T/G Mig Mods

[monkamarm2000]

Ok not gonna do a big "slow" build thread here. Cause then the mod would have to axe it due to no traffic. Which I don't blame him in the least. Still don't know whyt more guys don't do stuff in here. But then again it is the E-zone! Anyway got a Top Gun Mig-29. The big hump in the back really bothered me but I didn't feel like spending 10,000 for a scale Mig, so this is close enough for me. I axed the hump and am building this new back plate. So far it looks waaay! better allready. I couldn't be happier the way it turned out. I was actually able to make the part as a male plug so I can then get a female mold out of that. In doing it this way my part comeout cleaner and easily reproduced. Anyone could take this part trace and cut it out on theres then just epoxy this in. It follows factory panel lines so theres no real smoothing to be done after that. I even added the speed Brake in the back. This plane will get servo's incorperated into the back for full flying stabs that act as elevon's just like the original. This should make it a very easy light setup since it's not getting ailerons or flaps. Should only take me another week or so to finish it.

What it looked like Stock

Barry

[monkamarm2000]

What the hatch and the panel look like. Not sure if you can tell in the pic but theres a flange on the part that will be an epoxy landing for the fuse. It's on a panel line so there won't be any filling needed. Plate looking parts in the back are speed brake arm's and the hatch will come on and off like the original so it wont need any epoxy. Also I did the heat sheilds like the real Mig so they overhang the exhaust canisters which also eliminates the need for any patching or filling. Now if I can figure out a way to make the single motor setup work with split nacelles I'd have it made as far as a scale looking bottom too. Oh well we'll see.


The panel and hatch before glass.

Barry

[monkamarm2000]

Hatch taped on and panel wedged in. Looks alot more like a Mig than a Hump Back Whale now. I'm not running the 6" fan so I don't have to worry about clearance. And if you ever get one of these go for the clear Canopy and the scale Cockpit setup. Even comes with a Rusky Pilot. Add rotaing Mains and I'll have a pretty darn scale looking big Mig for cheap. And thats what I love about these things the most, this plane is Big! Big wings Big wheels Big Plane. Awesome for grass ROG's. Tall grass even! F.O.D Doors? Hmm, maybe I'll need them!


Shot with the panel on.

Barry

[gregg f]

Barry: keep posting on your progress:D

[monkamarm2000]

will do gregg. I caked on the filler tonight and will see what some sanding brings me after that. My next hurdle is how to box it up for pouring plaster on it. I mighthave to make a table with a trap door in it and then fill the gaps with clay or caulking. After sanding i'll add some string for panel lines. Don't want to get too detailed cause then I will have to detail the rest of the plane to match. BTW the Mirage in the background got it's maiden today and it was a blast! flew like a charm. And in typical Delta fashion it can almost hover and can spot land like nothing you've ever seen. Oh! gonna order the Dynamax this week too. That way I can get started on the ducting. Allready got gobs of carbon ready to go. I might even get tricky and delete the Dynamax housing and make a one part intake liner slash fan unit. I'll still use the stators though, I did this a while ago for a chopped down fan unit It will still be a easy in out right through the front intake hole.

Barry

[monkamarm2000]

Got the panels finished tonight, at least as far as shaping goes. Got the hatch and the hump all lined up. Which was a pain cause TG doesn't mold these things perfectly straight. But then again you ever see a first gen Fulcrum up close? They look like dragons with scales when you stand behind them, the fit and finish is that bad on them. Anyway all I have to do now is glass these parts so I can mold them and I'll be in good shape. You can even see now how much of a dramatic improvment it is. And in these pics you still cant really appreciate just how big these things are. Anyway now on to the pics. Oh I should also mention this mod requires the 5" fan upgrade. After that you have tons of romm in the plane for anything you want. I was thinking about casting some nice big tanks for long flights.

[monkamarm2000]

Exscuse the messy garage I have had little free time lately and what I have I'm using for massive building sessions. I have a few projects going at once. I used 3 views, pictures and two models for reference the only thing thats off is the hinge arms for the speed brake. I had to move them back for a good fit to the fuse cause TG molds a webbing that goes pretty far down the cannisters, basically like a webbed toe connecting them, that would have left a gap otherwise.

