Composite Warbird Build 1/7th P-40E Warhawk

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many thanks to all of you that offered to move the project forward...and awwaaay we go...

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If you drop by the shop for a coffee, I'll put you to work... lol
Next, the lower centre section will be cast separate from the remaining two leading edge sections.

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Someone who no longer needed it, shipped me one of these today. Top Flite Part Number TOPA1774
I promise to give it a good home and I can't wait to have a look.

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Spent some time organizing my new work area and got a good jump on the next mould section today. The rest of the basement is clear and I hope to put some work stations along the walls to support kit production, should the project ever evolve that far.

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Lower Wing Centre Section - Ready To Mould

Fear not my fine flying friends, we march ever closer….

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High Wear Resistance Room Temp Surface Coat (150g)

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I like pictures - hopefully you do to...if not, close your eyes, right....now

Continuous Strand Surface Veil
6 Oz Tape
9 Oz Cloth
West Systems 105 w/slow hardener

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coming along....

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I’ll let this set up overnight and tomorrow we’ll have just the leading edge sections to go.

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Removed the clay and formers.
Next it's leading edge sections.
Got a hand flipping the mould - GTG again

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hmmmm - is that a light at the end of the tunnel that I see ??

Note that I've overlapped the upper and lower sections to ensure that there is a guaranteed alignment along the leading edge. If you look even closer you might notice that the inboard overlap is on the upper section while the outboard overlap is on the lower section...if you look even closer you might also notice that the flanges have draft in two planes...if you look still closer you just get bug-eyed (like me)

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Wings

Now more nights than I remember,
Did I bow to Glory’s charms.
Tonight My Lady smiles on me,
With bread in open arms.

Lo my world breaks open,
Dawning stairs that weren’t there,
Each step built with hand forged nails,
And dirty, unkempt hair.

Now steely arms spread open:
I have earned the right to fly.
The embers glow a quiet orange
As Glory casts my shadow on an ever sun filled sky.

- b1heqh54


...don't know how long this wing mould has taken me, but tonight it no longer matters...

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Merry Christmas to me...



Tomorrow we look inside.

[pd1]

Looking forward to the unveiling.

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I’ll fix the broken flange pretty quickly, but what you see is what you get. (prying with a screw still in place)

Everything worked out great !! (but I have some new ideas for next time…)

Enjoy the video.

IMG 7252

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All trimmed up, clean and waxed.

Here's a tip - keep your bench waxed up good.

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A little dusty and a little worse for wear, I think I might just keep this plug hanging around like the hero it is....what a brave little soul

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This is the intended configuration of the lower tool during layup. As you can see, the leading edge will be integral with the lower skin. I will try one with a spar that straddles the joint between the upper skin and the leading edge. This may just be enough to make things nice and easy. If not, then I may later make joggle flanges to bolt to the lower section that would form a glue lip when the joggle flanges were removed prior to final assembly and I will move the spar rearward in the chord. I expect that I may have to vacuum bag the lower skin just to hold the cloth on the inverted mould face of the upper leading edges. Worst case they can always be layed up separately and joined to the lower skin while still a little green. If you look very closely you might see the LED's that I moulded into pockets recessed into the trailing edges at the ailerons. They are embedded proud of the tool face in a pocket designed to give the pushrod for the ailerons a place to exit the wing. This should provide nice lighting inside the tool during final assembly - cool or what...lol

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Happy New Year Everyone !!

...and this year should prove to be an exceptional one

The most common question I get is how much detail do you lose.
My standard answer is don't breath on your plug while you brush on your tool coat.
Here's a few quik pics of the top of the wing mould.
This should ease your fears about losing any detail, but be warned I don't use PVA, only a thorough coat of pure carnauba wax.

Too many pictures you say - too bad

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Here's a new idea...

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Upper Wing Skin #1

I wonder if I could introduce a two part pourable closed cell urethane foam into the brass fittings and get it to react slowly enough to avoid voids...maybe at a 2lb/ft^3 density. I've tried before with limited success, but first we'll try a simpler approach to see where we stand.

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550 grams or 19.4 ounces or 1.2 lbs - room for improvement

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These leading edges should be nice and light.
All they have to do is deflect air over the spar.