CompARF P-47 Thunderbolt

[Phil Clark]

My latest customer project is this CompARF P-47 Thunderbolt. As per all other recent projects, this one will be delivered complete & ready to fly. Engine is to be the Moki 250 5-cylinder radial with the Solo/CompARF carbon 4 blade scale prop. Retracts & wheels are from Sierra with radio from Powerbox/JR with Futaba digital servos all round + A123 batteries.

This project has been ticking along in the background for quite a while, but with the bulk of the 'assembly' and systems installation work complete, I'm now well on with the 'FLITEMETAL' aluminium finish. To say the panel by panel application of the metal is time consuming is an understatement, but the final effect I think you'll agree is streets ahead of any 'painted' metal finish......

More photos to come as I progress...............Phil

[MalcolmDouglasPorter]

Very nice. I am interested to know what you have do to achieve the curve where the flaps go. Is this fibre glass or similar?

[Phil Clark]

The CompARF (Composite Almost Ready to Fly) P-47 model is as the title says full composite, so it's a 100% moulded airframe, so it comes out of the box looking like this (see below). Not really my cup of tea, I much prefer traditional wood bashing, but it does mean the 'assembly' happens pretty quick allowing you to get on with the fun detailing stuff much sooner than if it were a traditionally built & glassed model.

If this were a wood model, then yes, I'd produce the curved flap recess using thin 'Proskin' glass fibre sheet (supplied by Mick Reeves Models) over a base of 1/2 dozen or so formers.....

Phil

[Phil Clark]

FliteMetal, FliteMetal & more FliteMetal........this is a long slow process.......pleased with results so far though. Another few days & the wings will be done ready for all the rivets to be pressed in.

[frank fearn]

Phil,
I have a forthcoming P51 to start and to me that looks like the only option.... superb. I assume you rivet as per a normal glass / primer finsh, i,e , a soldering iron and suitable sized dia brass...

Is this material an item you will be supplying?

Best regards,

Frank.

[Phil Clark]

Hi Frank

Yes & No, you apply rivets into the metal after application, but it can be done cold without the need for the iron (makes it a lot faster). I've tried riveting into the primer as per a painted model with the metal applied over the top and the metal is a little bit thick & it doesn't conform into the rivets so they barely show, hence the only option is pressing them in afterwards..........dead easy with a sharpened brass tube bonded into a short 'handle' for comfort.

1st wing is done (6-8 panels left on the 2nd) and rivets are started.................

FliteMetal comes direct from 'Flitemetal' in the USA. I think Mick Reeves sells his version......never tried it though.

[Phil Clark]

Wings done........I'm now on with tackling the 1st major compound curves.

[Phil Clark]

Apart from tying down power & servo leads inside the fuselage, the bulk of the installation work inside the fuz is complete (I wanted it all done pre metal to prevent excessive handling/work inside the fuz once the metal is done on the outside to avoid any possible damage) so it's metal, metal & more metal from here on in........small bits 1st, the belly pan has been completed today.

[Steve Rickett 2333]

Not bad, for a beginner!

[mick burrell]

Do you have the prop Phil as I have one for sale?

m

[Phil Clark]

Do you have the prop Phil as I have one for sale?

m

Thanks for the offer Mick, bit yes, I already have it in stock.

P

[Phil Clark]

Not much P-47 progress over the past few days.....mainly because I've spent the past 3 days in bed with a healthy dose of the flu......anyway, before that, I'm now well on with application of final surface detailing, wash & clear coat.

Due to the way the metal is being sanded/buffed to produce the patchwork effect, I'm finding the surface is tarnishing quite quickly in the cold/dam conditions we currently have, making the surface go dull and loosing some of the effect. It'll be a while yet until the whole model is covered in Flitemetal and ready for application of markings & the multitude of small 'nomenclature' stencilling, so to protect the surface and prevent further tarnishing, a light coat of clear (Klass Kote satin epoxy) is being applied before a 2nd is applied after final markings, stencilling & weathering.

