Re: Skyshark Dauntless Build
Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2016 11:56 pm
Finally got back to working on the Dauntless today. I cut out the plastic fairings to rough size. Though the directions don't say anything, I used 1/64 ply to make up the bottom of the fairings. I glued a piece of ply to each side of the wing saddle, put some wax paper where I needed to glue the joints, and bolted up the wing. I assembled and glued on the rear wood fuse fairings even with the back of the wing. I used a piece of 1/4sq with a slight angle sanded on it to help support the wood fairing better are the back of the fuse.
With careful trimming on the molded lines, the fairings fit really well. Once I was happy with the fit, I measured for three 1/8 balsa supports for the fairings. Using my duplicator gauge, I was able to get the proper curvature of the fairing to put on the supports. Using the duplicator again, I got the shape of the fuse for the other side of the support. I made up supports for both sides, and when I was happy with the way the fairings fit, glued them in place. Taking my time, I carefully feather sanded down the top edge, the bottom edge where it contacts the 1/64 ply, and the rear back corner of the fillet. The bottom edge that contacts the wood fillets doesn't need to get sanded. I did sand the edges on both wood fillets to match the angle of the contact areas of the plastic fillet. Taking your time and really sanding the edges down thin makes for a nice clean line between the fillet and the fuse/ply.
Using small pins, I pinned the very front point of the plastic fillet in place. Holding the fillet where I wanted it, I pinned the back corner. I then used a felt pen and traced the line of the fillet then taped off the line pretty close. With the lines traced I now had my glue lines. I taped on the back of the fillet, pulled the front point off the fuse but left the pin in the fillet. Using medium Zap, I glued about the first 4" of the fillet in place, basically starting at the first balsa support I made, forward. I pushed the the fillet back in place using the pin to guide it back in it's correct location. Once the glue set, I took the tape off the back of the fillet and lifted it up enough to run a line of Zap down the rest of the 64th ply. Once the glue set, I pulled the remainder of the top edge away from the fuse and ran Zap from the first support, all the way to the tail end of the fillet. Once set, the bottom edge of the plastic fillet is glued to the wood fillet. Then all is trimmed and sanded anywhere needed.
I recommend using the plastic fairing as the fit real well and if the builder takes their time, are easy to install saving lots of work. Mine seem to be nice and strong too.
I also cut out one side of the cooling vent per Brian's design. Assembled it up for a photo op and put one of the two 1/9th pilot figures I have on hand. (I usually buy a few pilot figures at a time but find I'm running out of US Navy ones. Have a couple Japanese on hand for some of my other builds though.
With careful trimming on the molded lines, the fairings fit really well. Once I was happy with the fit, I measured for three 1/8 balsa supports for the fairings. Using my duplicator gauge, I was able to get the proper curvature of the fairing to put on the supports. Using the duplicator again, I got the shape of the fuse for the other side of the support. I made up supports for both sides, and when I was happy with the way the fairings fit, glued them in place. Taking my time, I carefully feather sanded down the top edge, the bottom edge where it contacts the 1/64 ply, and the rear back corner of the fillet. The bottom edge that contacts the wood fillets doesn't need to get sanded. I did sand the edges on both wood fillets to match the angle of the contact areas of the plastic fillet. Taking your time and really sanding the edges down thin makes for a nice clean line between the fillet and the fuse/ply.
Using small pins, I pinned the very front point of the plastic fillet in place. Holding the fillet where I wanted it, I pinned the back corner. I then used a felt pen and traced the line of the fillet then taped off the line pretty close. With the lines traced I now had my glue lines. I taped on the back of the fillet, pulled the front point off the fuse but left the pin in the fillet. Using medium Zap, I glued about the first 4" of the fillet in place, basically starting at the first balsa support I made, forward. I pushed the the fillet back in place using the pin to guide it back in it's correct location. Once the glue set, I took the tape off the back of the fillet and lifted it up enough to run a line of Zap down the rest of the 64th ply. Once the glue set, I pulled the remainder of the top edge away from the fuse and ran Zap from the first support, all the way to the tail end of the fillet. Once set, the bottom edge of the plastic fillet is glued to the wood fillet. Then all is trimmed and sanded anywhere needed.
I recommend using the plastic fairing as the fit real well and if the builder takes their time, are easy to install saving lots of work. Mine seem to be nice and strong too.
I also cut out one side of the cooling vent per Brian's design. Assembled it up for a photo op and put one of the two 1/9th pilot figures I have on hand. (I usually buy a few pilot figures at a time but find I'm running out of US Navy ones. Have a couple Japanese on hand for some of my other builds though.