Also included in this column:
• World Soaring Masters report
MANY OF OUR modern models are made
from fiberglass, whether it’s the fuselage
and/or vacuum-bagged wings. Some are
finished and others are in natural form.
There are two types of layups: polyester
resin and epoxy fiberglass. Polyester is not
as widely used anymore. I’m going to
discuss a few things to assist you in building
a fiberglass model and making repairs when
they become necessary.
I’m going to start with a disclaimer that
the methods discussed here have worked
well for me throughout the years. They are
not the only methods by any means. So if
you don’t agree with me or know of other
techniques, use them and forward them to
me for inclusion in future columns.
Let’s start with a fiberglass fuselage on a
typical Thermal Duration kit. Unless it is a
molded European style, it will most likely be in natural “seethrough”
form. You must thoroughly clean anywhere in or on the
fuselage you want to paint or glue.
I inspect the fuselage for any voids in the layup, cracks, or
anything that is not a smooth surface. Then I give the fuselage a
good wipe-down with acetone. The acetone removes the release
agent used in the layup process. I give special attention to cracks
and voids. The release agent keeps anything from sticking to the
fuselage. Then I scrub thoroughly with a stiff nylon brush and soap
and water, followed by another acetone wipe-down.
I have observed airplanes that have been painted, only to have
the paint chip and peel away. The reason is likely a failure to
prepare the surface.
Many modelers will start by sanding any imperfections and then
sanding for priming. Well, that has just sanded the release agent
into the surface. Nothing will stick for very long. Heavy cleaning
with acetone will help remove much of the agent, but this may be a
problem for the life of the model.
Once cleaned, fill the voids with
microballoons and epoxy and then sand
after curing. The next step, if you want to
paint, is to sand with progressively finer
sandpaper until you are down to 320 grit.
There is no need to go to a finer grit than
320 because the primer needs something to
grab onto.
I like Evercoat Feather Fill sandable
primer. You can get it at any automotive
supply house or from Aircraft Spruce
(www.aircraftspruce.com). This primer will
fill the pinholes and be a good base for the
paint primer. It is catalyzed and is easy to
use and sands easily.
The primer can be sprayed or brushed
on. The first coat will usually reveal
pinholes. If I observe a fairly large area of
pinholes, I’ll rub the primer into the holes
with my finger.
A small section of the pits at the 2006 Central Valley Radio Control club Fall Fest in
Visalia, California.
Richard and Mark Webster’s other passion is microbrewing. This
is a popular place after all the flying is done.
The entire Futaba soaring Team at the Fall Fest (L-R): Aaron Valdez, Darwin N. Barrie,
Bill Malvey, Edgar Vera, John Erikson. All but one fly the HKM Sharon 3.7.
When the primer has cured, wet-sand
with 320-grit wet/dry paper. You will sand
nearly all the primer off, leaving only the
primer in the pinholes. Now you have a
good surface on which to use the paint
primer and paint of your choice.
Preparing the internal areas of the
fuselage is simple. Wipe clean with acetone
any areas where you might eventually want
to adhere something. The most common
area is where the servo tray will be glued.
After cleaning, sand with a heavy-grit paper
and clean again. Then the surface is ready
for glue.
The tail area is often overlooked. This
section is extremely important to clean
properly since we want to use minimal
glue. Clean and sand the tail-post area and
where the bellcrank will be mounted.
You must join fiberglass vacuumbagged
wings with care. Preparation is the
key. If the wing was painted in the vacuumbagging
process, mask off an area an inch
past the width of the fiberglass.
Check to see if denatured alcohol will
remove the paint. If it will, use a paper
towel with a small amount of alcohol to
wipe the paint from the area to be
fiberglassed.
If the alcohol doesn’t work, do the same
with acetone, but soak this area because the
acetone may get through the fiberglass and
into the foam. If that happens, the foam will
be dissolved.
Get as much paint away as you can
January 2007 117
The Central Valley Radio Control club’s world-class Soaring site from the air. The launch
area is the dirt rectangle to the upper left.
safely. Sand with 320-grit sandpaper and
clean.
