Eflite T-28a Fennec

rockyboy

Skill Collector
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So if you have one of those great flying Eflite T-28s but don't want to get confused about which plane is yours when you're flying in a pack of them, you can always try changing its colors. My club does pylon racing with these a couple times every summer and most of the flyers just put some colored tape on a wing or the tail. I wanted something a little more distinctive.

My inspiration is this cool T-28 painted up for desert use by the French Army https://themotart.blogspot.com/2015/05/johns-t-28-fennec.html

_mHYdXJDHbqQ2ZbDklDpmeieZh8HDomfGhxEjVaQCo3rV8ayQorNPcO9GBLQAuXMzaMAqYhvRxhqf8I-6TEXXL3sBlPmCahFtwEPw6L3saJphLIZJlcqNfNZWWFGQCO8tE2ybv3jZxXEXmIf07SfyviyKMaJBEhFlnYGjn7W9xK1iUO4H1UKoy6376iRsr73f89yuXM4RAqu2T9L-ifW3UFJjHrcJL-U-.jpg


**EDIT**
And here is the final result :D
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**EDIT**

First step (no picture) was to tape off the canopy and the black stripe on the top of the nose. The second step - which I skipped but you shouldn't - is to lightly sand all the areas you're going to paint with 220 or 300 grit sandpaper. I paid for this later with some paint peeling up when I pulled off the masking tape.

Then paint it all the base creamy color. I'm using Ironlak Fraser I got from Fifth Element

Next I masked off the parts I wanted to keep creamy. Try to use low tack masking tape or stick the tape to your shirt first and then to the plane so it doesn't try to lift as much of the paint when you take it off later.

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Then I shot it with this cool reddish brown color. Ironlak Fondue - I got it from Amazon but depending on stock you can find it at other vendors too. Unfortunately right after I made an order about 3 weeks ago the main Ironlak website stopped selling their spray paints directly.
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After peeling the masking tape I had some peeling of the creamy colored paint too, so I used a hand held mask (piece of foam board with a hole cut in it) to fix the rough patches.
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Looks pretty neat, even upside down and drying! :D
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And yes, for those following along at home, under that plastic drop cloth is my FW-42 build, being neglected again while I get distracted with a quick little side project. :D
 
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Userofmuchtape&glue

Posted a thousand or more times
Looking good rocky! now making me wish I kept my original grey one around! the cowls on PZ models don't seem to last long though.
 

rockyboy

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Nice paint job, and I sure hope the FW-42 is ready for FFOH.

Sadly I'm only going to be able to be at the very first part of FFOH - starting Wednesday to help with setup but need to leave Friday morning - and it's possible I'll have to fly in and out myself in which case I won't be able to bring her at all. :cry: But if I can get the schedule to let me drive up and back I will certainly bring her.
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
That paint scheme looks awesome. How did you do the darker colors? It looked more orange then brown in the earlier process pics. Is it just that paint cures that much darker or is this one of those car type paint process where two layers of color melt to become one?
 

rockyboy

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Thanks - it's just a single layer of the paint in most places - 2 coats where I screwed up - any color shift might be lighting change in the shop. My nice halogen worklight I have mounted to the ceiling to focus on my workbench blew out over the weekend - thanks for reminding me to pick up a new one on the way home tonight :)
 

rockyboy

Skill Collector
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Maiden day went well - put 4 flights on her and the darn thing doesn't want to come down for a landing! Any little headwind gust that comes along just takes it back up again! I'll be adding the decal set I got from Callie Graphics now that I know she's going to fly well.

 

rockyboy

Skill Collector
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Guess who finally found the package of decals from Callie Graphics, few minutes in a sunny calm day, and inspiration to finish this project all at once? ;)


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This is just after shooting a satin clear coat of Minwax Polycrylic to help seal the paint and decals so it will last longer.
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Next time I have the airbrush out I'll work on blending / weathering the exhaust ports a bit, and maybe take the canopy apart and work on the interior a bit.

But for now I'm happy to fly and race her as a T-28 Fennec - the only one at our field :cool:
 
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Grifflyer

WWII fanatic
If the canopy is part of a removable hatch then maybe you could access the pilot from the bottom by cutting out the foam where the guy sits. Pull him out and do your detail work and slide him back in...
 

rockyboy

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If the canopy is part of a removable hatch then maybe you could access the pilot from the bottom by cutting out the foam where the guy sits. Pull him out and do your detail work and slide him back in...

Yeah, that's the layout... I would love to get the canopy off the top of the foam block so I could paint the cockpit interior something other than the bare white... maybe cutting out a bigger rectangular block that includes the pilot and most of the interior though, just leaving the edge still glued to the canopy so I don't tear everything up at that very visible joint area... yeah... this is sounding plausible.. :unsure:
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
Thanks! For some reason I'm having an urge to figure out how to pull the clear canopy off put a beret on the pilot... maybe I just need more sleep...

Let me fly it once. I am pretty sure I could pop that pilot right out. Or at the very least scare the bejeebus out of him so he leaves under his own power.:p:devilish:
 

rockyboy

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Quick update:

She still flies great - less than a dozen flights on her, but no complaints on performance at all. I've only crashed her once, and that was more of a hard landing in high grass situation - the runway is on top of a hill and the ground can really sneak up on you quickly! The wing mounts tore out, but it was simple to glue them back in and you can hardly see where the repair happened. I did take her to our club's build/display contest last night and she won 2nd place in the Park Flyer category! :D