Painting rules and suggestions

Just a little note!
If you want the colours of your plane to really "POP" then use a light colour undercoat, (preferably white), first and when dry apply the finish colours. Most paints do reflect some of the colour underneath and so change to a darker shade if the material underneath is not bright!

Have fun!
Who-rah! As in my two birds will have a Search & Rescue/Coast Guard style paint job. Base coat clear to seal, white base color coat, then the Day-Glo Orange wing tips, tail, and nose. Prop warning red strip, black dull anti-glare top nose under windshield, black vinyl numbers, other decals or hand painted details, then a final thin lock down clear satin/gloss coat.
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
Who-rah! As in my two birds will have a Search & Rescue/Coast Guard style paint job. Base coat clear to seal, white base color coat, then the Day-Glo Orange wing tips, tail, and nose. Prop warning red strip, black dull anti-glare top nose under windshield, black vinyl numbers, other decals or hand painted details, then a final thin lock down clear satin/gloss coat.
Be careful, that will be so bright you may need to wear sunglasses!

Have fun!
 
"My future's so bright... I gotta wear... shades... I gotta wear... shades!" Since I'm painting black anti-glare below the windscreen, Will I need me "Shades" using FPV? Hmm.
PaintPatternSAR-BirdFTGP01.png
 
Not yet. Want to figure out a few things first. I'm thinking removable camera platform, so Sky-Truck is Multi-Purpose bird. Cams, power and controller on sled with Plexiglas window in belly, controller plugged into receiver. If I can get it to fit, possible mount under rear of gear support box near nose, locked in with load release I'm making out of tow line release unit. I want to be able to open cargo door and release cargo separately. That way I can put night-vision infrared LED's on the sled as well, powered by same pack.
 

kilroy07

Legendary member
That way I can put night-vision infrared LED's on the sled as well, powered by same pack.
Is this for fun, or are ya simi-serious about it, as thermal would really be the way to go.
I really don't think IR LEDs are going to have any significant range unless you are in the 5-10 watt range (and they get pretty darn hot...)

Flew with the camera the first time today, sun was low in the horizon and I got a bit of washout when pointed at it directly (not sure if that's 'cause it's a cheap camera or if that's to be expected looking right at the sun...)
 
Is this for fun, or are ya simi-serious about it, as thermal would really be the way to go.
I really don't think IR LEDs are going to have any significant range unless you are in the 5-10 watt range (and they get pretty darn hot...)

Flew with the camera the first time today, sun was low in the horizon and I got a bit of washout when pointed at it directly (not sure if that's 'cause it's a cheap camera or if that's to be expected looking right at the sun...)
I've called Mount Hood Search and Rescue wondering if such I bird might be useful to them. They have two very expensive government style drones (price tag enough to buy 5 DTFB Search Birds each), which they haven't been able to use much do to range. They were surprised to find out DTFB's exist, and with UHF control systems and better FPV a inexpensive alternative could cover the whole mountain. Weather is a factor, but from what I've read a 60 inch wing span bird such as a modified Guinea Pig flying around 100 ft. could do well in bad weather.
Testing will happen this summer.
 

mrjdstewart

Legendary member
happy to report the p-40 is back in action and flew great. only problem is i seem to break a prop each time i land this thing. might have to go to a Bullnose prop for some strength. don't really like them but not gonna keep throwing money out the window every time i decide to fly this plane.

laters,

me :cool:
 
Another thing I noted a long time ago with my first Gasser. My first prop looked good sitting on the ground, but would cut grass every time I landed or broke. My plane was reverse trike gear. Discovered my front gear would bow outward upon landing enough the tip of the prop would hit. As the book says, one size smaller, one pitch higher. Saved my wallet and helped me pay attention to landings more.
Hope this helps!
 

Paracodespoder

Elite member
happy to report the p-40 is back in action and flew great. only problem is i seem to break a prop each time i land this thing. might have to go to a Bullnose prop for some strength. don't really like them but not gonna keep throwing money out the window every time i decide to fly this plane.

laters,

me :cool:
Good to hear! I use apc props, I’ve only broken 2-3, but only on the hardest of crashes. Recently I put my ft edge nose first in the dirt, smashed and shattered the firewall, and destroyed the nose, the prop? Nothing but a little dirt. I also use triblade props for the f-pack, they are quad props, 5x4.5x3, haven’t broken one yet, (dal-prop maybe? I don’t remember.)
 

