I NEEDED TO replace the
canopy on my 1/5-scale Nick
Ziroli Plans Zero and thought it
was a good time to document the process I
use to paint the frame. The canopy,
available from Nick Ziroli Plans, features a
raised frame that is vacuum-formed into the
clear plastic.
To begin, cut off excess plastic around
the canopy. I used a sharp, heavy-duty pair
of scissors. It’s important to trial-fit the
canopy, to make sure that it sits properly.
Mask off the raised rails using 1/4-inch
3M 471 Vinyl Tape that is available from
auto-paint supply houses. It produces a
sharp paint line and is superior to regular
masking tape. It is also flexible and will go
around tight curves.
I used an X-Acto knife with a #11 blade
to cut the 3M tape. Be careful not to apply
too much pressure when slicing it; you
could score the canopy. Practice with the
3M tape on excess plastic cut from the
canopy.
Take your time applying the 3M tape.
How well you align it determines the quality
of the finished, painted canopy.
Once all of the tape has been laid, use
any type of masking tape to cover the
fiberglass panels. As you can see in the
accompanying photo, blue tape outlines
the entire framework, while plain masking
tape protects the fiberglass panels from paint.
Now paint the canopy. Use your favorite type of paint, and
apply a primer first if you want. I found that different types of
spray paint (Krylon, Rust-Oleum, etc.) from hardware stores work
well. Please use a fuelproof paint if the model is powered by a
glow-fuel-burning engine.
Once the paint is dry, remove the masked-off areas using a #11
blade. Pick at a corner of the tape with the blade tip, just enough to
raise the tape a bit. Grab it and pull off the rest. Repeat for each
panel until you have removed all of the tape.
Congratulations! The results speak volumes.
The Piper Cub is probably the single most copied aircraft in
modeling history. It comes in sizes ranging from Peanut to larger
than 1/2 scale, with every type of power from rubber to large
gasoline engines.
This model is most commonly seen in the all-yellow paint
scheme with the black lightning bolt and less frequently seen as
the military Army Air Corps L-4 and Navy NE-1. However,
when was the last time you saw one in Royal Air Force (RAF)
colors?
Good friend and lifelong modeler, Ted Galbraith of North
Weald, Essex, England, recently completed a “Flitfire.”
Following is his story.
“Working for Horizon Hobby UK has many benefits not the
least of which is they’re a great company to work for. You see, I
get to build and fly the many fine models we distribute.
“Recently, the opportunity arose for me to acquire a damaged
in transit 1/4 scale Hangar 9 J3 Cub. With the model safely in my
workshop and a thorough check completed, luckily most of the
damage was confined to the rear fuselage and fin. This proved to
be a relatively simple repair, grafting in a new sternpost and
building a new fin assembly taking just a few hours work.
“Once repaired, I was faced with the challenge of choosing a
colour scheme. I could either stay with Cub Yellow and just
recover the tail area or I could go for the popular Olive Drab with
invasion stripes scheme, neither of which
excited me. So I decided to search for a
different colour scheme.
“Thanks to that wonderful invention called
the Internet, I spent a good many hours
searching for examples that caught my
imagination and quite by chance came across
some images of a ‘Flitfire,’ complete with
Royal Air Force roundels. My search was
over, so it was off with the remaining yellow
Ultracote.
“The model was prepared for its new
silver Oratex iron on fabric. The cowl and
other hard parts were then sprayed silver to
match. The final scheme was based on a
recently restored J3 Flitfire that was restored
by the good folk at the Port Townsend Aero
Museum based in Washington.
“Good friend and work colleague Richard
Delves cut the vinyl graphics. This proved to
be slightly more complicated as we only had
Web photos and oblique views to work from.
However, after a bit of trial and error the final
results were most satisfactory. Besides, I don’t
think I am liable to park my model next to a
full-size Flitfire, at least not this side of the
pond.
