Orlyonok Ekranoplan

[Rafael]

Thanks, amigos!!!

Yep, that's the reference I'm using, together with the plans from airwar.ru.

Guys, If you can get thos photos from Mr. Duffey, I'd be very happy to see them. Ah! and please tell him he's got a real fan in Venezuela. I saw his work many years ago, and it certainly is inspirational.

Cardboard (Yum!!!) is my friend, Barry!!!


Saludos, Rafa

[Martin H]

all part of the service    

[Rafael]

Little progress attained up till now.

I'm "drawing" the rest before I glue anything on. There are some deceptively complicated shapes in the fuselage, and I don't wnat to go forward before completing the planning that lies ahead, say wings, vertical surfaces and cockpit area.





More later....
Rafa

[B777LR]

That is amazing rafa, you always amaze me!
If i am ever to build a Ekranoplan, i would choose the 1/144 Revell kit. More easy and smaller, and i will finnish it in markings of Greece, Lufthansa (with jumo engine instead of turboprops), or Air Tanzania, or as a replacement to one of the horrible secondhand soviet flyingboats made for river and not saltwater, that operate the Dar Es Salaam - Zanzibar route. (the latter ones are known for breaking down)

[Brian da Basher]

I'm continually astonished by your vision, skill and talent Rafa! I'm sure the planning and thought you're putting into this project will pay off handsomely for you.

I keep imagining this in one of your awesome camo patterns.

Brian da Basher

[Rafael]

Thank you!!!

Hey, I'm Señor Cartón - Mister Cardboard!!!

Well, I'm done with the wings' structure, and the geometry problem is resolved. As is the wings' fit. In these following pics they are dry-fitted, and note how they stay straight and true, even when they are cardboard and no glue is applied yet.

Here, the wings, sans forward and rear wing root extensions. I had to measure their exact location and size the plans to make the frames fit where I calculated and drew.


Here, the first dry-fit:


Note here the wing profile frames at 0%, 50% and 100% wingspan


Closer...


Now, on to resolve those "deceptively complicated" shapes that lie at the cockpit, forward motor group, and rear end.

Hopefully, I will be able to start skining or planking during the week.

At the same time, I'm of two minds about my next project....

Enjoy,

Rafa
Cardboard, Yum!!!

[McGreig]

Awesome! I'm impressed by the speed at which this project is going  Amazing work 

[BlackOps]

I'm glad this is working out, I'm impressed

[Captain Canada]

Go Rafa !

Nice work, buddy ! Those things are just too cool.....

[ysi_maniac]

Hi Rafa, you are a really Galant modeller

[wolfik]

....a...nice piece of work...before...

[Rafael]

Thanks!!!

Well, I've been procastinating over this build for the last week or so.....

So I took my airplane's wings and started skinning them. All was well. I planked the whole thing over with newspaper strips, wetted in my solution of 1 part water+2 parts white glue.

The next morning, the wings had taken an ugly upturn, I don't know why, because I expected the thick, hard cardboard to keep the straight wing shape....in shape.

So after considering using them warped wings for a more sporty-looking ekranoplan, I decided to go the "real" way, and am currently planning to build those wings from styrofoam, for which I bought the contraption in front of the bird in the pic, a foam cutter an electrician made for me, because these things are nowhere to be found here in my country......



This weekend, I will draw the wing's new structure, and hopefully, have them built and installed, before skinning the plane.

Enjoy!!

Rafa

[Rafael]

Thread Revival.

Of course, there's always procastination.
And fear of scr*w*ng up

So today, I inspected my Ekranoplan, and discovered that the wings, which I forgot to throw away -thank God- returned to a more or less straight shape.

Thankful for little miracles, I glued them on, and the imperfections will be taken care of with a little screeding, when the top surface is poured on.

Then, I started to use styrofoam to fill the space between frames, so no planking will be used. At the fourth frame, I snapped off the cutting wire, be it by inexperience or simple ham-handiness.

But so far, I like the results. Tomorrow I will go to the store and buy more wire to repair the damage, and continue this build.





The adventure continues...

Rafa

[Brian da Basher]

It's great to see you back at work on this epic project, Rafa! I'm always amazed at how masterfully you're able to combine different materials into your projects and this is no exception. I'm really gald to see the wings worked out.

Looking forward to your next update,
Brian da Basher

[Maverick]

Mi Pana,

You continue to amaze me with the breadth & scope of your modelling.  This should be an awesome result!!

Tu Amigo,

Mav