Radio Control Giants - 2008/03

122 MODEL AVIATION
Pink-It finishing tape and Rub-It transfers from GetStencils.com
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Giants Sal Calvagna
Also included in this column:
• Spad 13 build is ready to paint
• Ziroli P-40 by Pedro Sanchez of
Lawrenceville, Georgia
• Bruce Ream and his Top Flite
Arrow
Pink-It pinking finishing tape from Gary Sibert of
GetStencils.com comes in assorted sizes and colors.
The Rub-It dry-transfer stencils from GetStencils.com are easy to apply and are
opaque so surface colors won’t bleed through.
This assortment of spray paints used to create the Spad’s camouflage finish are
inexpensive, gasoline proof, easy to use, and produce excellent results.
The upper and lower wings of the Balsa
USA Spad are freshly painted in a
commonly seen camouflage color scheme.
WELCOME BACK to the RC Giants column. Modelers who build
and fly larger models usually tend to go a step further in detailing their
creations. This is certainly true for our members who scratch- or plansbuild
for competition. Maybe it’s because the surfaces are much larger
and we have to add something to fill in the empty areas.
It could be something as simple as vinyl insignia, letters, numbers,
or advertisements. It might be as complicated as working cooling flaps
on a warbird cowl.
Whatever your desire, many model companies manufacture some
type of accessory that will enhance your latest project. I have just
stumbled onto one that would be hard to pass up for those fabriccovered
and doped models.
GetStencils.com is an Internet-based company operated by Gary
Sibert of Winchester, Virginia. Gary makes graphics, decals, and
nomenclature in dry transfer or vinyl adhesive. In addition, he makes
Pink-It pinking finishing tape, available in 1/5-, 1/4-, and 1/3-scale kit
sizes and custom sizes.
The pinking tape comes in a variety of colors and has an adhesive
backing for easy iron-on application. You can now have a proper scale
pinked edge made from easy-to-use Solartex or Nelson LiteFAB. The
1/4-scale tape comes in 1/2-inch widths for ribs and longerons, and the
03sig4.QXD 1/25/08 8:17 AM Page 122March 2008 123
Bruce Ream, president of the Jefco Aeromod’lers, displays his
Top Flite Arrow in picturesque Colorado surroundings.
Pedro Sanchez of Lawrenceville GA built this Ziroli P-40
powered by a ZDZ 80 engine. Jerry Smith photo.
perimeter tape that goes around the LEs and
TEs is 1 inch wide.
The 1/3-scale size is .66 inch wide for
the rib tape and 1.32 inches for the
perimeter tape. Gary will even show you
how to make faux pinking strips on your
model using his product and offers to
custom-cut any width needed.
Gary’s dry transfers are opaque so the
surface colors won’t show through and
distort the color of the decal. They do not
have a clear border as do water-transfer
graphics, and they are easy to apply.
One of the sets Gary offers is complete
nomenclature for the Yellow Aircraft
International P-47 that includes more than
89 different stencils—more than 200
transfers—on three sheets. He even
provides the nomenclature that is found
inside the wing on the ammunition boxes.
The set comes with a three-view diagram
showing placement options.
The Balsa USA Spad 13 build continues.
It’s down to the wire now for the model.
Lou Cetrangelo has completed the
construction and installed the radio gear,
fuel tank, and power plant.
The aircraft is being painted in its
commonly found camouflage scheme.
This finish requires a number of different
colors; however, you don’t have to take
out an equity loan or mortgage your
children’s futures to accomplish it.
As you can see in the accompanying
photo, inexpensive cans of Krylon and
Rust-Oleum were used with excellent
results. As a rule of thumb, most types
of paint can withstand the chemicals
03sig4.QXD 1/25/08 8:18 AM Page 123found in gasoline-powered models.
A simple final coat with Krylon flat, satin,
or gloss clear will complete and protect your
model’s finish; however, if you are going to
power your airplane with a glow-powered
engine, you must use a glow-fuel-proof final
coat. LustreKote Clear from Top Flite is one
such product. Be sure to test for paint
compatibility first on a scrap piece of
material.
My favorite, easy-to-use spray paint is
Krylon. It goes on smoothly, dries quickly,
and sticks to most of our favorite covering
materials.
Keep up the great work, Lou. I believe
next month we will see the finished product.
Ziroli P-40: I hope you enjoy the great photo
of Pedro Sanchez’s RC Showcase ZDZ 80-
powered Ziroli P-40 in a high-speed photo
pass. Pedro hails from Lawrenceville,
Georgia, and loves to build and fly models.
The P-40 spans 94 inches and has a
fuselage length of 77 inches. Although he has
only been building for the past five years,
Pedro does a remarkable job with scale detail.
The model sports Sierra Precision retracts,
weighs 34 pounds, and uses a Solo threeblade
propeller. Nice work, Pedro. Let’s see
some more.
Top Flite Arrow: Bruce Ream completed his
kit-built Top Flite Arrow in nine months. The
model is finished in MonoKote film covering.
It’s fully sheeted with balsa, spans 81 inches,
and weighs 14 pounds. A YS 120 supplies the
power.
Bruce elected to put in a fiberglass cowl
instead of the ABS plastic cowl that comes
with the kit, and he installed a Top Flite
cockpit kit that nicely completes the Arrow.
During construction Bruce changed the
method of attaching the cockpit cover shown
on the plans. He bought and used four small
magnets instead of the blind nuts and writes
that this method makes it simple if you have
to get at the servos or receiver—and you will.
The model uses Robart retracts, and Bruce
added homemade wheel-cover doors because
it did not look right sitting on the ground
without them.
The Arrow uses a full-flying stabilizer
instead of a conventionally hinged elevator, as
does the full-scale aircraft. Bruce warns to
take time and special care when mounting the
stabilizer in the airplane because it is tricky to
get it perfectly aligned with the wing.
He wrote:
“Our club, the Jefco Aeromod’lers, has
been in the Denver area for almost 30 years.
We have about 280 members and the best
field in Colorado with two paved runways.
“We hold an annual auction in February
of each year and sell about $100,000 of RC
airplane stuff. Our field is in Chatfield
State Park and we enjoy having people
come out to the park and watch us fly or
we can help them learn how to fly.
“Our big event every year is our warbird
show. Last year, Warbirds Over Denver
brought about 80 pilots and 150 airplanes. We
had pilots from over eight states. The club is
being honored this year as a 15-year member
of the Gold Level Leader clubs by AMA.
Mark Smith, District IX vice president, and
Jim Cherry, AMA’s executive director, will
be here to hand out the awards during our
auction.”
Bruce is a retired architect and has been in
the hobby for more than 25 years. He loves
building and flying Scale models and recently
celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary.
Congratulations, Bruce, on your beautiful
Arrow, 25 years of modeling, and your 50th
wedding anniversary. I just have one question:
where’s the pilot?
Goodbye for now. Let’s get those winter
projects wrapped up for the next flying
season! If you’re especially proud of your
latest creation, send me a couple pictures and
a write-up so I can share it with all our
readers.
Cheers! MA
Sources:
GetStencils.com
(540) 667-2877
www.getstencils.com
124 MODEL AVIATION
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