ROY DAVIES 1 Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 Simon, There's a cat grinning at me from under the wing ?? could be a pushy cat. Love the Vampire a bit of a pig to work on (as far as I was concerned) when I was in the RAF a long time ago. You had to sit on the floor to work under the wing and we had a pit under the rear fuselage to access the lower part of the engine and they liked to throw flames at you on start up so you had an ASBESTOS blanket to hold over the tail plane till it ran up to speed. I like you construction method looks accurate and not too difficult and a fast method too, where your concerned anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightypeesh Posted May 29, 2015 Author Share Posted May 29, 2015 Thanks chaps. Did you pull straws to see who held the blanket! Ok. I got loads done over the past week. Made a small vac former and made the canopy with 0.7mm PETG. Made some intakes.... Coming together now. I also made a 'tail-pipe' spinner for the prop. I dont have a lathe, but I do have a small pillar dril, sanding blocks and a nut and bolt! Thats better. ready to vac form. weighs in at 6 grams. Adding frame work to the canopy using aluminium ducting tape. The inspector of works paid a visit to make sure I was not slacking. coatof grey primer to reveal final fettling required. Just need to fit the elevator servo now and do something to fill the office. AUW with 2100mAh lipo and extra servo is currently 720grams, so my 800g target will be no problem unless the paint is really heavy! I have not worked out the CofG yet, but with the lipo in place it feels about right to me, so I should get away without ballast. Next job is going to be the war paint, I have a short list, but am still undecided...... Cheers, Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Looks great Simon, nice cat John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Price 2 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Coming along very well Simon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightypeesh Posted May 30, 2015 Author Share Posted May 30, 2015 Thank you chaps. It's been very quiet on this blog - normally I get more feedback, which sadly is what keeps me going on these builds, maybe the title. Ok, decided to make one of my 'roll your own' pilots. The scale works out at about 1/13 scale so nothing laying around to fill the office of the right size - so time to break out the sculpey to be cast in foam. Going to fit in quite well! He's checking work going on in his office. Cheers folks, Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightypeesh Posted May 31, 2015 Author Share Posted May 31, 2015 I couldn't resist adding 4.5grams of balsa and foam in the cockpit.. It has very little similarity to the real one, but at least it has something going on in the office. I think it is a beer barrel for those extra long flights! I have decided on the war paint finally - after seeing the Tony Nijhuis Vampire a couple of years ago in the Swiss 'bumble bee' livery I just cannot resist! Cheers chaps, Simon Edited By mightypeesh on 31/05/2015 11:20:26 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastFlyer Smyth Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Lovely build simon, Have always loved the Vampire and just because the comments/feedback are lacking I bet there are a lot of lurkers looking at your build blog. I for one am a regular viewer of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly boy3 Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 So Am I FFS, wonderful build and workman ship. No way will I ever get near the quality of this work. Well done MP. Edited By fly boy3 on 31/05/2015 15:31:06 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightypeesh Posted June 1, 2015 Author Share Posted June 1, 2015 Thanks chaps, just good to know people are looking! Couple of small bits done. A bit of detail on the intakes, and have given her some teeth, also a bit of really 'vauge scale' riviting detail to go under the paint just to add some interest. Rivets are done using the good old pricking wheel that is used in dress making and leather work. Getting interesting now. Cheers chaps, Simon Edited By mightypeesh on 01/06/2015 19:55:34 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Looking very nice Simon . Lots of good detailing going on. I like it . Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Price 2 Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 A very nice bit of kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightypeesh Posted June 2, 2015 Author Share Posted June 2, 2015 Cheers folks. I made a mold of the pilot using silicone rubber and cast him in my favorite builders foam stuff. Dont look too close. The whole cockpit interior and pilot comes in at just 3.58grams - looks ok in situ as well. All fitted in ready for some masking and paint. Cheers, Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Looks the Biz , That foam pilot is the bogs Do Darrs , Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightypeesh Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 Ok chaps, final push now. Balancing the tail spinner First coats of paint. The yellow is some warhammer stuff - airbrushed really nicely. Aluminium