Mighty "Mini" PBY-5A Catalina - WWII Flying Boat

[Tench745]

Looks to me like the bottom isn't exactly supposed to line up to anything. The flat top piece of fuselage angles upward starting where the vertical sides end. The vertical stabilizer sets the appropriate angles. These pictures from page 3 of this thread show the assembly pretty well. Again, I haven't tried assembling this part myself, so you'll probably have to do a little trial and error of your own.

Forgot to take a picture, but there are two side/reinforcement pieces that get glued onto the vertical stabilizer. After you glue those on, the whole thing fits into the slots on the fuse where it can be glued into place.



I also glued the wing tower into place. Unfortunately I made the measurements while feverish and have discovered it needs to move back some. I'll be cutting it off and making another tower.





I'm hoping to make and install another tower tomorrow then I can start working on posterboard for the top deck.

 

[Battery800]

Ope yeah looks like the tail top is actually angle up

 

[Mckee]

Ok, this whole thread is a problem. Now my fantasy airplane has plans and I have the tools & materials on hand.

Also, novice pilot and plane builder... What could possibly go wrong?

 

["Corpse"]

Ok, this whole thread is a problem. Now my fantasy airplane has plans and I have the tools & materials on hand.

Also, novice pilot and plane builder... What could possibly go wrong?

The worst that can happen is you cut your hand off with a razor blade out of mere carelessness and have to pay for a trip to the ER. Thus eliminating the chance of spending money on airplanes.

 

[OliverW]

The worst that can happen is you cut your hand off with a razor blade out of mere carelessness and have to pay for a trip to the ER. Thus eliminating the chance of spending money on airplanes.

wat.

 

[Crawford Bros. Aeroplanes]

Ok, this whole thread is a problem. Now my fantasy airplane has plans and I have the tools & materials on hand.

Also, novice pilot and plane builder... What could possibly go wrong?

Sometimes I'll build planes I know I can't fly and save them for when I'm ready. But hey, this is FliteTest, crashing is part of the game. Go for it.
One thing you could do that I've done a few times is modify the plane a bit to make it more beginner friendly. Add some extra dihedral and get rid of the ailerons to make just about anything with mild handling into a 3ch trainer.

 

[Mckee]

In an seriousness, this is a beautiful design and an amazing adaptation to foam board. I think the dynam pby would probably be better for me as I have to many projects already (pains me to say that).

 

["Corpse"]

wat.

He asked what could go wrong, so I told him.

 

[OliverW]

🤣

 

[Mckee]

You people aren't helping... and don't tell my wife I just sent the plans to the printer.

 

[Battery800]

Don’t worry, it’s my first scratch build too and my workspace hasn’t gone up in flames yet!

 

[Mckee]

Don’t worry, it’s my first scratch build too and my workspace hasn’t gone up in flames yet!

Ha! I don't want to build it crappy though. The dynam pby is probably cheaper and I'd be flying sooner (not faster)... but this would be EPIC. I've build boats and houses, how hard can it be?

 

[Crawford Bros. Aeroplanes]

You people aren't helping...

Yes that is our job yes

 

[Crawford Bros. Aeroplanes]

Ha! I don't want to build it crappy though. The dynam pby is probably cheaper and I'd be flying sooner (not faster)... but this would be EPIC. I've build boats and houses, how hard can it be?

If you've never built something like this before I'd recommend watching some of the Master Series Build videos just to get an idea of some of the techniques used in a build like this.

 

[Mckee]

If you've never built something like this before I'd recommend watching some of the Master Series Build videos just to get an idea of some of the techniques used in a build like this.

Yep. YouTube research is happening.

 

[Battery800]

Yep. YouTube research is happening.

I’ve watched pretty much every flite test build video out of sheer boredom

 

[OliverW]

I’ve watched pretty much every flite test build video out of sheer boredom

Who hasn't?

 

[Crawford Bros. Aeroplanes]

Who hasn't?

Bixler is the Bob Ross of RC

 

[Mckee]

Is there a good book out there on this sort of construction?

 

[Crawford Bros. Aeroplanes]

Is there a good book out there on this sort of construction?

I haven't read it personally but this might be it

https://store.flitetest.com/flite-test-book-of-r-c-airplanes-flt-6043/p864820