Airshow Models (Fisher) Pitts S2B

[Leaning_Dog]

Thanks, Peter & Brian!

 

I am trying something new (for me anyway) using decal stripes along the color demarcation lines on the wings and stabilizer. I started with the 1/32" stripes on the horizontal stabilizer and to my eye they look pretty good. Granted, the process of measuring, cutting and applying each one is a bit tedious...  

 

Here is an image of the three sheets I'm using (the lettering for the "N" number is dry-transfer):

 

 

Here is the result after a couple hours of trial and error - I'm sure the rest will go much quicker now that I have figured out how to cut the angles. I think the pin striping really gives the scheme some 'pop' and is definitely worth the extra work.

 

 

 

 

I have a lot more stripes to do... the next post will probably be when all of the striping, decals and lettering are finished.

 

Thanks for watching!  

 

Cheers!

 

John.

Edited January 11, 2020 by Leaning_Dog
Replacing Photobucket images

[Hubert Boillot]

Excellent idea for the pin-striping. Well worth the effort.

 

Hubert

[LSP_Kevin]

Terrific work, John! Looks great.

 

Kev

[Zero77]

This cute little machine looks very good !

And very good job with the painting and yellow decal stripes. It seems that's the right way to go.

[Out2gtcha]

Cooooooooooooooooooool!    Looks great

[geedubelyer]

Agreed. Those yellow stripes add alot of pizzazz. Such a lovely job so far on this little bipe. Good job.

 

Cheers.

[Leaning_Dog]

Well... after working diligently on applying the yellow decal striping, progress once again came to a halt as work and life issues took center stage.  For the last three months, the little Pitts rested quietly on the workbench.  Today, with great enthusiasm I returned to my old friend to begin what I hoped would be the final push to completion.  

 

 

Unfortunately, over the last several weeks, the blue paint on the top wing has cracked - a fine web of cracks covering the entire top wing - but only the blue paint.  The white remains perfectly smooth.  I have used this Tamiya TS paint on several projects over the years, and this is the first time I have experienced this cracking.  There could be a number of reasons the paint cracked - but I'm completely baffled as the entire airframe was painted at the same time, yet the cracking has only occurred on the top of the upper wing, and the rudder.

 

 

 

So...  the rudder is being stripped at the moment, and the wing will be next.  Followed by yet another session of masking, painting and decals.  For such a small model, this one is presenting a pretty big challenge.  

 

Cheers!

 

John.

Edited January 11, 2020 by Leaning_Dog
Replacing Photobucket images

[Leaning_Dog]

Well... after stripping the rudder I decided to make a new one. The rudder is a very thin resin casting and was badly warped when I acquired the kit. I tried to straighten it several times, but no matter what I did I couldn't get it to look right. Just when I thought I had it fixed, the resin would begin to return to it's original shape. Since this is my first all-resin build, I don't know if this is a result of the resin, the casting process, or my own lack of experience with these things. 

 

Nevertheless - at this point it just seemed easier to make a new one. I used the casting as a pattern and cut the new rudder out of 0.015" Evergreen sheet. I cut thin strips of Tamiya masking tape to replicate the fabric tape, and made new control 'horns' out of 0.015" stock. The tail wheel control arm is made from Evergreen strip stock, cut down and sanded until I thought the thickness looked right. A quick dry fit looks pretty good to me, so hope to spray some primer on it tomorrow. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pretty happy so far with how this is turning out.  Thanks for watching!

 

Cheers!

 

John.

Edited January 11, 2020 by Leaning_Dog
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[LSP_Kevin]

Great work on the rudder, John! No stopping you now.

 

Kev

[Zero77]

Thanks for sharing !

 

What a shame for the cracks on the blue paint.... Indeed it's very strange. Tamiya spraycan paint is one of the strongest hobby paint, there is not cracks on the fuselage so it doesnt seem to be related to the paint, but the white is ok on the wing so it doesnt seem to be related to the resin either. Very mysterious....

 

 

Good luck for the next steps, and keep it coming !

[hamfists nz]

Is there an option to do the extended tail wheel? Personally I like that look better

[Leaning_Dog]

Hi Guys - thanks for the nice comments.  

 

On 6/21/2016 at 3:46 AM, hamfists nz said:

Is there an option to do the extended tail wheel? Personally I like that look better

 

The tail wheel supplied in the kit is a very nice lost-wax brass casting. And yes - when compared with the majority of tail wheel assemblies on full-size Pitts S2B's that I have seen (in person and photographs), the overall length appears a little bit short. As a guess, I'd say it's short by about 2.0 mm give or take.

 

 

With permission from the owner, I was able to examine and photograph a Pitts S2B at our local airport. From the images below, you can clearly see how much longer the "leaf-spring" arm is on the actual aircraft. It's fairly simple and wouldn't pose much of a challenge to scratch build a correct length tail wheel assembly should you so desire. For this build, I'm going to use the kit part with a few little additions, and call it good.

 

 

 

 

 

That being said, these aircraft are hand-built to order and often modified throughout their service life, so calling any component "typical" comes with a certain level of risk... As always, check your references... 

 

Thanks for watching!

 

Cheers!

 

John.

Edited January 11, 2020 by Leaning_Dog
Replacing Photobucket images