P-40R Kittiwake homebuilt update

[K5054NZ]

Yes, it's the return of Zac's Balsa Beauty! I've bee told my first pics, posts and mentions of this build got a lot of you guys talking, and I'm glad to say that hopefully within the month she will be done.

So, to recap, here's the progress update I posted a month or so back:

"After the prototype P-40H "Kittiwake" had been offered for sale, I and several others formed a syndicate to purchase and restore her. Unfortunately, due to financial issues I decided to sell my share before she was completed.

"I felt very confident with wooden replicas and homebuilts (the Jurca MJ.100 Spitfire being the biggie) and I thus decided to attempt a full-scale, wooden P-40 replica.
The aircraft has been designated "P-40R", as R was the next model letter unused (as the P-40Q was the short-lived bubbletop variant) and R can also stand for Replica, Reproduction etc.

"She is designed to be constructed as any P-40 variant, B to N, fairly easily. As I still wanted to have my own Kittiwake, and knowing none would come up for sale anytime soon, I decided that the prototype would be a P-40H.

"This meant a four-bladed prop, mockup arrestor hook, beefier-looking u/c, and the 20" fuselage extension (if you remember the prototype H was originally from the N production line). I am considering clipping the wings at some point to make her a dead-ringer, but due to aerodynamics issues that bridge must remain uncrossed.

"Some rigorous calculations showed that the wooden-framed aircraft wouldn't stand up to having a Rolls-Royce Griffon installed (as in the real H), so I have to make do with an Allison V1710 - coincidentally, the engine that powered most other P-40 marks.

"There were several key reasons behind a wooden P-40: easier to build (a real weekend, garage project); less hassle with ever-decreasing stocks of spares; and the cost of insurance would be much, much lower. All in all, a real poor man's warbird."



Okay, so, catchup time!



Thanks to some crafty recalculations, I found that it wasn't so tricksy after all to clip the wingtips, and this has now been done.



As you can clearly see, the 90/90 stage* has been reached. Two weekends ago the airframe covering was finally carried out, and following this the mammoth one-piece wing was attached to the fuselage. The tailfeathers were also put into place.



At the moment, I'm keenly awaiting the arrival of a new-old-stock V1710 from Vintage V12s in California, a set of prop blades from Hoffman, and an undercarriage kit from Stephen Grey at Duxford (surplus from the restoration of G-PXLH). This may seem bizarre that I'm sourcing authentic P-40 parts from every corner of the planet for a mere replica, but I'd like to say she's closer to a real Kittiwake than a hunk of wood and fabric.



For the time being the undercarriage is wooden for display purposes (the real U/C is on the water as I speak), and Lana and I are in the midst of systems installation. Yay!  



This week I'm hoping to start painting, but I don't want to rush into it. Why? I still have no idea on how to paint her. Any ideas? I'm thinking a Suez Crisis example.

Feedback?




[size=8]*90% done, 90% to go. And yes, that is the Lovely Miss Lana in the background. She's on the phone with BdB.[/size]

[B777LR]

Wing skin looks wrinkly. Spray a little water on it perhaps?

[seavixen]

Best thing to paint it with first would be some clear dope. It's gonna look a bit odd otherwise.

[Brian da Basher]

Fantastic progress Zac! Those balsa kits take a lot of skill and patience. The dope idea is worth looking into. Barring that, white glue (like Elmer's™) thinned with water perhaps? I really like the idea of the Suez scheme. Looking forward to seeing more!

Brian da Basher

[cthulhu77]

Doping should snug those wrinkles up in no time!  Plus, you get a contact buzz.

  Honey, where's my percocet?

 Cool plane Zac, love those balsa kits.

[BlackOps]

Zac, I still say your nuts but in a good way...still not sure that's something I'd try to tackle!

[matrixone]

Zac,

If you mist on some water from a spray bottle most of the wrinkles will go away and like the others have said putting on the clear dope will also help tighten the covering.
Pactra made some paints for flying models that are dope based but their range of colors is very limited.

Glad to see you posting again!


Matrixone

[K5054NZ]

Thnaks for the advice guys and Matrix, it's good to be back!


I've done two coats of dope on the entire aircraft. In retrospect I should've done the spray-misty thing BEFORE the doping, but I didn't have anything handy.


This one's still got me stumped, because before I can do the paintjob I need to get her de-wrinkled, I still need to get some prop blades, I still need to get some decent-looking mainwheel struts/oleos, I still need to DECIDE on a paintjob, ARGH!


But before the end of the month she'll be at least externally structurally complete. Hopefully painted. Jeez, somehow I need to find decals. Dammit.


FUN! MODELS ARE FUN!