I built a what I'll call an A-4 v7 frame this weekend. I don't have the electronics yet and I wanted to build it anyway. Maybe someday I'll open it up and add the fan and other electronics. Until then, it'll look awesome hanging in the garage with the rest of the fleet.
I took photos of parts of the build that I was looking for when I started. Hopefully they help others when they are piecing it together as they start cutting too.
I started with the main fuselage and upper fan mount.
Then the lower fan mount.
The inlet floor. This is a pressure fit with a couple of glue tacks so I can pull it later to put the fan in.
Now for the mid mount and the tail cover.
I used the v8 thrust tube diameter and shaved the fuselage down to fit. I glued the end piece in as two halves because the foam was really thin.
I had to cut the inlet bifurcation pieces to get the thrust tube in. I think if I had been putting the fan in, I wouldn't have had this problem because I would have done the thrust tube before I put the tail cover on.
Here is the start of the nose piece. I glued in two moves so I didn't have to rock it down onto the table.
I used kvcanar's method for forming the canopy and it worked great. I took the easy road and used one sheet of foam and then flat sanded it to sit nice.
Final shots before paint. Note the that wings, vertical stabilizer and horizontal stabilizer aren't glued yet. I'll glue them if I ever put the fan in.
It weighs 358 grams as a bare frame and it will probably take another glue stick to attach the wings and stabilizers.
I have to say that the nose was really easy to build and should put anyone off. Just bevel all the joints slightly and squish the foam down with a bbq skewer until it meets nice.
I think the nacelles where the most challenging as one piece and now the 3 piece should be way easier.
Awesome build, thanks Ben!!