The Complete Radio Control Scale Aviation Authority

Features in This Issue

Ed Newman’s Plans Built Macchi C.200
Graeme Mears Piper PA-18 Super Cub
De-Arfing an ARF to Scale

First Digital Edition

Vol 1 - Jan 2012
t
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cockpit View Editorial Page 4

Sam Wright Comments on sample New Gear Page 23
issue and Scale Aviator Mission State- Scale Product Updates & Releases
ment.
Scale Techniques Page 6 Who’s Building Coming soon.
Graeme Mears Piper PA-18 Super Cub A current Heads up on who is building
what and where around the world
Featured Build Page 8
Ed Newmans scratch built Focus on Details Coming soon.
Macchi C.200 Saetta A close look at scale details to existing
models including scale ARFs.
u
Scale Reviews-Page 18
Hangar Nine P-47D Focus on Coming soon.
Getting Ready For Combat Scale Events Calendar
Dino Di Giorgio

Featured Build
Graeme Mears Super
PA-18 SuperCub
Watch for this build in the first subscription issue
On the
Front Cover
Ed Newman’s
Immaculate Top Gun
Macchi C.200 Saetta
Complete indepth article
inside this issue

3
 COCKPIT VIEWS
My First Look
Welcome to the introduction sample edition
of Scale Aviator International magazine. I am
sure by now you have figured out this is an all
digital publication.
What no printed copy to take to the reading
room? No, I am afraid not. In keeping with the
digital motion of this century, we are bringing
you information much quicker than the print
media and the associated publishing restric-
tions. That means more up to date event and
product information for each issue. That also
means no limit on detailed photographs or
page count.
t
I am sure my photo may have peeked your
interest as this is not a model aircraft. That
opens the door for me to expel on the true
virtues of modeling scale aircraft. That’s a
friends P-51, “Lady Alice” and I am sitting
where the 85 gallon fuel cell was with radio
gear during combat in WWII. Tight ride, but
what a ride.
That ride and other experiences with full
size aviation reinforce our passion for scale
building and the attention to detail. You can
buy all the CD or DVDs you want with walk-
a- rounds, but sometimes the light brightens
when you are looking at a detail on an actual
aircraft that was not clear in a photo.
I found this to be particularly true at Oshkosh
last year when I was face to face with a well
restored P-40E. I filled up a smart card on the
details that I needed. In the process, my in-
ternal enthusiasm came to the surface at full
power, and I dusted that partially built model
4
By Sam Wright, Editor
Scale Avaitor Internatonal
on the bench off when I returned home.
I am hoping this new magazine format will
inspire you to dust off the bench, finish a
previous project or start on a new one. That
doesn’t mean you have to build a competi-
tion model.
But, if you have the passion for stitching and
rivets in miniature, then welcome to the
realm of scale model aviation, often referred
to as aircraft in miniature.
Check out the sample magazine and experi-
ence the digital format, dynamic page turns,
horizontal layouts for two page spreads, and
the ability to tap and zoom on any portion of
the page. Added dynamics include, archiving
articles, video clips, and linking directly to a
manufacturers website or an email, and that’s
just the beginning.
If your aware of a good scale build, I would
appreciate the information for the “Who’s
Building What“ section of Scale Aviator.
I look forward to your comments, and I hope
together we can keep aviation heritage alive
with our functioning scale models.
Sam
sam-w@cox.net
EDITORIAL CONTENT
When your scale information needs to be di-
versified and not through the eyes of one in-
dividual, it is my feeling that many contribu- Worldwide Editors:
tors make a magazine valid as an information Sam Wright,
source and reference. Editor & Digital
Publisher
With the help of many scale friends world- California, USA
wide, it is possible to bring you the most ac-
curate and detailed information and, in most
cases, direct from the source or builder.

You will see articles from names you recog- Greg Tracey
nize worldwide with featured editorials on Sydney, Australia
their scale project from start to finish. As an
added feature, you will have the opportunity
to view the test flight and additional video
clips.

u
Mike Barbee
If you have a project and just starting, we Dayton, Ohio
are definitely interested and will list it in the USA
Who’s Building Section. Once the project is
completed, it will become a featured build.
Tom Smith
Several articles are forming up from Top Scale Sarasota,
Builders such as Graeme Mears, Frank Tiano, Florida
Dino Di Giorgio, Greg Tracey, Mike Barbee, USA
John Boyco, Tom Smith, Ron Cavanaugh, and
the list goes on with many exciting builds.
Ed Newman
Texas, USA
Articles are coming in from Australia, New
Zealand, Germany, Brazil, the UK, Russia
and, of course, the US.

