WELCOME BACK! In the February
column, I touched on how to use nitrate or
butyrate dope to keep your favorite model’s
covering material taut throughout the flying
season.
Doug Dahlke of Oshkosh, Wisconsin,
took the time to write in and offer these
great tips when using dope. They are as
follows.
• Nitrate dope stops shrinking after two or
three days. Butyrate dope never stops
shrinking.
• Nitrate dope tends to be more brittle than
butyrate dope.
• Plasticizing nitrate dope with one to four
drops of castor oil per ounce solves the brittleness issue.
• Warming dope under hot water or warm air gives each coat a
smoother flow, resulting in less sanding, regardless of brush or
spray application. Approximately 105° works well.
• Warm dope doesn’t sink in as deeply; therefore, it needs less dope,
resulting in a lighter finish.
• Don’t be afraid to use retarder.
• Keep dope bottle lids and caps free and easy to remove by
applying a thin coat of castor oil to the threads.
Thanks for taking the time to assist your fellow modelers, Doug.
I finally found some building time and was thrilled to get back to
work on my 1/4-scale Polikarpov I-16. The full-scale aircraft was
first flown in late 1933, and it was the world’s first monoplane
fighter with retractable landing gear.
Two of the I-16’s prominent features are the huge wing and
empennage fillets. I previously described how I used blue foam to
form the wing fillets. In this column I’ll describe how to form the
tail fillets.
I used plenty of
reference material
(photos, drawings,
three-views) to
show the fillets’ size
and placement.
Since the full-scale
I-16’s fuselage was
made from wood
and the vertical and
horizontal
stabilizers were
covered with fabric, the metal fillets did not blend smoothly into
those surfaces.
There was a noticeable overlapping edge, and that is what I
wanted to replicate. I have provided a sequence of photos to depict
the process.
Following is the material list.
• Pacer Technology’s Z-Poxy Finishing Resin (item PT40)
• Microballoons
• Automotive 1/4-inch-wide fine-line tape
• Ordinary 1-inch-wide masking tape
• 80- and 150-grit sandpaper
Draw the fillet’s outline on the model. When you are
happy with placement and shape, apply the automotive
fine-line tape against the outline. If you want a more
pronounced raised edge, use two layers of the fine-line
tape.
I also attached a balsa guide to the front of the
stabilizer. This helped me achieve the fillet’s LE shape.
Back the fine-line tape with ordinary masking tape. I used the
standard 1-inch-wide variety. This will protect the model’s surface
when you apply the microballoon mix, and especially during
sanding.
Make a mixture of finishing resin and microballoons. To do this,
combine the two parts of resin and then slowly add the
microballoons.
At first, you will probably notice that the mixture has a shine
to it. Keep adding and mixing microballoons until the blend has a
flat finish. The firmer, the better. Also, the more microballoons
you add, the easier it will be to sand to shape later.
Apply the microballoon mix to the desired area. You want to
mold the general shape of the fillet.
You might notice that it is difficult to spread the
microballoons; a helpful hint is to use a wet finger to do this.
Keep a cup of water close by and keep dipping. Peel the masking
tape away (not the fine-line tape) before the filler has a chance to
completely cure.
Allow the mixture to dry overnight, and sand it using the
heavier, 80-grit paper. The fillet will sand easily. Keep sanding to
shape until you see the fine-line tape show through, and switch to
the 150-grit paper for fine sanding. When the fine-line tape is
fully visible, you can peel it off.
The result is a great-looking fillet with a raised edge. If your
model does not require a raised edge, you can sand the fillet and
blend it smoothly.
Good luck with your fillets!
As with eating potato chips, Gary Heath of Beltsville, Maryland,
July 2009 105
Above: Rich Feroldi and his
son, Jack, with their scratchbuilt,
1/3-scale Ansaldo S.V.A.5.
Left: The Ansaldo’s sheeted
fuselage has an impressive
finish, as does the cockpit.
Gary Heath with the three Balsa USA Fokker D.VIIs
that he built. All are powered by Zenoah G-26 engines.
couldn’t have just one Fokker D.VII; he had to build three. He made
one for himself and two for a pair of friends.
