Finally, you mentioned Sandringhams. There's lots of really good color schemes with those. I honestly thought of doing one for my Solent. You're still early enough on in the build that you could easily convert your Solent into a Sandringham. About the only change it would involve to Ivan's plans is on the tail, just skip the fairing forward of the vertical fin.

Here's some Sandringham photos for ya. I think the Scandinavian plane is pretty cool looking.


Luke

Originally Posted by redjem13

I started on the lower sheeting and after this I kind of don't know how to continue. How do I build the upper deck?

Matt, the upper deck is somewhat tricky as you can't really put your fuse over the plans anymore. Basically you just cut out some sticks that you use the plans to measure, and then glue them on top of the decking you already have. The tricky part is that they angle inwards toward the top. Getting the angles on sticks is a real pain. If you're like me, by the time you end up sanding the perfect angle on the end of your stick, you've also sanded about half of the length of the stick away, so now it's too short. Get ready to pull some of your hair. Swear-words or piraty-oaths will also help young Matt keep his cool. But if you don't get them perfect, don't worry. You'll put some rounded "half-moon" formers on the sides of these upright sticks and by sanding the formers unevenly you can compensate for slight deviations in the angles of your sticks. Half of my Solent build involved hiding mistakes and uglinesses I had created. So don't be ashamed of those.

I noticed that you have a grey-haired fellow who appears to be assisting you. That's great. Grey-haired fellows are really good to have along. For proof, I will let you know that Rick Bell is grey-haired himself. Bald fellows such as MoutainMan and myself are also good, if you find any of those around. If you take as long as I did to build your Solent, your grey-haired friend will probably be bald by the end of it.

Anyways, if our wordy descriptions here in this thread aren't clear to you, just make sure you go to the grey-haired guy and I bet he'll set you straight.

I don't know if you've already seen it or not, but I put up a web gallery with 14 pages of nothing but Solent construction photos. Some of those might come in handy to you or Tate. Feel free to check it out here. Sometimes it's easier to flip through the photo gallery than to go back through the forty million pages of my old thread.

Originally Posted by redjem13

I have been looking at pictures of LukeZ's Solent, and mountainman's Solent, and see that they have removed the sticks directly under the wing in the saddle. Is there a reason for this? If it is necessary when should I cut them out?

Actually I never did cut out the sticks underneath the wing saddle, but maybe one of the pictures made it look like I did. I would leave those in, as Rick suggested. If you look at this picture of my completed model you can see they're still installed.

Well, it sure is exciting to see a couple more Solents taking shape. I can't wait to add them all to the Hall of Fame. Along with Rick Bell's Solent and Carlos's over in Spain, I think 2008 is going to be the year of the Solent.

By the way, I added a link to this thread over in the Ivan sticky. You're famous! I mentioned that this thread is actually for two Solents, since it looks like Tate will be posting here too.

Great stuff, keep it up!


Luke

Wow!

Thanks so much for all of the information Luke! Now I have to go off to School, but I will reply again with more input on the schemes.

-Matt

Originally Posted by LukeZ

Bald fellows such as MoutainMan and myself are also good, if you find any of those around.

But Luke, isn't YOUR baldness by choice, not by age and genetics?

Grey-templed, bald Geoff

Well Matt I just started my thread on my short solent so please take a look
Bye the way i really like the swoosh from the first 5 pictures of paint schemes that Lukez posted
Here is the link https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...78#post8887958

I like the TOA Scheme, with the swooshy blue thingy , and the white above it and the paneling below it. If flight metal isn't to shiny, thats what will become of the bottom of the fuselage!

Tate I am marveling at how easy it is for you to move your workspace all around the house!!!

-Matt

Matt, a Solent even partly covered in FlightMetal would pretty much be about the ultimate model ever. I'm not sure how FlightMetal would hold up on a waterplane though, particularly on the hull section. But I do know it can be buffed so that it's no longer shiny, so that shouldn't be a concern.

Originally Posted by Geoffinpdx

But Luke, isn't YOUR baldness by choice, not by age and genetics?

Well ok, since you force me to admit it... and actually these days it's not quite so bald anymore, either. The rigors of a Solent build behind me, I am at leisure to spend my free time tending a hairdo.


Luke

Luke,

I think this guy made it happen:

I saw these floats at the Skymaster's Midwest Regional Float Fly down in Brighton, Michigan. The pilot conveniently landed the plane in a bush on the side of the flight line.

But it is really bright. Also I do not know how heavy it would end up to be, and on top of that, if it is kind of heavy, then I wouln't want to do the wing in it, and then there would be color issues and ohhhhhhh... the horror!! I'm really tired.


-Matt



EDIT: I just looked on FliteMetal's website flitemetal.com , and the process of apply the aluminum to the plane made my stomach turn. I didn't know I had to cut out every single panel on the plane and place them on the plane individually?!?! Well we will see about that on the Solent later.....

Originally Posted by redjem13

If flight metal isn't to shiny, thats what will become of the bottom of the fuselage!
-Matt

It's not shiny and it will add weight. I would NOT recommend it. I've used it. If you want shiny, then go chrome Ultracote and scuff it with a fine Scotch Brite pad for different panel effects.

Here is an example of Flite Metal on my old B-29 mixed with some chrome Ultracote that was burnished. The entire nose section was done in Flite Metal with excellent results. Little parts like the nose are fine but an entire bottom of a hull???

Perry

Yes, there is no doubt FliteMetal looks incredible, but there is truly an incredible amount of work involved to use it, not to mention the weight penalty.

But I didn't try to dissuade you from it, because I figured you'd dissuade yourself of it soon enough on your own...


Luke

Originally Posted by LukeZ

Well ok, since you force me to admit it... and actually these days it's not quite so bald anymore, either. The rigors of a Solent build behind me, I am at leisure to spend my free time tending a hairdo.

Luke, you need the services of live in hairdressers. I have a couple I'd be happy to loan you, especially after this "hostile makeover" I had done around Christmas.

I really can't believe I'm posting this...

Sorry for muddying up your thread Matt!

John

Originally Posted by LukeZ

Yes, there is no doubt FliteMetal looks incredible, but there is truly an incredible amount of work involved to use it, not to mention the weight penalty.

But I didn't try to dissuade you from it, because I figured you'd dissuade yourself of it soon enough on your own...


Luke

What was the aborted scheme you started on your Solent Luke? That was all painted on and looked very nice.

John

Wow John, your hair is dashing! Just what I thought a mountain-man would look like.

Well it's nice to see your hair making a comeback - although it looks like it skipped a couple spots...


Luke

Hey Mat any updates on the build?

Tate.

The thumbnail picture is redolent of a young Jack Nicholson.