CatholicFlyer

Active member
Once I get done with my World War One planes and everything flies, I posted my dream of building a double tandem wing B-52 and yes that is when I get more experience in flying and building.

While I am still learning with the normal wing planes, so in this post is the building of the De Havilland Mosquito

As you can tell on some things on planes, I'm Traditional, except the Two Wing Creation B-52. I want to build this Mosquito how it was, the entire frame out of wood and then the outside, cover it with foam board. If we all lived near to each other, be an awesome build to bend wood with steam and create curves for the fusleloge and wings.

so can wooden dowel rods that are the same thickness of the bbq skewers used by Flite Test be able to curve and bend? I saw Walmart has Aircraft Grade Plywood, so if you want to just talk about building this bird, comment. Also, you know, at least Chuppster knows, it will be a huge plane :)
 

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CatholicFlyer

Active member
I was studying how to bend wood dowels or the wood bbq skewers, some say an old fashion steam box, others a tea pot, I was wondering how would a hot towel do? place the wood in the towel, drench it, then microwave it for a few seconds to get it hot, would that work? if anyone has built a wood frame mosquito fighter/bomber before, if you have the plans, please share. @DamoRC @JTarmstr
 

Chuppster

Well-known member
If you'd like to build it out of balsa, you could look in to conventional balsa techniques with formers and stringers. There are many builds in the "Balsa builders" section of the fourm. One such thread is here:

https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/bba-vintage-jetco-rearwin-speedster.54461/

When it comes to building with wood there are a lot of established techniques, and you're more than welcome to start coming up with your own, but for a building method that has been around for at least 80 years you may want to think about studying up on it in order to learn more! And I don't see any reason why you couldn't use foamboard for a covering, it would just be heavier than necessary.

You can use steam to warp wood, but I feel that it would be easier to just use a wood that doesn't mind bending just to make life easier.
 

willsonman

Builder Extraordinare
Mentor
Bamboo is considered a hard wood so the steam or other wet treatments will yield minimal results. Generally this technique is used with balsa, which is soft and porous. Bamboo, after all, is used as flooring material. You can also use ammonia (window cleaner) in place of hot water. The general idea is to use these techniques BEFORE you apply glue. You form the wood to the curve you want while it is clamped or taped in position. After it dries you then apply the part using glue. It can be tedious but gives the best construction for the compound curves you want.

I used warm water when I sheeted the bent portion of the Corsair wings. Since the bend was against the grain, this was necessary to ensure that under stress loads, the wing would still flex a bit, without the glue joints snapping under the stress of the load as well as the grain not being bent correctly.
 

CatholicFlyer

Active member
If you'd like to build it out of balsa, you could look in to conventional balsa techniques with formers and stringers. There are many builds in the "Balsa builders" section of the fourm. One such thread is here:

https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/bba-vintage-jetco-rearwin-speedster.54461/

When it comes to building with wood there are a lot of established techniques, and you're more than welcome to start coming up with your own, but for a building method that has been around for at least 80 years you may want to think about studying up on it in order to learn more! And I don't see any reason why you couldn't use foamboard for a covering, it would just be heavier than necessary.

You can use steam to warp wood, but I feel that it would be easier to just use a wood that doesn't mind bending just to make life easier.

interesting, will check for some balsa wood then. what wood are the popsicle sticks made out of?
 

CatholicFlyer

Active member
Bamboo is considered a hard wood so the steam or other wet treatments will yield minimal results. Generally this technique is used with balsa, which is soft and porous. Bamboo, after all, is used as flooring material. You can also use ammonia (window cleaner) in place of hot water. The general idea is to use these techniques BEFORE you apply glue. You form the wood to the curve you want while it is clamped or taped in position. After it dries you then apply the part using glue. It can be tedious but gives the best construction for the compound curves you want.

I used warm water when I sheeted the bent portion of the Corsair wings. Since the bend was against the grain, this was necessary to ensure that under stress loads, the wing would still flex a bit, without the glue joints snapping under the stress of the load as well as the grain not being bent correctly.
thanks.
 

Chuppster

Well-known member
interesting, will check for some balsa wood then. what wood are the popsicle sticks made out of?

I'm not sure, but it isn't balsa. You may have to go to your local hobby store or order balsa on it's own from a place like Balsa USA.

Honestly, I feel a bit intimidated by the whole balsa-kit-from-scratch idea and if I were in your shoes I would start with a kit. SIG makes some pretty cool models, and they come pre-cut with good instructions.

https://sigmfg.com/
 

CatholicFlyer

Active member
I'm not sure, but it isn't balsa. You may have to go to your local hobby store or order balsa on it's own from a place like Balsa USA.

Honestly, I feel a bit intimidated by the whole balsa-kit-from-scratch idea and if I were in your shoes I would start with a kit. SIG makes some pretty cool models, and they come pre-cut with good instructions.

https://sigmfg.com/
thanks, will check them out. I am kind of nervous too, how did this bird fly back in the day, did they have to do dog fights with it to get home?
 

CatholicFlyer

Active member
I'm not sure, but it isn't balsa. You may have to go to your local hobby store or order balsa on it's own from a place like Balsa USA.

Honestly, I feel a bit intimidated by the whole balsa-kit-from-scratch idea and if I were in your shoes I would start with a kit. SIG makes some pretty cool models, and they come pre-cut with good instructions.

https://sigmfg.com/
they have the pre-shaped balsa for sale. awesome planes.
 

CatholicFlyer

Active member
actual blue prints of the Mosquito
and you can view more here on the left hand corner, right click view image.
 

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CatholicFlyer

Active member
also found them here too, but went to click download, plans could not be located, so I saved it as an image.
 

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willsonman

Builder Extraordinare
Mentor
I highly suggest you look around the building in the forums. a lot of ideas can be had. I covered a foam rib wing way back in 2014 on my SE5a. Foam bard can be very versatile stuff but sometimes you may find you have to peel back the surface a little ;)
 

CatholicFlyer

Active member
I highly suggest you look around the building in the forums. a lot of ideas can be had. I covered a foam rib wing way back in 2014 on my SE5a. Foam bard can be very versatile stuff but sometimes you may find you have to peel back the surface a little ;)
cool, thanks, didn't know that.
 

CatholicFlyer

Active member
I highly suggest you look around the building in the forums. a lot of ideas can be had. I covered a foam rib wing way back in 2014 on my SE5a. Foam bard can be very versatile stuff but sometimes you may find you have to peel back the surface a little ;)

I'm planning on using Gorilla Hot Glue Sticks and the clear Gorilla Tape