Gary’s D.VII is the red one, finished in Ernst Udet’s colors. The
green Fokker with the yellow nose is modeled after Lothar von
Richthofen’s (Manfred’s brother), and the yellow model is finished
in Erich Loewenhardt’s colors. All of the D.VIIs are covered with
Worldtex fabric.
The lozenge fabric, from Glenn Torrance Models, has to be sewn
into panels and doped onto the wings. Gary says that it looks great.
To test which paint system wears the best, the red D.VII is
painted with dope, the green-and-yellow D.VII is painted with
Model Master Acrylic Paint, and the yellow-and-red D.VII is
painted with latex house paint.
Gary built all three models from Balsa USA kits and installed
Zenoah G-26 gas engines for power. He also built a Spad from
Balsa USA.
He enjoys World War I aircraft. As Gary describes, they feature
“slow flying, fixed landing gear, constant chord, built in dihedral
and fly like trainers with guns!” He also says that it’s a great way to
get into warbirds with lots of character.
Gary uses a Spektrum 2.4 GHz radio system to control his
models and is a member of the Free State Aeromodelers. The club’s
field is the Konaterra Model Park near Laurel, Maryland.
If Gary is not building or flying models, you can probably find
him at the National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy
Center, in Chantilly, Virginia. He is a docent (volunteer guide) there.
Beautiful models, Gary. I have one question, though; which
paint wears the best?
If it’s 1/3 scale, represents the World War I
era, and is masterfully constructed, there’s a
good chance that Rich Feroldi of Winter
Springs, Florida, built it. He constructed the
outstanding Italian Ansaldo S.V.A.5 from his
plans, referenced from the Windsock Datafile
on the aircraft.
The model spans 121 inches, is 105 inches
long, weighs 50 pounds, and is powered by a
Quadra 100 gas engine. Its authentic structure
is emphasized with 1/64 aircraft-grade
plywood and has a polyurethane-varnish
finish. The wings are covered with Koverall,
coated with nitrate dope, and painted with
Williams latex paint.
Some of the Ansaldo’s features are bomb
drop, reconnaissance camera, and articulated
pilot. Rich is a member of the Sanford
Aeromodelers. Very nice, Rich.
So ends another RC Giants column. Don’t
let the dog days of summer get you down.
Load up your favorite Giant Scale model,
throw some refreshments in the cooler, and
head out to the nearest flying event. I bet
you’ll have some fun! MA
Sources:
Pacer Technology
(800) 538-3091
http://zap.supergluecorp.com
Glenn Torrance Models
(919) 765-0814
www.flygtm.com
International Miniature Aircraft Association
www.fly-imaa.org
Balsa USA
(800) 225-7287
www.balsausa.com
www.pspec
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/07
Page Numbers: 104,105,106
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/07
Page Numbers: 104,105,106
WELCOME BACK! In the February
column, I touched on how to use nitrate or
butyrate dope to keep your favorite model’s
covering material taut throughout the flying
season.
Doug Dahlke of Oshkosh, Wisconsin,
took the time to write in and offer these
great tips when using dope. They are as
follows.
• Nitrate dope stops shrinking after two or
three days. Butyrate dope never stops
shrinking.
• Nitrate dope tends to be more brittle than
butyrate dope.
• Plasticizing nitrate dope with one to four
drops of castor oil per ounce solves the brittleness issue.
• Warming dope under hot water or warm air gives each coat a
smoother flow, resulting in less sanding, regardless of brush or
spray application. Approximately 105° works well.
• Warm dope doesn’t sink in as deeply; therefore, it needs less dope,
resulting in a lighter finish.
• Don’t be afraid to use retarder.
• Keep dope bottle lids and caps free and easy to remove by
applying a thin coat of castor oil to the threads.
Thanks for taking the time to assist your fellow modelers, Doug.
I finally found some building time and was thrilled to get back to
work on my 1/4-scale Polikarpov I-16. The full-scale aircraft was
first flown in late 1933, and it was the world’s first monoplane
fighter with retractable landing gear.
Two of the I-16’s prominent features are the huge wing and
empennage fillets. I previously described how I used blue foam to
form the wing fillets. In this column I’ll describe how to form the
tail fillets.
