Another MS design - the Curtiss P-36
- Thread starter bwarz
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bwarz
Master member
Buggers this one has a challenging skin section! And the little $#%$^% is only 1 1/2" of the fuselage 
It has a downward slope on the top, upward slope on the bottom, and outward slopes on the sides. It's gonna end up looking like the fun slide at the carnival Fourth time's a charm?? I've passed strike three and I ain't out yet... In case I forget to state in in build notes - start the skins by installing skin E (section behind the cockpit.) There, I feel better now...
It has a downward slope on the top, upward slope on the bottom, and outward slopes on the sides. It's gonna end up looking like the fun slide at the carnival Fourth time's a charm?? I've passed strike three and I ain't out yet... In case I forget to state in in build notes - start the skins by installing skin E (section behind the cockpit.) There, I feel better now...
bwarz
Master member
I'm sure when people look at my plans they may be a bit overwhelmed. I like to keep notes on the plans - all over the plans. Little thoughts here and there, options that some might want to implement (or not, such as the flaps). My thoughts and ideas of making the assembly a touch easier. At this point I want to make the front of the cowl a lamination of like 5 sections of foam board with the paper removed from both sides and then have the builder sand the cowl to a nice rounded shape, but I also think that someone might think I'm nuts and not want to do that - "just give me a darned former to roll up and make the front!" I'll probably do it both ways as I continue to develop different methods (like gluing the wings with gorilla glue instead of hot glue... thank you @SSgt Duramax I think) and trying to be nice to those that have already decided on how they like to build. And here we conclude tonight's episode of "The mad and non-sensical ramblings of a tired individual at 2AM...."
bwarz
Master member
Things are going together well, but I'm getting impatient I need to be sure I get all of my little tweaks notes transferred to the plans! I also ended up accidentally using an unmodified skin so the gaps are a bit much. I will not be painting this one or else I'll never end up doing a second build to check all of the mods I figured out the pushrod locations as well. Two more skins to go (one of them in on like version 6,664,123,341 (actually only version 7, but it feels like the first number )
I need to be sure I get all of my little tweaks notes transferred to the plans! I also ended up accidentally using an unmodified skin so the gaps are a bit much. I will not be painting this one or else I'll never end up doing a second build to check all of the mods I figured out the pushrod locations as well. Two more skins to go (one of them in on like version 6,664,123,341 (actually only version 7, but it feels like the first number )
bwarz
Master member
Estimates now at weigh-in have it around 380g no paint bare airframe. Add in 220g in motor, prop, ESC, and servos and another 190g for a 2200mAh 3S and we'll be somewhere around 800g with paint. I'm expecting to need weight in the nose, so I will be using a larger 2814 1050kV motor instead of a 2216...
Scotto
Elite member
Have you seen some of the balsa plans on outerzone? There are notes for almost every piece sometimes all over the place, and how would you know without them? I like alot of notes on the plans.
This project is looking great. I would be satisfied with your first simpler P36, but this is going to be a beauty. Im a fan of all the Curtiss Hawks and I would like to have at least one of all of them in my hangar eventually. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Curtiss_Hawk_aircraft
Btw have you seen the 3d printed dummy radials on thingiverse?
https://www.thingiverse.com/search?q=+radial&type=things&sort=relevant&page=1&category_id=95
bwarz
Master member
I do like outerzone - I love just surfing the plans sometimes
. And I've printed a few radial out already for my P47 and F6F. I'm putting a bigger motor in this one so I'm not sure if it'll be an easy fit or not with the design I downloaded, but the selection on the search you sent might provide some promising alternatives... I have a feeling that this would be an easy adaptation into a P40 with basic mods to the fuselage from the leading edge forward, so maybe that'll be the next plan set for me to do 
ennobee
Member
There's an export version of the P-36/Hawk75 with a fixed landing gear. May be an idea for a model that can take off and land.
I'm barely starting rc-building and flying. My current enterprise are training on the ez-jets that use the ez-stem power pack, but I'm feeling the urge to go to my scrollsaw this afternoon and cut me a Chinese air force fixed wheel Hawk 75 wooden toy and a Ki-27 Japanese along with it.
I just love old.airplanes, I guess
I'm barely starting rc-building and flying. My current enterprise are training on the ez-jets that use the ez-stem power pack, but I'm feeling the urge to go to my scrollsaw this afternoon and cut me a Chinese air force fixed wheel Hawk 75 wooden toy and a Ki-27 Japanese along with it.
I just love old.airplanes, I guess
bwarz
Master member
If you build a wooden one you gotta post it here! I'd love to see it! The Ki-27 might be in my radar for a design and build coming up one of these months...
I've always accommodated landing gear into my builds... I really enjoy takeoffs and landings! I will have the location of the gear noted and plan on including blocking and such to support as well as the gear covers on the later model. I can also draw up the wheel pants as alternative options for the build. When I started the design I had the front as the early model you show, but switched to a later model that's just a bit more streamlined in the cowl.
I really want to get a maiden in soon just to see how it flies. I ended up making the wing flat bottomed where the original has a bit of a curve to the profile. To meet the rear of the wing to the fuselage the front ends up a bit high with a good amount of fuselage under the wing. I also gave it a 1.5 degree of incidence which exacerbated the problem... I just want to see if the angle is at all necessary.
