Iain Ogilvie

In latest news Tim has been experimenting with 3D printed wing struts - and initial results are very encouraging. Being relatively long and thin, these are pushing the envelope with current resins - but with a little shortening of the CAD master it looks like they may work perfectly - *providing* the wing is very firmly attached to the fuselage first. Photos below are a test fit on the airframe I'm building: Next job is to sort the dayglo strips for the outer wing leading edges... Have fun! Iain

Fully understood Adrian - and a pity IMHO. It's certainly not cheap, but I don't think it could have been done in such a complete, high quality, low volume, run at any lower price, or Tim would be running at a loss I'm afraid. Some photos with all the decals/stencils done. The decals are excellent - beautifully thin and opaque, with no hint of silvering - anywhere... The decals for the under-wing serials where cut and trimmed between the 'X' and the 'E' on each, to remove a section of clear film where the strut mounts are located on the wing underside - makes things soooo much easier! No setting solutions were harmed in the application of decals - so a firm 10/10! So - item the next - and I couldn't resist removing the wing/cockpit struts from their supports and trial fitting to the fuselage: And then, well, I just had to see what she looked like with the wing balanced in place: This model makes me smile! Oh - and these are just a smidge over-exposed - I could have tweaked, but too late now. The grey is just a fraction darker on the model! Final finish won't be this shiny - will cover that later. Meanwhile - I have a plan - possibly a cunning one - to improve on the look of the kit supplied metal wing struts. These are supplied as aluminium tube for strength and are probably the only compromise in the whole kit. and one that prevented the cost escalating. I have some 1mm diameter stainless steel rod on order. If strong enough when cut to length, then I'll have a go at forming an airfoil shape around them with 5 thou styrene sheet - but news on that when I have it... "All Out!" Iain

And with first stickers on - always a positive step on any model! More later... Iain

Latest progress on the Flying Start Models T.31 Glider - ready for the decals now! A little neatening up required around cockpit edges - but nothing major... Off to do the decals now - will post an update when done. Loving this project! Iain

Great to see another one coming together Andy - Tim's done a brilliant job, hasn't he! Iain

Didn't get as much done over the weekend as I'd planned - got a little sidetracked with a real aeroplane needing its 'Annual'. First 'colour' is on the airframe - gloss white fuselage uppers, light aircraft grey wing central area (looks darker than it actually is in the photos) and red. All Tamiya gloss, thinned with neat Isopropyl Alcohol to speed up drying: I've used the lighting - and upped the contrast a lot - to illustrate the lovely fabric effect - yes, there is a very slight layering effect from the print process, but this is a lot less noticeable in normal lighting - and if you do notice anything, it looks like a fine fabric effect: Once decals are on, everything will be given a fine coat of satin varnish - buffed lightly when dry with some cotton scrap fabric to impart a slight sheen. Very pleased with how this is coming together now... Next job - to mask up for the areas of red on fuselage and wings. Iain

Hi John, There was only one under fuselage attachment point at any given time - but two possible positions it would appear! Iain

Hi Terry, I only knew about the two positions from reading Tim's instructions - and having to make a decision on which to go for! It's a nice size for a subject like this IMHO! Iain

Hi Terry, Yes - but that's not what I mean! Ignoring the nose aerotow attachment... There are two possible attachment points under the fuselage for winch launches - most in the position shown in your underside photo - but some airframes had the attachment point further aft - the kit covers both options. Build is getting there - but maybe stalled whilst I get some suitable primer. Iain

Mainly looking at photos this afternoon - and deciding which airframe to do. One important factor is the kit provides alternative winch-launch hook positions - and I wanted to choose a subject where I could clearly see te position on that particular airframe. Added to that, I wanted to do a red/white/grey scheme - as most were in those colours back when I was a cadet. XE799 on the instructions looked good - and I found a clear image confirming details. Decision made: Image from glidingheritage.org.uk So - rear hook mount filled with superglue and sanded back: Front mount masked with Humbrol Maskol. Elevator - previously removed from tailplane - re-attached at an angle - more representative of an airframe on the ground. I believe Tim has modified the kit so these items are no supplied as separate parts. And the cockpits all masked up: So, with a few attachment point also masked up with Maskol, we're ready for some white primer: And it looks like I'm out of automotive white primer - so may have to do some shopping! More when there's more... Iain

Back on the T.31 - and more progress... The holes at front and rear of the central wing joint have been opened up with a 1mm drill bit, in a pin vise, and short sections of 1mm brass wire (supplied with the kit) cut to act as additional alignment - details are in the instructions. Ailerons: holes in wing and ailerons opened up with a 1mm drill - and sections of 1mm diameter brass rod bonded to the ailerons, before trimming to length: Assembled wing, using superglue - and access wiped away after drying using de-bonder. Ailerons are dry fitted at present: All good! Next item was the rudder - I'd managed to damage the control horn on the starboard side - so this was repaired using spare support material, bonded with thin superglue and filed/sanded to shape. As with the Ailerons, relevant holes were drilled out in the fin and rudder for 1mm diameter brass rod, which has been bonded to the rudder and trimmed back: It's worth pointing out that, with a few tweaks done to the kit parts in production, Tim has updated his instructions - the latest version is available to download here. This really is great fun - looking forward to getting some colour on her next! All Out! Iain

Tail surfaces have been removed from their print supports, and the elevator separated from the tailplane so that I can re-fit at a jaunty angle. Tim will be changing these in subsequent kits... Spoilers fitted in the closed positions on each wing half - and the stainless 'spars' removed from the box: This is just a dry run - and I need to cut a couple of brass rods to go front and rear - but these rods just slide perfectly into the holes in the wings: And, partially slid together: All the way home. Not bonded yet - but this is going to be very straightforward! Blue skies, Iain

A few minutes work with some 400, then 800, wet and dry and the forward fuselage section is perfectly blended in: The wheel housing has also been bonded in place - again, a perfect fit. And a dry fit of the printed seat straps - they work beautifully! May have to trim a little off the bottoms to get them flat on the cushions - but for a first dry fit they work! Iain

And the lower front fuselage/cockpit section is now bonded in place - using thin superglue. Excellent fit that will take minimal sanding to blend everything together... Off to take a look at the wings. Iain

A little more progress... Seat cushions added - important to note that they are different lengths - they'll only work one way! I used a punch and die set to create flat clear glazings for the instruments - added over a small blob of clear varnish to hold in place. Panels were then installed - adding thin superglue from behind each panel. Added separate spoiler linkages from 0.2mm silver steel rod. There are 'printed in' linkages - but I just wanted to add a little 'bling'. Next - buttoning up the fuselage/cockpit... Iain