I used plenty of
reference material
(photos, drawings,
three-views) to
show the fillets’ size
and placement.
Since the full-scale
I-16’s fuselage was
made from wood
and the vertical and
horizontal
stabilizers were
covered with fabric, the metal fillets did not blend smoothly into
those surfaces.
There was a noticeable overlapping edge, and that is what I
wanted to replicate. I have provided a sequence of photos to depict
the process.
Following is the material list.
• Pacer Technology’s Z-Poxy Finishing Resin (item PT40)
• Microballoons
• Automotive 1/4-inch-wide fine-line tape
• Ordinary 1-inch-wide masking tape
• 80- and 150-grit sandpaper
Draw the fillet’s outline on the model. When you are
happy with placement and shape, apply the automotive
fine-line tape against the outline. If you want a more
pronounced raised edge, use two layers of the fine-line
tape.
I also attached a balsa guide to the front of the
stabilizer. This helped me achieve the fillet’s LE shape.
Back the fine-line tape with ordinary masking tape. I used the
standard 1-inch-wide variety. This will protect the model’s surface
when you apply the microballoon mix, and especially during
sanding.
Make a mixture of finishing resin and microballoons. To do this,
combine the two parts of resin and then slowly add the
microballoons.
At first, you will probably notice that the mixture has a shine
to it. Keep adding and mixing microballoons until the blend has a
flat finish. The firmer, the better. Also, the more microballoons
you add, the easier it will be to sand to shape later.
Apply the microballoon mix to the desired area. You want to
mold the general shape of the fillet.
You might notice that it is difficult to spread the
microballoons; a helpful hint is to use a wet finger to do this.
Keep a cup of water close by and keep dipping. Peel the masking
tape away (not the fine-line tape) before the filler has a chance to
completely cure.
Allow the mixture to dry overnight, and sand it using the
heavier, 80-grit paper. The fillet will sand easily. Keep sanding to
shape until you see the fine-line tape show through, and switch to
the 150-grit paper for fine sanding. When the fine-line tape is
fully visible, you can peel it off.
The result is a great-looking fillet with a raised edge. If your
model does not require a raised edge, you can sand the fillet and
blend it smoothly.
Good luck with your fillets!
As with eating potato chips, Gary Heath of Beltsville, Maryland,
July 2009 105
Above: Rich Feroldi and his
son, Jack, with their scratchbuilt,
1/3-scale Ansaldo S.V.A.5.
Left: The Ansaldo’s sheeted
fuselage has an impressive
finish, as does the cockpit.
Gary Heath with the three Balsa USA Fokker D.VIIs
that he built. All are powered by Zenoah G-26 engines.
couldn’t have just one Fokker D.VII; he had to build three. He made
one for himself and two for a pair of friends.
Gary’s D.VII is the red one, finished in Ernst Udet’s colors. The
green Fokker with the yellow nose is modeled after Lothar von
Richthofen’s (Manfred’s brother), and the yellow model is finished
in Erich Loewenhardt’s colors. All of the D.VIIs are covered with
Worldtex fabric.
The lozenge fabric, from Glenn Torrance Models, has to be sewn
into panels and doped onto the wings. Gary says that it looks great.
To test which paint system wears the best, the red D.VII is
painted with dope, the green-and-yellow D.VII is painted with
Model Master Acrylic Paint, and the yellow-and-red D.VII is
painted with latex house paint.
Gary built all three models from Balsa USA kits and installed
Zenoah G-26 gas engines for power. He also built a Spad from
Balsa USA.
He enjoys World War I aircraft. As Gary describes, they feature
“slow flying, fixed landing gear, constant chord, built in dihedral
and fly like trainers with guns!” He also says that it’s a great way to
get into warbirds with lots of character.
Gary uses a Spektrum 2.4 GHz radio system to control his
models and is a member of the Free State Aeromodelers. The club’s
field is the Konaterra Model Park near Laurel, Maryland.
If Gary is not building or flying models, you can probably find
him at the National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy
Center, in Chantilly, Virginia. He is a docent (volunteer guide) there.
Beautiful models, Gary. I have one question, though; which
paint wears the best?