“The engine chosen was the nicely
compact 20cc electronic ignition petrol engine
from Zenoah. I chose this engine due to its
relatively small size and the fact that unless
you are extremely unlucky, Zenoah engines
are usually fit-and-forget, and are superbly
reliable.
“Radio equipment is Spektrum 2.4 GHz
with Spektrum digital servos and batteries
with a high capacity battery for the ignition.
“The cabin features a full body pilot and
scale dashboard instruments (included in
the kit) and as an added touch I made a
couple of 1/4 scale Life magazines for the
rear parcel shelf. Upon completion, we
were off to the North Weald Air Field for
some flying.
“The model flew very well with the
Zenoah G-20 up front and I’m sure to turn
some heads with its unique colour scheme. It
is a tribute to the brave men and women of an
earlier time. In closing, I would like to add
that this project would not have been possible
without the help, support and enthusiasm of
close friend and work colleague George
Land.”
The US remained officially neutral,
following a policy of isolationism, as World
War II raged before December 7, 1941.
However, numerous fund-raising programs
were established by private citizens who
supported the British.
William Thomas Piper of Piper Cub
fame and Franklin Motors donated a J-3, to
be raffled off to raise money for the RAF
Benevolent Fund. It was established to
honor and help disabled RAF pilots.
After all, the RAF held off the invincible
Luftwaffe from July to October 1940. This
action became known as the “Battle of
Britain,” stopped the impending ground
invasion, and kept Britain in the fight.
To expand the fund-raising program,
Piper distributors nationwide were
encouraged to provide one Piper J-3 for each
of the 48 states. All were painted silver with
RAF insignia and designated the “Flitfire,” as
a play on the famous Supermarine Spitfire.
Each of the Flitfire J-3s was named after
a state, and all of the aircraft were gathered
at La Guardia Field in New York in April
1941. They were called the “Flitfire
Brigade.”
The fund was a great success. And
although the Flitfire never saw active duty in
the RAF, it served as a reminder of the
strong ties between the people of the US and
Great Britain.
Thirteen of the original Flitfires still
exist, and the first one, NC1776, is the only
one in its original configuration, including
engine, propeller, and three-piece
windshield. Orville Wright flew it in 1943.
That’s all for this month. I thank my good
friend, Ted Galbraith, for his submission of a
wonderful and unique version of the Piper J-3
Cub. If you know a better way to finish a
canopy or have suggestions, drop me a line so
I can share them with readers. MA
Sources:
Nick Ziroli Plans
(631) 467-4765
www.ziroliplans.com
Hangar 9
(800) 338-4639
www.hangar-9.com
International Miniature Aircraft Association
www.fly-imaa.org
Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/08
Page Numbers: 99,100,101
Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/08
Page Numbers: 99,100,101
I NEEDED TO replace the
canopy on my 1/5-scale Nick
Ziroli Plans Zero and thought it
was a good time to document the process I
use to paint the frame. The canopy,
available from Nick Ziroli Plans, features a
raised frame that is vacuum-formed into the
clear plastic.
To begin, cut off excess plastic around
the canopy. I used a sharp, heavy-duty pair
of scissors. It’s important to trial-fit the
canopy, to make sure that it sits properly.
Mask off the raised rails using 1/4-inch
3M 471 Vinyl Tape that is available from
auto-paint supply houses. It produces a
sharp paint line and is superior to regular
masking tape. It is also flexible and will go
around tight curves.
I used an X-Acto knife with a #11 blade
to cut the 3M tape. Be careful not to apply
too much pressure when slicing it; you
could score the canopy. Practice with the
3M tape on excess plastic cut from the
canopy.
Take your time applying the 3M tape.
How well you align it determines the quality
of the finished, painted canopy.
Once all of the tape has been laid, use
any type of masking tape to cover the
fiberglass panels. As you can see in the
accompanying photo, blue tape outlines
the entire framework, while plain masking
tape protects the fiberglass panels from paint.