The snow, wind, and cold continue here so no clue on when the maiden might be
bwarz
Master member
Well the weather here has been rather uncooperative. It was finally quite calm, but it was also 12F I really want to see how it flies before going much further Oh well - tonight then brings tinkering more with the one PITA skin near the front. I glued the top on and it sat much closer than just the tape and it proved to be too far off as it wrapped the sides that I got wrinkles - and we can;t have that. SO I peeled it off after making my notes again and back to plan mod, print, cut, test fit ... repeat, repeat, repeat
Also working out the foam board version of the hatch/cockpit skins and fitting. I will continue to do the plans with an option for a clear canopy build as well, which makes the formers and parts just a bit bigger. Options options options! And lots of notes on the plans
I really want to see how it flies before going much further Oh well - tonight then brings tinkering more with the one PITA skin near the front. I glued the top on and it sat much closer than just the tape and it proved to be too far off as it wrapped the sides that I got wrinkles - and we can;t have that. SO I peeled it off after making my notes again and back to plan mod, print, cut, test fit ... repeat, repeat, repeat Also working out the foam board version of the hatch/cockpit skins and fitting. I will continue to do the plans with an option for a clear canopy build as well, which makes the formers and parts just a bit bigger. Options options options! And lots of notes on the plans
The Fopster
Master member
Here’s a thought. I’ve got a Sea Fury that I built, and I’m planning on doing an improved V2. I’ve realised I can probably make a better set of skins by fitting paper templates over the V1 plane - paper is easy to adjust and I can make those fit perfectly on the plane before transferring them to foam. Haven’t tried it yet, but could you do that on this one? Lovely looking plane, by the way...Well the weather here has been rather uncooperative. It was finally quite calm, but it was also 12F
Also working out the foam board version of the hatch/cockpit skins and fitting. I will continue to do the plans with an option for a clear canopy build as well, which makes the formers and parts just a bit bigger. Options options options! And lots of notes on the plans
bwarz
Master member
I've gotten used to doing a half template of each part in foam board then scanning it in. It has worked great so far on most parts. Its just that this one is quite interesting in how it needs to bend...
It ends up having pretty good slopes in different directions as it molds around the formers and it is a pretty tight fit to boot. I probably would be better off learning some 3D cad to do it but this old school method I find rewarding and relaxing.
The Fopster
Master member
Yikes. I can see why that one might be tricky. Good luck! Judging by how good your prototype is looking I think you've got this!I've gotten used to doing a half template of each part in foam board then scanning it in. It has worked great so far on most parts. Its just that this one is quite interesting in how it needs to bend...
View attachment 217217
It ends up having pretty good slopes in different directions as it molds around the formers and it is a pretty tight fit to boot. I probably would be better off learning some 3D cad to do it but this old school method I find rewarding and relaxing.
mastermalpass
Master member
The only set of plans I've released has annotations all over it. I've seen a few plans where it's all just shapes and if I'm lucky they've colour-coded the lines, but there's so much discomforting uncertainty to all that and rarely does anyone want to make a build video! My Overlap shadings have 'OVERLAP' written in them. The part indented to be bent has a label on either end telling the builder to leave a load of excess foam on to make the bending process easier - they can cut it off later. Labels tell them where the fuselage is meant to stick on etc.. etc.. - The plans are designed to be ripped off the foam in the end anyway!
Next set of plans in production has even more detailed annotations and instructional bits for individual pieces. If anything's fiddly, I want the builder to know if they are doing the correct kind of fiddling or not. Just trying to save people from uneasy situations I've found myself in with other's plans.
mastermalpass
Master member
Things are going together well, but I'm getting impatient
It's looking really good already! Those seemlines don't seem too big from these pics (except maybe the one under the front skins but I can see you're working on those anyway. Split flaps, tail-servo-push-rod-straws for neatness and I dream of one day cutting slots for my servos that are as neat as those haha!
bwarz
Master member
I'm talked with some people that don't like those crazy servo mounts and opt for the drop in method. I know its much easier to cut a rectangle than whatever you would call the shape
but these wings just don't have the depth otherwise. They aren't hard to cut - just a sharp knife I guess. Perhaps I'll do a video on how I go about cutting them out... I even have a cardboard pattern to trace them in when I'm prototyping
SSgt Duramax
Junior Member
I'm talked with some people that don't like those crazy servo mounts and opt for the drop in method. I know its much easier to cut a rectangle than whatever you would call the shape
It isn't even that hard. I actually prefer it as there are multiple advantages. It works better for thinner wings, so you don't have to run more expensive 5 g servos, it is easier to add as an after though, so if I want to say add split flaps to my P-40 (I was going to just do hinge flaps, then I saw yours and said YEP that is what I am doing) it will be pretty easy, and all you have to do is put your servo on its side, trace it, and cut it out. It is like 4 extra cuts, come on. Keep up the good work.
bwarz
Master member
well look at that, I'm an influencer
for your (and anyone else's)use - they were really easy and surprisingly rigid. I just used packing tape folded over the entire flap edge to keep it from getting beat up as it was so thin...
bwarz
Master member
another suggestion is to put a backer for the servo in the deeper section of the wing before folding. With the wing bottom on the bench and the spars already glued in, place the servo in the hole and push down tight to the table. Cut a piece of DTFB to span the spars and lay flat on the servo. then just glue the edges. That way you don't need to fiddle with blocks or whatever when you go to install the servos. (pic from BF109 wing, backer is like an edge box but you get the idea)
also don't want to forget my servo wire tubes. I made the ones in the P36 with just paper rolled double thick. The 'tubes' let you install the servos and wires after you fold everything up. Just fish an extension through, plug in the servo, and pull back through.
also don't want to forget my servo wire tubes. I made the ones in the P36 with just paper rolled double thick. The 'tubes' let you install the servos and wires after you fold everything up. Just fish an extension through, plug in the servo, and pull back through.
SSgt Duramax
Junior Member
Looks great, that is pretty much how I was going to do the flaps. I like the servo tunnels. Probably a ton easier to run the wires through instead of them bouncing everywhere.
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