Guillows 1/16 - P-51 Mustang
Discussion
Morning all.
Just reaching the final building stages of the above kit. However, would like to attempt to get it flying and I have no idea what to cover the fuselage / wings with to get a taut covering that's fairly hard wearing. - not sure whether tissue paper with pva glue would work at all but dont think this would achieve the required tautness ?
My local model shop has closed so would probably have to order from the net.
Any help would be appreciated.
I'll post pics up later on.
Cheers
Dom
Just reaching the final building stages of the above kit. However, would like to attempt to get it flying and I have no idea what to cover the fuselage / wings with to get a taut covering that's fairly hard wearing. - not sure whether tissue paper with pva glue would work at all but dont think this would achieve the required tautness ?
My local model shop has closed so would probably have to order from the net.
Any help would be appreciated.
I'll post pics up later on.
Cheers
Dom
On glider wings I've used Litespan:
http://www.solarfilm.co.uk/_includes/docs/pdf/Lite...
It's a light-weight, iron-on material. It's very thin, very tough and also much easier to apply than the plastic solarfilm type stuff. It looks like tissue and dope when applied, and is available in different colours. You have to apply a thin coat of special PVA type glue to the framework and let it dry before ironing the film over it and then shrinking it with the iron tip.
http://www.solarfilm.co.uk/_includes/docs/pdf/Lite...
It's a light-weight, iron-on material. It's very thin, very tough and also much easier to apply than the plastic solarfilm type stuff. It looks like tissue and dope when applied, and is available in different colours. You have to apply a thin coat of special PVA type glue to the framework and let it dry before ironing the film over it and then shrinking it with the iron tip.
Hi. I built quite a few Guillows kits last year. You can get a film that you iron on and then shrink with a heat gun. Due to the size of the balsa this will probably be too much for the frame.
Tissue supplied with the kit is the best option. After some trial and error I found the following method worked the best:
1. cut the tissue to size for the area to be covered (don't try and do too big an area)
2. Use a Pritt stick or similar and apply to the relevant part of the fuselage
3. Put the tissue on and try to get it as tight as possible.
4. use an alcohol in a spray and wet the tissue.
5. Use a hair dryer to flash dry it and the tissue will shrink and go tight.
6. Use either dope (on my first model I used PVA and water mix, which gave an ok result)
7. Use a hair dryer again to dry.
Should be light enough to fly well.
You will need to apply weight to the nose to get it to fly level and it probably wont last very long, so prepare for disappointment.
good luck
Tissue supplied with the kit is the best option. After some trial and error I found the following method worked the best:
1. cut the tissue to size for the area to be covered (don't try and do too big an area)
2. Use a Pritt stick or similar and apply to the relevant part of the fuselage
3. Put the tissue on and try to get it as tight as possible.
4. use an alcohol in a spray and wet the tissue.
5. Use a hair dryer to flash dry it and the tissue will shrink and go tight.
6. Use either dope (on my first model I used PVA and water mix, which gave an ok result)
7. Use a hair dryer again to dry.
Should be light enough to fly well.
You will need to apply weight to the nose to get it to fly level and it probably wont last very long, so prepare for disappointment.
good luck
RichB is right. Tissue paste or perhaps a watered down PVA mix can be used to apply the tissue, aiming to get it reasonably taut. A fine spray of water mist left to dry naturally is used to shrink the tissue. Finally an application of thinned dope is used to seal the porous surface of the tissue. Given that these are quite lightweight structures, I personally wouldn't go anywhere near it with a hairdryer for fear of uneven shrinking and the risk of introducing warps to the structure.
Having built a few of these just last year I was just trying to help out. Please feel free to ignore my comments.
As for a hair dryer damaging the structure. It's not a problem I have experienced. Given that rc aircraft use a similar technique, but with film and a heat gun to shrink it I assume a hair dryer won't cause a problem
Here is a picture of a Cessna I made last year, but haven't flown yet. Whilst I am certain that others could do much better I am quite pleased with it and used the technique I described earlier.
(The colour scheme was chosen by my daughter)
As for a hair dryer damaging the structure. It's not a problem I have experienced. Given that rc aircraft use a similar technique, but with film and a heat gun to shrink it I assume a hair dryer won't cause a problem
Here is a picture of a Cessna I made last year, but haven't flown yet. Whilst I am certain that others could do much better I am quite pleased with it and used the technique I described earlier.
(The colour scheme was chosen by my daughter)
A while since doing opened frame builds but this is the way I used to do them.
Sand whole airframe, then apply a 50/50 mix of clear dope & thinners. Allow to dry, resand. Cut panels of tissue 1/2 wing panel, one side, then redope airframe & lay tissue on using the dope brush with more dope only on the frame itself. Once reasonably wrinkle free allow to dry & move to next panel, try & do all one unit at once as it reduces warpage.
Once dry, water spray tissue & allow to dry, this will shrink it. Then once all the model is covered & shrunk then apply the thinned 50/50 mix, probably 2-3 coats.
If you intend flying it keep it light, so the thinnest coat of paint possible.
I'll add if you intend flying it free flight low wing models, especially like the P51 are probably the hardest to trim & fly.
Sand whole airframe, then apply a 50/50 mix of clear dope & thinners. Allow to dry, resand. Cut panels of tissue 1/2 wing panel, one side, then redope airframe & lay tissue on using the dope brush with more dope only on the frame itself. Once reasonably wrinkle free allow to dry & move to next panel, try & do all one unit at once as it reduces warpage.
Once dry, water spray tissue & allow to dry, this will shrink it. Then once all the model is covered & shrunk then apply the thinned 50/50 mix, probably 2-3 coats.
If you intend flying it keep it light, so the thinnest coat of paint possible.
I'll add if you intend flying it free flight low wing models, especially like the P51 are probably the hardest to trim & fly.
dr_gn said:
Why go through all that hassle? Just use Litespan - it looks just like doped tissue, it's way easier and quicker to apply plus it's infinitely tougher.
I looked at this. Don't you need some sort of temperature controllable iron to attach it to the frame? I wasn't sure where to buy one or what to get. what would you recommend (I might build another, but don't tell the wife)robemcdonald said:
dr_gn said:
Why go through all that hassle? Just use Litespan - it looks just like doped tissue, it's way easier and quicker to apply plus it's infinitely tougher.
I looked at this. Don't you need some sort of temperature controllable iron to attach it to the frame? I wasn't sure where to buy one or what to get. what would you recommend (I might build another, but don't tell the wife)Gassing Station | Scale Models | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff