Tony Major DH Mosquito

[Danny Fenton]

Not wishing to slate a sponsors product but I didn't find the SLEC item you mention BEB particularily good. maybe it was just me  However NEXUS sold me one of these made by ROBART and it is really precise. (the ttached photo shows the alternate size hole guide fitted just to keep it from getting lost, normally there is nothing on this side of the unit)

 

Craig can you show a picture of the plan for the fin and rudder? I am intrigued by the use of lite ply. Here is a pic of the bigger BT Mossie and it is 1/16 balsa core with 1/16 sheeting.

 

 

 

 

Cheers

Danny

[Craig Spence]

Hi Danny,

 

I am of course worried about the weight but this is my first scale plane build and I want to get it right. I was considering useing glass cloth and resin over the tissue just because I can get a better finish, Im looking for help really.

Can you sand heavy weight tissue?, if so I have no problems useing it.

Does the tissue shrink when its on the balsa?, I know it does when theres nothing for it to adhere to, i.e.. rib gaps.

How would I over lap it on the contours?, just cut slots and marry up with the next one when applied.

 

Thanks Danny much appreciated.

 

[Danny Fenton]

Hi Craig, there are several differnet ways to apply tissue.  I coat the airframe (open structure) in dope, Then I apply tissue by cutting a section slightly oversize, dipping it in water until its sodden, then wring it out so that there are no drips. Lay this over the airframe and tension the wrinkles out. Brush dope on edges to glue them down. Tissue will conform to curvature very well and I tend to rub it down until it sticks and the dope dries. I trim the edges with a sharp scalpel blade and then do the other side to the same point. You can cut pleats to tackle bad curves, and overlap. A light sanding when its dry will remove the ridge. The water in the tissue will shrink the tissue so that its reasonably taught but it will be porous. Once it is all dry apply more coats of dope. Innitially the dope on damp tissue will turn white, don't worry about this as subsequent coats will make it clear. I would suggest just one coat innitially over light structures before switching to non shrinking dope. The shrinking dope will distort the airframe unless you are very careful. Once the surface is totally sealed then it is done. You can give the edges a sand beteen coats, but don't go through the tissue.

 

Over sheeted surfaces I would not use shrinking dope at all, I would go straight for non shrinking dope or banana oil. Non shrinking dope with a drop of banana oil is my preferred route. The banana oil acts as a plasticizer to the dope and stops it cracking over time. You could also use sanding sealer which is just dope with some talcum powder added.

 

You should not need to sand tissue as it is almost the final finish, just needing paint. All your sanding for shape etc should be done before tissue is applied.

 

I am sure there must be plenty of build threads outlining the steps, if not then perhaps take a look at Mike Woodhouse's web site, click on LW Covering. There are loads of hints and tips, he also lists a product called polyspan which looks interesting.

 

On the basis that this is all a bit new to you. I would suggest solartex for the open areas, and glassing the sheet surfaces.

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

Danny

 

 

 

 

[Craig Spence]

Hi BEB,

 

I will take a look at that gadget and also the one you reccomend Danny.

 

Danny thanks for the help there, I have covered with tissue and dope before but the last time I used it I had paste for the ribs.

All my other models have been done with film, I have done glassing to join wings and im quite confident with it (he says now lol!).

 

Im useing the thickest tissue from the shop which was recommended and also useing sanding sealer, the guys said that this would be fine.

Am I right in saying that the sanding sealer does not shrink the tissue?, If thats right i will cover it as you recomend.

 

The tail is sanded completely to shape Danny I was just worried about creases of tissue on the curves and pleats for curves. I will have a look at that attachment you have kindly left and see if its in my ability, Im sure ill be fine.

[Craig Spence]

Ow Danny,

 

I could send a picture of the plan part later tonight for you, although it is almost identicle apart from one thing, the sheeting size.

It doesent actually say the size for my sheeting only the inner sheeting of the rudder.

 

Also on another page it sais tailplane covered with lite ply?, I know its strange but I have went for the 1/16" balsa sheeting anyway.

 

The point I was getting at is this, have a look at the sheeting at the bottom of the rudder, then look at the fin, you will notice that the sheeting extends past the trailing edge of the fin aproximately 2 to 3mm.

As I traced the plan part and took a mental note about the sheeting I forgot and sheeted to the trailing edge. Well of course this is wrong, what I was suggesting was this, that I cut thin strips of ply approximatley 2 to 3mm and the height of the fin and glue them directly on, If I just glued on the 1/16" balsa sheeting it would be very weak as it hasent been glued along the fin structure giveing it strength.