We look forward to your comments and edi-

torials for upcoming issues. Graeme Mears
Woodbridge,
Onrario
Enjoy this complete article on Ed Newman’s
flawless construction of his Top Gun Macchi
C.200 Saetta.

5
 SCALE NEWS
Full Size or
Scale Model?
The Piper PA-18 Super Cub is a tandem two-seat,
single engine monoplane. The Super Cub was intro-
duced in 1949 by Piper Aircraft Company. The Super
Cub was an advancement of the PA-11, while most
believe it is simply a hopped up J3 Cub.

The PA-11 traveled from the J3 through the Taylor

E-2 Cub from the 1930s.
The Super Cub had much advancement over the
popular J3 Cub.
Notable features were the new electrical system,
electric starter, 3 position flaps, a 150 horsepower
engine from the original 65 horse in the J3.
Performance was enhanced with a High Lift wing,
which was a departure from the original Clark Y
airfoil.

t
The Super Cub had many variants from a 90 horse
engine up to a 235 HP for crop dusting.

Peformance features were:

Never exceed speed: 132 knots (246 km/h, 153
mph)
The Top Photo reveals one of the more popular color
Maximum speed: 113 knots (208 km/h, 130 mph) at
sea level USA in 2010. The realistic Super Cub is the craftsman
Cruise speed: 100 kts (185 km/h, 115 mph) (75% of the PA-18 Super Cub. Of course the engine was no
power) vincing and supports the replication of full size aircra
Stall speed: 38 knots (69 km/h, 43 mph) flaps down
Range: 399 nmi (735 km, 460 miles)
Service ceiling: 19,000 ft (5,595 miles)
General characteristics
Crew: 1
Capacity: 1 passenger
Length: 22 ft 7 in (6.88 m)
Wingspan: 35 ft 2½ in (10.73 m)
Height: 6 ft 8½ in (2.02 m)
Wing area: 178.5 sq ft (16.58 m²)
Airfoil: USA 35B
Aspect ratio: 7:1
Empty weight: 930 lb (422 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 1,750 lb (794 kg) A sneak peek at the actual replication of the
Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-320 air-cooled flat four, tube frame in the scaloe version of the Super
150 hp (112 kW) Cub. (More to come in the first issue)
6
 u
rs for the Super Cub PA-18. This photo was captured at the Top Gun invitational in Lakeland, Florida
nship of Graeme Mears. All of the full size information on the left page is replicated in Graeme’s version
ot duplicated, but you would have to look under the hood to see for yourself. This model is very con-
aft in scale model form.
A complete in depth build will be available in the
first full subscription issue.

Look inside the man that continually builds top

scale aircraft that stand the scrutiny of the tough-
est scale judges in competition. With all that detail,
they fly correctly and in a scale manner.

So convincing are Graeme’s builds that they are

popularized in magazines worldwide.
We are pleased to offer this build in Scale Aviator
international with no limit on copy and photo-
graphs.
Is this the full size or a scale model? Hard to tell
Head to the subscribe page and get on board now! and the complete build reflects full size compo-
nents. (All exposed in the first issue)
7
 FEATURED BUILD

Ed Newman’s
Macchi C.200 Saet

8
 Ed Newman is a quiet unassuming guy, and
if you see him at a Scale Masters Champion-
ship or the Top Gun Invitational, he always

tta
has a smile on his face.
Behind that jovial smile is a serious scale
aircraft model builder and fierce competitor.
In the early days, Ed flew his own aircraft and
as he perfected his scratch building skill set,
he opted to enter Team Scale and sign on a
competent pilot.
One can only assume that when you have
the amount of work, time and effort in the
aircraft as Ed has, it makes sense to give your
heart a break and let someone else fly in
competition. It is also easier on your nerves
too!
Here is Ed’s story on this wonderful minia-
ture aircraft.
u
Macchi C.200 Saetta Background
The C.200 Saetta was a workhorse for the
Regia Aeronautica throughout WWII, serving
in every theater of the war for Italy until its
surrender.
In the Mediterranean theater the Saetta
proved an effective adversary for the Hawker
Hurricane, P-40, and early Spitfires.
A unique feature of the C.200 and its two
well-known successors, the C.202 Folgore
and C.205 Veltro, was the unequal wing
length designed to compensate for engine
torque rotation. This innovation enabled pi-
lots to fly the aircraft without constant con-
trol corrections for engine torque.

