F-18C BLUE ANGELS by Jet Legend

[S.W.]

All parts of the jet are now ready to be clearcoated.

[S.W.]

The tail airbrake was next to be installed, dremel with a very small round cutting tip were then used to dremel two small holes for the dubro hinge to get into.

Will post again another day, time for bed ZZZzzZZzzZZzz...

[S.W.]

Setting up and Installation of 3 fuel tanks. 1 main tank and 2 side tanks straddling both sides of the turbine engine. Copper tubings with a small handy tube bender, stainless steel wires and tygon lines were used.

[S.W.]

Installation of offset hinges for all the nine doors, yep, nine (9) doors... All glued with Hysol aeropoxy...

All these were done only after the clearcoat had dried, you can see that the blue is much better than the original from fty.

[S.W.]

Door cylinders were next to be set up, small 10mmx10mm hardwood stick was used for anchoring the pneumatic door cylinders, then aeropxied down onto bare fibreglass body inside the jet.

2mm machine screws were used to bolt onto the 10x10mm hardwood.

With all 9 doors closed and taped on the outside, the cylinders are then placed inside for gluing down, every door must be aligned properly, if not the doors will rub on the door edges.

[beatboxx]

i'm just loving this thread

[S.W.]

With the front retract unit installed, the steering wires were next to be installed. When the wheels comes into the jet, the 2 steering wires will then be stretched out by 2 soft springs at both sides. For anyone wanting to do this type of steering system, remember to use soft springs which can be stretched out easily and not to use too strong a type of spring. You only want to get your steering wires out of the way of the retracts only that's all. The steering wires are then covered with vinyl tubes easily bought from pneumatic air line shops, they are 1/8" diameter.

[S.W.]

Thanks Dr Beat

Installing the front retracts was a little tricky, had to scratch-build a lite ply plate for the steering support mechanism, the one that slides forward and backwards on the hornet, i must admit it was a pain in the rear-end to install this one haha!

From doors open, retracts down....to retracts up and doors closed.

[_shadow_]

SW...Im enjoying this...thanks for taking the time.

[tianci]

I think I will just pass the cheque and not want to know what is invilved ... reading this also got headache, so much work!