Hello Ron.. Very cool review.. I'm betting by the description of "14 cells (two 7 cell Sanyo RC2000)", by my calculation.. that would be 16.8v .. haha.. yep.. I bet that would go very well... especially in 1999.. I like the pearl scheme on that review plane too.

Would you be the same Ron that did that review?... I'm thinking you are.. so I now have an experienced Dazzler owner on board.. thanks for following along..

I did contemplate electric.. and although I definately own several electrics.. they're of the smaller variety.. and outside of the electrics, I have several glow-engines that are definately up to task.. and I still love running them too..

I've got the base covering down now, and am still on the fence about a scheme... I think I'm taking a different direction though.. as I was going to go with a farely straight-forward "Aerobat" type of scheme.... but....

I've been inspired by a scheme I ran across back in '03 on another site.. and I've seen it done a few different ways.. but its a "3D American Flag" scheme.. done with transparent colors, with some gray.. on the white base.. so I'm hoping it looks as good in real life as it does on the screen.. so it might be my most "Patriotic" plane.. but it just feels right at this point... and I've definately got all the material I need right here...

I'll keep taking pics.. and explaining the process.. I'll probably even find the link.. ... and .. I'll probably have to draw from my graphic arts experience.. that helps in this hobby.. haha.. we'll see what comes out..

First though.. I've got some weights to compare... before base covering.. and after base covering..
Pic #1 is before the base covering.. 20.8 oz's.

Pic #2 is after the base covering... 24.15 oz's.

so theres the weight of the base covering.. 3.35 oz's of Monokote on this plane so far.. theres still some graphics to go.. the total covering weight might hit 4 oz's before its done.. I'll should be able to weigh it again after most of the graphics are applied.. but in any case.. thats about 1/4lb of covering alone.... hmm.... interesting.

Pic #3 is the plane.. with all control surfaces permanently attached.. CA hinges, using thin CA glue... they all came out nice and straight and solid...

Now.. the next few post should be some graphics starting to happen...(I hope... I think I'm there.. )... but at this point with a plane.. the book is pretty much done.. and its all about how it finishes depending on how much work one wants to do.

She's pretty in white !

I had a 7 cell pack in the tank compartment, and another in the belly. Had to move the servos to the aft end of the compartment. Most of the glow powered ones that I saw had O.S. Max .46 engines. Way more power than needed for 3D aerobatics.

That fat airfoil and large area gave it a light wing loading, and made it very forgiving. Go for the decorative trim scheme. It will draw admiring comments at the field.

Looking good Dale! I'm watching the build

Hey Steven... Glad you could make it my friend! and glad you're back into RC dude.. I know its in your blood man... haha.. and once your hooked.. well.. you've got a lifetime of enjoyment, whenever your mood strikes...

Back to 'da plane.... Right now folks.. its all about having some guts to proceed with my much anticipated scheme.. I mean... its such a clean little white plane.. sometimes I wonder why I would want to cover over a nice white plane.. haha.. I also need a decent block of time(which has been rare lately) too really get into this peice again.. I've recently started back to work.. which was supposed to be part-time(which is what I wanted)..but its ending up to be full-time hours.. so I've got to make the money while I can... if it continues though.. I'll be asking for more.. just for my availalability if nothing else..

Well.. I think its all about learning.. and I've been studying the american flag, I actually have one hanging over my desk, and my wife went out and bought a 4'r too.. so I'm just getting some proportions down in my head for this "Sudo'-Quasi" rendering of Old Glory.. as everything that gets layed down(covering wise) will be hand cut.. I think it'll come out pretty decent.. I'm hoping to get a few hours or more this weekend.. in any case though, as soon as I have more work down, I'll snap some pics and blog it.... so I'll be back.

Sounds good I will be waiting

Update Dale? My popcorn is running low

Dale, Great building an nice covering, who says Monokote has lost its touch? How did you like covering with the household iron? From what I have seen online I think that is all the overseas ARF builders use to cover model planes. The covering probably goes on much faster with the larger iron surface. I think the problem is they apply the covering nice and smooth but don't use enough heat to totally shrink the covering and that is one reason ARF can be pretty baggy when the box is opened. Just curious did you use a heat gun to shrink the monokote?

Dale update! where you at on this thing

zzzzzz Dale any news?

Well... here I am just a few hours from November.. haha.. sorry its taken a bit to get back to this.. but I've been plugging away in little slices.. which is nice.. thats why they call it a hobby right?. . yep.. so ..