 

I could do the 1/16" sheet and glass it later.

 

Dont know, what are thoughts on that Danny, if that has just cleared up what I was saying.

 

Cheers. 

[Danny Fenton]

Hi Craig I know exactly what you have done LOL I have done it before myself. There is a better way of doing that trailing edge, gives a really neat and close fitting joint.

 

Pictures should explain the trick:

 

 

 

 

Thats is 1/64 ply let into the groove. The little sanding block is the key, and you can make it to whatever width you fancy.

 

Cheers

Danny

[Craig Spence]

Nice little trick there Danny,

 

Ill get that done tonight, I am actually glad I messed up lol!, just for fitting purposes.

Ive got plenty of ply so it shouldent be a problem, just have to make sure that is flushor just slightly above.

 

Ive done the same sort of thing with a servo bay in balsa, apart from I carved out the line.

 

Thanks Danny.

[Kevin Fairgrieve]

Got loads of pictures from Salisbury Hall. Home of the Mosquito.

 

I can burn them to CD if you would like.

 

 

 

Edited By Kevin Fairgrieve on 12/08/2010 21:07:23

[Kevin Fairgrieve]

 

Like these.

[Craig Spence]

Hi Kevin,

 

those pictures lookgreat and yes I do like the guns lol!.

If you could email me some photo's I would greatly appreciate it, area's would be -

The nose and the guns (like the ones youve already posted)

The hingeing areas of surfaces.

The tailplane.

Tip lights.

Cowls and nacells.

 

I think that will do for now, by the time ive used them inputs I will have already got to a mueseum.

 

Thanks Kevin.

 

Oh email address is - cspanceATyahoo.coDOTuk

Edited By Tim Mackey - Administrator on 13/08/2010 10:17:35

[Tim Mackey]

Not a good idea publishing your email address on an open public forum Craig - unless you like Spam ( not the tinned variety )

PS are you sure its cspance rather than cspence?? cos I didnt change that bit.

Edited By Tim Mackey - Administrator on 13/08/2010 10:18:30

[Craig Spence]

Thanks Tim,

 

my heads up my rear end at the mo from working on my kit till 03.00hrs this morning lol!.

Yes it is cspance as well, many thanks there I appreciate it.

[Craig Spence]

Hi all,

 

well I worked on the Stabiliser last night untill about 03.00, no good ha.

I am learning though and im glad I started the tailplane before moveing onto anything else.

 

The stabiliser is built again in two halfs, now in the centre there is a t arrangement with 1/4" spars, what I didnt think of before assembling was to profile the spars so they are in line with the riblets, doh!.

 

The result is I now have the spars trimmed lower than the sheeting, this isnt really ideal as it is this area where the tailplane sits on two 1/4 sheets and preety much the structure where the stabiliser is supported.

 

So my idead now is to build up the gap with some balsa  so the sheeting can be in contact with it. The other option is to sheet one side as it is now and then fill in the gap from the unsheeted side with some sawdust and pva glue.

 

Can anyone give some advise?.

 

Cheers all, ill send a picture when its sheeted.

[Danny Fenton]

Hi Craig, sounds like you are enjoying it which is great.

IMO, Just cap the spars with some 1/4 by 1/16 or if it is really shallow 1/4 x 1/8 then sand to the correct profile. I am always getting things wrong, the skill is getting out of the mistakes

The sheeting must touch the spars and ribs evenly. Don't do the PVA thing you must keep it light at the rear.

Talking of weight what glue are you using? I know this will open a real can of worms

 

Cheers

Danny

[Craig Spence]

Hi Danny,

 

yeah im loveing it but would like to increase my plan know how a bit lol!, it comes with time I suppose.

I will be filling in the spars as you say the only thing I worry about is ruining the trailing edge of the leading edge (which the sheet glues to) when profiling the balsa. Im sure I will be fine though.

 

 "I am always getting things wrong, the skill is getting out of the mistakes"  This is pretty much me all over lol!, I just wish my plan knowledge increases a bit before I do something wrong I cant fix, although I havent come across something I cant fix yet, apart from a bag of splinters from down the patch lol!.

 

Your right you may open a can of worms with the glue subject, alot of people find some glues taboo.

Im useing superglue for the tailplane and the rest of the model will be built useing fast drying PVA glue (cant remember the name). I dont see the problem with useing superglue at all, for parts that dont need moveing about too much its great.

