Aeronca Build

[scigs30]

I don't have too many Guillows kits that I can build straight from the box because of the weight of the wood. I did find this older Aeronca kit that has light balsa, but it is also has die crunched pretty bad. I decided to build it anyway thinking I might be able to get this to fly. I normally use Elmers glue but since the wood is crushed and porous, I am using Testors wood cement. I compared the wood from the new kit vs the old and you can see the difference. The newer kit has wood that is almost twice as heavy. The newer kit would never fly if I used the kit wood. Any way I started punching out the parts and matching them up to the plans. As you can see the notches are way too big for 1/16 stringers so I will have to fill with balsa later. I also sand off the print so it does not show through the kit tissue. So far all the balsa structures weigh in at 20.2 grams, that is pretty good for no weight reduction. I will cover with kit tissue, use a Guillows 6 inch prop and the guillows button and shaft. When all done I am going to fly her and see how well she does. If she is too heavy I will build another using lighter wood. I can tell you that cutting out my own parts is much easier than fixing the die crushed parts.
Old kit vs new kit wood

Weight of the kit I am building from

The newer version has heavy wood

Matching up the parts

Sanding the parts

First side built

Using the Rocky top jig for the second side

[scigs30]

All the parts are built, and will begin covering next week.

[scigs30]

Started covering the plane this morning and had to stop since family came over. I am using the domestic tissue that came with the kit. I apply it with 50/50 water/Elmers glue. Since the tissue is stiff I dampen it first then put it on. This allows for a wrinkle free finish. I don't know what that white stuff is on the root rib, something with the camera. Any way you can see how tight the tissue is and I still have not applied the water to shrink it. Who says domestic tissue is cra*?

[scigs30]

I have not covered the cabin area yet, will wait until after the wings are glued on. Doing this prevents the cabin root rib from warping in causing a gap between the fuselage and wing. I have one wing covered and shrunk and same as the fuselage.
Wing before shrinking.

Fuselage before shrinking



Wing and fuselage after shrinking, still have to brush on dope.

[Xanadu]

Beautiful job of covering.......

[groundlooped]

coming along quite nicely Scigs,I have the newer version,the wood is very heavy so will be replaced as usual with contest grade,I'm watching with great interest to see how this one performs.
Cheers Col

[scigs30]

I already have the parts cut out of quality balsa and will build another Aeronca after this one. I don't expect much from this one.

[scigs30]

Everything is covered and has been shrunk with water except the top of the cabin area. Not one wrinkle with the Guillows tissue. The weight is adding up and I still have to add 2 coats of dope. The weight of everything is 40 grams. The Guillow Piper Cub with replacement is at 34 grams and that includes the chunk of clay in the nose. The Cessna is at 40grams with the clay also. I will finish the Aeronca today and hope to have it out flying in the next day or so. Also my green Esaki tissue came in the mail so I can finish covering my Comet P-40.

[scigs30]

This was a fast build, now I will start covering my Comet P40 since the tissue came in the mail today.....Thanks Easybuilt. This is what a Guillows kit looks like built right out of the box with no modifications. Overall a fun build and the final weight with clay in the nose is 48 grams. If the wood was any heavier I don't think this plane would have a shot at flying. I am hoping to get a chance at flying her tomorrow.

[Xanadu]

Extremely nice workmanship!

[scigs30]

I took the Aeronca out flying today, and it did better than I thought. I did have to add some down thrust and some more clay. I took a bunch of pictures but these are the only ones that came out. Normally the little lady takes the pictures and that is why they come out so nice.

[scigs30]

30 or so more Guillows kits and I am done