[Trumpetman]

Thanks Randy! Getting down to the short strokes now.... I'll make a list today of what is left to do but I hope that another couple of weeks will have it finished in primer.

[Trumpetman]

Two nights ago I spent the entire evening in the shop prepping the fuse for primer/paint. The fiberglass is pretty good but the seams are rough and there are a few areas with some big voids/pits. Filled everything with "Icing" and started sanding...... I also washed and scuffed the whole surface down with a Scotchbrite pad.

[Trumpetman]

Over the last couple of nights I made a hatch from one of the lower cowl cooling flaps. This will hide the fuel filler and the air valve and gauge for the air retract system. In the picture you can see the hatch closed and open. I've installed the fuel dot as well as the fuel overflow outlet right on the bottom of the fuse. I'll wait to get the air gauge first before I drill the hole for the air filler valve. I'm going to recommend that Dwayne goes with the Jeti magnetic switch for the rx batteries as I don't want to have external switches ruining the look of the plane! LOL

Finished tonight by gluing the horizontal stab. into the fuse.

[Trumpetman]

Lots of progress over the last couple of days (and nights!). The cowl seams were filled and sanded and the cowl is primed and ready for paint. The hatch is held closed by the magnet on the inside of the hatch. This connects to a flat screw head protruding from the side of the fuse.

[Trumpetman]

The wing tip lights were finished by masking the lens, building spot putty up to the tape edge, sanding down to the tape and peeling off the masking tape!

[Trumpetman]

The gear door sequencer valve and servo were mounted to a plywood plate and the plate was mounted to the top of the wing. The pneumatic lines will run from the inner gear door cylinders and the retracts through to the top of the wing and connect to the valve.

Glued the elevator and rudder hinges in and completed the tail section. The first picture shows how busy this area is but the end result is everything is hidden with no external linkages etc. I use Gorilla glue and the thing you have to watch out for is the foaming glue as it sets. I use a Q tip dipped in acetone to wipe away the glue foam and I put a drop of 3 in 1 oil on the hinge. You have to keep an eye on the hinge for about an hour (until the glue stops foaming) but the end result is a very solid hinge!

[Trumpetman]

I finished the panel and panel lines (the butt joints between two panels) on the wing and horizontal stab . The fiberglass fuse has these molded in and the wing would look strange without the panel lines and butt joints.

The first picture shows how I make a panel and panel line. I put masking tape on the edge of the panel and I laid down a piece of 1/64" chart tape where the panel joint will be. You spray 3 or 4 coats of primer/filler along the front edge of the stab and when you peel off the masking tape you get a nice raised line "panel".

I laid out all of the panel lines on the wing with a pencil before putting down the chart tape. Sprayed the primer/filler over the tapes and let everything dry. You lightly sand down until the top of the chart tape is exposed and then you peel off the tape. The end result is a nice crisp butt joint between two panels. I burned in thousands of "rivets" on my personal P-47 but on this model is not headed to competitions so we are stopping at panel lines and a few raised hatches with embossed fasteners.

[Trumpetman]

Dwayne is coming into town this weekend to take a look at his plane. The pressure is on LOL

I glued the hinges into the ailerons and flaps and they will get permanently attached to the wing tonight. The body work was done in the cockpit area and I sprayed a coat of the interior green. The picture shows a gloss finish but when it dries it ends up as a very nice satin finish. I've got most of the interior panels ready to install once the cockpit area paint has hardened off. The last picture shows the instrument panel and floorboards at this point.

[R Plante]

Looks great we may need to talk

[TBrum]

Wow Gordon!! This is the first time I've seen this build!! Just caught up on the progress! Looks amazing and awesome work as usual!!

It's nearing completion, but just subscribed, LOL