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E J's Wooden DC-3
- Thread starter MM2CVS9
- Start date
MM2CVS9
Active member
Great idea. Us old guys sometimes get stuck in "the way we used to do things" mode.
What did we do before CA glue anyway?
Things are progressing smoother now. Thanks for the reminder.
EJ
she's gonna be big. 
MM2CVS9
Active member
Made good progress today with the CA / wood glue process. The fuselage is completed. All that remains for tomorrow after the glue sets well is a few fills where bits broke off, and some sanding to clean it up and fair it out. Then I'll spray a clearcoat on it. I broke a couple pieces that had to be replaced, had to splice two more pieces that were not in the instructions and had to soak four pieces that not only had a bend but a twist to them as well. Otherwise it went quite well.
Might get started on the wing sections tomorrow too.
EJ
Might get started on the wing sections tomorrow too.
EJ
MM2CVS9
Active member
Thanks for the comments everyone.
Having been a carpenter/cabinetmaker/builder/industrial maintenance guy most of my life, I really feel comfortable with wood. Plus, I like scratchbuilding. Wood kits are not much more than a box of materials instead of parts and I'm fine with that.
Today I got a pair of small angle plates, 1" X 1" X 1". These work really well for wing struts and ship frames. I've got some 2" ones and some 123 blocks but they are sometimes too big. I might even get another pair of these.
Prepped and layed out the center wing frame parts.
Dry fitted, then glued them up.
While waiting for the glue to dry, set about filling some small divots in the fuselage, sanding and fairing it in. It turned out well I think.
Then placed the stringers on the top of the wing center part.
Tomorrow, will flip the section over, finish the stringers and a couple of blocking parts, then start on one of the wings.
EJ
Having been a carpenter/cabinetmaker/builder/industrial maintenance guy most of my life, I really feel comfortable with wood. Plus, I like scratchbuilding. Wood kits are not much more than a box of materials instead of parts and I'm fine with that.
Today I got a pair of small angle plates, 1" X 1" X 1". These work really well for wing struts and ship frames. I've got some 2" ones and some 123 blocks but they are sometimes too big. I might even get another pair of these.
Prepped and layed out the center wing frame parts.
Dry fitted, then glued them up.
While waiting for the glue to dry, set about filling some small divots in the fuselage, sanding and fairing it in. It turned out well I think.
Then placed the stringers on the top of the wing center part.
Tomorrow, will flip the section over, finish the stringers and a couple of blocking parts, then start on one of the wings.
EJ
MM2CVS9
Active member
she's gonna be big.
Amen to that! I guess I didn't really think about size. I'll have to hang her from the ceiling in the den.
Yesterday, I went to the LHS for some wood. The piece in the kit for the leading edges was warped pretty badly so I needed a strait one. Plus, I booger d up enough of the 3/32 sq stuff that I thought I'd run short. When I got home it donned on me that the stuff from the kit was 18" long, but the stuff from the LHS was 36" long. Not only did I get twice as much as I needed, but if I had gotten some sooner, I could have had one piece stringers and have avoided splicing 6 of them together. Oh well. Plus I got some more CA glue, a few glue bottle caps, some fine applicator tips for them and some sanding sticks.
I flipped the center section over and finished the stringers, glued in some reinforcing blocks and set it aside to dry.
When it's dry, I'll start sanding the thing to fair it in and shape the leading and trailing edges to the template.
In the meantime, I cut and prepped the parts for the left wing.
Then set them up on the building board and started to assemble it.
While that dries, I'll merrily sand away on the center section.
EJ
She's moving along fast
Heavens Eagle
Well-known member
The C-47 had a wingspan only 8ft 3in smaller than a B-17. The fuselage is slightly larger diameter as it was a transport.
They aren't all that small.
They aren't all that small.
MM2CVS9
Active member
Made good progress today.
Assembled the left wing struts, glued up and drying.
Cut out the parts for the right wing.
Faired in the center wing section, planed and sanded the leading and trailing edges.
End view showing airfoil shape.
Done with my little mini plane and a sanding block. scribed longitudinal lines with a compass for a visual guide while planing.
Here's how the center section fits up with the fuselage. It's a nice fit.
Tomorrow, add the stringers to the top of the wing, cut all the little notches in the parts for the right wing, flip the left wing over and add the bottom stringers, Start the assembly of the right wing. Late in the day maybe fair in the left wing and do the leading and trailing edges. Also have to fit the aileron to it and taper that to match.