[monkamarm2000]

I'd say once a week I tape it all together to get a good look at it, and because it's fun, and tonight was no exception. I went with the scale flaps and ailerons, but all won't be functional. I used some card cut into web shapes to mimick the fullsize ailerons and flaps texture and I'll do the same on the rudders. I think I'll make them movable on the ground and when the gear is down for some landings, but then I'll set a flight condition on my radio for no rudder in flight. I'll see how fast it goes before I try rudders. anyway heres a pic all taped up. I still cant believe how much a difference a few bumps here and there make it look like a different plane.

Barry

[Mark Turner]

Looking good Barry :) I did an Ultra Eagle III a few years ago and for the price of TGA's aircraft they are pretty decent kits.

Keep up the updates.

Thanks,
Mark
RT Models

[easytiger]

Nice work! I love taping it together to see it all in one piece.
My other favorite moment in building any plane is removing the canopy masking tape after painting. Just love that point.

[monkamarm2000]

Me too cause then Flight comes next! lol This is a good plane though to keep yourself tuned on fan's, and generally beebop off a grass, or rough field. I have no intention of killing bigger more expensive planes cause I'm rusty at the beggining of summer flying. I did more work on it last night and plan to get a coat of epoxy on the panel this week. After making sure all was a nice and perfect fit I skin coated the whole panel with Pro Bond so it would expand slightly, this way my panel, after moulding, will be a slight oversized snug fit. Hopefully I can pour the mold this weekend.

Barry

[U812]

Barry,

Good job mate!

Steve

[Oski]

Who is TG or TGA? Never heard of them.

Mike

[gregg f]

Originally posted by Oski
Who is TG or TGA? Never heard of them.

Mike

www.tgajets.com/jets/jets.htm

[monkamarm2000]

I should be able to get the parting board ready tonight and do the first pour tomorrow. I'll epoxy and PVA it tonight. I also have some spare Carbon around that i might do the top of the nacelles with just for kicks. I have to weight it first I don't know if it's too heavy.

Barry

[monkamarm2000]

Ok so this is either a coffin or a mold! Got the part glued in and only need to coat it with some epoxy then wax it. i found this really handy stuff from T.A.P plastics called Ultra Glow. I've used it alot on carbon fiber and it's awesome stuff. It's heavy but for a casting its perfect. The great thing about this stuff is it's self leveling, you mix it up pour it on and walk away, then come back later and it's setup and level not to mention super smoth and glossy. Heres a shot of the coffin.

Barry

[monkamarm2000]

Had a small setback tonight. I tell ya it's not my month for primer! I wanted to a bit of extra filling so I primed the part so I could wet sand it. Well got a coat on it, looked at it later and saw a small goober and shot it real quik with primer, well grabbed the wrong can. I shot it with the stuff that eats foam, so I'm redoing the turtle deck tonight instead of doing epoxy. totally fixable but a pain. Well atleast I have my Wattage Sabre to put back together after it pulled a death roll on me.

Barry
Barry

[monkamarm2000]

Ok got the plug done and it came out awesome. coated it again with primer tonight one more wet sand and it's done. digital pics don't do it justice. couple coats of wax and tommorow I can pour for the mold. The self leveling epoxy I used worked like a charm, I primed it simply so I can check it for block sanding. Should have a part by next weekend.

Barry

[monkamarm2000]

Ok after my bout with primer( I can't win these days) It's back to square one and ready to pour. If your Mold Savvy you'll know what the yellow wads of clay are for. thanks to Steve for reminding me of this trick, I've gouges a few molds here and there without it. anyway pour tonight, and maybe pull a part out of it next week, then I can attach the part on the plane. I was also looking at the nose of the plane tonight and am considering lopping it off. I mean it is great If I'm doing a UB but it's not as cylindrical as real Mig. Although I'm probably going overboard anyway so I should stop at this right here. What can I say I'm a fanatic. Anywayhere it is coated in PVAfor safety, plaster never really sticks to anything but im done taking risk's on this thing.

Barry

[monkamarm2000]

oh and it looks worse than it is. Thats wet sanded and it's smooth as glass so to speak. Most of it is actually coated with self leveling epoxy. the primer is barely there and mainly covering heavy sanding spot's

Barry

[monkamarm2000]

Im stoked, pic is bad, but I'm stoked. The mold came out perfect. well actually it came out great, but a quality I had forgoten about plaster made it perfect. Plaster like most motar based products is very wtaer hungry when it's cured. If you put any fresh plaster on old plaster, the old stuff underneath, would suck the water right out of it and you'd have a dried clump on there. So what I did was used a wet sponge and ruubed the mold out slightly re-activating old stuff only to have it stick in the low spots again. And you can wet sand this stuff. So in the end it's smooth as glass and in a few days, after more curing, I'll try a pull out of it. I'll take better pics of it later. and I inserted spruce formers in the wet plaster for reinforcement.

