Scale 1/3 Scale Extra 330L Build.

[BalsaDust]

I've never used straight ammonia to bend the sheeting just always used real windex that has ammonia in it and it works great. straight ammonia may work even better though. Fuse looks great and hope you figure out the cowl issue.

 

[Snoopy1]

I've never used straight ammonia to bend the sheeting just always used real windex that has ammonia in it and it works great. straight ammonia may work even better though. Fuse looks great and hope you figure out the cowl issue.

The cowl is a problem will look at it again and see what I come up with.

 

[TonyHallo]

I will interested in the resolution since I have one of these kits on the shelf. I will try to fit a cowl ring on the cowl when and if I build mine. Hope you find an easy and good solution, from what I recall the cowl looked nice in the box.

 

[TonyHallo]

I've never used straight ammonia to bend the sheeting just always used real windex that has ammonia in it and it works great. straight ammonia may work even better though. Fuse looks great and hope you figure out the cowl issue.

When I made the wing bows for the Champ, I soaked the 1/16" basswood strips in a PVC pipe capped and filled with cleaning ammonia overnight, the strips bent very easy, once dried they were then glued.

 

[Snoopy1]

I will interested in the resolution since I have one of these kits on the shelf. I will try to fit a cowl ring on the cowl when and if I build mine. Hope you find an easy and good solution, from what I recall the cowl looked nice in the box.

Cowl ring is one of my first thoughts and still is need to make a cut out on the bottom to let the hot air out hope fully that will let do a little finagling with it and maybe it will work. But I have put that off for now still do not have an engine to set the motor bulkhead and set up cowl distance.

 

[Snoopy1]

When I made the wing bows for the Champ, I soaked the 1/16" basswood strips in a PVC pipe capped and filled with cleaning ammonia overnight, the strips bent very easy, once dried they were then glued.

Acerc does the same thing except he also pressurized it. That one is new to me but will have build one soon.

 

[Snoopy1]

@MuttsyFlyer have another question about the canopy design it doesn’t look right. The Hole canopy is held together with only 2 small piece of 3/32 thick die cut light ply on either end and some 3/32 balsa sheets across the fuselage.???
The glue joint will never hold its nuts. I was thinking of building a complete new canopy structure out 1/4 by 1/4 sticks . What have you done.

 

[MuttsyFlyer]

@MuttsyFlyer can you help please. Looking at the cowl. I tried to fit the cowl to the plane and it looked way to big. I do not understand because the F1 bulk head is cut by the manufacturer and I did not change the shape. After struggling with for a while I gave up, made template of the fuselage and fitted it into the cowl and yes way to big. If I push the top and sides of the cowl against the template the cowl has over an inch clearance or bulge on the bottom. And no it did not get bigger because it was split if anything it got a tiny bit smaller. How well did yours fit and if you had the same problem how did you solve it.

@Snoopy1, as this was my first large model I did not resort to exotic things like cowl rings and so on. I did cut a fairly large air exit hole in the bottom. Once that was cut I worked from the top centre of the cowl and wrapped it aroud the front of the fuse and it came in OK. I utilised the mounting blocks and it came out OK with no gaps, but it only got that way after I cut the air hole. I have previously put photos in showing the air hole, but I have included another few to give you the idea.

 

[MuttsyFlyer]

@MuttsyFlyer have another question about the canopy design it doesn’t look right. The Hole canopy is held together with only 2 small piece of 3/32 thick die cut light ply on either end and some 3/32 balsa sheets across the fuselage.???
The glue joint will never hold its nuts. I was thinking of building a complete new canopy structure out 1/4 by 1/4 sticks . What have you done.

@Snoopy1, I had the same concerns so I also made some changes. Firstly I added some 6.5mm sheet behind the front former of the the canopy to support the former and also to give something more for the dowels to bond into. It also provides more area for the transparency to glue and screw to. At the rear I added 9.5mm sheet for the same reason. I contoured it to match the fuselage and then tapered it to fit the canopy transparency onto. Down the sides I added 6.5 x 9.5 mm sheet and then sanded to the fuselage contour. This provided enough area all around to glue and screw the transparency on. I also added some spruce strips uderneath to strengthen the canopy floor, being careful to work around the structure within the fuselage. Hopefully the pictures give you a better sense (a picture being worth a thousand words, so four thousand in this case .

Let me know if it is not clear and I will try and clarify. I ended up with a strong canopy that I have never had an issue with.

 

[Snoopy1]

@Snoopy1, as this was my first large model I did not resort to exotic things like cowl rings and so on. I did cut a fairly large air exit hole in the bottom. Once that was cut I worked from the top centre of the cowl and wrapped it aroud the front of the fuse and it came in OK. I utilised the mounting blocks and it came out OK with no gaps, but it only got that way after I cut the air hole. I have previously put photos in showing the air hole, but I have included another few to give you the idea.

Thanks for the pictures really appreciated that I think I know what to do but will wait till I get the engine. Thanks.