Anothen new guy with a P-40

[atomicholiday]

Hey, how's everybody doin'?
I've been lurking around here for a few weeks now and decided now was the time to say hello. I'm just getting started in this hobby with the P-40 (#501) as my first attempt. I used to build plastic models (mainly hot rods & muscle cars) about 25 years ago, but I wanted to give balsa a try for something different. I started with the P-40 because I love the warbirds, but I have a Cessna 170 lined up to build next if I can't get this one to fly.

So here's the deal. I'm going to try and make this thing fly with kit rubber and prop. At least to start with, and then I'll change that stuff out later. From what I gather around here, I don't expect much success with kit parts, but I gotta give it a shot.

I have everything framed now and am ready for covering. This is what I'm a bit confused on. It looks like there are a couple different methods that can be used to cover and not many complete tutorials on any of them. After researching here and around the web, here is the method I think I'm goin with:

1) Seal & sand all outer edges of all frames. I'm thinking of using 50/50 Elmer's & water for this.

2) Attach tissue to frames. Again I was thinking of the 50/50 glue & water method here. Or would 50/50 dope work better?

3)Shrink tissue with mist of water.

4) Seal the tissue. I'm planning on using thinned dope for this step. Either Aero Gloss or Brodak. Thoughts?

Is this a good method for covering? Does it sound like I'm on the right path for a successful first build here? Any thoughts, suggestions would be more than welcome.

Thanks!

Jeremy

[MakMov]

depends on if you are planing on using the kit tissue or not.

The domestic kit tissue doesn't hold up to white glue or water very well, while I was able to cover a wing with the white glue method it was far more difficult and didn't turn out as well as with dope.

Also you need to be really light on the misting of water for shrinking. Too heavy or too much spraying force and the tissue will sag and never be tight even if you attached it well and tight.

AFAIK Aero gloss is Byuterate dope, and I think you want to use Nitrate dope.

Byuterate is always continuing to shrink and could over time warp or damage an, especially light, airframe. Nitrate shrinks until dry and then stops.

FWIW, you picked one of the more difficult planes to build and cover.

[Squishyp38]

welcome to the forum!

[atomicholiday]

Thanks for the welcome and quick responses!

MakMov, Yup, I'm using kit supplied tissue on this one. I don't want to spend any extra $ on it since it's a first attempt. It'll probably crash & burn anyway! haha!
So, maybe I should go with Brodak nitrate for attaching and covering? Am I on the right track here or is there a better way altogether?

Here's a shot of what I have finished so far. Feel free to critique.

[Steve Blanchard]

I would skip the sealing part of step one and sand then use glue stick to adhere the tissue. No stinky fumes and less work. There is a great tutorial as well at the Easy Built Models web site by master modeler Tom Hallman. Here is the link http://www.easybuiltmodels.com/seamless.htm This is the method I have been using for the past 10 years and I've never had an issue with it. The other methods work as well or better for others and that's what you will have to decide. You need to try a couple of ways and figure out what works best for you.

Good Luck!

Steve

[Shug]

Looks great, a very neat build. Much better than my 1st attempt at a balsa plane, now on my second, only marginally better! I use a product called Deluxe materials tissue paste, You can buy in online and in hobby shops here in the UK, I'm not sure if you can get it or something similar in the States, everyone seems to use watered down glue! I found the tissue paste a miracle product, as I was having no luck at all trying to attach the tissue with dope- it tends just to soak into the balsa. This works well to seal it but is useless for actual covering. I find the tissue in the kits to be pretty forgiving and gives a pretty good finish when sealed with 50/50 cellulose dope/thinners mix- the only down side is that it doesn't come in pretty colours and is probably a bit heavy for someone trying to build a really light flyer.

Hope this helps, and please post more pics, I plan to get some of my Cub and Cessna 150 up soon!

Shug

[MakMov]

looks better than mine, I am building the same kit right now as well.

Didn't see your belly piece, but I am sure you have somewhere.



I just haven't built my wing yet

[BassettsAllSorts]

Hi looks great - Hopefully I'll build that one at some point.

[atomicholiday]

Thanks for the complements guys, but believe me. It's sloppier than it looks in the pics. One part that kinda scares me is I didn't fit the nose until the fuse was built. And of course I had to sand the fuse way down so it would fit. Now all the stringers are really thin where they meet at the front. I don't think it's gonna take much abuse. Lesson learned, right?

I'm looking into the glue stick method for covering now. Looks like it's much easier. Guess I need to make a run to the store now.

That looks great MakMov. And it reminds me, I forgot to build the belly piece!

Thanks again for the tips! I'll post more pics when I have more to report.

[MakMov]

I had the same issue with the cowl that first former is way to big and had to sand a LOT off.I have learned however to fit the cowl before all the stringers.

Yeah, same, may look better in the pictures. Even with the newer retooled die cut kits there is a lot to be desired. A lot of cuts are just way out of register, and the keel cuts are always too wide. However, they are cheap and good practice, skill builders, I call them.

I have played with glue sticks and use them as an aid, but I think overall, inspite of the stink, I like the dope method the best. I have had best results from doping.

[ADW 123]

I found the belly piece easier to build once the wing has been installed. you add the formers on the bottom fo the wing (glue them in, they usually line up with stringers on the bottom, so that makes it easier) and then you add on that "side keel" the same way you add the side keel on the fuselage at the begining. Use that booklet that always comes with those kits too. they usually do a pretty good job explaining everything for your first builds. now that i think about it, i dont think they mention the way the belly piece is supposed to go in. on the larger scale ones, it is very well illustrated. looks good so far. keep it up, and welcome to the forum.

Alex

[cliffm]

I built this with the intent of doing the "challenge" last year and was hard pressed to get it to fly more than 12 seconds. I made the belly piece removeable along with the landing gear for the flight part of the challenge. Since these pics I moved the motor peg up one former and redid the c.g. and it saved a tad on the ballast. As you may notice the kit rubber kinda "blew" on the first attempts so it is being replaced with some rubber from Sig.

[ADW 123]

Looks like some good work. looks like you missed some stringers just aft of the canopy area on the top of the fuse. either that, or the stringers need to be added so they are flush with the fuse formers, and the fuse formers should be sanded flush after if there is any deviation. Also, if you reduce the curvature of the wing ribs on the front and blend smoothly with the trailing edge, you wil lprobably end up with fewer wrinkles in that area. same concept ont he wing tip. I blend it in really neatly and gradually with the wing tip, to avoid any wrinkles. asside from that, it looks like a solid covering job, and good work. keep it up.

is that a liberator in the background? cant really tell...

[cliffm]

The missing stringer is the result of the "blown" motor I mentioned and the wrinkles didn't appear until it spent the night in the top of a lilac bush. Some of the unpainted patches are also from the lilac stunt. One of the traits of elmers is it's susceptability to moisture and a dew filled morning was not so kind,although most of it dried out quite nicely.

[ADW 123]

Sorry to hear that. I mistook your p-40 for the new comer's.