My process for joining wings uses three
widths of fiberglass-cloth tapes laid up at
the same time. I use a 1-inch-wide piece, a
2-inch-wide piece, and a 4-inch-wide piece.
I purchase all my fiberglass tapes from CST
(www.cstsales.com). Using premade tapes
eliminates fraying when cut from raw cloth.
Cut the tapes to the proper length and
notch as necessary for flaps. Remember to
put a tape dot over the hole where the wires
will come out of the bottom. Use a Sharpie
marker to paint the dot black. My epoxy of
choice is West System 105 with 205
hardener, also available from CST. Be sure
to buy the premetered pumps for ease of
use.
Brush a coat of epoxy that is the width
of the widest cloth on the wing surface.
Lay the 1-inch-wide piece over the seam.
Add only enough epoxy to wet the weave.
Repeat with the 2-inch- and 4-inch-width
fiberglass tape. Allow the epoxy to cure.
After curing, block-sand the seams if
there is an edge in the cloth area. Don’t get
into the weave. I do this as one wet layup.
Everything bonds as a unit with this
method and is fast and light.
If you want to make a finished edge,
you can use microballoons and epoxy to
smooth the seam. I also like Rage autobody
filler. It is a light catalyzed filler that
applies easily and sands even easier. Finish
to the smoothness you desire.
Broken models are a fact of life. When
repairs are necessary, use the preceding
techniques to prepare before you actually
do the repairs. Next month I’ll touch on
painting techniques to give you a light and
attractive finish.
Throughout the years there has been a
debate about who the top Soaring dogs are
in the US. Are the determined from the
Nats, the Team Trials, or the Visalia,
California, festival? Since there is no
specific event to determine this, the
question has never been answered.
Roughly a year ago the idea was born
to have a US Soaring championship to put
the question to rest. It was dubbed the
World Soaring Masters, and the venue was
the AMA site in Muncie, Indiana. The
dates of the contest were September 22-24,
2006.
The event was rather simple in concept,
with 10 preliminary rounds, a 12-minute
task, and a landing tape. No skegs were
allowed. A man-on-man format was used
for the flight groups and scoring. Ninety
pilots attended and posted scores.
Opening day found brutal conditions
with high winds and rain. The contest was
delayed a couple times because of the
precipitation.
Everyone was flying the latest state-ofthe-
art molded sailplanes. The strong
winches and high winds destroyed several
of these models on tow. Included in this was
Joe Wurts. Later he suffered another setback
when he launched his Supra and the wings
flexed enough to unplug the outer wingpanel
servos. He was reduced to an REF
airplane. This put one of the world’s best
out of the running.
The tough conditions continued
throughout, and very few fliers actually got
a 12-minute flight. The conditions were so
bad that the other “gotcha” during the
contest was venturing downwind. Many got
too far downwind and didn’t make it back.
The technique of choice was launching
and hanging, “S” turning back and forth,
trying to find lift bands since few thermals
actually existed. It was reported that the
difference between staying aloft and
descending was often only a few feet in
lateral distance.
After the preliminaries the top 10 went on
for a six-round flyoff. Three of the rounds
were in decent weather and three were in bad
conditions.
Again, several fell victim to the
downwind lure. Among those was Daryl
Perkins, who ended up in the parking lot.
Larry Jolly also made the walk of shame into
the bean fields. The conditions were tough
for even the best of the best. However, it was
necessary to take some chances to have a
shot at winning.
In the end Mike Smith continued his
Soaring dominance of 2006 with a hardfought
win to become the first World Soaring
Champion. He flew an HKM Sharon 3.7. The
remainder of the top 10 were Arend Borst,
Cody Remington, Ben Clerx, Skip Miller,
Michael Lachowski, Michael Reagan, Daryl
Perkins, Rich Burnoski, and Larry Jolly.
It looks like the World Soaring Masters
will take on a biennial format. The consistent
comment was that “two trips to Muncie in
two months is a little too much!”
I’m out of time for this month. In the next
column I’ll review some painting techniques
and start a “Tip of the Month” section.
