High Quality Plan Sets and Laser Cut Partial Kits for Radio Control
Aircraft
Page 18
Henry Struck's 1937 Benny Boxcar in 108 inch span
Making the form for the fiberglass
cowl. It is being made in two parts split on the center vertically
so left and right molds can be made. Patterns from the plan are
glued to the balsa stock using 3M 77. The circle for the spinner
bulkhead is basswood.
Checking the shape of the parts on the
fuselage. The cowl shape will be built up with balsa blocking and
sanded down to conform to these bulkheads and formers.
Balsa blocking installed. Some of
this is rough enough work to bring out the big tools.
Band saws and belt sanders followed by the
four in hand and the sanding bar bring it to hear, then Epoxysculpt and
Perfect Plastic Putty are used to fix the remaining visible flaws.
The finished cowl. It was made
with 6 ounce cloth and Isopthalic resin which makes for a lightweight
and stiff cowl. There are some flaws in the finish but the time
before travel to the Champs was all used up when I painted it.
The landing gear was bent up from a 36
inch length of 3/16 music wire. Tape was used to make reference
marks for the bends.
