Much filling and much sanding. It's time to hit the fuselage with the Bondo and then sand a bunch more. The usual (and sane) arrangement of the exhaust was into a collector ring in front of the engine, but when you're going for speed records, every pound counts. Wright J-6-7.
Wright J-6-7. The usual arrangement for the exhaust was to go into a collector ring in front of the engine with the exhaust port under the plane. When Pancho Barnes got the plane, she had the inline 6 replaced with a Wright with short U pipes. An "In your face" exhaust system. I tried aluminum tubing packed with sand, but the bend was too sharp, and they burst. I bent 1/32" wire with electrical wire insulation fitted over it. Next task is to make a plug for vacuum-forming the Townsend ring. My dad at the controls of his PBY-5A of VP-12, the original Black Cat squadron. I appropriated his online handle after he passed away.
A personal thanks to David Gallegos, my high school drafting instructor. The 613 was the prototype R. It was designed for and built with a six-cylinder inline engine. The fuselage had a dorsal hump behind the engine to help streamline it. Pancho Barnes swapped the engine for a much more powerful radial, making her the fastest woman on Earth. The four subsequent Rs were all radial powered with a round front section. A later owner modified the fuselage, eliminating the dorsal hump both in front and aft of the cockpit, giving the pilot a much improved view. The last R was built for the Italian government and became the basis for the Breda Ba.27. I drew my plans scaled to fit the wing I had already built. The wheels and horizontal stabilizer I made also fit the new fuselage. On the first fuselage, I covered it with 1/32" balsa. On the second one, I used 1/16" balsa between the formers. The first method was much less laborious than the second. It will look awesome by the time I'm done with it. Note the spacious, uncluttered work space /s. Here's a picture of Sally, a Western Gray squirrel who lives in our backyard.
The last two shots are with a cell phone, and the last is through a window screen. The rest are with a Nikon Coolpix B500. We leave a bit of the yard un-mowed because critters like laying around in it. We'll be cutting it down soon because it's wildfire season.
Nikon Coolpix B500 from about 35' away.
A great project for those of us who like working without instructions. Not only are there no instructions, but the plans leave a lot to the builder's imagination. Not a problem. I was going to draw my own, which would have had even less detail. This is my first time covering an entire model with balsa, and it's making me wish I would have done it on other models I've built, like the Guillow's B-17.
One of the Western Gray squirrels that hangs out in our backyard was nice enough to sit still long enough for me to fetch my camera and get some nice shots.
The plans were originally for a 47" wingspan RC model that AeroFred scaled down to 24" for me.
A very straightforward kit. It was a gift and will probably be a gift. I almost regret not doing it with the wheels and flaps down. It wasn't a kit I wanted to build, so I kind of rushed through it. I'm running out of ceiling space. One of the Western Gray squirrels that hangs out in my backyard. Plans from AeroFred for my next project, which I will make as the R flown by Pancho Barnes. A Guillow's kit that I did 15 years ago. It didn't have decals, so I hand-painted everything. My hands were much steadier back then. Presently, it's hanging from my grandson's bedroom ceiling.