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/01
Page Numbers: 116,117,118
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/01
Page Numbers: 116,117,118
Also included in this column:
• World Soaring Masters report
MANY OF OUR modern models are made
from fiberglass, whether it’s the fuselage
and/or vacuum-bagged wings. Some are
finished and others are in natural form.
There are two types of layups: polyester
resin and epoxy fiberglass. Polyester is not
as widely used anymore. I’m going to
discuss a few things to assist you in building
a fiberglass model and making repairs when
they become necessary.
I’m going to start with a disclaimer that
the methods discussed here have worked
well for me throughout the years. They are
not the only methods by any means. So if
you don’t agree with me or know of other
techniques, use them and forward them to
me for inclusion in future columns.
Let’s start with a fiberglass fuselage on a
typical Thermal Duration kit. Unless it is a
molded European style, it will most likely be in natural “seethrough”
form. You must thoroughly clean anywhere in or on the
fuselage you want to paint or glue.
I inspect the fuselage for any voids in the layup, cracks, or
anything that is not a smooth surface. Then I give the fuselage a
good wipe-down with acetone. The acetone removes the release
agent used in the layup process. I give special attention to cracks
and voids. The release agent keeps anything from sticking to the
fuselage. Then I scrub thoroughly with a stiff nylon brush and soap
and water, followed by another acetone wipe-down.
I have observed airplanes that have been painted, only to have
the paint chip and peel away. The reason is likely a failure to
prepare the surface.
Many modelers will start by sanding any imperfections and then
sanding for priming. Well, that has just sanded the release agent
into the surface. Nothing will stick for very long. Heavy cleaning
with acetone will help remove much of the agent, but this may be a
problem for the life of the model.
Once cleaned, fill the voids with
microballoons and epoxy and then sand
after curing. The next step, if you want to
paint, is to sand with progressively finer
sandpaper until you are down to 320 grit.
There is no need to go to a finer grit than
320 because the primer needs something to
grab onto.
I like Evercoat Feather Fill sandable
primer. You can get it at any automotive
supply house or from Aircraft Spruce
(www.aircraftspruce.com). This primer will
fill the pinholes and be a good base for the
paint primer. It is catalyzed and is easy to
use and sands easily.
The primer can be sprayed or brushed
on. The first coat will usually reveal
pinholes. If I observe a fairly large area of
pinholes, I’ll rub the primer into the holes
with my finger.
A small section of the pits at the 2006 Central Valley Radio Control club Fall Fest in
Visalia, California.
Richard and Mark Webster’s other passion is microbrewing. This
is a popular place after all the flying is done.
The entire Futaba soaring Team at the Fall Fest (L-R): Aaron Valdez, Darwin N. Barrie,
Bill Malvey, Edgar Vera, John Erikson. All but one fly the HKM Sharon 3.7.
When the primer has cured, wet-sand
with 320-grit wet/dry paper. You will sand
nearly all the primer off, leaving only the
primer in the pinholes. Now you have a
good surface on which to use the paint
primer and paint of your choice.
Preparing the internal areas of the
fuselage is simple. Wipe clean with acetone
any areas where you might eventually want
to adhere something. The most common
area is where the servo tray will be glued.
After cleaning, sand with a heavy-grit paper
and clean again. Then the surface is ready
for glue.
The tail area is often overlooked. This
section is extremely important to clean
properly since we want to use minimal
glue. Clean and sand the tail-post area and
where the bellcrank will be mounted.
You must join fiberglass vacuumbagged
wings with care. Preparation is the
key. If the wing was painted in the vacuumbagging
process, mask off an area an inch
past the width of the fiberglass.
Check to see if denatured alcohol will
remove the paint. If it will, use a paper
towel with a small amount of alcohol to
wipe the paint from the area to be
fiberglassed.
If the alcohol doesn’t work, do the same
with acetone, but soak this area because the
acetone may get through the fiberglass and
into the foam. If that happens, the foam will
be dissolved.
Get as much paint away as you can
January 2007 117
The Central Valley Radio Control club’s world-class Soaring site from the air. The launch
area is the dirt rectangle to the upper left.
safely. Sand with 320-grit sandpaper and
clean.