Now paint the canopy. Use your favorite type of paint, and
apply a primer first if you want. I found that different types of
spray paint (Krylon, Rust-Oleum, etc.) from hardware stores work
well. Please use a fuelproof paint if the model is powered by a
glow-fuel-burning engine.
Once the paint is dry, remove the masked-off areas using a #11
blade. Pick at a corner of the tape with the blade tip, just enough to
raise the tape a bit. Grab it and pull off the rest. Repeat for each
panel until you have removed all of the tape.
Congratulations! The results speak volumes.
The Piper Cub is probably the single most copied aircraft in
modeling history. It comes in sizes ranging from Peanut to larger
than 1/2 scale, with every type of power from rubber to large
gasoline engines.
This model is most commonly seen in the all-yellow paint
scheme with the black lightning bolt and less frequently seen as
the military Army Air Corps L-4 and Navy NE-1. However,
when was the last time you saw one in Royal Air Force (RAF)
colors?
Good friend and lifelong modeler, Ted Galbraith of North
Weald, Essex, England, recently completed a “Flitfire.”
Following is his story.
“Working for Horizon Hobby UK has many benefits not the
least of which is they’re a great company to work for. You see, I
get to build and fly the many fine models we distribute.
“Recently, the opportunity arose for me to acquire a damaged
in transit 1/4 scale Hangar 9 J3 Cub. With the model safely in my
workshop and a thorough check completed, luckily most of the
damage was confined to the rear fuselage and fin. This proved to
be a relatively simple repair, grafting in a new sternpost and
building a new fin assembly taking just a few hours work.
“Once repaired, I was faced with the challenge of choosing a
colour scheme. I could either stay with Cub Yellow and just
recover the tail area or I could go for the popular Olive Drab with
invasion stripes scheme, neither of which
excited me. So I decided to search for a
different colour scheme.
“Thanks to that wonderful invention called
the Internet, I spent a good many hours
searching for examples that caught my
imagination and quite by chance came across
some images of a ‘Flitfire,’ complete with
Royal Air Force roundels. My search was
over, so it was off with the remaining yellow
Ultracote.
“The model was prepared for its new
silver Oratex iron on fabric. The cowl and
other hard parts were then sprayed silver to
match. The final scheme was based on a
recently restored J3 Flitfire that was restored
by the good folk at the Port Townsend Aero
Museum based in Washington.
“Good friend and work colleague Richard
Delves cut the vinyl graphics. This proved to
be slightly more complicated as we only had
Web photos and oblique views to work from.
However, after a bit of trial and error the final
results were most satisfactory. Besides, I don’t
think I am liable to park my model next to a
full-size Flitfire, at least not this side of the
pond.
“The engine chosen was the nicely
compact 20cc electronic ignition petrol engine
from Zenoah. I chose this engine due to its
relatively small size and the fact that unless
you are extremely unlucky, Zenoah engines
are usually fit-and-forget, and are superbly
reliable.
“Radio equipment is Spektrum 2.4 GHz
with Spektrum digital servos and batteries
with a high capacity battery for the ignition.
“The cabin features a full body pilot and
scale dashboard instruments (included in
the kit) and as an added touch I made a
couple of 1/4 scale Life magazines for the
rear parcel shelf. Upon completion, we
were off to the North Weald Air Field for
some flying.
“The model flew very well with the
Zenoah G-20 up front and I’m sure to turn
some heads with its unique colour scheme. It
is a tribute to the brave men and women of an
earlier time. In closing, I would like to add
that this project would not have been possible
without the help, support and enthusiasm of
close friend and work colleague George
Land.”
The US remained officially neutral,
following a policy of isolationism, as World
War II raged before December 7, 1941.
However, numerous fund-raising programs
were established by private citizens who
supported the British.
William Thomas Piper of Piper Cub
fame and Franklin Motors donated a J-3, to
be raffled off to raise money for the RAF
Benevolent Fund. It was established to
honor and help disabled RAF pilots.
