Piper Pawnee

[Balsabasher]

Made a start today on a 1=27th scale Piper Pawnee,took the sheets down to the print shop and got some copies,then stuck them onto cereal box card with Pritt Stick adhesive and then cut them out with a pair of nail scissors,I always make card templates as it suits my building when I want to make duplicates of my models.

I do not have a crop duster in my collection so thought this would make an attractive subject.

Was going to do this one for the competition but it seems t have vanished ?

Barry.

[lastvautour]

Looks a lot like the cartoon plane in the Disney movie. I am sure it will turn out great knowing your talent.

Lou

[Peter]

There is a bright yellow Piper Pawnee sitting in a farmers field covered in weeds, just across the border in Washington state about a 15 minute drive from me. It's always sad seeing a little piece of aviation history just sitting there.

Peter

[Balsabasher]

The blanks for the Pawnee,weather for sanding is holding me up its heavy rain here,I always sand outside,more 1940's Mosquito balsa,stock, getting low.
As there was virtually another fuselage decided it was just as easy to cut two sets of blanks and make that yellow one mentioned in the field,thats a real shame I could rebuild that.
Barry.

[Balsabasher]

Looks a lot like the cartoon plane in the Disney movie. I am sure it will turn out great knowing your talent.

Lou

Thats the Cessna Ag Wagon Lou.

[Balsabasher]

There is a bright yellow Piper Pawnee sitting in a farmers field covered in weeds, just across the border in Washington state about a 15 minute drive from me. It's always sad seeing a little piece of aviation history just sitting there.

Peter

Any chance of a photograph Peter ? I could make a yellow one,would love to see that.

[Peter]

Hi Barry,

I am not planning to cross the border but my sister in Law is going next week so I have asked her if she can take a few. I will post them when she does.

Peter

[Balsabasher]

Thats great Peter,lookforward to seeing them,then I can paint one in yellow.
Barry

[Balsabasher]

Plans have been submitted to the gallery for consideration,once they are accepted then these will be used as the basis for the competition model by myself,thank you,Barry.

[Balsabasher]

Today the fuselage was carved and sanded smooth,the small block insert was to replace a section that a balsa beetle had eaten into ! this is former Mosquito balsa from my dwindling stock.
Barry.

[Balsabasher]

They say if ever you want to know how to reproduce something in miniature then look carefully at the real thing and see how they do things,here is a typical example the main undercarriage on the Pawnee is a cantilver assembly simple but effective in use,so lets take you through the easy stages,firstly raid your scrap metal box I always throw bits of metal in that box for future models,here is a piece of L16 dural from my aircraft days but even coffee tin will do bent over to make two layers if you wish,make a card template first and lay this onto the metal,scratch around the shape with a large needle and cut out with a pair of tin snips,fettle up with a file and tap gently either side with a small hammer over a miniature anvil to flatten out the curled metal,next mark where the bends go and then with a Dremel drill two holes where the undercarriage spreader bar goes,rough up the face where the undercarriage fits into a pre cut slot in the fuselage lower and epoxy into place,now while the adhesive is curing get some brass tube,mark and cut this to size then make three bends wherethe lower 'V' goes,feed this through the small holes carefully adjusting the spreader by squeezing the alum legs,lock into place with a tiny bit of cyno applied with a pin,the wheels will be fixed with dressmaking pins pushed into the tube axles,these undercarriages are strong and enable the heaviest of models to withstand the weight.
Barry.

[lastvautour]

That works out great Barry. I have used aluminum for flying model undercarriage. Tin can would work as well. A "Heavy" landing could easily be repaired with plyers. The sanded fuselage look great also.

Lou

[Peter]

Hi Barry,

I just heard back from my sister in law the Pawnee is apparently no longer in the field. It could also be a case of a 20 something year old girl who has no idea what a Pawnee looks like, even if it is yellow!! I will keep an eye out for it the next time I go by that way.

Peter

[Balsabasher]

Thanks for the trouble taken Peter,it will be interesting to see whether it has indeed flown ?
Barry.

[Balsabasher]

The tail parts have been sanded on the Pawnee's and a slot cut into the rear of the fuselage,next they have been carefully glued into position and left overnight to cure.
Barry.