Baby Baron Gotha Gaggle for Flite Fest 2016!

SP0NZ

FT CAD Gremlin
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Plans for the Baby Brit v1.0 are available in my plans index thread. The link is in my signature below.

I flew the prototype on 2S and 3S today and it flys very much like the Baby Baron. They should be very evenly matched for streamer combat. I will create a new build thread for the Baby Brit and eventually an article to go with it. This was a fun project for me. I really love the way this community is working together to make the Dawn Patrol happen at Flite Fest 2016. Let's keep the momentum going.
 

Rasterize

Maker of skins and decals for foam board RC planes
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*drum roll*We have progress folks!
View attachment 67969
With some luck I'll be able to toss her in the air on Sunday.
:cool:

Wow! That looks awesome! Nice job!
I was beginning to wonder who would build one with skins first. ;)
Can't wait to see these tangle in the air!

On a design note, would some internal fuse doubler skins (at least forward toward the nose) and some extra swatches of the nose color to cover the edges be useful in the future?
 

rockyboy

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Wow! That looks awesome! Nice job!
I was beginning to wonder who would build one with skins first. ;)
Can't wait to see these tangle in the air!

On a design note, would some internal fuse doubler skins (at least forward toward the nose) and some extra swatches of the nose color to cover the edges be useful in the future?

I was thinking about that - I ended up using to black packing tape to cover it up a little bit. I wonder how it might work if the edges of the skin were extended out on the fuselage so it could be wrapped around and glued back onto the inside after the doublers were installed... would certainly be happy to test that out if you felt inclined to tweak the image file.

The only other tweak that might be helpful would be nudging the name on the nose back and down a little bit further away from the edges. My alignment was off by just a tiny bit when I put that piece on, and the only way it's noticeable is cause the name is just starting to tuck around the edge of the foam on one side.

However, I am VERY PROUD AND HAPPY with my best looking foamy build yet!

Thank you Rasterize and Sponz!!
 

Rasterize

Maker of skins and decals for foam board RC planes
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I was thinking...I wonder how it might work if the edges of the skin were extended out on the fuselage so it could be wrapped around and glued back onto the inside after the doublers were installed...The only other tweak that might be helpful would be nudging the name on the nose back and down a little bit further away from the edges..

I have thought about both of these as well. I might have to give the extensions a whirl if I get a lull in the action.
As for the name, I never know if folks are going to add the exhaust pipes on the side so I hesitate putting any graphics here.
 

rockyboy

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I have thought about both of these as well. I might have to give the extensions a whirl if I get a lull in the action.
As for the name, I never know if folks are going to add the exhaust pipes on the side so I hesitate putting any graphics here.

Very good point about the exhaust pipes - that would be in the way for sure.

I got the "Baby Italian" all printed out today, glue up to start later this evening. Love the guns on the nose - very nice touch! :)
 

SP0NZ

FT CAD Gremlin
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I'm not planning on covering any of the skin up with those exhaust pipes on either of mine. Be a shame to cover up any of the graphics.
 

localfiend

I like 3D printers...
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All credit to you and Rasterize. I just tried not to leave too many glue finger prints on it. :)

I've found that when skinning, if you leave some tabs on the edges of the skin, you have a clean place to put your fingers. If the tabs are long enough, you don't get hit when spraying stuff either.

When the skin is installed, just cut off the tabs.
 

rockyboy

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I've found that when skinning, if you leave some tabs on the edges of the skin, you have a clean place to put your fingers. If the tabs are long enough, you don't get hit when spraying stuff either.

When the skin is installed, just cut off the tabs.

Brilliant. Simply brilliant. Must remember for the next one. I have everything printed out for the AP Rascal Racer next, and will see if some tabs keep me on a better path.

I finished skinning the Baby Italian tonight, and again it looks amazing, but it's not quite as perfect as I would have liked. Millimeter off on the fuse and wing bottom. Any other tips for getting alignments perfect?

And here's the 'it's all skinned and layed out like a bear skin rug' shot. Too tired to play with glue guns and knives now. :)

IMAG2322.jpg
 
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Rasterize

Maker of skins and decals for foam board RC planes
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I'm not planning on covering any of the skin up with those exhaust pipes on either of mine. Be a shame to cover up any of the graphics.

Had I known that I would have put some cool exhaust pipes of my own on the SPAD's. In fact, the nose of the Babies is where much of the prime real estate is located.
Maybe from now on I'll ask "with or without". Like ordering a cheesesteak at Pat’s & Geno’s. Neither of which I like btw. But I digress...
 

