Welcome!
This thread was dedicated to the creation of a WWI squadron of "Skinned" Baby Baron and Baby Brit aircraft designed by Sponz for Flite Fest 2016.
Our mission was threefold:
1) Come to Flite Fest 2016!
Success for Half the squadron!
2) Fly Baby Baron and Baby Brit escorts for willsonman's Gotha bomber (located here) in a "Dawn Patrol" at Flite Fest 2016. This will be a non-combat mission! This was held at 7:30 AM, Saturday July 16th.
Success!
3) Combat! Every pilot for himself in a full contact combat:
Success! Congratulations to
Mid7night for being victorious for the Brits and winning the Gotha Bomb!
Skins
Sorry but I am no longer taking requests for Baby Brits or Barons.
If you are interested in an of the designs you see in this thread, please contact the pilot for whom it was designed. The Gotha Gaggle was created with a "One Design Per Person" mentality so know one would "end up going to the same party in the same dress" kind of deal. lol! It also makes each design kind of "special" for that pilot.
Why? It's kind of been my own personal "vision" to have every participant in our "Gotha Gaggle Dawn Patrol" have unique color scheme. WWI aerial combat always had that unique and colorful "look" especially where the central powers were concerned. I guess I'm have been working to that end and hopefully will be able to re-capture that spectacle in the form of our dawn patrol and combat at Flight Fest 2016 as much as possible.
So in so far as I'm concerned, I have created that skin and have given it to that individual pilot. In my eyes, it represents them since they selected it. Now that Flit Fest is over, they can then do with as they wish. Except for selling it. Kind of goes against what we are doing here.
Our squadron even has a name!
Fliegende Tüftler = "Flying Makers" (A "Tüftler" is someone who fiddles with things or builds / innovates).
Hints and Tips
- Printing - Please check your Print Dialog box (or have Staples do it) and make sure that under "Page Size & Handling" that the "Actual size" button is checked and NOT the "Fit" button. If "Fit" was chosen it can result in smaller sized prints even when the correct paper size is selected. Be sure to double check it by measuring the ruler on the sheet. So far this one tip, if not done, has wasted more time and money than anything else!
- This is not a beginner build! I'm don't want to discourage you from trying but you must be comfortable with the Flite Test build method. I would also advise you build and fly a Baby Baron before attempting this. I learned much from my first build. Ignore this at the risk of your own comfort level!
- It is advisable that you download the full plans and have them available for viewing before beginning your build. You will need them for reference as score lines are not on the skin kits.
- Here is the basic skinning procedure:
- I recommend 3M 77 spray adhesive. There are other (cheaper) alternatives but I have not test them.
- Follow the instructions for your spray adhesive of choice for a permanent bond, versus a "tack" bond. This is usually something like wait 1 minute before joining. Also, use spray adhesive only on the paper skin, not the bar foam, to not risk melting it.
- You will be removing the paper from both sides of the foam. This is to keep the foam from curling on you.
- Start with the skins you had printed. Using the targets, align and glue the two pieces together. Glue stick can be used for this.
- Take an appropriate sized section of foam and peal the paper from both sides.
- Cut out a skin piece from the paper leaving an inch or so border of white paper all the way around. Do not cut out any slot holes yet.
- Glue this piece to one side of the foam. Carefully spray the paper then lay it on the foam.
- Now trim the foam to the skin art, cutting away the foam and white paper border.
- Trim the other side of the skin from the paper. No paper border this time.
- Carefully align and glue the second side to the foam.
- After adding the skins, I like to lay each piece on a flat surface and weigh it down with another flat object (I use a 1/4 inch sheet of glass) to ensure that everything is flat. Make sure you don't accidentally glue the skinned foam to the surfaces you are using to flatten it.
- When all skin pieces are glued to foam, follow the usual Flite Test build procedures.
- Sharpie markers work well for Touch Ups.
The following color schemes are the 2016 "Gotha Gaggle"
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