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1/16 scale scratch built AT-38B Talon-The Smurf jet is back!


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Hello again!

 

Pressing on with the vertical tail construction. The leading edge is air-dry Bondo over a .040 styrene core. I ended-up using the air dry #907 Bondo instead of what I intended (the #801) which you mix with a hardener. Funny-I got tripped-up because the packaging was mis-labeled. It did work, however..but no more air dry Bondo for me. Believe it or not, it did dry OK even though I mixed it with a hardener (not supposed to)

 

Using the drawings, I carefully located the holes for the round position lights and the rectangular beacon. These were drilled out slowly from both sides using progressively larger drill bits. The rectangular hole was cleaned up with a file and finished with .020 sheet. A section of styrene tube with the correct inner diameter (.165) was inserted for the position light.

SDC11671.jpg

SDC11672.jpg

 

Some other low spots were filled with Bondo, then I began working up the fin cap. The very top of the tail got a section of .005 aluminum sheet on the leading edge. This helped sharpen up a very thin section of the airfoil and lend some strength. Also, it helped me define the fin cap panel that was built up with Bondo.

To make the fin cap panel, I first layed down a strip of vinyl tape along the panel line, then spread the 801 Bondo over the entire area, overlapping the tape. Once dry, I sanded to the tape. When you remove the tape, you have a beautiful smooth panel raised up about .005. The angle of the photo makes it look like the panel is not pure-level, but it is:

SDC11677.jpg

SDC11678.jpg

 

This Bondo panel will butt-up against the eventual aluminum sheet skin below it like this-

SDC11679.jpg

 

This is a great way to make panels that would be difficult to sheet with the aluminum. Once this area is primed, I'll add the rivet detail along the panel line. I can't claim ownership of this technique; it was borrowd from Timmy! who used this technique so effectively in several spots of his OV-10.

 

More to follow-

 

Regards,

 

Pete

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Hell again-

 

I've started sheeting the tail with aluminum.

 

I'm using this Art Emboss sheet..comes in a 5ft roll. It's about .005 thick and very malleable/workable. Here's the label from the tube-

SDC11680.jpg

 

I start by cutting out the section of panel from my drawings that I want to make. I glue the pattern down to a section of the aluminum sheet- Once glued down, I cut out the areas for the beacon and position light-

SDC11683.jpg

 

Using a beading tool of the right size diameter, I impress each rivet on the sheet, one at a time-

SDC11681.jpg

 

This will make very nice, recessed rivets. This process will leave a raised dimple on the backside of the sheet that I'll gently smooth out, ensuring the recessed rivets survive-

SDC11682.jpg

 

With all of the rivets in place, I remove the paper and trim the sheet to fit the tail-

SDC11684.jpg

 

Now for the "exciting" part. I spread contact cement, thinned with laquer thinner on the backside of the sheet and on the section of the tail to be covered. Mustering some nads, take a deep breath and lay the sheet down. The contact cement will grab instantly, so you better get it right the first time. Viola-

SDC11685.jpg

SDC11686.jpg

SDC11687.jpg

 

This is the "raw" surface, and still needs to be dressed-out. The beauty of this aluminum is it quilts just like the real thing, and is thick enough to handle sanding out any blemishes you dont want-

SDC11688.jpg

 

Lots more to do on this...more to follow-

 

Regards,

Pete

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Pete, Timmy, just found this thread and I have to say it is amazing stuff! Its quite literally and very successfully merged modelling with engineering and I have to say you are both very talented to be able to do that.

 

Keep up the great work, ill carry on sticking stuff together!

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Pete, Timmy, just found this thread and I have to say it is amazing stuff! Its quite literally and very successfully merged modelling with engineering and I have to say you are both very talented to be able to do that.

 

Keep up the great work, ill carry on sticking stuff together!

 

Thanks for the kind words-I appreciate that!

I've got just about the whole tail sheeted..Here's the left side now:

SDC11701.jpg

 

The curved area of the leading edge was a bit of a challenge. I managed to wrap this section (as well as the other section of the leading edge) with one continuous sheet. Some persuasion was required of the aluminum..

SDC11699.jpg

 

Still more to do on the tail....

 

Regards,

 

Pete

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Outstanding stuff Pete. It's a pleasure to watch you work.

