Another MS design - the Curtiss P-36
- Thread starter bwarz
- Start date
FlyerInStyle
Elite member
what are the wooden blocks forGot the wing innards done tonight. Going to sleep on nav lights and decide tomorrow before I get the top wing skins put on. It's a busy weekend so I'm hoping I'll have it poly'd by the end of the weekend
View attachment 219286
bwarz
Master member
They will provide support for landing gear - sorry - I guess I should have noted that
Probably a bit overkill on thickness but I think my landings at this point need all the support they can get The 'tubes' provide me with a way to easily get the servo wires in after assembly.
cyclone3350
Master member
They will provide support for landing gear - sorry - I guess I should have noted that
By looking @ the blocks, the ply dihedral brace & the tubes, I would say that U have a very functional light weight structure there.
bwarz
Master member
I've been wanting to put nav lights in a MS plane since my first build of the BF109 - I prepped the second build for them but still haven't finished the build The alpha build of the P36 went together quick and I didn;t even think about it, and now I've been contemplating how to do them on this one. I want to put them where they belong - but they don;t go on the tips of the P36...no. They are top and bottom of the wing, in about 2" on the model. I also don't like putting electronics in early - and lighting fits that bill - so I was about to give up and I think I may have an idea - although it involves cutting a hatch square where I figure the bottom one will go - but I'll have lights! Now I guess after I glue up the wing I'll see how it plays out...
The alpha build of the P36 went together quick and I didn;t even think about it, and now I've been contemplating how to do them on this one. I want to put them where they belong - but they don;t go on the tips of the P36...no. They are top and bottom of the wing, in about 2" on the model. I also don't like putting electronics in early - and lighting fits that bill - so I was about to give up and I think I may have an idea - although it involves cutting a hatch square where I figure the bottom one will go - but I'll have lights! Now I guess after I glue up the wing I'll see how it plays out...
bwarz
Master member
Wing fillets done. I wish I could make them easier to deal with - I think I'm going to really need to take some pics or maybe video on how to make it happen. It's a little sloppy but for the first time ever trying anything like this I'll take it! To note here so I don't forget later, I used the beacon foam tac from the Dollar Store to attach these. The bottoms of the fillets need a major taper to fit the bottom of the fuselage (I put them on in the wrong place and had to move them - not sure why I didn't just recut them...) The actual fillets had a very shallow taper on them and then sanded them to almost nothing on the top and bottom edges and thinned it out quite a bit toward the front. I then peeled off the other side of the paper and formed them like normal (marker rolling across the edge of a tube) to give them the curve. I then did a test fit based on a few measurements that I will need to make a template for. Once it was fitting OK after bending, I marked the edges where the fillet would meet wing and fuselage. I then ran a bead of foamtac right along the inside of the marks all the way around with a hefty bead across the edge of the fillet bottom. I positioned the fillet onto the foamtac, nudging it into place all around and let it sit for 10-20 seconds and carefully peeled it back up, starting from the back, taking care not to tear the front off. I let it air out for 20 or 30 seconds and then repositioned it, pressing the foamtac tightly along the edges, saving the edge where the fillet meets the fillet bottom for last. That I sued a bit of hot glue on, spreading it apart as needed to get the glue inside, but not too much as the fillet would then be trimmed to match the contour of the fillet bottom. A few swipes of hot glue on the pointy front and back to seal things up and this is what we got...
I think it turned out cool but what a pain in the butt!
) The actual fillets had a very shallow taper on them and then sanded them to almost nothing on the top and bottom edges and thinned it out quite a bit toward the front. I then peeled off the other side of the paper and formed them like normal (marker rolling across the edge of a tube) to give them the curve. I then did a test fit based on a few measurements that I will need to make a template for. Once it was fitting OK after bending, I marked the edges where the fillet would meet wing and fuselage. I then ran a bead of foamtac right along the inside of the marks all the way around with a hefty bead across the edge of the fillet bottom. I positioned the fillet onto the foamtac, nudging it into place all around and let it sit for 10-20 seconds and carefully peeled it back up, starting from the back, taking care not to tear the front off. I let it air out for 20 or 30 seconds and then repositioned it, pressing the foamtac tightly along the edges, saving the edge where the fillet meets the fillet bottom for last. That I sued a bit of hot glue on, spreading it apart as needed to get the glue inside, but not too much as the fillet would then be trimmed to match the contour of the fillet bottom. A few swipes of hot glue on the pointy front and back to seal things up and this is what we got...
I think it turned out cool but what a pain in the butt!
cyclone3350
Master member
Wing fillets done. I wish I could make them easier to deal with - I think I'm going to really need to take some pics or maybe video on how to make it happen. It's a little sloppy but for the first time ever trying anything like this I'll take it! To note here so I don't forget later, I used the beacon foam tac from the Dollar Store to attach these. The bottoms of the fillets need a major taper to fit the bottom of the fuselage (I put them on in the wrong place and had to move them - not sure why I didn't just recut them...
View attachment 219844 View attachment 219845 View attachment 219846
I think it turned out cool but what a pain in the butt!
Aaaagh.. I hate doing fillets! The next step on me Gee Bee & almost considering calling it a standoff & not do them. Kudos to U. Very well done.
bwarz
Master member
Got the rest of the fuselage done yesterday and spent this evening breathing life into the control surfaces. Unfortunately I stopped videoing a few nights ago before I top-skinned the wing and no video since. I was planning on some sort of build instructions but I guess I'll need to do a third????
Underbelly done - and I actually did get patterns laid out and added to the plans (thankfully). If I do any more video, I'll probably build this again and video it
Cowl guns in place - they actually built quite easily. One piece of FB wrapped over the top of a single piece with the top edge rounded. Glued in place and let dry for a while (15-20 minutes) (the part was oversized tall) then trimmed it to fit with the bottom angle and sanded for a clean fit. Finished off with rounding of the front.
I'll likely be sticking drink stirrers in for guns...
Another part of tonight was testing the clear canopy parts. Cut them out of regular paper (not cardstock) and laminated them. Going to see if they are sturdy enough or not (others I've done were manila folder stock)
and no video since. I was planning on some sort of build instructions but I guess I'll need to do a third????Underbelly done - and I actually did get patterns laid out and added to the plans (thankfully). If I do any more video, I'll probably build this again and video it
Cowl guns in place - they actually built quite easily. One piece of FB wrapped over the top of a single piece with the top edge rounded. Glued in place and let dry for a while (15-20 minutes) (the part was oversized tall) then trimmed it to fit with the bottom angle and sanded for a clean fit. Finished off with rounding of the front.
I'll likely be sticking drink stirrers in for guns...
Another part of tonight was testing the clear canopy parts. Cut them out of regular paper (not cardstock) and laminated them. Going to see if they are sturdy enough or not (others I've done were manila folder stock)
The Fopster
Master member
That looks brilliant!Got the rest of the fuselage done yesterday and spent this evening breathing life into the control surfaces. Unfortunately I stopped videoing a few nights ago before I top-skinned the wing
Underbelly done - and I actually did get patterns laid out and added to the plans (thankfully). If I do any more video, I'll probably build this again and video it View attachment 220020
Cowl guns in place - they actually built quite easily. One piece of FB wrapped over the top of a single piece with the top edge rounded. Glued in place and let dry for a while (15-20 minutes) (the part was oversized tall) then trimmed it to fit with the bottom angle and sanded for a clean fit. Finished off with rounding of the front.
View attachment 220019
I'll likely be sticking drink stirrers in for guns...
View attachment 220018
Another part of tonight was testing the clear canopy parts. Cut them out of regular paper (not cardstock) and laminated them. Going to see if they are sturdy enough or not (others I've done were manila folder stock)
View attachment 220017
bwarz
Master member
Got to put down some paint tonight. I suppose the plans are pretty good. I will need to deal with the wing cavity in the fuselage - the front dipped more than the mechanical design would have hoped and the gap was pretty unsightly in the front. Had to fill it with some slivers of foam and the wing fillets covered the evidence
Work out the cockpit, pilot, and canopy tomorrow with a touch more paint. Maybe the gear - at least the wire forms. Maybe once they are on it will inspire me how to wrap up the gear details...
I did iron the leading edge of the wing this time. It cleaned it up much better than had I not. I used the good old clothes iron this time and it didn't wrinkle a thing.
Work out the cockpit, pilot, and canopy tomorrow with a touch more paint. Maybe the gear - at least the wire forms. Maybe once they are on it will inspire me how to wrap up the gear details...
I did iron the leading edge of the wing this time. It cleaned it up much better than had I not. I used the good old clothes iron this time and it didn't wrinkle a thing.
ennobee
Member
As it I still too cold to fly here I Texas and I promised myself not to build any more RC planes until I either wrecked my current one or learned to properly fly it good enough to look for an interesting follow-up model, I instead went back into my garage and dusted off my scrollsaw to make the wooden P.36 and Ki-27 toy planes I promised a month ago.
So here they are:
Scale roughly 1/36 for a wingspan of around 12 in.
So far toys only, but I could imagine one day making them as flat-sided semi scale models with the micro-rc parts from Horizon Hobbies' micro cup or night vapor or likewise.... Once I get good enough flying the ez-pack jet I am currently training on.
bwarz
Master member
So I foudn something out as I am wrapping up the P36 build. When I maidened the first one, I pulled the power pod out of my BF109 (stll the original alpha build) and tossed it in my first run P36. If you hadn't read already, it wanted to pitch up on throttle. A bit of down thrust seemed to have solved it. I have discovered another possibility - when I build the original BF109, I goofed on the plans and had the motor centerline 5mm too high. I didn't modify the fuselage of course, so I modified the power pod (the plans have long since been corrected). So using that power pod had my thrust line 5mm lower than it should have been. The idea of having the thrust line go through the CG could possible add up here - it had a touch of downthrust to point the thrust line at the CG - the motor was 5mm low, thus the small downthrust need?
I'm going to fly this one with the thrust line at zero and we'll see how it goes! I can always rebuild the power pod and add that touch of down...
No matter - spent more time tonight getting 'decals' on, building the power pod, and getting the canopy and pilot wrapped up.
By the way, you'd think I would have learned about the spray melting the foam through the poly (my weak thin layer of poly). I didn;t. I ended up having to to a bad job of patching the guns
I'm going to fly this one with the thrust line at zero and we'll see how it goes! I can always rebuild the power pod and add that touch of down...
No matter - spent more time tonight getting 'decals' on, building the power pod, and getting the canopy and pilot wrapped up.
By the way, you'd think I would have learned about the spray melting the foam through the poly (my weak thin layer of poly). I didn;t. I ended up having to to a bad job of patching the guns
The Fopster
Master member
Spectacular! 👏👏👏👏🤣So I foudn something out as I am wrapping up the P36 build. When I maidened the first one, I pulled the power pod out of my BF109 (stll the original alpha build) and tossed it in my first run P36. If you hadn't read already, it wanted to pitch up on throttle. A bit of down thrust seemed to have solved it. I have discovered another possibility - when I build the original BF109, I goofed on the plans and had the motor centerline 5mm too high. I didn't modify the fuselage of course, so I modified the power pod (the plans have long since been corrected). So using that power pod had my thrust line 5mm lower than it should have been. The idea of having the thrust line go through the CG could possible add up here - it had a touch of downthrust to point the thrust line at the CG - the motor was 5mm low, thus the small downthrust need?
I'm going to fly this one with the thrust line at zero and we'll see how it goes! I can always rebuild the power pod and add that touch of down...
No matter - spent more time tonight getting 'decals' on, building the power pod, and getting the canopy and pilot wrapped up.
View attachment 220409
By the way, you'd think I would have learned about the spray melting the foam through the poly (my weak thin layer of poly). I didn;t. I ended up having to to a bad job of patching the guns
Ratcheeroo
Legendary member
Awesome build, great paint job!!So I foudn something out as I am wrapping up the P36 build. When I maidened the first one, I pulled the power pod out of my BF109 (stll the original alpha build) and tossed it in my first run P36. If you hadn't read already, it wanted to pitch up on throttle. A bit of down thrust seemed to have solved it. I have discovered another possibility - when I build the original BF109, I goofed on the plans and had the motor centerline 5mm too high. I didn't modify the fuselage of course, so I modified the power pod (the plans have long since been corrected). So using that power pod had my thrust line 5mm lower than it should have been. The idea of having the thrust line go through the CG could possible add up here - it had a touch of downthrust to point the thrust line at the CG - the motor was 5mm low, thus the small downthrust need?
I'm going to fly this one with the thrust line at zero and we'll see how it goes! I can always rebuild the power pod and add that touch of down...
No matter - spent more time tonight getting 'decals' on, building the power pod, and getting the canopy and pilot wrapped up.
View attachment 220409
By the way, you'd think I would have learned about the spray melting the foam through the poly (my weak thin layer of poly). I didn;t. I ended up having to to a bad job of patching the guns
cyclone3350
Master member
.X10-10th
FlyingTyger
Elite member
That looks really great.
bwarz
Master member
I know these pics are on the buildruary thread, but they really do belong here first! Wrapped up the basic gear tonight as well as one last bit of artwork. I'm bummed that painting over the silver with clear coat to seal the decals took some of the shiny metallic away but it's only noticeable on certain angles with light.
Tail-dragger, sure - but I think she needs a tail wheel... There's a 3-layer spine back where one belongs so I think I'm going to be cutting away a space to get something 3D printed in. I'm not going to try to get it tied into the rudder, but then again, the full scale Corsair had a dolly tail wheel!
The bottom of the wing being flat messed with the fuselage bottom but I tried to get a similar look of the real thing for the belly pan
The hatch ended up glue on when I attached the canopy to the hatch base - I popped the front edge of the rear window trying to get the hatch off without destroying the fuselage
Flaps fully deployed! I ended up using a cut down large control arm for the flaps. When I did flaps on the BF109 I had designed a different arm but I figured this would be easier.
One removable hatch...
...and one really spacious battery compartment! Below, that is a 5500 3S battery and it balances out perfectly It's actually sitting on top of the power pod. It can also more easily sit on its side down in the pod where a smaller battery would be. Note that a smaller batter WILL need nose weight. Did I mention that I have 2814 1050kV motor in the front on a 10x7 prop?
but it's only noticeable on certain angles with light.
Tail-dragger, sure - but I think she needs a tail wheel... There's a 3-layer spine back where one belongs so I think I'm going to be cutting away a space to get something 3D printed in. I'm not going to try to get it tied into the rudder, but then again, the full scale Corsair had a dolly tail wheel!
The bottom of the wing being flat messed with the fuselage bottom but I tried to get a similar look of the real thing for the belly pan
The hatch ended up glue on when I attached the canopy to the hatch base - I popped the front edge of the rear window trying to get the hatch off without destroying the fuselage
Flaps fully deployed! I ended up using a cut down large control arm for the flaps. When I did flaps on the BF109 I had designed a different arm but I figured this would be easier.
One removable hatch...
...and one really spacious battery compartment! Below, that is a 5500 3S battery and it balances out perfectly
It's actually sitting on top of the power pod. It can also more easily sit on its side down in the pod where a smaller battery would be. Note that a smaller batter WILL need nose weight. Did I mention that I have 2814 1050kV motor in the front on a 10x7 prop?
Attachments
FlyingTyger
Elite member
That looks awesome. Well done!
