Clear monokote laid down with 4 layers of 6 oz. cloth, resin and a final layer of microballoons
Hatch outline drawn on the fuselage according to 3 views.
Access hatch sanded down. The last layer of microballoons does a good job of filling the weave, negating the extra step of laying down a sanding layer of resin later.
The fuselage is then cut for the hatch door.
The door is cut to fit the hole in the fuse.
Hinges and hatch latch installed along with a switch panel.
Tailwheel doors are made in the same way. A piece of 1/64th ply is taped over the hole to give support to the layup while curing.
Layup sanded down and the outline of the tail wheel opening drawn on.
Layup cut to fit the opening.
Doors hinged to the sides. Actuation will be with small ball links connected to the retract mechanism.
Original firewall set up for a G-62
Once the hole was cut for the rear carb of the 3w75, the fuse was stood on its tail.........
So that I could establish the proper locations for the engine mount holes and still maintain 1 1/2 degrees of right thrust.
3w-75i mounted with pitts muffler installed.
The bottom of the motor box was clearanced for the muffler.
Characteristic panel line on elevator simulated with flite metal
Fuselage hatches simulated out of flite metal
Airframe ready for paint.
Paint colors will be PPG medium sea grey, ocean grey and dark green. All colors are RAF camoflauge.
Fuse in Ocean grey and medium sea grey.
Wing with camo roughed in with small HVLP gun.
Wing after smoothing the lines with an airbrush.
Camo work finished.
Now its time for all those markings.
Letters are first printed on paper and taped to fuselage for size and placement. Major Decals star and bar is also used as template
Patterns are then cut from frisket paper, placed on the fuselage and the markings are sprayed on with an airbrush
Starboard side after paint mask removal.
Kill markings painted on and stencil decals applied
Hairless joe is first printed out on paper to the right size. Then the white circle is painted.
Then the figure is traced over with carbon paper underneath leaving a black outline.
The figure is then painted in by hand using testors model master paints.
Printed line drawing of a star and bar used as a template to get the outline correct.
Once the ouline is traced on with pencil, it is taped of using tamiya masking tape.
further taping with low tack painters tape.
The first coat of blue is sprayed on in a mist coat to prevent bleeding under tape.
Once the blue is done, the white portion is cut out of the paper stencil and traced onto the blue.
White area sprayed on after being taped up again with tamiya masking tape.
Finished star & bar
The same is done for the top of the left wing.
Thunderbolts of the 56th fighter group carried 2 large star and bar insignia under the wings
Landing gear finished with glennis wheels installed.
Working landing light and pnuematic inner gear doors.
Gear and landing light retracted.
UP-3 retract valve and servo
Servo rail with tailwheel steering , rudder and throttle servo placed forward to help with CG.
Choke bellcrank for rear carb of 3w 75i
Cockpit components laid out and ready to start.
Cockpit assembled and painted.
Interior color is zinc chromate green.
The cockpit assembles easily from Rueben's kit
Pilot is made from a perfect pilots WWII bust and the lower half of a Vailly aviation pilot
Pilot is painted with testors model master enamels.
Canopy is covered in flite metal to replicate the natural metal of the original.
Canopy rivets are burnished in with a brass tube.
All finished up and ready for the maiden flight.
Final weight is 31 lbs
No extra lead was needed to balance
test flights went extremely well and it now has 12 flights.
