker-alert on landing - at the top flatter section of the SW / S bowl was where I donked an A10 landing in the distant past.  Anyway, all went OK and she was a bit of a crowd pleaser even though it's a hateful thing to fly.

A full trailer

I tried to sell the Antonov when I was there for £50, but had no takers - shame!

The Stuka was much more interesting and went well, although the C of G was too far back so was a bit pitchy.  A little damage on landing but all repaired now.

The Spit, Hurri and little Mustang all flew without issues too.  All in all a good end to the season.

F-100 Super Sabre for PSS

 The North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter / bomber that saw service in Vietnam along side the F-105 Thunderchief as fighter support.  A long time ago I found the plans here on Outerzone, and promptly printed a set.

The model will have a 56" wingspan, be of foam core wing and fully built up fuselage construction, and will be a glassed finish.

As there is a mass-build event for the F-86 Sabre, I decided to do it differently (for a change!) and make the SUPER version instead.

The wing is in production with Cloud Models, using a decent slope section, and should be ready soon.  The fuselage is already well under way at home. 

Formers all cut from 1.5mm birch ply

Notched and lightened

Built around a lite-ply crutch

Coming along!

Fin being built up

Fin pinned on temporarily 

Some more stringers added, and sheeting / planking started

Well, she should be ready quite early in the season next year, and I'm looking forward to flying her.  The C17 of course is still being worked on in the background, but when I need a break from glassing and sanding, I like to keep modelling momentum up with some balsa bashing.

Some flying and other projects

I had a great 5 hour session on my club slope at Burton Dassett this past Sunday, with 3 aircraft flown.  Booming lift, but very bumpy close-in (the trees at the base are the cause, I'm sure) and massive thermals once pushed out from the slope.

CeePee and Mini-Blade Carbon

Mini-Blade and Valkyrie

The Mini-Blade performed as well as always, but could have done with some ballast I feel, but I flew so many high powered aeros from altitude, I'll forgive it's lightness. I really don't think I've ever flown so many non-stop aeros with any other airfraft as I did with the MB that day - spectacular.

The Valkyrie went well, but it was trying my patience when rigging.  It's probably 2+ years since I'd flown her last, and I'd forgotten just how fiddly the assembly is - she might visit the workshop soon for some mods!

The new CeePee...well, it was blustery.  I managed to push her away from the slope and enjoyed the responsiveness and speed across slope, as well as a few simple aeros.  Alas, the blustery bumpiness took its toll, and she was rolled over close-in on a pass that I couldn't recover from.  The fuselage took a big crack nearly around it's circumference, ending it's day.  All repaired now, just need to add some black solarfilm over the repair.

Onto new stuff, then.

I've committed to a 150% Jet Provost build, which should be a great size for the slope, and have already modelled some cockpit parts.

I've drawn up a 56" Gloster Meteor (Meatbox) F4 plan that I'll be getting laser cut shortly.

And I've started build on something else - another "century series" fighter, that Matt Jones and I are building one off each.

More to follow!

Antonov, C17 and some sport models

Some odds and sods being take care of now that the major builds for this year are done with.  First off, the Antonov engine parts.  The paper cups have been chopped to length, primed, then sprayed silver :

I printed 6 off spiders to hold these in the ABS engines :

And here is one mounted in the engine.  A bit of glue, then they're all done :

I bought a small sport model from Silencemodel in France, called the CeePee.  A smart little thing, and a complete CNCkit with hardware too:

All built:

Covering started:

Finished and ready for servos.  Removable wings and tailplane (all-flying tail), should weigh about 220g AUW :

Some mods to the C17.  I've decided to delete the top surface spoilers, due to the complexity and doubts about their stiffness at this scale.  I filled the pockets with soft half-inch sheet, carved them flat, and wiped over with some lightweight filler.  Just a little bit of glass over that, and the it's time to continue with the flap canoes:

A bit of a mix, but the C17 is now firmly back on the bench.

PSS Hawker Seahawk - maidened!

A great afternoon's flying on Saturday at the Bwlch PSSA meet saw me maiden the little Seahawk.  Needless to say, she's a keeper!  A real charm to fly - responsive in all axes, a good speed range, looks bloody lovely.  Can't wait to get out there again with her.

Thanks to Phil Cooke for the photos.

1/6th Scale PSS A10 Thunderbolt II - upgrades and repairs - part 3

OK so work continues on the new tail.  Here we have the carbon spar, hinge blocks, servo bays, and wiring all in place for the rudder servos : 

Then some local bracing for the carbon dowels to stick through at the front of the tail.  Here, she is shown mounted in the fuselage:

And from the top - perfect fit!

The top skin was then added, along with a liteply end face, that had the carbon tube protruding through.  Front hole is for wiring access, rear hole is for the M4 bolt :

The fins then need a corresponding mating face.  This was pressed up against the vertical spars within the balsa structure, locally reinforced with triangular section.  The carbon dowel was cyano'ed in place, then backed up with a large, thickened, epoxy fillet on the back face.  

The gap that currently has balsa wedges in will be lined with balsa to tie the skin in, and neaten things up a bit :

Bolt holes drilled through and now mounted on the original plastic bolts: 

Then the fin was slipped on, and the nylon bolt done up: 

From the inside: 

So I need to do the other fin mounting plate, line the fin gaps with balsa, do the tailplane blends front and back, then its ready for glassing.

Onwards!