A shout out to Steven.. Hey Dude!!.. hope you're still reading.. and yes.. I'll never quit RC.. it just takes me a bit longer lately.. and to all the crickets out there too.. I know its been a while..

Where I left off was basically a white canvas.. and I had the opportunity to do a scheme I've admired for a long time.. matter of fact, I ran across the original thread on RCU more then 10yrs ago.. and its a 3D American flag.. Here's a link to that thread for your reference if you're interested:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/tm.asp?m=603331

Its an interesting thread with some great pics of some very nice planes.

I have to give the original poster there credit for this concept.. as I didn't come up with it.. but simply applied some of those techniques with some of my crazy stuff and ... a wee bit of graphic arts experience(I've been in the trade for 25yrs).. we'll see how it comes out.. huh.

Done with Monokote, transparents, and opaques.. The original technique used Windex as I recall.. with heat added after some adhesion.. as well as a different layering style..

I don't think I'm that patient.. so I simply turned the heat down on the iron until it would barely stick.. I "sweat-covered" it basically. This seems to keep bubbling to a minimum. The low heat does allow for removal with little to no residue if you don't like what you're seeing.. just don't put the coals to it until you're sure.

I did try the Windex and it didn't give the results I felt I needed... whereas the heat isn't too bad.. along with a VERY sharp needle I stole from my wifes sewing room, I'm able to battle the bubbles decently.... So..

First pic.. A Dove Gray Monokote was hand cut on my glass desk top.. simply LAR(looks about right) for the effect I'm after..which in this pic is to add some depth..

Pic #2 Again the covering.. its just layed on at this point as I'm getting a little more perspective on it.

Pic #3 After adhesion.. not too bad.. the narrower the piece.. the less susceptible to bubbling.... acceptible I think.

More to follow..

This is obvious the transparent Blue. After the Gray was fully adhered, I simply cut a square of the trans Blue a bit oversize.. used Scotch tape lightly applied after the film was smoothed down by hand.

Then I took the mighty Flair pen and traced the scallops/cuts as I saw fit.. this was literally LAR(looks about right).. There was some bubbling.. I was able to get alot of them out.. and what didn't come out I .. well.. check it out in a future post.. .

Heres a few angles of the trans Blue background.. Do you see anything yet?.. Don't worry.. neither do I with my eyes.. I'm seeing in my mind though...

Heres one thing to note, the original concept had the stars cutting "out" of the trans Blue. I chose to overlay the stars using same same opaque white covering. I saw no difference in the outcome, the effect is the same, and in some ways a bit cleaner I think.

I could'nt see cutting all the stars out of the trans Blue, as all it would take would be one mistake on the LAST star and the whole piece would be comprimised.. with that said, I proceeded to cut the stars out of the white.. thats coming up..

First pic..I really didn't have a template for a decent start.. and although I could have found one..or simple drawn one.. My lovely wife contributed one of her embroidered stars, and it was a perfect size I think..

Pic #2 I used the mighty Flair pen again, and just touched it to the covering at each outer and inner point.. can you make out 2 stars there?

Pic #3 Mystery solved.. I took my favorite short straight edge and cut the perimeters out. Simple, cheap(can't get any cheaper)as I figure each star cost was .0001cent... and yes.. I trashed a few I didn't like, or used them for the "depth stars" where part of them cut off.

Pic #1 Heres about 30 minutes of work. Not bad.. they got much easier after the first few.

Pic #2 They're just layed on/around as I get some perspective. Nothing is stuck... yet.

Pic #1 Jumping ahead to the application of some trans Red here, and a bit more perspective. You can also make out the stars at this point a bit better. I did cut some stars out of the Gray for overlay where the Gray "depth-strips" are placed. This is where I used a few of the bad stars I cut out.. as they weren't that bad.. that the I had to trash a whole star. I just cut them down a bit. So hopefully its getting some depth here.

A note here, I used the same technique of cutting a swatch of trans Red, pressing/smoothing it down, and lightly tacking it with Scotch tape. Then using my might Flair(it cleans off very easily with Windex), I sketched the path of the trans Red to get the effect I'm after. Essentially, as stated somewhere in the original thread, where the Red/Blue cross/intersect the Gray just change the direction. I'm saying that also.. and stay with the same "flow" pattern.. whatever/whereever that may take it.

Pic #2 Here's a bit better shot of how its gaining some depth. Still need to do some trimming on the edges.