Scale 50cc Scratch Build From My Own Design Revisited

[Jetpainter]

I did some mock up tonight. The wheel pants are just laying there and the cowl is held on with tape and good intentions, but it's good enough to check out the cowl fit. I think once I space the cowl out a little and do a little surgery on the bottom to fix the lower line it should be fine. The left stab is roughly cut to the shape I think I'm going to use. I haven't decided yet whether I'm going to make new elevators or modify these. I'm also planning on modifying the wing tips to a rounder shape.

 

[lakerider8]

Looking great. Definitely something nobody else will show up at the field with!

 

[Terryscustom]

What weight glass do you intend to use for this? I'm thinking I need to do a test panel with sheeted foam, glass, prep and paint. I just want to see if I have what you plan on using so I can follow along (copy you ).

 

[Jetpainter]

What weight glass do you intend to use for this? I'm thinking I need to do a test panel with sheeted foam, glass, prep and paint. I just want to see if I have what you plan on using so I can follow along (copy you ).

Terry, the only problem with that is that you'll have 6 airplanes done by the time I start glassing this one.
I'm planning on using 0.56oz from Thayercraft or something similar and Z-Poxy finishing resin.

 

[Terryscustom]

No, not 6 just these two......a couple of fixer-upper arf's and a warbird ARF. What I'd like to do next time I do a full build is do a hybrid plywood with balsa skin fuse for a glass and paint, that's why I'm so interested. Things will slow down a little for me since I think we are going to try to sell our house close to Spring.

 

[1932]

That is one SEXY plane.

 

[ericb]

Don't take this wrong, but I think the canopy looks kinda funny. Too bubbly for my likes. The rest of the plane is Sleek with a bubble canopy. Just an observation.

 

[Jetpainter]

Don't take this wrong, but I think the canopy looks kinda funny. Too bubbly for my likes. The rest of the plane is Sleek with a bubble canopy. Just an observation.

The look I was going for is 30's vintage air racer. I tried several different canopy shapes when I was drawing it and didn't care for a laid back style of canopy. Two of my favorite air racers of all time were the Gee Bee Z and the Cosmic Wind. They both use a similar style of canopy. When I do the final trimming on the canopy it will lower the front a tad so the line up the turtle deck will be smooth across the top of the canopy.

 

[Patroller]

I kind of like it. It makes the plane look huge compared to the pilot. It is also distinctly different that the typical Extra with two seats.

 

[Jetpainter]

I kind of like it. It makes the plane look huge compared to the pilot. It is also distinctly different that the typical Extra with two seats.

That brings me to another issue. How big should the pilot be. Should it be big enough that just the pilots head sticks up in the canopy like a Gee Bee Z so it looks like the pilot is wearing the airplane? Something to think about.