My process for joining wings uses three
widths of fiberglass-cloth tapes laid up at
the same time. I use a 1-inch-wide piece, a
2-inch-wide piece, and a 4-inch-wide piece.
I purchase all my fiberglass tapes from CST
(www.cstsales.com). Using premade tapes
eliminates fraying when cut from raw cloth.
Cut the tapes to the proper length and
notch as necessary for flaps. Remember to
put a tape dot over the hole where the wires
will come out of the bottom. Use a Sharpie
marker to paint the dot black. My epoxy of
choice is West System 105 with 205
hardener, also available from CST. Be sure
to buy the premetered pumps for ease of
use.
Brush a coat of epoxy that is the width
of the widest cloth on the wing surface.
Lay the 1-inch-wide piece over the seam.
Add only enough epoxy to wet the weave.
Repeat with the 2-inch- and 4-inch-width
fiberglass tape. Allow the epoxy to cure.
After curing, block-sand the seams if
there is an edge in the cloth area. Don’t get
into the weave. I do this as one wet layup.
Everything bonds as a unit with this
method and is fast and light.
If you want to make a finished edge,
you can use microballoons and epoxy to
smooth the seam. I also like Rage autobody
filler. It is a light catalyzed filler that
applies easily and sands even easier. Finish
to the smoothness you desire.
Broken models are a fact of life. When
repairs are necessary, use the preceding
techniques to prepare before you actually
do the repairs. Next month I’ll touch on
painting techniques to give you a light and
attractive finish.
Throughout the years there has been a
debate about who the top Soaring dogs are
in the US. Are the determined from the
Nats, the Team Trials, or the Visalia,
California, festival? Since there is no
specific event to determine this, the
question has never been answered.
Roughly a year ago the idea was born
to have a US Soaring championship to put
the question to rest. It was dubbed the
World Soaring Masters, and the venue was
the AMA site in Muncie, Indiana. The
dates of the contest were September 22-24,
2006.
The event was rather simple in concept,
with 10 preliminary rounds, a 12-minute
task, and a landing tape. No skegs were
allowed. A man-on-man format was used
for the flight groups and scoring. Ninety
pilots attended and posted scores.
Opening day found brutal conditions
with high winds and rain. The contest was
delayed a couple times because of the
precipitation.
Everyone was flying the latest state-ofthe-
art molded sailplanes. The strong
winches and high winds destroyed several
of these models on tow. Included in this was
Joe Wurts. Later he suffered another setback
when he launched his Supra and the wings
flexed enough to unplug the outer wingpanel
servos. He was reduced to an REF
airplane. This put one of the world’s best
out of the running.
The tough conditions continued
throughout, and very few fliers actually got
a 12-minute flight. The conditions were so
bad that the other “gotcha” during the
contest was venturing downwind. Many got
too far downwind and didn’t make it back.
The technique of choice was launching
and hanging, “S” turning back and forth,
trying to find lift bands since few thermals
actually existed. It was reported that the
difference between staying aloft and
descending was often only a few feet in
lateral distance.
After the preliminaries the top 10 went on
for a six-round flyoff. Three of the rounds
were in decent weather and three were in bad
conditions.
Again, several fell victim to the
downwind lure. Among those was Daryl
Perkins, who ended up in the parking lot.
Larry Jolly also made the walk of shame into
the bean fields. The conditions were tough
for even the best of the best. However, it was
necessary to take some chances to have a
shot at winning.
In the end Mike Smith continued his
Soaring dominance of 2006 with a hardfought
win to become the first World Soaring
Champion. He flew an HKM Sharon 3.7. The
remainder of the top 10 were Arend Borst,
Cody Remington, Ben Clerx, Skip Miller,
Michael Lachowski, Michael Reagan, Daryl
Perkins, Rich Burnoski, and Larry Jolly.
It looks like the World Soaring Masters
will take on a biennial format. The consistent
comment was that “two trips to Muncie in
two months is a little too much!”
I’m out of time for this month. In the next
column I’ll review some painting techniques
and start a “Tip of the Month” section.