9
 FEATURED BUILD
Macchi C.200 Macchi
C.200
by Ed Newman
The full size aircraft modeled is at the
US Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio.
Macchi C.200 Specifications:
Wingspan - 105 inches
Length – 80 inches
Weight – 44 pounds
Power - Fuji 86i twin
Several years ago I ordered a set of the Gi-
uliano Raimondi plans from M.A.N. They set
t
in the corner for years till one day I found
them and decided it was time to build a Mac-
chi C.200. I enlarged the plans to 1/5th scale
and framed up the fuse and wing. I remem-
ber coming home from TOPGUN and walked
in the shop and told myself that airplane is
too small. So I enlarged the plans to ¼ scale
and started construction again.
1
Note the cowl fresh from the mold and
primed with the wing plug ready for a mold.
10
2
The Macchi framed up and ready for fiber-
glass cloth.
This time I completed the model which has
been to TOPGUN 2010 and 2011. Now I want
to enlarge the Macchi plans so that a Moki
250 will fit in the cowl.
For 38 years I have been a draftsman and have
the tools at my disposal to enlarge and plot
large sheets. Nowadays all the drafting I do
is in AutoCad so enlarging is quite easy. After
building the first plane by the Raimondi plan
I have chosen to draw my own plan set incor-
porating some changes. While the Raimon-
di plans are great, there were a few things I
found wrong that had to be fixed.
The first thing I did was to call Darrell at Sierra
Precision Retracts and get him going on the
gear. The gear he made work flawlessly and
are just pure magic. I can’t say enough good
things about his work. They are fabulous.
The next thing was to draw the parts in CAD
for laser cutting. Kyle Tankersley cut the parts
for the 1/5th as well as the ¼ scale model. I
since have bought his laser cutting machine.
(and sold it for reasons I don’t want to go into)
However, it has a good home with a friend
close by. The fuselage is your typical light ply
3
The Macchi all glassed and in primer. Ready
for paint. Note the landing gear.

u
3

4
This is the plug for the canopy. One is a
fiberglass frame and one for the clear plastic
windscreen insert.

5
Jumping ahead here is completed canopy
frame and glass with rivets applied.

11
 FEATURED BUILD
Macchi C.200
continued
and balsa bulkheads and strip planked with

1/8” balsa strips. The wing is typical balsa/

ply ribs and sheeted with 3/32” thick balsa
sheets. The tail is sheeted with 1/16” balsa
sheets. I used ZAP glue exclusively on all my
building. The entire fuselage and wing is cov- 7
ered in 1 ounce cloth and Pacer’s Z-poxy fin- Horizontal stab with rivets applied with a
soldering iron and a sharp brass tube.
ishing resin. I doubled up the cloth in some
areas for added strength.

I had to make molds to pull fiberglass parts

for the cowl, tail cone and the center section
of the wing. I also made molds for the canopy,
cowl blisters, static prop, dummy engine cyl-

t
inders and a few other small parts.

Paul Stelly helped out with a lot of the ma-

1/4 page vert
chine work and showing me how to make

3.5625 x 5
molds. 8
The top portion of the Macchi was painted
His shop has all the tools a guy like me drools
with the correct Spinach color undercoat.

6 9
Fuselage primed and fine sanded down to Marking the brown splotches for the cam-
fiberglass finish. (Carefully) ouflage pattern. Tedious work with lots of
measurements, but worth the effort.

1 2
 10 11
Applying the brown over the spinach color My paint palette and pattern guides with lots
following my pattern outlines. of test samples before the actual application.

u
12 13
All the markings are hand painted thanks to The logo indicates the pilot is of royalty de-
my past days as a sign painter! cent and the only decal used on the Macchi.

1/4 page horz

7.5 x 2.5
14 15
The finished color and markings applied and The copper applied to replicate the oil cooler
ready for the final details. of the full size Macchi. This is copper sheets
with a sprayed adhesive backing.

