[Struts1]

I love building and I have been quietly building some aircrafts and now I am sharing with you all. Some guys already know about them but most don't. As you know, I'm one of those who shares my builds, ideas and knowledge with you all on here, this is one of many of my build threads on here.

This started as one of those builds last minute builds I did for then coming up event but due to paint not being dry enough to handle, I couldn't take it to the event. Started building this model on March 27th for a event on March 29th. Target was to build and paint it to the point where it's complete, painted airframe minus electronics ready for display.

I'm posting series of pictures from 27th March to 29th March at 5pm!, if it wasn't for the paint, this model would have been in the particular event it was being built for.

[Struts1]

More from first day of the build...

This is a Horizon Models kit from early 90's era, I was very lucky to find it on here as it's a beautiful size and scale model.

There are NO instructions or plans that came this this prefab model kit, No slots or dihedral brace made for it, I did this myself by using 1/4" plywood sheet to make the brace by placing both wing halfs on the table proped up 1" from the tips, measuring the angle of the wing dihedral, marking and cutting the slots in the wing. Once brace was cut to the size, it was installed in the wing and glued in with 30 mins epoxy glue.
Both wingtips are sanded to the shape, I had to use wood planer and sanding bars for it.

[Struts1]

Started painting the fuselage on night of 27th...
It was first washed with soap and water, left to air dry, then area that was going to get painted was lightly water sanded to take the sheen off and make surface for the paint to stick on. It was then masked and taped up leaving only area exposed where to paint it as most of the fuselage for this livery is white.
Couple coats of primer was sparyed on first, then it was left to completely dry, then first light coat of dark green was painted and left to dry completely. Then couple more coats of dark green was painted to complete this segment.

This happened mostly on 28th March,
Fin and rudder were also fibre glassed, sanded to nice smooth surface before primer was sprayed on them. Same bodywork process waz done as what the fuselage went through followed by painting the fin and rudder dark green. Wheels are installed on the gears, landing gear fairings were also painted and installed on the fuselage.

Nacelles slots were made in the wing and nacelles upper portions were dry fitted in them and lower portions were taped on.

[suresharp]

I will follow this build!

[Struts1]

On 29th forward multi color bands were masked and then painted, this took most of the time as dark green that was painted, was covered up, leaving only area exposed to paint light blue band. After this was done and dry enough to be covered up, light green band infornt of it was painted followed by another dark green band and couple coats of clear coat later on at night!. By that time I realized that, there was no way I could take this model to the event as it will not be dried enough to handle it. Still kept on going.
Drilled holes in the main landing gear for the wheels, went to HH to get the axles, came back installed the wheels. OK great!.

After coming back from the event, took off all the masking and had the model ready for fin and stabilizer assembly on the fuselage. Still going on it, assembled the tail section, placed the wing with nacelles in the wing saddle to see how she looked at that stage.

[Struts1]

Took 30th and 31st off and went of it on 1st April 2014

By this time model was handle able comfortably, took it outside for the first time to see how it looked, well it was overcast that day so pictures didn't come out bright enough as I was hoping for.

Posted pictures used to paint this livery, few ex-PIA Twin Otter pilots also helped with the livery. Custom water slide decals have been made for this model including PIA's 50th anniversary crest that most of aircrafts had painted on them during mid to late 90's before in 1999-2000 this livery was changed to euro white livery...

Next steps:

Fibre glass horizontal stabilizer, both elevators, main wing and all flight controls and paint them all light gray, then assemble the flight controls surfaces.

Add wing struts for scale look only as main dihedral brace will take all the wing loads.

Add all the wiring and electronics, motors, esc's and lipo batteries. Balance her and get her flight ready.

Should be ready for maidenfest with my Great planes learjet, F14 and 1/4 scale Geebee R1 with Q52.

[greghatt]

what kit is this? It looks gorgeous!

[Struts1]

Originally Posted by greghatt

what kit is this? It looks gorgeous!

It's Horizon Models kit. This hasn't been in production for many years. Beauty of it is, wings, fin, stabilizer, rudder and both elevators came balsa sheeted with leading and trailing edges, tips attached to the cores from factory. Fuselage seemed to be full fibreglass with white gelcoat on it but it's all molded in white plastic with middle section reinforced with fibreglass. All bulkheads were already glued inside fuse from factory. I made slots on fuselage sides for landing gears to come out from.

[DEMONDRIVER]

This horizon Twin otter is very scale indeed Sam. . . . I'd say it's as good as the Hangar9 version.

Twin otters are rare down south here in the states. . . Southern states I mean. . . There is a sky diving team that uses one and they fly into charleston once & a while.

[Struts1]

Originally Posted by DEMONDRIVER

This horizon Twin otter is very scale indeed Sam. . . . I'd say it's as good as the Hangar9 version.

Twin otters are rare down south here in the states. . . Southern states I mean. . . There is a sky diving team that uses one and they fly into charleston once & a while.

Yes, Agreed, these are very nice models, mind you trailing edges of elevators and rudder are 1/4" thick which I don't like but other then that these are great models.

Gee, I thought there would a quite few in ur parts of the woods...