 

Kev

 

Thanks Kev- I appreciate that. I'm considering posting less often, so I can include more progress with each update. Might be more interesting for folks too. This latest photo isn't much, but represents about 3 hours of work..

 

Got the tail all sheeted, and I've started working on the fuel overflow intake and dump vents. I made one master for each, and vac formed copies; this way I can ensure the intake is open as well as the dump..plus they are identical for both sides-

 

Here's a look:

SDC11703.jpg

 

More to follow-

 

Pete

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Wow Pete...............what can I say mate, absolutely stunning. Seeing this quality of work......you can come over and work on my real plane anytime!

 

Just amazing, I might try to see if I can locate some of that stuff over here.

 

Cheers and thanks

Anthony

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Wow Pete...............what can I say mate, absolutely stunning. Seeing this quality of work......you can come over and work on my real plane anytime!

 

Just amazing, I might try to see if I can locate some of that stuff over here.

 

Cheers and thanks

Anthony

 

Thanks Anthony- What kind of aeroplane do you have? Very cool.

 

I should point out that once the skin is on, it gets aggressively sanded with 220 grit to knock down the ridge lines along the rows of rivets, and smooth out most of the wrinkles in the skin-Plus it does reduce the size of the rivets while making them flush.

 

I've skinned the tail 2 and 1/2 times now. my first 1 and a half efforts weren't quite up to snuff, so pics to follow shortly-

 

Pete

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:blowup: :m0152: :wow: :lol: :lol: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow:

 

 

It's a build like this, that will eventually turn me into a crushed, wet, paper bag. I think Keith, Allok said it best once....

 

"I think it's a wee bit much for me, I'll go take a nap now" or something to that effect. Oh well. back to the coloring books for me, wheres my bib, and blanky?

 

 

 

UHHH, BTW- Great work!!!

 

Peace,

 

Alfonso

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello again,

 

Still moving forward, albeit slowly. Many do-overs..

 

I figured the best way to build this was inside-out; aft to forward. Here is a look at the tail support box coming together: This assembly will support the vertical tail, horizontal slabs, and AB section of the engines-

SDC11732.jpg

SDC11735.jpg

 

Intake master: This piece extends farther forward than what I need. This will allow me to cut it back at the proper angle/width once it's vacformed:

SDC11729.jpg

 

Remember how the master was engineered so the canopy and windscreen could be separated from the fuselage? Here ya go. The removed section will be used to form the clear parts.

SDC11747.jpg

SDC11749.jpg

Also spent many hours and many days making the bulkheads for the main gear well / speedbrake area. How well these fit tell you alot about your master pattern-

SDC11750.jpg

SDC11752.jpg

 

Thanks for looking-

 

Pete

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Awesome work Pete! How do you cut out those shapes so neatly and accurately?

 

Kev

 

Hi Kev-

 

Good question-It took me a while to figure it out...Timmy and I discussed this quite a bit, and as simple an operation as it sounds, after picking his brain, I picked up some new techniques.

 

First, the drawings of each bulkhead are glued down to styrene sheet with a glue stick. Once it's dry, I use a scalple to rough-cut around the panel..or my scroll saw if I'm lazy. Then I'll use files and a sanding block to sand right up to the edge. All the shape-checking against the master for proper fit is done with the paper pattern still glued to the sheet. Once the fit is perfect, then I soak the paper off the bulkhead with water in the sink. Here's a paper templete glued to .040 sheet:

SDC11761.jpg

 

Here are all those bulkheads together to form the main gear wells, speedbrake wells, and wing attach points:

SDC11756.jpg

SDC11755.jpg

SDC11754.jpg

 

Here's the whole assembly just set into the fuselage-not glued in yet...more to do still-

SDC11759.jpg

SDC11758.jpg

SDC11760.jpg

 

More to follow in a day or two! Thanks for looking-

 

Pete

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GOOD GRIEF, feel like I stumbled into the wrong forum here. I humbly feel unworthy to comment, but what the hey, I can relate in as much that I trained in a Cessna 150 :)

 

Even worked with bondo a bazillion years ago and if I wasn't so late to the show would have mentioned that you can get most of it off easily just as it begins to set up.

 

Although I can't imagine a compliment that hasn't already been given, this is extreemly interresting and fun to watch. :popcorn:

 

Fred

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