Stearman PT-17 in progress

[jack lee]

Here's the progress on my second build. My last posting was in August. It sure feels good to be back on the forum again. I enjoy seeing everyone's photos and ideas.
Like my Piper Cub, this one will be static.
I'm stumped about how to get the wings right. All I can think of is some sort of complicated scaffolding.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.










The bottom wing isn't glued yet, just wedged into postion

[jack lee]

The real thing!

[hurt138]

Thats looking very nice and clean.

[Phugoid]

That is a superb picture, in lots of ways it shows how close the constuction is between our tuppence a' penny models and the real thing.....

[scigs30]

Out of the larger Guillow kits, I always thought this one would fly great on rubber with a few minor changes. Awesome build so far.............Come on, throw some rubber in it and give it a toss....What can go wrong?

[ADW 123]

ya know ive always wondered if when im building lets say the strearman, whether i should add the moveble allerons and stuf. it does make it a little more challenging, and i have allways had some trouble with the hinging. i always get some glue in the cloth, and the cloth ends up breakng in half. any ideas?

[Phugoid]

I use the soft wire stripped from sandwich bag ties. I make holes in opposite positions on the edges of the parts to be hinged with a pin and push the wire in and secure with CA, this is one of the rare applications I have for CA

[ADW 123]

maybe next time you have to hinge somthing you could give me a picture of the detail.

[scigs30]

Did you use the kit wood or replacement wood?

[cliffm]

I too find the challenge of the movable surfaces adds to the realism of the model along with the wifes comments of was I too lazy or some other doctrine to sway me to include them in the construction. You'll find in the directions the use of the scrap plastic for hinges is easy and very simple to apply. If they come out too loose you can always use a dab of CA to secure them. The real trick is getting all those small applications of covering to come out wrinkle free. Have fun!

[ADW 123]

well i always thougth that putting CA on plastic will just make it break

[jack lee]

scigs30

I used the wood strait from the kit. I don't want to fly this one because I don't want to crash it.
I am planning to fly my next build; Cessna 172. I already have the kit, but I work so slowly it may be 2011 before the flight test.

[scigs30]

"I don't want to fly this one because I don't want to crash it" I hear you brother, crashing is not fun. My goal now is to get a good flight, take pictures and turn the plane into a hanger queen. I don't want to press my luck. I will say all of my planes suffer some damage during flights that is easily repaired. The minor damage kind of looks cool as the model ages.....Can't wait to see this one finished.

[Phugoid]

I agree on that, you do sometimes feel that you can push your luck esp. when you've had a really smashed up model.

I've got a Ragedy old Nesmith Cougar Peanut and a very lube splatered FROG Redwing that I just fly all of the time knowing and acceptaing that there will be the day that they both go up to the big hanger in the sky!

[cliffm]

ADW 123 Yes, if you apply CA to a piece of plastic it will make it very brittle. To secure one of the plastic hinges in it's slot all you need is a very small amount on the front and back edges to secure the piece in it's slot. If you use a thin cutting tool to make the slot and camber the edge of the plastic hinge that goes into the slot you should'nt have a problem. Of all the hinges I've made like this only 2 required me to use CA and that was because I used an X-Acto blade to make the slot intead of a razor blade.