1 3

15
A close up of one of three static prop blades
with the lasered logo on the blades.
t
16
Paul Stely made the prop hub and the RTV
molds for the hub and the blades.
17
A long prop extension was used here to ac-
complish the engine depth in the cowl. The
engine placement to the rear helps with the
nose weight too.
1 4
over and being a nice guy he is quite willing
to help.
The entire plane was sprayed with automo-
tive primer. I used 1/64” Chartpak tape to
simulate panel lines. A soldering iron with a
small brass tube was used to burn the rivets
into the finish.
Then all the little details were added to the
plane including footsteps, panels, electrical
insulators, lights, plus many other details that
seemed never complete.
Klass Kote paint was used on the final finish.
I had Kyle Tankersley cut vinyl stencils for the
markings. He even made the transfer on the
rudder.
The oil cooler on the cowl was simulated us-
ing copper sheet with an adhesive backing
that was cut into strips and stuck on the cowl-
ing.
At TOPGUN in 2010 the Macchi was voted
by the Pilots Choice “Best Military”, and also
won the “Best WWII”. Lee Rice was the pilot in
2010 and we also finished 3rd in Team Scale.
At TOPGUN 2011 Mike Barbee was the pilot.
We entered the new “Unlimited” Class as the
Zap Team and finished in 2nd place. We were
also awarded the “Best Dressed Team”.
I enjoyed building and presenting this model
at Top Gun as I did many before it. This Mac-
chi C200 was a special thrill.
I am sure I will enjoy watching it in the sky
more after some more detail is added. (Can
you imagine that?)
In scale you’re never done and what a neat
thing that is.
Ed Newman
Editor’s Note: Ed Newman was very gra-
cious with his time, build editorial and
photos for this model build article. Please
contact me with any additional builds for
publication in Scale Aviator International.
Sam Wright, Editor
Ed Newman’s Macchi C.200
EXTRA DETAIL PHOTOS:
19
Scale Engine & Cowl Detail:
The scale detailed engine, propeller and hub
installed. Using the prop extension permit-
ted the dummy engine to be mounted in the
correct position inside the cowl. The copper
for the oil cooler really added to the Macchi’s
character. This was very time consuming, but
is the signature look for the Macchi C-200
g
21
Gear up Pedals Detail:
This photo shows the landing gear in the re-
tracted or up position. When the gear is re-
tracted the tires close the inner gear doors by
hitting the small pedals. This eliminated the
additional air cylinders and mechanism. The
doors are spring loaded in the down position.
Note the scale rims.
1 5
g
20
Wing Parting & Fillet:
Note the wing parting line. The wing parts
from the fuselage in a manner that part of the
wing fillet stays with the wing.
This method enables the joint to almost dis-
appear when the wing is mounted to the fu-
selage.
This was important to me and an area that a
craftsmanship judge would look at closely.
In addition it replicates the fine detail of the
u
full size aircraft.
g
22
Inner Gear Doors:
This view shows the inner gear door mecha-
nism made from brass rod and brass tubing.
The pedal is also made from brass sheet and
tubing soldered together. The shape is per
the real Macchi mechanism. The spring holds
the gear door open until the
Gear is retracted. Note the detail on the main
wing spar. The telescoping cylinder also vis-
ible isn’t functional…just more scale detail in
the wheel wells.
 Ed’s Macchi C.200 on a flyby at the 2011 Top Gun
Invitational. Ed entered The Unlimited Class and

t
the flying chores were in the hands of Mike Barbee.
Obviously Mike did a superb job as Eddie garnered
a 2nd Place finish. In 2010 with Lee Rice flying they
achieved the coveted “Pilots Choice Award”.

Uncompromised Quality!
❖ CNC machined billet
aluminum with “cast”
surface texture

