ACE All Star Biplane

[PoorManRC]

Exactly! Amazing tensile strength - but worthless for compression so apply with appropriate planning.

I thought so...
So, Fuse sides like you did, maybe the Wing bottoms, for High-G recoveries?

I had not actually given any thought to tensile strength... But then I haven't put myself into a situation where I needed it - yet!! 😜

 

[Winglet]

I built 2 of these pack in the day. Lived just down the road from ACE RC in Higginsville, Missouri and flew with those guys at their factory field. You are bringing back lots of memories.

 

[rockyboy]

I thought so...
So, Fuse sides like you did, maybe the Wing bottoms, for High-G recoveries?

I had not actually given any thought to tensile strength... But then I haven't put myself into a situation where I needed it - yet!! 😜

I only bothered adding the carbon strips to the wing bottoms - as you say for those high-G "oh crap" recoveries that seem to be my instinct when things get interesting and altitude is low. The fuse will be plenty strong with the full balsa sheeting all the way back.

I built 2 of these pack in the day. Lived just down the road from ACE RC in Higginsville, Missouri and flew with those guys at their factory field. You are bringing back lots of memories.

Very cool! Have you seen all the cool new ACE inspired kits they are making over at https://willynillies.com/ ?

 

[rockyboy]

My first time cutting curves with iron on covering! Have always done straight line patterns before. So far it's going well!

Not pictured here is I first did a test of layering the monokote (red) over the ultracote (white) to make sure things didn't get weird with shrinkages or adhesion.

Then I put all the white under layer in place - starting at the bottom and working my way up, back to front. I did a little relief cutout for the curve section on the fuselage side so I didn't end up with a straight line at the edge of the bottom layer while the top color curved.

Then I put two pieces of covering back to back down on the glass and cut out the fuselage side pieces so they matched. Ironed the first one in place and it looked pretty good!

Don't know what weirdness is showing up as white specks in the red - maybe some trick of the light, but they certainly aren't visible in person.

Anyway, the top of the nose will get red that lines up with the fuselage red too - then some more curvy bits around the cockpit, down the turtledeck, and onto the stabilizers.

 

[PoorManRC]

WOW!!!!!
First time, eh? You'd never know it. Really sharp!!

 

[rockyboy]

Thanks! I think all the practice doing freehand pinstriping curves on the NuBee is helping out

 

[PoorManRC]

Thanks! I think all the practice doing freehand pinstriping curves on the NuBee is helping out

That's a skill all by itself....
I've pinstriped Cars, but not any Models.

 

[TooJung2Die]

Ironed the first one in place and it looked pretty good!

It looks better than pretty good! The only curves I applied in covering film were made on a Cricut. I know, that's cheating. I'll have to try it freehand on the next film covered airplane. If Rockyboy can do it...

 

[rockyboy]

It looks better than pretty good! The only curves I applied in covering film were made on a Cricut. I know, that's cheating. I'll have to try it freehand on the next film covered airplane. If Rockyboy can do it...

I've got a vinyl cutter that works great for smaller pieces too - it's the bigger curves that need a different approach. And you are absolutely right - if Rockyboy can do it, anyone with half a brain and a little patience can. I set the bar pretty low

 

[man-bot]

Have you seen my builds... I belly butt your bar. No gettin over that here.

Thats why I watch you, Karl, and Josh do all this and live thru your exploits.

 

[rockyboy]

Rest of the nose is finished...

And hey - the other side looks the same too!

Now the turtledeck and cockpit area...

One of these days I'll remember to paint the darn cockpit before I put the covering around it... *sigh*... it'll be a little trickier now.

 

[man-bot]

Why am I craving peppermint candy or candy canes all of the sudden.

Doing the turtle deck really makes it pop now. Nice detailing. The lines go so well together like that.

 

[PoorManRC]

Brother, that looks GORGEOUS!!! 😎👋👋👋👋👋👋
I'm eventually building a "stretched" Baby Blender. I am nearly copying that pattern. 😋😉
Don't sell yourself short, you're GOOD!

 

[Joker 53150]

That red color is almost demanding to be the main color on the plane. Very nice work so far, I look forward to seeing the completed plane.

 

[rockyboy]

Thanks guys!

Now it's time to start the accent color

The process starts by taping wax paper on the plane and drawing the shape on the paper. Then that template gets cut out and scotch taped onto a double layer of covering and the glass work surface. The covering has the backing pulled off and is adhesive side to adhesive side. Firm pressure with a freshly stropped scalpel blade cuts through everything cleanly and then I have two matching curved covering pieces

And here's what the tail looks like with the copper and red pieces on the vertical stabilizer. The copper will continue up the turtledeck, and some more will get placed next to the cowling and main fuselage stripe too. When that's all in place, I'll go back and put in a thin white pinstripe line to separate the two colors and really make them pop.

Hooray for '80s Monokote covering styles! This one is right off the MonoKote Trim Scheme Poster - lower right side in the pic

 

[TooJung2Die]

Thanks for showing your technique. That is looking great. Wow, a three color scheme with pinstripe.

 

[nhk750]

Wow, coming along quickly. I like your jigs from Retro? Looks great.

 

[rockyboy]

Thanks for showing your technique. That is looking great. Wow, a three color scheme with pinstripe.

Thanks! I keep trying to push my skills and try one new thing each build. This time it's pushing the covering

Wow, coming along quickly. I like your jigs from Retro? Looks great.

Thanks! And yep - I got a handful of jigs from Retro RC - really like Bill's Thumbs too

 

[rockyboy]

Over the weekend I was able to put a little more time on this...

Next was getting the vertical stabilizer three color attached.

And then the horizontal stabilizer and extending the copper forward along the turtle deck.

It's even symmetrical!

Next is working on the wings, and then figuring out what color to make the inside of the cockpit...

 

[nhk750]

Im going to have to try that method on my next builds, I'm always trying to do a better job on the “next build”.