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/01
Page Numbers: 116,117,118
Also included in this column:
• World Soaring Masters report
MANY OF OUR modern models are made
from fiberglass, whether it’s the fuselage
and/or vacuum-bagged wings. Some are
finished and others are in natural form.
There are two types of layups: polyester
resin and epoxy fiberglass. Polyester is not
as widely used anymore. I’m going to
discuss a few things to assist you in building
a fiberglass model and making repairs when
they become necessary.
I’m going to start with a disclaimer that
the methods discussed here have worked
well for me throughout the years. They are
not the only methods by any means. So if
you don’t agree with me or know of other
techniques, use them and forward them to
me for inclusion in future columns.
Let’s start with a fiberglass fuselage on a
typical Thermal Duration kit. Unless it is a
molded European style, it will most likely be in natural “seethrough”
form. You must thoroughly clean anywhere in or on the
fuselage you want to paint or glue.
I inspect the fuselage for any voids in the layup, cracks, or
anything that is not a smooth surface. Then I give the fuselage a
good wipe-down with acetone. The acetone removes the release
agent used in the layup process. I give special attention to cracks
and voids. The release agent keeps anything from sticking to the
fuselage. Then I scrub thoroughly with a stiff nylon brush and soap
and water, followed by another acetone wipe-down.
I have observed airplanes that have been painted, only to have
the paint chip and peel away. The reason is likely a failure to
prepare the surface.
Many modelers will start by sanding any imperfections and then
sanding for priming. Well, that has just sanded the release agent
into the surface. Nothing will stick for very long. Heavy cleaning
with acetone will help remove much of the agent, but this may be a
problem for the life of the model.
Once cleaned, fill the voids with
microballoons and epoxy and then sand
after curing. The next step, if you want to
paint, is to sand with progressively finer
sandpaper until you are down to 320 grit.
There is no need to go to a finer grit than
320 because the primer needs something to
grab onto.
I like Evercoat Feather Fill sandable
primer. You can get it at any automotive
supply house or from Aircraft Spruce
(www.aircraftspruce.com). This primer will
fill the pinholes and be a good base for the
paint primer. It is catalyzed and is easy to
use and sands easily.
The primer can be sprayed or brushed
on. The first coat will usually reveal
pinholes. If I observe a fairly large area of
pinholes, I’ll rub the primer into the holes
with my finger.
A small section of the pits at the 2006 Central Valley Radio Control club Fall Fest in
Visalia, California.
Richard and Mark Webster’s other passion is microbrewing. This
is a popular place after all the flying is done.
The entire Futaba soaring Team at the Fall Fest (L-R): Aaron Valdez, Darwin N. Barrie,
Bill Malvey, Edgar Vera, John Erikson. All but one fly the HKM Sharon 3.7.
When the primer has cured, wet-sand
with 320-grit wet/dry paper. You will sand
nearly all the primer off, leaving only the
primer in the pinholes. Now you have a
good surface on which to use the paint
primer and paint of your choice.
Preparing the internal areas of the
fuselage is simple. Wipe clean with acetone
any areas where you might eventually want
to adhere something. The most common
area is where the servo tray will be glued.
After cleaning, sand with a heavy-grit paper
and clean again. Then the surface is ready
for glue.
The tail area is often overlooked. This
section is extremely important to clean
properly since we want to use minimal
glue. Clean and sand the tail-post area and
where the bellcrank will be mounted.
You must join fiberglass vacuumbagged
wings with care. Preparation is the
key. If the wing was painted in the vacuumbagging
process, mask off an area an inch
past the width of the fiberglass.
Check to see if denatured alcohol will
remove the paint. If it will, use a paper
towel with a small amount of alcohol to
wipe the paint from the area to be
fiberglassed.
If the alcohol doesn’t work, do the same
with acetone, but soak this area because the
acetone may get through the fiberglass and
into the foam. If that happens, the foam will
be dissolved.
Get as much paint away as you can
January 2007 117
The Central Valley Radio Control club’s world-class Soaring site from the air. The launch
area is the dirt rectangle to the upper left.
safely. Sand with 320-grit sandpaper and
clean.
