Harry Twist

Hi Phil, I think the lead acids came to one of our model club meets, they were tired out but I saw them as weights! Just a bit of "repurposing" really! I've got 4, they're approx 2lbs each in weight so are quite useful.

Hi Dirk, great to see your Sabre started. Ref the R1 to R2 step, I glued a piece of waste wing skin sheet over the combined R1A jig root location, took up the space no problem.

Nice start to your Sabre build Mark. The speed brake angle problem creates a little head scratching, the hinge line dynamics need a good coat of looking at. It's almost looks as the base of the hinge line tilts inwards during actuation? Edited By Harry Twist on 08/11/2019 14:12:35

Hi Pete, your JP's looking superb now, the decals and panel lines set the scheme off really well!

Looking tidy that Steve, nice choice of scheme also. Your intro has got me wanting to read up on the Avon Sabre - didn't realise fitment involved fuselage mods!

Hi David, I'm sure others will pitch in here - but the short answer is - new year would not be too late, and of course you would be welcome to join in, at any time that works best for you. So I would definitely say - join in when you can and enjoy the build. In addition it sounds like you have a close family connection to the F-86, so that's a great reason in itself to build one!     Edited By Harry Twist on 05/11/2019 22:39:30

Hi All, Over the last couple of nights I have pushed the wings on a little more. Both lower skins now made, with centre spars and false TE's added - and whilst drying I sat them, with weights on, in the wing jig to "train" the balsa to the anticipated curve. Each rib was them trimmed to the correct angle for the top and bottom spars and the false TE, simple angle jigs helped this. The wing jig was then relocacted into position over the plan on the building board and although square, it was lifting a little in places - so the solution involved a few moulding pins and a small hammer and then gently nailing it to the building board! With the wing skin sat in the jig I did notice that there was a gap between the underside of the wing skin and R1 - whereas all the other ribs sat neatly. To force the skin down onto R1 would have created a largish step form R1 to R2. So to remove this step/gap I glued a piece of scrap wing sheet balsa over the top of the twin R1 centre braces in the jig - this took up the gap and the wing sits much better now at the root. Next stage was to locate the ribs in their final position and glue them. (the false TE was located prior to any ribs going in). To keep the skin "in the seat" I sat weights between each rib as I glued, and finally placed a piece of waste spruce in the slot on the top of the ribs and weighted down on this. So as of tonight - I have located all the ribs on the right wing apart from R1. As an additional aid to keeping the rib leading edges located on the sheet I wedged a piece of 1" triangle below the front of the sheet. Photos....offer better explanations than my words!   Additional strip over R1 area- indicated by blue pen   Weighted between ribs Right wing ribs glued in situ   Rib leading edge trimming jig Edited By Harry Twist on 05/11/2019 22:17:00

Hi Phil, looking good, I like the use of sockets as masses!

Hi All, got a little more done over the weekend. Once dried, the wing jig was carefully removed from the plan and stored. Right and left lower wing sheets were then made up. Careful cutting gets one wing panel from 2 x 3"x 36" lengths. These were joined by the "tape on the back, fold along the tape line, glue in the fold, then unfold, wiping any excess away and adding weights to the new panel whilst drying" method. Once the panel was dry the rib and spar locations were added and the lower spruce spar cut and glued in location. Finally, I looked at a method for adjusting the spar slots in the ribs to get the correct spar/rib angle at the base. A simple jig to hold the rib made from scrap balsa and two clothes pegs helped! Photos below...   Edited By Harry Twist on 03/11/2019 23:57:11

Hi Martin, thanks for your reply. Sorted the wing skin I think! Careful measuring and cutting gets a lower wing skin for one side from 2 x 3" x 36 " sheets. Thanks Edited By Harry Twist on 02/11/2019 21:46:16

Off we go! Its Nov 1st, so, being a miser I've turned over my piece of plasterboard building board and rescrewed it down on the other (clean!) side. I've then spent a little time making a start on the F-86. I started by fettling the wing jig sub pieces, just minor trimming needed. Then I cut up the wing plan sheet and then added extended lines for the ribs and wing spars. Once done I assembled the wing jig sub pieces and then finally assembled the wing jig, on the covered plan, carefully ensuring it all sat square and flat on the bench. I did add some triangular support as suggested by Martin in his gamma build. Couple of shots...

Hi Martin, pls could you advise, I'm trying to get my head around preparing the lower wing skins. Is it 2 X 3" wide sheets step jointed/ optimised to cover the main area, plus a little bit more thickness added at the wing root area to get full chord depth? Plus is the wing sheet joint roughly parallel to the main spar? Thanks in advance.

Hi All, Firstly - thankyou to Martin Gay and Gordon Studley for the planning, design, production and general "effort" that has led to us obtaining our F-86 PSS kits. Also many thanks to Phil Cooke for his detailed work in supporting and promoting this mass build 2020 project. I've decided to attempt the scheme shown below for my F-86. Its a USAF F-86A of the Montana ANG, target tug, circa 1955 at Nellis AFB.   Profile view: Model kit (not by me!) Edited By Harry Twist on 29/10/2019 22:25:31