Douglas DC-3 1/72 Scale .................................(Completed 6 Nov 2012)

[lastvautour]

Using John Bell's excellent drawings a 1/72 DC-3 has been laid on the bench. I hope to finish by 27 Oct as it will be a birthday gift for a friend.

Lou

[lastvautour]

Wings and tail feathers are block cut and the fuselage block has been laminated using "Gorilla" glue. Cutting and shaping will be started shortly. The engine nacelle halves are currently being clamped waiting for the "G" glue to dry as the wood needed to be just one mm thicker than what was available in my shop.

Lou

[lastvautour]

John's drawings show a three piece wing. I prefer a one piece with carved dihedral.

Lou

[cliff strachan]

Nice Dak so far Lou. While for any number of reasons I'm unable to get fully involved in Solid Scale, I can not help but admire you guys who are able to build something and then give it away. A very remarkable gesture. The 3views are great also.

Cliff

[lastvautour]

This gift is for my friend's 75th and my 64th is the same day so for a number of years we have shared a cake at the RCAFA Wing lounge. John was a Radio Operator and trained on the Dakota. On the home front, things are moving along.

Post

[buccfan]

That's coming on a treat Lou,and fast!!. Just over a year to official retirement Lou, then the honey do lists will have to stop. I assume you have the same retirement set up as us? Except they just added another year to mine!!!!. Regards Paul J.

[lastvautour]

2% pay for every year of service to a max of 70%. Regardless, the honey do list will only get longer.

Lou

[lastvautour]

Trying something new by adding filets as a structural piece of the fuselage. I borrowed the idea from Paul's DC-2 article where he replaced the wing center section and carved the filet from a solid piece rather than an add on.

Paul's Drawing

My drawing follows as an attachment.

Lou

[lastvautour]

The filet arrangement is dry and straight after much fiddling with the Gorilla Glue.

This is my first clothespin type nacelle attachment. I normally notch the wing to accept a wedge nacelle fitting.

Lou

[lastvautour]

The fuselage and main wing have been mated and carving of the filet will follow tomorrow.

Lou

[buccfan]

Great work Lou, I see you are trying a couple of new methods on this build, with the fillet and the engine nacelles. Regards Paul J.

[lastvautour]

I had to tweek the nacelles a bit as they did not aling properly so add a bit here take off a bit there. I am attaching scoops and such to the nacelles and have glued the horizontal stab in place. Later today the vertical and maybe the main wing and then some sanding to level all the matching surfaces. It is a fun project.

Lou

[Peter]

How are you going to finish it off Lou? Civil Airline or military?

Peter

[lastvautour]

Don't quite know yet. I would like to do Maritime central Airways that flew around here in the 50s but that may not have any significance to my friend. The other scheme is the RCAF version circa late 1950s.

Lou

[Peter]

How about Buffalo Airways if he's a fan of the Ice Pilots show. They have a 1/72 decal sheet
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Rev6/5401-5500/rev5495-Leading-Edge-7282/00.shtm

Peter