❖ 4 scale spoke
patterns available

❖1/5-scale wheel
sets with realistic
diamond tread tires

(727) 525-0070 davincimachining.com

1 6
u
 GETTING READY
FOR COMBAT
t
CONVERTING THE HANGAR 9 THUNDERBOLT 150 ARF FOR COMPETITION
Hangar 9’s P-47D Thunderbolt “Razorback” is
based on a full size warbird flown in World War
II combat by Captain Herschel “Herky” Green.
The charismatic commander of the 317th Fighter
Squadron, 15th Air Force.
Scale detailing is spot on, right down to the icon-
ic #11 on the “Jug”. The combat-ready “Razor-
back” fuselage and a period-authentic UltraCote
color scheme.
Other realistic scale details include the molded
air scoops and vents, greenhouse canopy, wing
fillets, belly tank, bombs, display static propel-
ler, functioning flaps that improve landing perfor-
mance, and heavy-duty Ultratract metal retracts
that are designed for easy setup, scale looks and
trouble-free operation, flight after flight!
1 8
By Dino Di Giorgio,
325th Fighter Group Markings
Notes by Colonel Robert Baseler of the 325th Fighter Group
I thought the distinctive identification of the 325th Fight
would look good on the tail section, I started adapting
scheme. John Watkins worked with me on the tail grou
Our first attempt included black and white checks and
white checks, which, at a distance, looked all red. We fin
black and yellow checks and painted them on so they
degrees to the leading edge of the vertical and horiz
surfaces. You could now see the checkerboard yellow a
tail as far away as you could see the aircraft.
Stripping the P-47D
The P-47D ARF comes out of the box factory-covered in
tic UltraCote. I took a deep breath while holding the Xa
and for a moment, I felt like a surgeon. I knew it wou
fine after the first cut.
 You must remove the original covering before you can
re-cover the P-47D in your own color scheme. Lightly lift
the areas where the covering overlaps.
Once the covering is loose, most of the
removal is quite easy. It becomes a lit-
tle harder when you come to some ar-
eas where Hangar 9 has painted some
plastic to match the covering. Take a
heat gun and warm up the covering.
After the covering is warm enough, it
will start to curl. Then, it is ready to be
removed. There will be some residue
of glue and paint. This will be removed
from the airplane shortly. Continue un-
til you have all the covering removed
from the P-47D.
Upgrades
It was time to
make some de-
cisions on what
would be added
to the airframe
before sanding
began.
was needed anyway. After you have filled and sanded
those areas, final-sand with dry 320-grit paper. When
this step is complete, take a compressor and blow off
the remaining dust. If you don’t have a compressor,
you might be able to reverse your vacuum. Pick up any
remaining loose dust with a tack cloth.
Fiberglassing
You need to buy enough glass to cover the entire plane,
including the control surfaces. Most fiberglass comes in
38” width, depending on your source, and you’ll need
25 feet of cloth. This particular lightweight cloth came
from Aero Accessories (www.aero-accessories.com) in a
38” width. You’ll also need some inexpensive 2- to 3-inch
throwaway brushes, epoxy finishing resin, some mixing
cups and 91% isopropyl alcohol. My method of laying
the resin on the plane may vary depending on your
resources. I used the ZAP PT40 Finishing Resin.

I contacted Bill
Stevick from Bob
Dively Models
to see if he had a

u
c o c k-
pit kit
that
would
fit our
jug Priming for Paint
Team JR After the parts have dried, take a piece of 220-grit and
(www.bobdivelymodels.com)
sand away the loose pieces of cloth. Sand the entire
We required an all-new cockpit. Bill went plane with 220 to get rid of any lumps that have settled
towork and, within a few days, completed during the drying phase.
p a prototype. The only necessary
ter Group modification would require you to cut a I chose Pactra-Prep primer to prime the entire Jug. Spray
former out of the hatch and fuse below, the parts one at a time using light coats. Allow drying
the color which is very simple. The cockpit is built
up. around a balsa frame. After it is cut,
assembled and painted, it’s ready to
d red and fit the balsa walls (which are required
but not included in the cockpit kit).
nally tried
y were 90 Prep Work
zontal tail Now, start preparing the plane for
and black fiberglass cloth. Take 220-grit sandpaper
and lightly sand over the entire airframe.
You might notice some areas that require
some wood filler. Open a can of Micro-
Fill (NHP 201) or a similar product. The
more you fill now, the less you have
n authen- to fill after the primer is sprayed on. I
acto knife recommend lightly wet-sanding the cowl
uld all be with 400-grit paper to smooth it out. It
doesn’t need to be stripped down to the between coats, or you may have problems lifting the
glass. colors at the end. Sand the parts using 220 until smooth.
You want to fill any holes you may have missed from the
I found that a little extra nose weight

