Another MS design - the Curtiss P-36

SSgt Duramax

Junior Member
Rats - I was in such a mad dash doing the new build for Buildruary that I let the plans slip a bit - I've been away form them a bit and now reviewing things for the P40E I'm finding that there are some other loose ends to tie up. :rolleyes: I still need to do a test build of the DTFB canopy in the event that someone does not want to do the clear. Also there's a few patterns that were thrown together rather quickly (like the belly pan). I'd say the plans are easily 95% good, but need to do my homework for a bit to get them to 99%
It's ok. I still owe plans for the UAV I built. I can't get any programs to cooperate with me. I just want to be able to draw a line a specific length!
 

bwarz

Master member
It's ok. I still owe plans for the UAV I built. I can't get any programs to cooperate with me. I just want to be able to draw a line a specific length!
😆 I draw real old school... visualize and draw it in Inkscape. I know how, I just don't want to use cad. I really like what I see people doing with the 3D rendering and all, but I just keep going back to Inkscape 😆 🤣 Then I use cad for 3D printing :p I would like to build a needle cutter though....
 

SSgt Duramax

Junior Member
😆 I draw real old school... visualize and draw it in Inkscape. I know how, I just don't want to use cad. I really like what I see people doing with the 3D rendering and all, but I just keep going back to Inkscape 😆 🤣 Then I use cad for 3D printing :p I would like to build a needle cutter though....
I need to figure out inkscape better. I guess my main limiting factor is I know the exact measurememts, and I cant get the line too in there to do that.

My drafting class in highschool was a drafting board, paper, and angles. We would get points taken off for having pencil smudges in our border. I still appreciate what I learned in there 2 decades later though.
 

bwarz

Master member
I need to figure out inkscape better. I guess my main limiting factor is I know the exact measurememts, and I cant get the line too in there to do that.

My drafting class in highschool was a drafting board, paper, and angles. We would get points taken off for having pencil smudges in our border. I still appreciate what I learned in there 2 decades later though.
lol yes I guess I didn't think old school enough :ROFLMAO: there was just something really satisfying when you did everything by hand on vellum! I've found a few little tricks for getting accurate lines in Inkscape. I was frustrated as all heck trying to use it like cad. I got a gaming mouse after I used my son's. it makes drawing in Inkscape much easier to be accurate.
using ctrl when drawing a line can give you fixed angles. when I draw lines I've started looking at the bottom where it gives the length and angle of what I'm drawing. that plus snapping have me the ability to find the exact angle to the thousandth of what to rotate a part when I do mirror images. also, click on a part twice to get rotate mode, drag the rotation center to one point on your mirroring axis, then ctrl D and then H or V and the part is duplicated and perfect mirrored, no moving or snapping. I've steed to use short little lines and snapping instead of using the measuring tool... Maybe I should start an Inkscape tips thread ... or does one already exist?
 

OliverW

Legendary member
I need to figure out inkscape better. I guess my main limiting factor is I know the exact measurememts, and I cant get the line too in there to do that.

My drafting class in highschool was a drafting board, paper, and angles. We would get points taken off for having pencil smudges in our border. I still appreciate what I learned in there 2 decades later though.
I'm in a drafting class til the end of the school year, I feel your pain lol. The teachers super strict about everything on the assignments lol
 

Scotto

Elite member
Hey Im sorry if I just missed it but what scale or wingspan is this? I want to start on a P-6E and Id like to be the same scale. It looks fantastic!
 

bwarz

Master member
Hey Im sorry if I just missed it but what scale or wingspan is this? I want to start on a P-6E and Id like to be the same scale. It looks fantastic!
It's got a 48" wingspan which comes in at about a 1:9 with the prototype having a 37' wingspan. Similar scale would bring the P6 in at about a 41" wingspan. No worries and thanks! I'll be watching for your build(y)
 

SSgt Duramax

Junior Member
It's got a 48" wingspan which comes in at about a 1:9 with the prototype having a 37' wingspan. Similar scale would bring the P6 in at about a 41" wingspan. No worries and thanks! I'll be watching for your build(y)
Have you put plans up for this yet?
 

bwarz

Master member
Have you put plans up for this yet?
No not yet :rolleyes: Work has been hectic and I just haven't had time or energy to get things wrapped up. I'd need to go back through to be sure, but I think that plans were 95% there, just a handful of one-offs that I did in a hurry as buildruary was wrapping up, and I never tested updated plans for the DTFB canopy/hatch. Also a retry on the bellypan is in order. I did get a start on modifying the plans to do a P40E for a club member with the modified wing design with a rolled leading edge and have yet to build the test wing half.

I can PM you the plans directly if you want, or I had plans on testing the new wing after this weekend (heading to Toledo swap meet tomorrow, been sick with a nasty cold since Tues) and get them to you next week if the new wing works out...

Just to recap what's potentially not 100% with them:
-FB canopy and hatch
-main wing LE is the normal FT style with no bend. The sizes ended up with the wing cutout in the skins and core having a 3-4mm gap where the LE should have met. The rolled LE should resolve this.
-skin A (very front piece) and the small round ring at the very front of the cowl are likely not accurate, likely would need to wrap front skin and trace proper size for front ring.
-bellypan is likely fine, but it was only made once :LOL:

Everything else went together well enough with hot glue - although it would be interesting to know how good my lines are with wood glue!
 

