The Fairchild PT 19A was one of the most successful of the U.S. Army’s Primary Training aircraft during World War II, and has always been a favorite subject for model builders. I converted this one from an Easy Built Models traditional stick-and-tissue kit designed for rubber powered free flight. In checking my files on this […]
Last time we devoted a lot of attention to “plastic stuff”…windows and turrets. Those details are now in place and securely masked off, ready for painting (which is coming soon). Several series back I also mentioned getting some covering onto the control surfaces…elevator, rudder and ailerons…which are indeed the only “open” structure on a B-17. […]
Last time I showed you a pair of simulated-but-real-looking landing lights. Do you remember my discussion at the beginning of that installment about the ever-present need to weight the value of added detail against the value of the weight savings that doing without them offers? Those landing lights are a good example…I chose to include […]
Converting the 30in Rubber Powered Dumas Piper J-4 to Electric RC…Extra Details and Flight Report I’m going to begin this flight report by catching up on some of the last-minute details I don’t want to miss telling you about, as well as by sharing a story about this airplane that might at first seem to […]
Converting the 30in Rubber Powered Dumas Piper J-4 to Electric – Part 4 Before we actually get around to putting some covering on this model airplane, we need to talk about the process and materials I’m using…stuff many of you reading this may only have heard of, but never seen. So…I’m going to put on […]
Converting the 30 Rubber Powered Dumas Piper J-4 to Electric RC – Part 3 During our last session in the shop I finished building the basic structural components…wing panels, fuselage and tail surfaces…of the Dumas Piper J-4. This time we are going to fill in all those remaining details like mounting the motor, ESC , […]
Converting the 30 Rubber Powered Dumas Piper J-4 to Electric RC – Part 2 Last time I finished up with just enough work done on the fuselage to permit me to show you a trial mounting of one wing panel on the modified cabin assembly and the new 1/16″ plywood wing carry-through spar I designed for […]
Converting the 30 Rubber Powered Dumas Piper J-4 to Electric RC – Part 1 Last time I finished up with the construction of the TF 100″ span Stinson SR-9 and explained that I’ll be waiting for happier weather before you get to see flight photos. Right now it’s time for something a lot smaller, but no […]
Building Those Old Kits – Not Enough Information? On lots of the plans sheets that came with those old (stick-and-tissue, printwood, rubber powered and maybe sort-of-flyable) model airplane kits pretty much all you got was plans. Instructions that actually helped you figure out what came next were not always part of the deal. For a […]