is an old Humbrol rattler I had and the black is my favorite Halfords black primer. Far too clean for my taste! I drew up some decals using Adobe Illustrator and printed them onto clear water slide paper and gave them a light coat of halfords clear laquer. the white circles on the wing are to go behind the decals - you can get white paper but I like to distress the surface and by using clear stuff it shows the texture through which unifies the markings into the rest of the paint. Before I apply them though I muck up all that nice bright paint by T-Cutting the lot which also brings out the metal in the aluminium paint. The decals are best applied onto a gloss surface to prevent 'silvering', but I cheat and used a bit of that Ezedope wiped over the area and used it as glue to stick the decal down. Also I have used a combination of silver pen and coloured pecils to add lines and distressing. All ready for a quick coat of laquer to unify all the different paints and decals then It will be done. Cheers, Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightypeesh Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 Woohoo she's finished! I was aiming for an auw of 800grams and I was nearly there at 790grams - until I had to add an 80g nugget of church roof to get the balance point forwards enough . Still, at 870grams with 350 watts of power to play with I think she will be ok! I am so pleased with this one. She is my first go at a scale type total scratch build just using a three view drawing as a starting point. Hopefully she will fly as good as she looks. I left the stripes off of the under wings and kept it all a bit cleaner to help with orientation. Also glad I did the tail pipe spinner. Mr pilot looks happy in his office! Well, thats about it until the maiden, maybe in a weeks time if the weather calms down. I might knock up a dolly for the maiden as I like to rotate on a first flight, but I shall see. Its funny, but I would not have built this were it not for my Pushy Cat going in - so maybe every cloud and all that!.I have definately got the own design bug now, so am now casting my beady eye around for the next project - maybe a tad bigger though! Flight report soon - hopefully Cheers, Simon Edited By mightypeesh on 09/06/2015 12:35:08 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Wow you have done a cracking job on that . I bet you are grinning from ear to ear . Well done . Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Excellent job Simon, it's the bees knees John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Richardson Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 will there be a video of the maiden, or maybe one of the later flights after it is all trimmed out, really sharp looking little model can't wait.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightypeesh Posted June 10, 2015 Author Share Posted June 10, 2015 Thanks chaps, yes I am really chuffed with this one. Certainly looking forwards to having it 'buzzing' around John! Not sure about a video - I dont have such a thing except on my phone - but I will certainly get may mate to point my camera in the right direction. I will keep you updated, Cheers, Simon Edited By mightypeesh on 10/06/2015 17:42:30 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightypeesh Posted June 11, 2015 Author Share Posted June 11, 2015 Ok chaps, I knocked up a quick take off dolly for the first few flights. Made from piano wire bound with tinned copper wire and soldered together. I kept the front open so the blades cannot bite as they go past. Next post will be post flite so fingers crossed! Cheers, Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger graves Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 put some fuel tube over uprights to stop them creating dents Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightypeesh Posted June 11, 2015 Author Share Posted June 11, 2015 Will do roger, thanks for the tip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightypeesh Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 Success! I took her down the field today as the wind was meant to be about 8-9 mph..... and the rest! Anyway, even with the cross wind I gave it a go. I did not use the dolly as my mate volunteered to do the chucky part for me - thanks Steve. The standard 'take a piccy in case it all goes wrong shot' Coming down the strip nice and steady. There is plenty of power on tap and after launch she needed loads of up elevator clicking in, so I wil adjust the CofG point. It really was a bit blustery today, but she handled it well and coped with low passes, loops, vertical rolls for as long as you liked to go up! She is really quick but feels so solid with it. When she is trimmed out some more I think she will be a belter! I think she may be a bit 'tippy' at low speed, but nothing too bad. Chuffed to bits I am! Cheers, Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Well done Simon keep it away from bug spray and jobs a good un John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron evans Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Fine effort.....could be the full size. Ron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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