The only thing I find a downfall with it is that its hard to sand if you activate it.

 

Once again cheers Danny. 

[Danny Fenton]

Not sure I understand but profile the leading edge to the shape of the ribs, leave sanding the complete leading edge profile until after the stab is sheeted.

I use thin cyano for most of my balsa joints, slow setting pva for large sheeting, and Titbond II which is an aliphatic quick drying pva for most of the rest.

 

Lets squeeze past the glue thing before anybody notices..........

 

Cheers

Danny

[Craig Spence]

Yeah sounds good that other people agree with the super glue, but we will pass through that lol!.

I will show you the pics of the stab tonight.

 

Cheers.

[Craig Spence]

Here's the corrected Fin and Rudder.

 

After looking around at other forums and build blogs I have found that a few other people have the same gap at the bottom of the rudder i.e.. the bottom of the rudder is thinner than the bottom of the fin.

So im gald that others have done the same but is it scale?.

[Danny Fenton]

does this help?

 

Cheers

Danny

Edited By Danny Fenton on 13/08/2010 14:46:17

[Craig Spence]

lol, cheers.

[Craig Spence]

Hi all,

 

well didnt finish last night untill 03.00 lol!, I need to get as much work done as I can before I go back to work for two weeks.

 

I finished the stabilise and started on the elevator, I also worked on the rudder (again!), I have glued some 1/16 balsa to the bottom in the hope I can build it out a little.

Well I have got the width at the bottom now, I just havent got the finish I want, I will have to build the ribs up a little and use some filler to get a good finish.

I will leave the rudder now until I get back.

 

So heres the stab, sanded down fine, I just need to get a flat file in the gap at the front where its joined to the fus. Although this would be pointless actually because there is scrap wood either side at the front gap so you can cut it back to fit the fus.

 

Quite a nice size as well, cant wait to get the fuselage done.

 

Here is one Elevator half and tip completed, this is where most of the time was spent last night. The wife isnt happy really, the whole front room was covered in balsa dust lol!, I swept up but it just fell from the air in the night.

So im not really keen on haveing a solid balsa elevator but Im following plan, It took ages to get it down to how I wanted it, I marked a centre line on the trailing edge so I didnt over do it, Im enjoying it though, I wouldent stay up that late if I never.

 

Today I will get the other elevator half done dureing the day (sneakily as the wife doesent allow me to build when the kids are awake, lots of going into the garden for smokes lol!) and when I get back in two weeks I have another project to do simutainuously to this one but I will make a start on the Fuselage. 

[bert baker]

Hi Craig

I was unable to find pictures.

 

Re

I have made my first minor mistake, I copy some parts of the plan onto traceing paper and then photocopy, this way I have paper to work on and dont ruin the plan.

 

Have you ever tryed using a hot household iron to transfer photo coppies

 

I sometimes photo copy parts of plans and lay copy face down on to wood to be used making sure grain is in right direction then put a hot iron over it and push down hard if all's well you should end up with a reverse print of part.

 

I was in a hurry the other day and couldn't get to a photo copy machine in my frustration I had a go directly from the plan it did work (NOTE you only get about two goes at it so test with none imoprtant lines first

 

ps I have put my mossi up for sale in the adds section

 

good luck with the build

bert

[Craig Spence]

Hi Bert,

 

thats a very good tip and I dont think ive heard of that one yet.

Ive heard of the carbon paper. The rest of the build now will all be done on the plan and hopefully I should be able to maintain the plan quite well (so far so good).

Ill have a look at your mossi as well, why are you selling it if you dont mind me askinh?. 

Cheers Bert.

[Craig Spence]

Hi all,

 

ive encountered another problem, I have sanded my elevator halfs out of 1/2" balsa sheet and now have come to the piano wire fitting erm, lol!.

Im going to have to carve out the passage for the piano wire in each half, I didnt want to do the elevators out of two sheets and it doesent say to on the plan.

Is there a smart way of doing this?, or will I just have to carve and cover with balsa?.

 

Cheers all.

[bert baker]

Hi craig

I have to many models and I don't think I will ever get round to finishing her off

Must admit it wouldn't be that hard as wings are foam and fuz is glass fibre.

 

I have never flown a twin plane before and it might be a good idea to have flown somthing a bit more disposable

 

As of yet I haven't had time to get it out a photo all the bitts but at the end of the day it will look like any other scale mossi

 

bert