I hope I got the angle on the wing root right to get the dihedral correct.
EJ
Assembled the left wing struts, glued up and drying.
Cut out the parts for the right wing.
Faired in the center wing section, planed and sanded the leading and trailing edges.
End view showing airfoil shape.
Done with my little mini plane and a sanding block. scribed longitudinal lines with a compass for a visual guide while planing.
Here's how the center section fits up with the fuselage. It's a nice fit.
Tomorrow, add the stringers to the top of the wing, cut all the little notches in the parts for the right wing, flip the left wing over and add the bottom stringers, Start the assembly of the right wing. Late in the day maybe fair in the left wing and do the leading and trailing edges. Also have to fit the aileron to it and taper that to match.
I hope I got the angle on the wing root right to get the dihedral correct.
EJ
MM2CVS9
Active member
Didn't get much done for a few days. Spent a lot of time sitting in the hospital. My oldest son (53) had kidney stone issues. On the 4th day they finally decided to do the sonic boom thing on it and broke it up. It passed after that. It was 9mm, almost a half an inch. Like pushing a marble through a drinking straw. He's back to work now. He is the equipment Sgt for the 126 Army Band.
Got both wing sections fully assembled. Ready to fair in and form the leading and trailing edges.
Got the rest of the wood parts cut out and ready to clean up. Will do the stabilizer first.
Then the rudder.
Then 2 nacelle's.
Last of the wood parts to cut out - the prop parts.
Gonna do all but the props, then start forming and shaping the assemblies. Coming together now.
EJ
Got both wing sections fully assembled. Ready to fair in and form the leading and trailing edges.
Got the rest of the wood parts cut out and ready to clean up. Will do the stabilizer first.
Then the rudder.
Then 2 nacelle's.
Last of the wood parts to cut out - the prop parts.
Gonna do all but the props, then start forming and shaping the assemblies. Coming together now.
EJ
Wow, think i would be hunting some resin props.
MM2CVS9
Active member
Wow, think i would be hunting some resin props.
HMMMMM.
Today I worked on both the Stabilizer and the rudder. Lots of bits to be added to the basic frames, mainly to give them thickness and allow for shaping.
Got the basic stabilizer frame assembled, then set aside to dry.
I screwed up on the rudder assembly. I was supposed to use 3/32 X 3/16 for the rib cores and I used 3/32 sq instead on the first assembly. 3/16 is needed because the rudder is two layers thick with overlapping joints. So, I had to cut another set of 3/32 rib cores and glue them on over the first set. Made quite a bit of extra work for myself.
I did get the rudder assembled. The glue is drying , but she'll be ready for fairing and shaping tomorrow.
Then got some more rib cores done on the stabilizer. I'll finish that assembly tomorrow.
I'd like to get the nacelles done too so I can take all these assemblies out to the workshop for fairing in with the plane and sanding. Makes for a lot of dust and a lot of cleanup in the model room if I do it there.
Coming along fine though. Not to far off from the final fitting and detail work. I want to bring it to next month's IPMS club meeting. ( there will be plastic wheels, vac formed plastic nose cowl, engine cowls, canopy and a few other bits) so I'll call it "multi media". They show a plan for a balsa stand, but I think I'm gonna use some other material for it.
EJ
Wow, you gotta shape the leading edges also. :zen
MM2CVS9
Active member
Yup. I usually plane and sand both the leading and trailing edges to whatever the profile is on the drawings, then switch to sanding the rest of the area to match / meet the profile of those edges. I often make cardstock profile gauges to help guide the process. Sounds a lot harder than it really is, at least for me anyway. Kinda like building a curved stairway and railing assembly.
EJ
EJ
MM2CVS9
Active member
Well, finished up the stabilizor
flipped it over and finished the other side. She's ready for fairing and sanding.
Assembled the nacelles except for the stringers. Will do those tomorrow.
Then, out to the shop to plane and sand all the assemblies. Next post they will be ready to assemble into a plane.
This little tool was a big asset. Cuts square, unlike a chopper and very clean cut. great for repetitive cuts.
EJ
flipped it over and finished the other side. She's ready for fairing and sanding.
Assembled the nacelles except for the stringers. Will do those tomorrow.
Then, out to the shop to plane and sand all the assemblies. Next post they will be ready to assemble into a plane.
This little tool was a big asset. Cuts square, unlike a chopper and very clean cut. great for repetitive cuts.
EJ