Rasterize

Maker of skins and decals for foam board RC planes
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I finished skinning the Baby Italian tonight, and again it looks amazing, but it's not quite as perfect as I would have liked. Millimeter off on the fuse and wing bottom. Any other tips for getting alignments perfect?
And here's the 'it's all skinned and layed out like a bear skin rug' shot. Too tired to play with glue guns and knives now. :)

"The Italian Job" as I call it, should look great in the air with the bottom of the wing in green white and red. I stole the nose detail and guns from Sponz's SPAD. It will probably be a default detail for all SPAD color schemes from now on.

I wouldn't beat my elf up over a millimeter issue. When I first started doing skins, my philosophy was pack as much detail into it as possible. That way, while on the ground, folks will have enough to look at and not care about the white edges or any slight misalignment. And from what I have heard this seem to be the case. Skins make it easy and cost effective enough to to have a great looking plane but not have so much into it that destroying it will completely break your heart.

Here is what I do when a piece has two sides covered with skins:
  1. Rough cut out side 1 of the skin from the paper leaving about and inch or more of white all the way around the graphic
  2. Take an appropriate sized section of foam and peal the paper from both sides
  3. Glue side 1 to the foam making sure it remains flat
  4. Now trim off the excess white paper and foam from side 1.
  5. Cut out side 2 of the skin from the paper trimming it as close as you can to the graphic
  6. Carefully align side 2 to the blank side of the foam
 

Rasterize

Maker of skins and decals for foam board RC planes
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I wish I could agree on the Pat or Ginos but I've never had one and I have lived here like 10 years

Heading out to the greater Philly area today for business. If I get the time, I'm thinking on trying Sonny's cheesesteaks. I hear they are worth a try.
 

localfiend

I like 3D printers...
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Here is what I do when a piece has two sides covered with skins:
  1. Rough cut out side 1 of the skin from the paper leaving about and inch or more of white all the way around the graphic
  2. Take an appropriate sized section of foam and peal the paper from both sides
  3. Glue side 1 to the foam making sure it remains flat
  4. Now trim off the excess white paper and foam from side 1.
  5. Cut out side 2 of the skin from the paper trimming it as close as you can to the graphic
  6. Carefully align side 2 to the blank side of the foam

This is how I do things as well. Though on larger pieces, when it comes time to the last step, I lightly mist one edge of the skin only, then align it with the foam. The light misting on one edge let you pull it back up as many times as you need to get it aligned perfectly.

Once it's aligned, you can pull up everything except for the misted edge, or go half and half wit the part, spray it with glue, and lay it back down. Then just peel up the lightly misted edge, add more glue, and you're good to go.
 

rockyboy

Skill Collector
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The Italian Job

She's all glued up!

IMAG2323.jpg

Look at those insignia!

IMAG2324.jpg

And those guns!

IMAG2325.jpg

The two of them now have a layer of packing tape armor, power pods, servos, and horns installed. Just need some control rods and receivers to finish up.

IMAG2327.jpg

The Baby Baron has a Tunigy Park250 2350kv donated from a trashed airframe, and the Italian Job has what I believe is a Power-Up 250 Slowfly 1600kv. But it has no markings and came from the auction table on a trashed foam board delta airframe, so who knows what it really is. Going to stick both of these on a watt & rpm meter to see what they are putting out later in the week.

Next weekend - testing with various props and batteries! Let there be science!
 

rockyboy

Skill Collector
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This is how I do things as well. Though on larger pieces, when it comes time to the last step, I lightly mist one edge of the skin only, then align it with the foam. The light misting on one edge let you pull it back up as many times as you need to get it aligned perfectly.

Once it's aligned, you can pull up everything except for the misted edge, or go half and half wit the part, spray it with glue, and lay it back down. Then just peel up the lightly misted edge, add more glue, and you're good to go.

Ooohhh - I like that idea! Thanks!
 

stephenkrall

Junior Member
She's all glued up!

View attachment 68065

Look at those insignia!

View attachment 68066

And those guns!

View attachment 68067

The two of them now have a layer of packing tape armor, power pods, servos, and horns installed. Just need some control rods and receivers to finish up.

View attachment 68068

The Baby Baron has a Tunigy Park250 2350kv donated from a trashed airframe, and the Italian Job has what I believe is a Power-Up 250 Slowfly 1600kv. But it has no markings and came from the auction table on a trashed foam board delta airframe, so who knows what it really is. Going to stick both of these on a watt & rpm meter to see what they are putting out later in the week.

Next weekend - testing with various props and batteries! Let there be science!

Wow, those look great. I really like the idea of skins! This would make a cool how to video for someone to do.