SSgt Duramax

Junior Member
No not yet :rolleyes: Work has been hectic and I just haven't had time or energy to get things wrapped up. I'd need to go back through to be sure, but I think that plans were 95% there, just a handful of one-offs that I did in a hurry as buildruary was wrapping up, and I never tested updated plans for the DTFB canopy/hatch. Also a retry on the bellypan is in order. I did get a start on modifying the plans to do a P40E for a club member with the modified wing design with a rolled leading edge and have yet to build the test wing half.

I can PM you the plans directly if you want, or I had plans on testing the new wing after this weekend (heading to Toledo swap meet tomorrow, been sick with a nasty cold since Tues) and get them to you next week if the new wing works out...

Just to recap what's potentially not 100% with them:
-FB canopy and hatch
-main wing LE is the normal FT style with no bend. The sizes ended up with the wing cutout in the skins and core having a 3-4mm gap where the LE should have met. The rolled LE should resolve this.
-skin A (very front piece) and the small round ring at the very front of the cowl are likely not accurate, likely would need to wrap front skin and trace proper size for front ring.
-bellypan is likely fine, but it was only made once :LOL:

Everything else went together well enough with hot glue - although it would be interesting to know how good my lines are with wood glue!
Yeah, I'll beta them for you. It will be a slow build so if you update something. I think i would rather do the P-36. Its undermodeled. I like undermodeled planes. Hopefully my Mig 29 plans will be done soon. I plan to maiden the alpha build tomorrow.
 

bwarz

Master member
OK so it has been quite a while since I've been building. I took the second build up over the weekend and as a result of a few stupid mistakes it now needs some repairs. I'm now working on a P40E design for a friend which has an identical wing and I was working to try something different to get a better leading edge. I've built one wing but it still needs some tweaking. I wanted to hold off uploading plans until the I tried the wing rework to see how it worked out. The wing build is a bit busy anyways as it has a tremendous amount of glue needed at one time to get it fully assembled. I got away with it the first time with hot glue, the second time I tried Gorilla Glue - which worked out quite nicely, albeit slower in the build process (but well worth it!)

I'm finally back on building the P40E now and might get to the wing next week, although I have a bunch of catching up to do to be ready for FF22 (it takes a bit to have planes ready for me three of my boys to fly....) Looks like a mad rush exceeding what Buildruary was...
 

Off-topic jes

Elite member
OK so it has been quite a while since I've been building. I took the second build up over the weekend and as a result of a few stupid mistakes it now needs some repairs. I'm now working on a P40E design for a friend which has an identical wing and I was working to try something different to get a better leading edge. I've built one wing but it still needs some tweaking. I wanted to hold off uploading plans until the I tried the wing rework to see how it worked out. The wing build is a bit busy anyways as it has a tremendous amount of glue needed at one time to get it fully assembled. I got away with it the first time with hot glue, the second time I tried Gorilla Glue - which worked out quite nicely, albeit slower in the build process (but well worth it!)

I'm finally back on building the P40E now and might get to the wing next week, although I have a bunch of catching up to do to be ready for FF22 (it takes a bit to have planes ready for me three of my boys to fly....) Looks like a mad rush exceeding what Buildruary was...
I feel you man I’m behind on some of my builds too just because I don’t have enough money to finish them!😂 but I’m getting some jobs so I should be on it.
 

CrshNBrn

Elite member
OK so it has been quite a while since I've been building. I took the second build up over the weekend and as a result of a few stupid mistakes it now needs some repairs. I'm now working on a P40E design for a friend which has an identical wing and I was working to try something different to get a better leading edge. I've built one wing but it still needs some tweaking. I wanted to hold off uploading plans until the I tried the wing rework to see how it worked out. The wing build is a bit busy anyways as it has a tremendous amount of glue needed at one time to get it fully assembled. I got away with it the first time with hot glue, the second time I tried Gorilla Glue - which worked out quite nicely, albeit slower in the build process (but well worth it!)

I'm finally back on building the P40E now and might get to the wing next week, although I have a bunch of catching up to do to be ready for FF22 (it takes a bit to have planes ready for me three of my boys to fly....) Looks like a mad rush exceeding what Buildruary was...

I'd love to see a full size, master series-style P40 on the forums. I know Whit Armstrong was working on one for a while, but that's it for a larger Warhawk. If it looks as good as your P-36, I might have to force myself to build one once you've posted plans.
 

bwarz

Master member
I'd love to see a full size, master series-style P40 on the forums. I know Whit Armstrong was working on one for a while, but that's it for a larger Warhawk. If it looks as good as your P-36, I might have to force myself to build one once you've posted plans.
I'll probably end up starting a build thread, although I'm not sure how much I'll get done on it before FF22. I was working on the skins last night so that's progress anyways. It's a 48" wingspan like the P36 and I've been focusing on getting the curvature on the front of the fuselage just right.
 

bwarz

Master member
I've finally posted the build plans for the P36. I had wanted to wait to do a minor rework on the wing assembly but time just never presented itself this summer. I did make a few corrections based on a community member build, but for the most part it's ready to go! There's a few extra notes in the resource description if you decide to build (namely the one thing not 100% verified is the dtfb canopy patterns) If you decide to do a build and have any questions message me!

The plans can be found --> here <--