After all, the RAF held off the invincible
Luftwaffe from July to October 1940. This
action became known as the “Battle of
Britain,” stopped the impending ground
invasion, and kept Britain in the fight.
To expand the fund-raising program,
Piper distributors nationwide were
encouraged to provide one Piper J-3 for each
of the 48 states. All were painted silver with
RAF insignia and designated the “Flitfire,” as
a play on the famous Supermarine Spitfire.
Each of the Flitfire J-3s was named after
a state, and all of the aircraft were gathered
at La Guardia Field in New York in April
1941. They were called the “Flitfire
Brigade.”
The fund was a great success. And
although the Flitfire never saw active duty in
the RAF, it served as a reminder of the
strong ties between the people of the US and
Great Britain.
Thirteen of the original Flitfires still
exist, and the first one, NC1776, is the only
one in its original configuration, including
engine, propeller, and three-piece
windshield. Orville Wright flew it in 1943.
That’s all for this month. I thank my good
friend, Ted Galbraith, for his submission of a
wonderful and unique version of the Piper J-3
Cub. If you know a better way to finish a
canopy or have suggestions, drop me a line so
I can share them with readers. MA
Sources:
Nick Ziroli Plans
(631) 467-4765
www.ziroliplans.com
Hangar 9
(800) 338-4639
www.hangar-9.com
International Miniature Aircraft Association
www.fly-imaa.org
Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/08
Page Numbers: 99,100,101
I NEEDED TO replace the
canopy on my 1/5-scale Nick
Ziroli Plans Zero and thought it
was a good time to document the process I
use to paint the frame. The canopy,
available from Nick Ziroli Plans, features a
raised frame that is vacuum-formed into the
clear plastic.
To begin, cut off excess plastic around
the canopy. I used a sharp, heavy-duty pair
of scissors. It’s important to trial-fit the
canopy, to make sure that it sits properly.
Mask off the raised rails using 1/4-inch
3M 471 Vinyl Tape that is available from
auto-paint supply houses. It produces a
sharp paint line and is superior to regular
masking tape. It is also flexible and will go
around tight curves.
I used an X-Acto knife with a #11 blade
to cut the 3M tape. Be careful not to apply
too much pressure when slicing it; you
could score the canopy. Practice with the
3M tape on excess plastic cut from the
canopy.
Take your time applying the 3M tape.
How well you align it determines the quality
of the finished, painted canopy.
Once all of the tape has been laid, use
any type of masking tape to cover the
fiberglass panels. As you can see in the
accompanying photo, blue tape outlines
the entire framework, while plain masking
tape protects the fiberglass panels from paint.
Now paint the canopy. Use your favorite type of paint, and
apply a primer first if you want. I found that different types of
spray paint (Krylon, Rust-Oleum, etc.) from hardware stores work
well. Please use a fuelproof paint if the model is powered by a
glow-fuel-burning engine.
Once the paint is dry, remove the masked-off areas using a #11
blade. Pick at a corner of the tape with the blade tip, just enough to
raise the tape a bit. Grab it and pull off the rest. Repeat for each
panel until you have removed all of the tape.
Congratulations! The results speak volumes.
The Piper Cub is probably the single most copied aircraft in
modeling history. It comes in sizes ranging from Peanut to larger
than 1/2 scale, with every type of power from rubber to large
gasoline engines.
This model is most commonly seen in the all-yellow paint
scheme with the black lightning bolt and less frequently seen as
the military Army Air Corps L-4 and Navy NE-1. However,
when was the last time you saw one in Royal Air Force (RAF)
colors?
Good friend and lifelong modeler, Ted Galbraith of North
Weald, Essex, England, recently completed a “Flitfire.”
Following is his story.
“Working for Horizon Hobby UK has many benefits not the
least of which is they’re a great company to work for. You see, I
get to build and fly the many fine models we distribute.
