Scratch 25% Pitts S-1C

[RJPIoW]

Its been a while since I last put together a completly non foam plane. This 1/4 sale 63 1/2" span Pitts is based on my design from a 3 view, and laser cut liteply parts skinned with balsa for the fusalage and balsa covered, carbon sparred foam core wings. I have fitted a Turnigy SK 50-65 380Kv / 1820w and plan to use 22.2v Lipo with a 17 x 8 prop

Do you guys have a preferred method of finishing balsa ready for iron on film. Many yrs ago I used to prime it with 50/50 diluted PVA glue just before a final fine sanding, and I found this toughened the balsa and made the film stick better.

Has technology or ingenuity moved on ?

Richard

[LBJ]

220 grit paper and clean/vacuum well. Iron on with a sock on your iron and go. Low temp covering like Solar Tex is my favorite also because it is a flat finish and looks scale. Monocote is good too, just takes more heat. If you want gloss, then use Monocote or any of the other brands out there.

I've been doing this for over 20 years and find this method still works well!

One more tip. When you finish the corners/edges/seams where the covering may meet on the model, cut a one-half inch wide strip and lay it over the two peices where they meet. This keeps both pieces from pulling off if you have to re-iron some parts in the future to tighten up or when it gets hot outside in the sun. Works well on leading edges of wings and tail. Looks good too.

Good luck.

LBJ

[RJPIoW]

I ended up using solarfilm because I know it tortures well around curves, and it was by far the cheapest option.

Its now complete based on a photo I found of VH-KJF an S-1C from Austrlia, I liked the black/yellow.


Anyone have a pet way of making wheels pants that are light but strong enough to withstand grass landings. The carbon ones seems so heavy, and relatively expensive.

Maiden when the winds die down again here in the uk. Aces-Iron 25% pilot just arrived fantastic detail - but wont fit him until he's been painted.

Richard

[Dennis C]

That is a great looking project!!

What is your wing aeria and all up weight?

Being metrically challenged sq " and lb would help

Good luck on the maiden

Re wheel pants, Use layers of 1/4" balsa , enough to give your wheel side clearance
shaped to the wheel pant profile, cut out for the wheel

Make a square 1/16 ply piece to fit over the wheel cut out on both sides(Used to mount to the landing gear and wheel axel)

add 1/16 balsa around that to fit the profile

Drill and make attachments for axel and landing gear leg

Sand to shape and cover with film

coppied from how they do it in a Stevens Aero kit.

Dennis

[RJPIoW]

Thanks for the nice comments. Maiden went well despite my tight stomach and knocking kness I havent invested so much time in one model for ages. I had to truncate the first outing as a sudden squall came through to make the first landing a bit hairy !

AUW 9lb with 8.45 sq ft - seems ponderous compared to the scratch built foamy Flappa that Ive just been playing with, but enormously satisfying. pilot paint job underway now and Ill will now use your spat build technique - thanks for that.

Richard

[Mike Tully]

Richard,

Great looking project. I would second Dennis' recommendation to copy the Bill Stevens wheel pant design. Go here: http://www.stevensaero.com/StevensAero-Cap-232-.40e-Electric-RC-Airplane-IMAC-SAK-CAP23240E-p-16479.html, download the construction manual and take a good look at pages 30-31 to see how the wheel pants are constructed. I have cribbed Bill's design for all projects that use pants. Here are such pants on my (much smaller) 14% scale S1S.

[RJPIoW]

No spats yet - not enough time in life !

but it flew ok in maiden, 11 yr old son got some video

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1093724#post12853861

Richard