Barry

[ram-bro]

I am new to the site and the first thing I come across is a guy who lovesMy Mig29 and is doing something to scale it out. BRAVO...... I fly the heck outa mine and I love it so much I am gonna get another one. If you ever think about selling your modification, please sell me one.

[monkamarm2000]

That was my plan when I get it worked out right. That was the reason I configured it the way I did so that it could even be done on an old model. I deleted the panel lines on it cause I noticed they vary greatly between model's. I saw one of the first gen Mig's in europe and it was poorly made, but then I saw anothe ron years later in Texas and it was made quite well. I'm also gonna work out a built up balsa wing for laser cutting, since this one has no gear in it and just basically flies the plane, I could make it strong but quite light. I also plan on making a nice new bifuricated pipe to go with the new tail setup. My plan is to lighten this thing up and just run elevons like the real deal. Should fly well and be cheap to setup. Heres a pic from today, I did the first layup, so far so good. I'll post what I get after it sets up

Barry

[ram-bro]

Monkman, if you want, I can will donate my mig to be one of your test subjects for the mod. I will be stripping my mig down this winter and I figure this would be a good time to modify it. I was going for a more scale finish this time and this mod would be the piece that makes it all right.

[monkamarm2000]

Good news bad new's, it's hard to tell from the pic, but the part came out awesome. Bad news is the mold is shot, I gave it a few eeks to setle out all the water, but apparently the epoxy was to hot and the canopy from it drew in more water and wrecked the mold. A set back but I'll get it down. I'll have to scarifice this good part to make another mold. And thats not a bad idea Ram-Bro, it gives me a chance to send it to someone else and see how they get on with it to see if theres any hickups I messed. Not to mention seeing how easy it is to figure out and install. So far so good though it looks awesome. I'll shape it out and tape it on tonight to show how it looks.


Barry

[ram-bro]

I'm there for you man, just let me know what I can do and keep at it.

[monkamarm2000]

Thanks rambro, it happens, what can you do? except redo it. It will take some work but I'll get it



Barry

[ram-bro]

hey Monkman, just checking in with you.How are things going with the plug? I just went and bought my first turbine and I am kinda thinkin that this would be a good time to buy another mig 29 and put your mod on it. So whats a guy gotta do to inspire you?

[monkamarm2000]

Get soem of my other projects finished! LOL I've been slammed with EDF stuff lately. I did clean up the mold the part the other day and plan to make another rubn at it pretty soon here. I'm also doing up a set of built up wing templates for it with Win Foil. I plan to lighten this thing up quite a bit.

Barry

[ram-bro]

sounds like you are getting ready to maybe electrify this Mig.......not a bad idea. I was talking to my buddy tonite about electrics and he is astonished by the growth and technology in electrics. Th e batteries have gotton so much better and stronger. He has been trying to convince me to make the plunge. He has actually kitted a electric F86

[monkamarm2000]

Oh yeah Electrics have come around by leaps and bounds. And i dont think I will EDF this, but it definately could be done, just how much it would cost is another story! LOL I've got plenty of EDF's This one will probably stay as Gas. I liek it cause It will take off in thick grass, And it's my tune up plane for my bigger more expensive stuff.

Barry

[ram-bro]

Hey Monkman...you still out there? I haven't heard or seen you on here in a bit. How is the Mod going?I am still interested in buying one of the alpha mod packages. Let me know.

[monkamarm2000]

im still here, I moved and work has been killing me so things got slowed down a bit. I've been working on some stuff for a kit too for Steves jets, so that has slowed things a bit too. I got the built up wing files done though, and I'm gonna do some for the tail surfaces also to shed some weight on the plane. I havnt given up on the project, it's just been pushed to the back burner for a bit.

Barry

[smarthonghong]

Nice work!monkamarm2000. I am interested of it .
Can you send the design drawing of this model to me?
My E-mail is smarthonghong@hotmail.com