My process for joining wings uses three
widths of fiberglass-cloth tapes laid up at
the same time. I use a 1-inch-wide piece, a
2-inch-wide piece, and a 4-inch-wide piece.
I purchase all my fiberglass tapes from CST
(www.cstsales.com). Using premade tapes
eliminates fraying when cut from raw cloth.
Cut the tapes to the proper length and
notch as necessary for flaps. Remember to
put a tape dot over the hole where the wires
will come out of the bottom. Use a Sharpie
marker to paint the dot black. My epoxy of
choice is West System 105 with 205
hardener, also available from CST. Be sure
to buy the premetered pumps for ease of
use.
Brush a coat of epoxy that is the width
of the widest cloth on the wing surface.
Lay the 1-inch-wide piece over the seam.
Add only enough epoxy to wet the weave.
Repeat with the 2-inch- and 4-inch-width
fiberglass tape. Allow the epoxy to cure.
After curing, block-sand the seams if
there is an edge in the cloth area. Don’t get
into the weave. I do this as one wet layup.
Everything bonds as a unit with this
method and is fast and light.
If you want to make a finished edge,
you can use microballoons and epoxy to
smooth the seam. I also like Rage autobody
filler. It is a light catalyzed filler that
applies easily and sands even easier. Finish
to the smoothness you desire.
Broken models are a fact of life. When
repairs are necessary, use the preceding
techniques to prepare before you actually
do the repairs. Next month I’ll touch on
painting techniques to give you a light and
attractive finish.
Throughout the years there has been a
debate about who the top Soaring dogs are
in the US. Are the determined from the
Nats, the Team Trials, or the Visalia,
California, festival? Since there is no
specific event to determine this, the
question has never been answered.
Roughly a year ago the idea was born
to have a US Soaring championship to put
the question to rest. It was dubbed the
World Soaring Masters, and the venue was
the AMA site in Muncie, Indiana. The
dates of the contest were September 22-24,
2006.
The event was rather simple in concept,
with 10 preliminary rounds, a 12-minute
task, and a landing tape. No skegs were
allowed. A man-on-man format was used
for the flight groups and scoring. Ninety
pilots attended and posted scores.
Opening day found brutal conditions
with high winds and rain. The contest was
delayed a couple times because of the
precipitation.
Everyone was flying the latest state-ofthe-
art molded sailplanes. The strong
winches and high winds destroyed several
of these models on tow. Included in this was
Joe Wurts. Later he suffered another setback
when he launched his Supra and the wings
flexed enough to unplug the outer wingpanel
servos. He was reduced to an REF
airplane. This put one of the world’s best
out of the running.
The tough conditions continued
throughout, and very few fliers actually got
a 12-minute flight. The conditions were so
bad that the other “gotcha” during the
contest was venturing downwind. Many got
too far downwind and didn’t make it back.
The technique of choice was launching
and hanging, “S” turning back and forth,
trying to find lift bands since few thermals
actually existed. It was reported that the
difference between staying aloft and
descending was often only a few feet in
lateral distance.
After the preliminaries the top 10 went on
for a six-round flyoff. Three of the rounds
were in decent weather and three were in bad
conditions.
Again, several fell victim to the
downwind lure. Among those was Daryl
Perkins, who ended up in the parking lot.
Larry Jolly also made the walk of shame into
the bean fields. The conditions were tough
for even the best of the best. However, it was
necessary to take some chances to have a
shot at winning.
In the end Mike Smith continued his
Soaring dominance of 2006 with a hardfought
win to become the first World Soaring
Champion. He flew an HKM Sharon 3.7. The
remainder of the top 10 were Arend Borst,
Cody Remington, Ben Clerx, Skip Miller,
Michael Lachowski, Michael Reagan, Daryl
Perkins, Rich Burnoski, and Larry Jolly.
It looks like the World Soaring Masters
will take on a biennial format. The consistent
comment was that “two trips to Muncie in
two months is a little too much!”
I’m out of time for this month. In the next
column I’ll review some painting techniques
and start a “Tip of the Month” section.