Grifflyer

WWII fanatic
happy to report the p-40 is back in action and flew great. only problem is i seem to break a prop each time i land this thing. might have to go to a Bullnose prop for some strength. don't really like them but not gonna keep throwing money out the window every time i decide to fly this plane.

laters,

me :cool:
I use HQ's durable series propeller on all my belly landers and haven't broken one since I got them last year!!
 

mrjdstewart

Legendary member
Another thing I noted a long time ago with my first Gasser. My first prop looked good sitting on the ground, but would cut grass every time I landed or broke. My plane was reverse trike gear. Discovered my front gear would bow outward upon landing enough the tip of the prop would hit. As the book says, one size smaller, one pitch higher. Saved my wallet and helped me pay attention to landings more.
Hope this helps!

i landed my EFX Extra and my Eflite V900, both of which will do over 100mph, and land @ 10x the speed, and neither of them broke a prop. i think it has more to do with the prop and the shape of the nose of the aircraft. this thing lands really slow and is very gentle and controllable, but i think what happens is the that bulging front cowl just causes it to nose in.

or at least thats my story... ;)

me :cool:
 

mrjdstewart

Legendary member
just finished painting. my blue spray can clogged so it's not as blue as i would like but what the heck.

20190102_161522.jpg


gonna run an aerostar 2836- 2200kv, a 40A esc, 6x4.5 prop, and 3S. will setup with elevons and twin rudders. should be plenty fast and agile. i think i will come in sub 600g's total AUW. the motor and esc came from a plane that was 850g and was plenty quick so cross fingers. :devilish:

been wanting a Mig-29 for awhile. can't wait to fly.

laters,

me :cool:
 
just finished painting. my blue spray can clogged so it's not as blue as i would like but what the heck.

View attachment 121287

gonna run an aerostar 2836- 2200kv, a 40A esc, 6x4.5 prop, and 3S. will setup with elevons and twin rudders. should be plenty fast and agile. i think i will come in sub 600g's total AUW. the motor and esc came from a plane that was 850g and was plenty quick so cross fingers. :devilish:

been wanting a Mig-29 for awhile. can't wait to fly.

laters,

me :cool:
My other four 10 X 5 3-blade props came in today as well! Now I have the 3 CCW and 3 CW 10 X 5's I originally ordered for me baby birds!
 

mrjdstewart

Legendary member
finished...

20190103_153908.jpg


had to make some adjustments, mainly the reinforcement of the vert stabs. in hind site i would just go rudderless and keep things simple but really wanted to control the high alpha's. for that, you gotta have a rudder. it came in under 600g with a 3S-2200 so it's 250g lighter than the Me-163 it came out of. hope the motor doesn't just rip it apart. cross fingers. :LOL:

this will be 1 of 3 maidens for tomorrow.

laters,

me :cool:
 

mrjdstewart

Legendary member
well, i know our club photographer got at least 2 of them. all 3 flew.

the goblin was perfect almost hands off from start and VERY quick. the FPV arrow i flew 2x. one to trim and test camera angle (someone else had the goggles on), and another full FPV. really like the arrow for this! the Mig-29 flew with some trim on it's first flight and was very cool. second flight i had some issues and didn't think i was getting it back. somehow got it back to field and landed in a flat spin from about 20'. nothing on inspection other than a possible loose battery. guess we will find out tomorrow.

anyways, back on the "painting" subject. this was my first build/paint attempt on Ross foam board. and it's completely diff and much more prone to paper pealing. if you have to (or are given a big stack :sneaky:), then not only buy a bunch more razors, but also be very careful on the painting. you can do it, but it is way less forgiving as the Adams Ready Board.

laters,

me :cool:
 
well, i know our club photographer got at least 2 of them. all 3 flew.

the goblin was perfect almost hands off from start and VERY quick. the FPV arrow i flew 2x. one to trim and test camera angle (someone else had the goggles on), and another full FPV. really like the arrow for this! the Mig-29 flew with some trim on it's first flight and was very cool. second flight i had some issues and didn't think i was getting it back. somehow got it back to field and landed in a flat spin from about 20'. nothing on inspection other than a possible loose battery. guess we will find out tomorrow.

anyways, back on the "painting" subject. this was my first build/paint attempt on Ross foam board. and it's completely diff and much more prone to paper pealing. if you have to (or are given a big stack :sneaky:), then not only buy a bunch more razors, but also be very careful on the painting. you can do it, but it is way less forgiving as the Adams Ready Board.

laters,

me :cool:
Ross (Wrinkle) board versus Adam's (Wow) board. Since around here the Ross board is cheaper by 22 cents a sheet, I'll only use that for internal doublers or bracing. Unless the piece needs to be really sound, then Adam's all the way. Once I was able to pick up the Adam's board, I noticed the difference right away. Worth the 22 cents to buy Adam's.