[cassat]

Managed to get the verticals sanded out and the rudder tapered. Got a good start on the horizontal tail.

[cassat]

More progress. The verticals are covered.
The stab has been sanded out and ready to cover. I made the elevator from a slab of
1/4 balsa. Used a Master Airscrew razor plane to taper.
Managed to get one fuselage side cut out. Everything s coming out a tad lighter than original.

[OLD PRAIRIE RED NECK]

I envy you having time to build right now. This time of year is always so busy for me with turnarounds at work, garden and yard work, haying and getting ready for summer holidays.

I am not jealous of the reason you are doing this though!

[cassat]

Well, we had a pretty good thunderstorm yesterday, so I did get a fair bit done.
The fuse sides were completed. Glued in doublers. Cut a couple formers and glued in. Cut a bottom sheeting from 1/8 ply and finished covering the stab.

[cassat]

Spent some time filling cracks with spackling and sanding.
Need to add the rear top piece and a couple more formers next.
Then on to the nose cone.

[cassat]

Cut the 1/4 inch wing hold down dowels.
Started cutting and laminating noseblock pieces.
Hoping to have the noseblock mounted and sanded for the weekend during the big
heatwave.

[OLD PRAIRIE RED NECK]

I'm a bit late here but in my experience nose blocks are best made from spruce or fir. You will have to add nose weight anyway so why not use use a more durable wood?

[cassat]

Because Merv, these planes fly so well and high that they never land....they just fly away!
Ha anyway, I had that idea in mind but there is a small section up front for lead weight behind the front former. It works great. On my larger 3 meter ships, I agree to use spruce.

Dave

[OLD PRAIRIE RED NECK]

One of the reasons I like a harder wood is that we tow our gliders and balsa will not support a tow hook screwed into it. Just pulls out.