Thanks mate, I getting to this point where I just want this one finished and off the building board, but I have to restrain myself not to rush it at the end.

Nice! is that a 50mm jobbie? Been looking into the 50mm hawk, but can't find a retailer now that HK don't stock them anymore.

Well, back onto getting some work done, I started work on the rabbit ears. I decided that I wanted to use the ECS intakes/exhausts to be open as this will vent directly over the ESC and so provide some cooling in a nice and scale way. These plastic parts are super flimsy, so i'll be glassing them with the fuse or it will only take the slightest of bumps on them and it will be all tears.

Next was the covering over of the MG-16 servo I have installed for the elevator, bit if spack filler and sand it smooth. while that was drying, I also glued in the elevator blocks into place, and you can see how I made sure that the elevators sat square to the fuse during the cure. with all this and the blob of spack filler on the nosed drying It was high time to park the fuse overnight and let all that dry so a bit of quick work on the elevators and rudder and I called it a night.

Thanks

dave

Looking good! I'm beginning to regret having already epoxied my vertical stab in already as it limits my options redoing the tailplane mount..

The hornet is 64mm, runs off 3S, really needs 4S.. regardless good bit of fun despite short flight times.

I had a 50mm hawk for a long time, probably the funnest EDF I've had. I hear they go like stink with an upgraded power system.

I normally drag my feet on gluing/making those kinds of decisions, because I want to make sure that there is nothing I should do or change but that really slows my builds most times. think too much don't build enough.

I'm confident that I have strengthen up the stabs far more than the stock setup that has had so many recorded failures. As I've said before, foam is fine as long as you spread the load sufficiently. I have increased the contact area for the stab rotation pin by at least a factor of 250%. the 2 layers of glass around the pivot point will also transmit the loads out far better than just foam alone.

The single servo setup that i'm using is cleaner than the twin servos, but so long as you've strengthened the stabs and spread the load from the control horn, I see no reason to chop your fin off now.

The hornet looks pretty cool. I prefer the classics over the rhino but it like all that the manufacturers are gravitating towards them, so it's pretty cool that you got a decent looking classic. I have build a couple of Jetsett44's depron F-18 and they have been great fun, but would prefer a correctly shaped fuse. Were did you get you 50mm hawk from? That's exactly what I want it for, a bit of fun!! I saw one of the 30mm Hawks at the model club the other day and it was a laugh and a half. not bigger than a 1:32 scale plastic model and it's one angry little bee when its scooting around, but it's about $100 in flying trim and that about the same for the 50mm from what I've heard.

Thanks

Dave

Been working away each night, grassing progressing well!

No new pics but the glassing is completed and it been allowed to harden over a couple of days. I start the sanding process tomorrow

Thanks

Dave

Glassing and flow coat done, quick rub back and then a hit with the high build primer and let the games being

not my favourite part of a build....

Thanks

dave

Well, like a true donkey, I locked myself out of the house today right around the time I needed to get ready to go to work

I guess the up side is that a few hours later of more filler and priming and sanding, I've broken the back of this painful task and she is ready for another prime. It need a little more filler here and there but overall it looks pretty good.

The jet event is the 27th June so I have almost exactly one month to get this one finished. Sitting here it seems achievable, but I know how life can get in the way of good plans...

Thanks

dave

Hey guys

I have been working away on the hawk fuse. It's had about 5 fill/prime sessions and a few disasters along the way..... I tried a different high fill primer which ate through the foam under the glass luckily I didn't apply it everywhere but needless to say that it's wasted heaps of time sorting it out.

I though I should try some distraction and work on the other parts of the mode so I finally got the stabs ready for panel lines. I tried the "evil" primer again, but changed they way I applied it some what..... similar failure no more!!

They have been fixed, the fuse is still going. it's really annoying me that I have wasted 5 maybe 6 days sorting out this drama. panel lines will be going down soon.

Thanks Dave

Argh, so painful that you can only post one pic for the iPad at a time.

Here is the start of the rudder servo install seeing as the fuse repairs are drying

Thanks

Dave

The rudder post and rudder LE done. Probably should have done it before glassing but I was still wasn't sure if I was going to do a moveable rudder....

Finally sorted out the fuse and the filler, so I can actually get onto panel lines and detailing.

You can see the start of the application of chartpak tape on the fuse. I'm going to do the "standard" section of fuse first, and then detail the nose area. This is mainly so I have some where to lean the fuse while the primer etc drys. I also fired up the vinyl cutter and made up the panels for the rear fuse section. I love the way this really speeds up making panels and their evenness and accuracy are fantastic too! Wasn't sure how the louvers were going to cut but they are fine. Just waiting for the primer to dry on the chartpak tape to then sand it all down and apply the vinyl panels.

Thanks

dave

Needed some more panels for around the APU outlet, new pivot point decals and some for behind the fin.

Thanks

Dave

The start of panel application but I finished up pretty late so the pic quality isn't the best.

I have pretty much finished applying the panels, I will be doing the raised rivets on the rear section and while that dries, I'll have to start making the nav light blisters for the sides of the intakes.

Thanks

dave

Little fiddly jobs done today.. The rudder post and rudder have been glassed, and I also did the ECS vent plastic panel. As I thought, it happened. I broke one of the rabbit ears so I've glassed it up to repair it will all the other glassing jobs.

Tomorrow will be another day of sanding and I should get to the panel lines on the nose area, which will be great to complete. I can then make up the panels for those areas and once attached, it will be the end of the major build jobs. just smaller jobs like the canopy, canopy latch, ESC hatch attachment, and fin install. getting closer to the paint booth!!

Thanks

Dave

Coming along nicely Dave!

The finish on your Hawk is amazing, and the vinyl panels top it off!

What's your final plan on paint scheme?

Work continues to keep me away from mine, no complaints here though.

Cheers