Starting this thread caused a question to pop into my head. How many project threads have I started and not finished? I have learned that I should never begin a build thread before that build is complete because it pretty much guarantees that I won't finish the project within the decade. Despite knowing this, here I go, again!
I check in on the local craigslist every couple of weeks to see if there are any amazing scores to be had. Of course, there are never AMAZING finds, at least not for me. But a few weeks ago I got very lucky! Scanning the adds, I come across an old, wooden sailplane. No details were given other than a wingspan of 11 feet and a price that I am embarrassed to share.
I made arrangements to pick it up one evening after school, and was not about to haggle over the price, even without knowing anything about the condition or identity of the sailplane. Upon buying it, I was not at all surprised to see that it was in rough condition. No matter that it didn't have a canopy or that the wings were covered in orange monokote from the early '70s. It was big, balsa and cheap!
The first thing that really struck me was the weight of the fuselage - it was a serious brick! There was a silly amount of lead in the nose, which I removed. Still felt like a long, skinny medicine ball. It was about this time that I figured out the identity of the plane, an Airtronics Grand Esprit from the early 1970s. And what a gem it is!
So, the fuselage was still crazy heavy. I had noticed that the texture of the finish didn't feel like paint over balsa but had a certain familiarity to it. I was driving home from school when it hit me - Bondo! My suspicion proved true. Whomever built this thing was a master Bondo sculptor. The ENTIRE fuselage was coated. The shoulders where the wings meet the fuse had about 1/8" on them. That stuff isn't light!
I began hand sanding, but quickly realized that I had to find a more efficient method of gunk removal. I love my Dremel! Took that thing right down to wood and fiberglass real quick! In my hands, the speed of removal by the Dremel is balanced by the havoc it can wreak upon the underlying surface. But, in modern times, we have light wight spackling compound and it is a wonderful thing.
The fuse is close to being ready to throw a layer of glass cloth onto. I've started carving a plug for a canopy form. Wings are undergoing monokote removal, which is actually the most painful part of the whole process so far. And, there are some brittle glue joints what I'll reset properly on the wings. Its moving right along and I'm loving it. I think I found my true niche in this hobby and that's restoring old planes. Shortly after acquiring the Esprit, a mountain of late '60s, early '70s RC airplanes, accessories and equipment fell on me. I'll be posting threads on those as I work on them.
Here's pics to look at!
I check in on the local craigslist every couple of weeks to see if there are any amazing scores to be had. Of course, there are never AMAZING finds, at least not for me. But a few weeks ago I got very lucky! Scanning the adds, I come across an old, wooden sailplane. No details were given other than a wingspan of 11 feet and a price that I am embarrassed to share.
I made arrangements to pick it up one evening after school, and was not about to haggle over the price, even without knowing anything about the condition or identity of the sailplane. Upon buying it, I was not at all surprised to see that it was in rough condition. No matter that it didn't have a canopy or that the wings were covered in orange monokote from the early '70s. It was big, balsa and cheap!
The first thing that really struck me was the weight of the fuselage - it was a serious brick! There was a silly amount of lead in the nose, which I removed. Still felt like a long, skinny medicine ball. It was about this time that I figured out the identity of the plane, an Airtronics Grand Esprit from the early 1970s. And what a gem it is!
So, the fuselage was still crazy heavy. I had noticed that the texture of the finish didn't feel like paint over balsa but had a certain familiarity to it. I was driving home from school when it hit me - Bondo! My suspicion proved true. Whomever built this thing was a master Bondo sculptor. The ENTIRE fuselage was coated. The shoulders where the wings meet the fuse had about 1/8" on them. That stuff isn't light!
I began hand sanding, but quickly realized that I had to find a more efficient method of gunk removal. I love my Dremel! Took that thing right down to wood and fiberglass real quick! In my hands, the speed of removal by the Dremel is balanced by the havoc it can wreak upon the underlying surface. But, in modern times, we have light wight spackling compound and it is a wonderful thing.
The fuse is close to being ready to throw a layer of glass cloth onto. I've started carving a plug for a canopy form. Wings are undergoing monokote removal, which is actually the most painful part of the whole process so far. And, there are some brittle glue joints what I'll reset properly on the wings. Its moving right along and I'm loving it. I think I found my true niche in this hobby and that's restoring old planes. Shortly after acquiring the Esprit, a mountain of late '60s, early '70s RC airplanes, accessories and equipment fell on me. I'll be posting threads on those as I work on them.
Here's pics to look at!