“Recently, the opportunity arose for me to acquire a damaged
in transit 1/4 scale Hangar 9 J3 Cub. With the model safely in my
workshop and a thorough check completed, luckily most of the
damage was confined to the rear fuselage and fin. This proved to
be a relatively simple repair, grafting in a new sternpost and
building a new fin assembly taking just a few hours work.
“Once repaired, I was faced with the challenge of choosing a
colour scheme. I could either stay with Cub Yellow and just
recover the tail area or I could go for the popular Olive Drab with
invasion stripes scheme, neither of which
excited me. So I decided to search for a
different colour scheme.
“Thanks to that wonderful invention called
the Internet, I spent a good many hours
searching for examples that caught my
imagination and quite by chance came across
some images of a ‘Flitfire,’ complete with
Royal Air Force roundels. My search was
over, so it was off with the remaining yellow
Ultracote.
“The model was prepared for its new
silver Oratex iron on fabric. The cowl and
other hard parts were then sprayed silver to
match. The final scheme was based on a
recently restored J3 Flitfire that was restored
by the good folk at the Port Townsend Aero
Museum based in Washington.
“Good friend and work colleague Richard
Delves cut the vinyl graphics. This proved to
be slightly more complicated as we only had
Web photos and oblique views to work from.
However, after a bit of trial and error the final
results were most satisfactory. Besides, I don’t
think I am liable to park my model next to a
full-size Flitfire, at least not this side of the
pond.
“The engine chosen was the nicely
compact 20cc electronic ignition petrol engine
from Zenoah. I chose this engine due to its
relatively small size and the fact that unless
you are extremely unlucky, Zenoah engines
are usually fit-and-forget, and are superbly
reliable.
“Radio equipment is Spektrum 2.4 GHz
with Spektrum digital servos and batteries
with a high capacity battery for the ignition.
“The cabin features a full body pilot and
scale dashboard instruments (included in
the kit) and as an added touch I made a
couple of 1/4 scale Life magazines for the
rear parcel shelf. Upon completion, we
were off to the North Weald Air Field for
some flying.
“The model flew very well with the
Zenoah G-20 up front and I’m sure to turn
some heads with its unique colour scheme. It
is a tribute to the brave men and women of an
earlier time. In closing, I would like to add
that this project would not have been possible
without the help, support and enthusiasm of
close friend and work colleague George
Land.”
The US remained officially neutral,
following a policy of isolationism, as World
War II raged before December 7, 1941.
However, numerous fund-raising programs
were established by private citizens who
supported the British.
William Thomas Piper of Piper Cub
fame and Franklin Motors donated a J-3, to
be raffled off to raise money for the RAF
Benevolent Fund. It was established to
honor and help disabled RAF pilots.
After all, the RAF held off the invincible
Luftwaffe from July to October 1940. This
action became known as the “Battle of
Britain,” stopped the impending ground
invasion, and kept Britain in the fight.
To expand the fund-raising program,
Piper distributors nationwide were
encouraged to provide one Piper J-3 for each
of the 48 states. All were painted silver with
RAF insignia and designated the “Flitfire,” as
a play on the famous Supermarine Spitfire.
Each of the Flitfire J-3s was named after
a state, and all of the aircraft were gathered
at La Guardia Field in New York in April
1941. They were called the “Flitfire
Brigade.”
The fund was a great success. And
although the Flitfire never saw active duty in
the RAF, it served as a reminder of the
strong ties between the people of the US and
Great Britain.
Thirteen of the original Flitfires still
exist, and the first one, NC1776, is the only
one in its original configuration, including
engine, propeller, and three-piece
windshield. Orville Wright flew it in 1943.
That’s all for this month. I thank my good
friend, Ted Galbraith, for his submission of a
wonderful and unique version of the Piper J-3
Cub. If you know a better way to finish a
canopy or have suggestions, drop me a line so
I can share them with readers. MA
Sources:
Nick Ziroli Plans
(631) 467-4765
www.ziroliplans.com
Hangar 9
(800) 338-4639
www.hangar-9.com
International Miniature Aircraft Association
www.fly-imaa.org