Once all rivet & fastener detail is pressed into the metal, each panel is re-masked & given a final buff with a scotch pad to remove the tarnish. The whole surface is then lightly rubbed (airflow direction) with a work 600 grade flatting pad used wet.......not only does this lightly streak the surface giving a slightly more 'flown & worn by airflow' appearance, but the action of rubbing with a wet pad over aluminium produces a dark grey slurry that once wiped away leaves a residue to collect in all the panel edges, rivet marks etc.........this gives that slightly 'used' look. The 1st application of clear coat seals this in, prevents further tarnishing + dulls the whole metal surface down a little (as I wanted) removing the slightly 'bling bling' bright aluminium look.

Here's the finished belly pan......

[Phil Clark]

.....and the upper surface of the st/bd wing panel (port panel not far behind)

[Bob Thompson1894]

Its magnificent Phil. Are we likely to see this one on the circuit, or is it off to Far, Far Away?

[Phil Clark]

I'm afraid not Bob......it's another overseas client.

This one we should see though as the client is aiming to fly at some events. This is the 2nd of three projects we're currently running. 1/5 scale Jerry Bates F8f Bearcat, ZG80 twin, Sierra 'articulating' scale retracts etc......the commission follows the normal level detail + this one will also have sliding canopy, full depth detailed interior, functioning scale exhausts, sequenced gear doors....we've even been asked to reproduce all of the hydraulic pipework, wiring & cables inside the wheel wells!!!.....final finish will be the gloss US Sea Blue '201' operated by 'The Fighter Collection'.

The basic airframe is built almost ready for glassing......we're just tying up the wing seats & belly pan.

[Bob Thompson1894]

If I win the lottery, I'll be in touch......lol

[Phil Clark]

Both wing panel upper & lower surfaces are now complete with all rivets, fasteners & Klass Kote satin clear coat.....

[Phil Clark]

Prior to clear coat, all surfaces had been wet flatted which had produced a dark residue that had collected in and around panel grooves, rivet marks etc.........but looking at the surfces outside, it looked very faint and didn't give that 'dirty used & abused' effect I was after.

So......a more traditional paint wash has been applied. This used thinned black solvent basecoat applied with a soft cloth (the solvent having no effect on the cured epoxy clear coat). It's worked into the surface in a circular motion and left a few minutes until touch dry. A clean solvent soaked cloth is then used to wipe the surfaces down (in a chord wise direction)......this removes most of the paint wash, just leaving a heavier build up in the detail + giving a more pronounced weather worn streaky appearance.

The following photos show the wash as applied prior to removal, then a selection of photos of the 1st panel completed outside in natural daylight. This gives a better indication of the final effect away from the fluorescent workshop lights.

[John Greenfield]

Thanks for the info on weathering Phil, most interesting to see the before and after pics. What "solvent Basecoat " did you use, when attempting things like this for the first time it is nice to use the same brand of materials as it takes away the issue of "am I using the right stuff"?
I also noticed that there is no insignia on the wing. I would have thought the weathering would have been the last thing to do after all colour / insignia ?

John

[Phil Clark]

Hi John

Solvent basecoat is solvent based acrylic....ie:- car paint (from you local auto paint factor). You can really use whatever you want as long as it & the solvent used to clean it away won't attack the base layer of paint/clear........in this case, nothing attacks Klass kote epoxy so I'm OK, but I have used an enamel wash over solvent basecoat paint (with no clear layer) in the past with perfectly good results. The other 'safe' method is a water based wash as Steve R has recently shown on his Boston build.

Re:- insignia.......correct, nothing in on at the moment. These along with a multitude of dry set rub on stencils will go on before another wash is applied to blend everything together followed by a final light coat of satin clear to seal everything down (the dry set decals + a HUGE water slide decal I've had produced for the nose art' are not fuel proof)

Phil