If it’s 1/3 scale, represents the World War I
era, and is masterfully constructed, there’s a
good chance that Rich Feroldi of Winter
Springs, Florida, built it. He constructed the
outstanding Italian Ansaldo S.V.A.5 from his
plans, referenced from the Windsock Datafile
on the aircraft.
The model spans 121 inches, is 105 inches
long, weighs 50 pounds, and is powered by a
Quadra 100 gas engine. Its authentic structure
is emphasized with 1/64 aircraft-grade
plywood and has a polyurethane-varnish
finish. The wings are covered with Koverall,
coated with nitrate dope, and painted with
Williams latex paint.
Some of the Ansaldo’s features are bomb
drop, reconnaissance camera, and articulated
pilot. Rich is a member of the Sanford
Aeromodelers. Very nice, Rich.
So ends another RC Giants column. Don’t
let the dog days of summer get you down.
Load up your favorite Giant Scale model,
throw some refreshments in the cooler, and
head out to the nearest flying event. I bet
you’ll have some fun! MA
Sources:
Pacer Technology
(800) 538-3091
http://zap.supergluecorp.com
Glenn Torrance Models
(919) 765-0814
www.flygtm.com
International Miniature Aircraft Association
www.fly-imaa.org
Balsa USA
(800) 225-7287
www.balsausa.com
www.pspec
Edition: Model Aviation - 2009/07
Page Numbers: 104,105,106
WELCOME BACK! In the February
column, I touched on how to use nitrate or
butyrate dope to keep your favorite model’s
covering material taut throughout the flying
season.
Doug Dahlke of Oshkosh, Wisconsin,
took the time to write in and offer these
great tips when using dope. They are as
follows.
• Nitrate dope stops shrinking after two or
three days. Butyrate dope never stops
shrinking.
• Nitrate dope tends to be more brittle than
butyrate dope.
• Plasticizing nitrate dope with one to four
drops of castor oil per ounce solves the brittleness issue.
• Warming dope under hot water or warm air gives each coat a
smoother flow, resulting in less sanding, regardless of brush or
spray application. Approximately 105° works well.
• Warm dope doesn’t sink in as deeply; therefore, it needs less dope,
resulting in a lighter finish.
• Don’t be afraid to use retarder.
• Keep dope bottle lids and caps free and easy to remove by
applying a thin coat of castor oil to the threads.
Thanks for taking the time to assist your fellow modelers, Doug.
I finally found some building time and was thrilled to get back to
work on my 1/4-scale Polikarpov I-16. The full-scale aircraft was
first flown in late 1933, and it was the world’s first monoplane
fighter with retractable landing gear.
Two of the I-16’s prominent features are the huge wing and
empennage fillets. I previously described how I used blue foam to
form the wing fillets. In this column I’ll describe how to form the
tail fillets.
I used plenty of
reference material
(photos, drawings,
three-views) to
show the fillets’ size
and placement.
Since the full-scale
I-16’s fuselage was
made from wood
and the vertical and
horizontal
stabilizers were
covered with fabric, the metal fillets did not blend smoothly into
those surfaces.
There was a noticeable overlapping edge, and that is what I
wanted to replicate. I have provided a sequence of photos to depict
the process.
Following is the material list.
• Pacer Technology’s Z-Poxy Finishing Resin (item PT40)
• Microballoons
• Automotive 1/4-inch-wide fine-line tape
• Ordinary 1-inch-wide masking tape
• 80- and 150-grit sandpaper
Draw the fillet’s outline on the model. When you are
happy with placement and shape, apply the automotive
fine-line tape against the outline. If you want a more
pronounced raised edge, use two layers of the fine-line
tape.
I also attached a balsa guide to the front of the
stabilizer. This helped me achieve the fillet’s LE shape.
Back the fine-line tape with ordinary masking tape. I used the
standard 1-inch-wide variety. This will protect the model’s surface
when you apply the microballoon mix, and especially during
sanding.
Make a mixture of finishing resin and microballoons. To do this,
combine the two parts of resin and then slowly add the
microballoons.
