F-18 AirToon Tutorial

[lastvautour]

The arrestor hooks are ready for final shaping and the undercarriage pieces are cut and now require drilling and gluing. The gear looks about right for an AirToon but will be approx 3mm shorter than the prototype. Bombs are complete for Hornet # 1 and the missiles are getting there slowly as each fin needs to be glue in place before I add another.

Lou

[buccfan]

The Undercarriage turned out well, and sits balanced. I take it your old camera's days are numbered? Regards Paul J.

[lastvautour]

I moved the undercarriage another cm forward and it still balances. The location of the Sparrow missiles will determine the exact place so that the gear clears the fins. The first two Sparrows are glued and will get some sanding and painting this weekend. By looking at the photo it is easy to see focus problems.

Lou

[lastvautour]

Three sets of main undercarriage and five nose gear sets have been completed. Two Sparrow and Two Sidewinders are ready for painting and the others are in various state of building. Nothing worth photographing today. Won "High Score" prize of $17.50 in dart tournament yesterday afternoon. May get that camera this year yet.

Lou

[buccfan]

If you keep on winning at this rate you will.Regards Paul J.

[Balsabasher]

The 'Air Toons' are growing at a fast rate ! you are having a lot of fun there Lou.
Barry.

[lastvautour]

Busy busy with small parts.

Lou

[gera]

Great job Lou!!!!!!

Gera

[Balsabasher]

That workbench says a happy builder ! love the pots and things pressed into service,I cannot throw a pot out without thinking of a use for it.
Barry.

[lastvautour]

Gera, have not seen you in ages. Welcome back.

Barry, sometimes I keep to much.

Lou

[Balsabasher]

Yoghurt pots for mixing colours and de-cantering adhesives ,Ice cream containers for keeping small parts together while you are working on them,Coffee jars for storing sawdust for use on model railway layout,metal food  trays for making small parts like seats,always look out for cigar boxes  on car boot sales as they can provide lovely wood for propllers etc,coffee stirers for mixing two part adhesives and stirring paint,cereal box card for making templates,pick up bits and pieces in the street you will be surprised what you can use,as you can see I am a natural magpie and cannot resist throwing things away that may be useful.
Barry.

[lastvautour]

Most of the bits and pieces have been assembled and await the main fuselage and wing assembly to finish with the painting. I experienced some bleed on the bottom fuselage false canopy that needs to be rectified before going on. The undercarriage doors are still milling around in my head as to how far to go with them. Decals are also being thought through and should be completed this evening. The Sparrow missiles needed some adjustment to the fin locations to clear the main undercarriage. The painted one is the correct configuration being used. Since it was decided later in the project to use undercarriage, the placement of the fins were not an issue, however once fitted with the undercarriage in place it would have to sit either far forward or far to the rear of the main gear and it did not look right. I had to remove the fins from 10 missisle and reattach.

Lou

[buccfan]

looking good Lou, can you do a pic of the boundary layer doors, I believe the last pic was them soaking in water? Regards Paul J.

[lastvautour]

I have heard them referred to as boundary layer fences or vanes. They take away the turbulent air close to the fuselage so the engine can have smooth airflow. The camera is not very good these days but here goes. I tried to get them to lay flat against the fuselage, but they popped out at the bottom so I left them as they were at least matched. The AirToon is upside down.

Lou

[buccfan]

Thanks for that lou, much appreciated.Regards Paul J.