Who Else Wants a 63" Lavochkin La7 kit?

[Bob Cotsford]

After perusing pictures of planes I decided that the monotone scheme is just plain dreary no matter how much you try to tart it up. Friday afternoon - mask off an approximation of the standardised late war camo pattern and gently tease the outer 1/2" of the masking tape up to a) soften the paint edge and b) reduce the chance of paint bleeds. About 10 months ago (doesn't time fly) I went into Halfords and stocked up on grey primer, bermuda blue, white, red and a rather fetching Rover Hurricane Grey paint. Fast forward 10 months to Saturday afternoon, it's stopped raining so I dig out the appropriately named Hurricane grey, shake like made for 5 minutes and start applying a mist coat. Of course with my luck I'd got a faulty can and halfway round the spray turned into a paint hose. Sunday, COVID queuing the order of the day, and Halfords queue is halfway round the block - straight back in the car! Luckily the small parts shop in Acocks Green mixes paints to order - except that he had to stop doing it because current H&S regs put paid to that. He did have a stock of off the shelf auto paints and a close match was found.

The result:

It will be interesting to see how the masked edges turn out after the hosepipe episode.

Edited By Bob Cotsford on 21/06/2020 16:36:59

[Ron Gray]

Oooo, it's exciting Bob, a bit like a Christmas present, can't wait to get it opened and see what it is. I've now decided that I will continue to use Cass Art for paints, they have a great colour range, it's very cheap, covers well and their delivery is first rate. for soft masks I use bits of depron cut in all sorts of shapes and hold it at various distances from the surface. That way I can vary the edge sharpness of the colour joints and I don't have to stick it to the surface, angling the spray away from the edge eliminates creep. Interesting thing I saw when looking back at the Cass Art site, they also sell spray caps with varying spray patterns.

[Bob Cotsford]

Those spray caps sound just the job. I'm not keen on these car paints, they always seem to come out heavy. I used to like Solarlac paints for spraying and got nice finishes without too much pain but they do smell pretty toxic. I did think about loose cardboard masks for the soft edge, then I thought better of it as I could think of half a dozen ways for me to * it up!

Christmas comes tomorrow!

Edited By Bob Cotsford on 21/06/2020 17:33:34

[Bob Cotsford]

And to the plan pattern using 2mm plastic sheet:

Having cut them to the plan size I think I'd have liked them maybe 3mm wider each side on the wheel cover area. They're 3 1/2" or 90mm across. It'll be interesting to compare them to the wells when I bring the wing in from the shed as I'm pretty sure 3 1/2" wheels will fit in with room to spare.

[Ron Gray]

I'm using 3 1/2" DuBro low bounce, could really do with being a bit thinner so that they go further into the wells but after much adjusting and shimming I think I've got the best, for me, compromise. As soon as I saw my engine running video I realised that the legs weren't angled forward enough so ground handling would need lots of elevator use.

[Bob Cotsford]

For anyone interested in Soviet airforce WW2 history Red Banner might be worth a browse. Of course it's entirely possible I found it referenced on this thread in the first place .

Plenty of reference like this late war scheme based on the official 'standard' pattern:

[Ron Gray]

And don't forget our good old friend Wings Palette

[Ron Gray]

My view on colour schemes, especially Russian WW11 ones, is that more or less anything was OK and who can argue with your choice and method of applying it?

Edited By Ron Gray on 22/06/2020 16:50:25

[Bob Cotsford]

I've used WP for inspiration a number of times, an excellent resource.

Sure enough, the wheel covers are 3 1/2" and the well is 4". Looks just plain daft much like a lot of ARTF supplied ones. Order more plastic sheet and make some more - or forget about them? Sorry Ron! Maybe the brackets will yet come in handy for the P47.

[Ron Gray]

No problem Bob use them or not, your choice I won't be offended! When I designed my doors I made them so that they overlap the wheel wells irrespective of wheel size. The only problem I have now is that with the change in leg geometry they now sit a bit proud so I'm left with the choice of leaving them as they are or replacing them with my latest design which has dished element to allow the legs to come up higher

[Bob Cotsford]

Looking back at the photos of your original fit - can you not belly the leg section a little more with the heat gun or did you have to raise the retract units too far? Your wheel itself looks a good way down in the well, I'm surprised you need to dish the cover for that too. My legs are a good 3-4mm below the wing surface so I really do hope I've got room for any adjustment needed.

If you are scrapping the existing units you know my address but that does seem a shame.

[Ron Gray]

The problem is that, to get the legs angled forward a bit more, I need to raise the rear of the retracts. This then angles the wheel front rim down which then hits the bottom of the wheels well (the underside of the top wing sheet). If I twist the wheel around then I end up with massive toe out. So to give the wheel clearance I have to raise the whole retract unit, hence why it is now higher than before, if that all makes sense?

[Bob Cotsford]

Oh yes, it makes sense. In the past I've compromised with smaller wheels, hollowing foam down to the top veneer or, more often, by flying without the covers. They only show when the model's parked up and even that is sort of true to life as Youtube will come up with archive film showing that nearly all types flew with bits missing now and then.

[Ron Gray]

I may well end up without them bob, I'll see how it goes. Let me know if you want a pair of 3D printed doors, no problem for me to run some more off for you.

[Bob Cotsford]

I covered the ailerons, elevators and rudder in Solartex, after painting them in 28-30 degrees the ailerons and elevators have a few bubbles. I'll put some pinholes in the bubbles and blast them with a heat gun, with luck that should get rid of them.

So now it's pretty much an ARTF, I have Ron's wheel covers still to paint then it's a case of putting on the graphics, hinging the surfaces and lacquering it with a coat or two of satin.

[Ron Gray]

Looking good Bob. When it's finished and when lockdown had eased still further, we all need to get together for a Warbirds Replicas day at Buckminster. Would be really good to see several of these in the air at the same time.

Edited By Ron Gray on 26/06/2020 15:15:49

[Ron Gray]

Fuse only C of G on mine = roughly 75mm from LE.

[Bob Cotsford]

I've just come back from the shed after lacquering over the decals on the fuselage and cowl to seal them in place. It looks as though one point on a fin star is lifting. I'm giving it a couple of coats of clear gloss that I had handy to blend in the decals to save using up the satin finish at Halfords prices. What has surprised me is that the bare grey primer areas look to have absorbed some of the gloss, I didn't expect it to be porous! I'm glad I sealed that too before it soaked up the precious satin

[Ron Gray]

Primer is supposed to provide a good key for the finishing coats so I guess it absorbs bits of it to provide a chemical bond.

Edited By Ron Gray on 03/07/2020 16:00:32

[Ron Gray]

And so the maiden flight took place today, what can I say, truly brilliant and great 'plane to fly. The vid is not the best as I used my old Mobius camera attached to the peak of my cap so the video is not that close in and it appears mostly as a dot in the sky but you can hear the lovely Laser 80! I'm going to get a better action cam (GoPro probably) to take better vids.

Edited By Ron Gray on 11/07/2020 18:32:54

Edited By Ron Gray on 11/07/2020 18:33:20

Edited By Ron Gray on 11/07/2020 18:33:40

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Very nice Ron, goes well.

[Adrian Smith 1]

Cracking!

[Tim Flyer]

Well done a great maiden flight

[Bob Cotsford]

Excellent result Ron, the camo really works well against your concrete runway too

[Ron Gray]

Yeah, nearly trod on it in the pits!