At first, you will probably notice that the mixture has a shine
to it. Keep adding and mixing microballoons until the blend has a
flat finish. The firmer, the better. Also, the more microballoons
you add, the easier it will be to sand to shape later.
Apply the microballoon mix to the desired area. You want to
mold the general shape of the fillet.
You might notice that it is difficult to spread the
microballoons; a helpful hint is to use a wet finger to do this.
Keep a cup of water close by and keep dipping. Peel the masking
tape away (not the fine-line tape) before the filler has a chance to
completely cure.
Allow the mixture to dry overnight, and sand it using the
heavier, 80-grit paper. The fillet will sand easily. Keep sanding to
shape until you see the fine-line tape show through, and switch to
the 150-grit paper for fine sanding. When the fine-line tape is
fully visible, you can peel it off.
The result is a great-looking fillet with a raised edge. If your
model does not require a raised edge, you can sand the fillet and
blend it smoothly.
Good luck with your fillets!
As with eating potato chips, Gary Heath of Beltsville, Maryland,
July 2009 105
Above: Rich Feroldi and his
son, Jack, with their scratchbuilt,
1/3-scale Ansaldo S.V.A.5.
Left: The Ansaldo’s sheeted
fuselage has an impressive
finish, as does the cockpit.
Gary Heath with the three Balsa USA Fokker D.VIIs
that he built. All are powered by Zenoah G-26 engines.
couldn’t have just one Fokker D.VII; he had to build three. He made
one for himself and two for a pair of friends.
Gary’s D.VII is the red one, finished in Ernst Udet’s colors. The
green Fokker with the yellow nose is modeled after Lothar von
Richthofen’s (Manfred’s brother), and the yellow model is finished
in Erich Loewenhardt’s colors. All of the D.VIIs are covered with
Worldtex fabric.
The lozenge fabric, from Glenn Torrance Models, has to be sewn
into panels and doped onto the wings. Gary says that it looks great.
To test which paint system wears the best, the red D.VII is
painted with dope, the green-and-yellow D.VII is painted with
Model Master Acrylic Paint, and the yellow-and-red D.VII is
painted with latex house paint.
Gary built all three models from Balsa USA kits and installed
Zenoah G-26 gas engines for power. He also built a Spad from
Balsa USA.
He enjoys World War I aircraft. As Gary describes, they feature
“slow flying, fixed landing gear, constant chord, built in dihedral
and fly like trainers with guns!” He also says that it’s a great way to
get into warbirds with lots of character.
Gary uses a Spektrum 2.4 GHz radio system to control his
models and is a member of the Free State Aeromodelers. The club’s
field is the Konaterra Model Park near Laurel, Maryland.
If Gary is not building or flying models, you can probably find
him at the National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy
Center, in Chantilly, Virginia. He is a docent (volunteer guide) there.
Beautiful models, Gary. I have one question, though; which
paint wears the best?
If it’s 1/3 scale, represents the World War I
era, and is masterfully constructed, there’s a
good chance that Rich Feroldi of Winter
Springs, Florida, built it. He constructed the
outstanding Italian Ansaldo S.V.A.5 from his
plans, referenced from the Windsock Datafile
on the aircraft.
The model spans 121 inches, is 105 inches
long, weighs 50 pounds, and is powered by a
Quadra 100 gas engine. Its authentic structure
is emphasized with 1/64 aircraft-grade
plywood and has a polyurethane-varnish
finish. The wings are covered with Koverall,
coated with nitrate dope, and painted with
Williams latex paint.
Some of the Ansaldo’s features are bomb
drop, reconnaissance camera, and articulated
pilot. Rich is a member of the Sanford
Aeromodelers. Very nice, Rich.
So ends another RC Giants column. Don’t
let the dog days of summer get you down.
Load up your favorite Giant Scale model,
throw some refreshments in the cooler, and
head out to the nearest flying event. I bet
you’ll have some fun! MA
Sources:
Pacer Technology
(800) 538-3091
http://zap.supergluecorp.com
Glenn Torrance Models
(919) 765-0814
www.flygtm.com
International Miniature Aircraft Association
www.fly-imaa.org
Balsa USA
(800) 225-7287
www.balsausa.com
www.pspec