1 9
 second coat of resin.
After you have put on a few coats, check to see where
you might need some lightweight “red” body putty to fill
any small dents or holes that you were not able to fill with
the primer. Let the putty dry and sand smooth. You are
ready to lay a light coat of primer back on.
I then took a 3-view drawing and laid out the panel lines
with some 1/16-chart tape. You may use various sizes,
according to your liking. The method I use to build up
the panels is simple. Spray 4–5 light coats over the panel
lines only and let dry. Sand the surfaces with 320 paper
lightly, especially around the tape. Remove all the chart
tape. I chose to make the exhaust and vent area more
detailed. Take some lightweight aluminum and bend
some vents to shape. Cut a slot for them to slide into.
Then take a piece of brass tubing for the exhaust cut on
an angle and glue in with some thick CA or silicone from
the inside. Touch up the parts with a shot of primer. Take
the tack cloth and remove all the dust that’s left over.
Next, take some Krylon dull aluminum spray paint and
spray the entire Jug. The panel lines should be slightly
noticeable now. Since we are adding some details, I
thought it would be perfect to add some raised access
panels. You can easily achieve this by using Aero Foil,
which is a high-grade lightweight self-adhesive product
exclusively sold through Aero-Accessories. Cut out the
panels with a sharp knife or by using scissors. Peel the
back liner off and stick on. You can use a spoon or the
corner of a brush to burnish the panel on.
t
You will need to cover the entire tail where the Checkertail
markings will go with white primer. You’re using white,
because the yellow paint will not cover well over any
other paint. It is extremely important that you mask off
the tail before painting the white primer.
Checkertail
I used Bob Dively’s Liquid Masking Film (LMF), which
you can buy from most hobby shops or directly from Bob
Dively Models. The first step is to paint multiple coats of
yellow over the white primer and allow the paint to dry
completely. At this time, apply the first layer of LMF using
a disposable foam brush. Allow the LMF to dry at least
one half-hour or until the film is almost clear. Apply two
more coats allowing each coat to dry. Let the LMF dry
2 0
overnight before laying out the Checkertail lines. We esti-
mated the size of the squares based off documentation
drawings. The approximate size came to 17/8 inches.
Layout the squares using a square and starting 90
degrees from the leading edge. Mark the LMF surface
with a ballpoint pen. Measure back from the leading edge
another 17/8 inches until you complete the surface.
This method is used for both vertical and horizontal
surfaces. Take a sharp Xacto knife and score along the
lines carefully. You do not need to cut into the surface.
Mark each black square, so you know what square will
be removed for painting. Make sure that the alternate
black and yellow squares cover the entire surface includ-
ing the round edges. Now remove the squares marked
“X” for black paint. Once all squares are removed, you
may paint them using matte black paint. When the black
has set, carefully peel the remaining LMF from the sur-
face. Now you have completed the art of the Checkertail.
Once again, you will have to mask the entire tail from
overspray when painting the fuse and make sure that you
leave the tail to dry for a few days.
Painting
Since we chose to paint the P-47D in the same color and
markings as the ARF covered version, I chose to use
Tamiya spray paint and Testors acrylic. Take some tack
cloth and wipe down the aluminum for any overspray. I
generally paint the bottom first. This way, the green will
cover more easily over the gray.
Using Tamiya’s AS-7, spray both wings and the lower part
of the fuse with several light coats. You will use 3–4 cans
for this process.
After the parts dry, paint the Olive Drab using approxi-
mately 3–4 cans of Tamiya AS-6 paint. You can paint the
fuse without the cowl or canopy at this time. The canopy
is prepped just like the tail. Using LMF, lay four coats over
the outside of the canopy, while drying between coats.
When finished, take the Xacto and lightly scribe lines
around the raised window frames. Make sure you leave
the LMF attached to the window. Carefully lift the LMF off
the frame, because that’s where the paint will go. Watch
your corners where you cut. Sometimes it’s easy not to
make contact with the other corner, and then it will start
to lift. If this occurs, push it back down with a finger and
cut the lifting part with the knife.
Once the LMF has been removed from the frame, you
may paint the canopy, but make sure only the film is left
on the windows. I recommend that you place some paper
or tape on the inside to avoid overspray. After priming
and sanding the cowl, mask off where you need to paint
the white primer on the nose.
There is a small yellow and white band that needs to
be masked using flexible 3M blue line tape or similar. I
painted using Tamiya TS-34 Camel Yellow, TS-27 Matte
White and TS-49 Bright Red. Mask off the nose when
dry. Paint the gray and then the rest of the OD green to
match the fuse pattern.

Markings
Hangar 9 did all the work for you on the nose art. I felt
no need to change it. Align the Varga “blonde,” and stick it
where you think looks best. When it came to finding paint
masks, I went to industry-leader Jerry Caudle from Pro-
Mark Graphics (www.pro-mark.com). Jerry sent perfect rest. Wipe down the plane with water and paper towels
masks for the Stars and Bars, as well as the #11 for the to remove the sanded paint. If you would like to add
fuse and under the cowl. rivets, you may do so using a soldering gun with a piece
Trim the excess vinyl around the template and leave of sharpened brass tubing. Keep the heat very low; it’s
easy to puncture the skin if it’s too hot. All you’re trying
about 1 inch of border. If the mask does not fit around to do is score the paint. Add the canopy to get ready for
the curve, simply pull a little (the material stretches). the last stage of painting.

Clear Coat
Now that the plane is in its final stages, we can proceed
to the clear-coat process. Wipe down the plane with
water and towels and go over it with the tack cloth. For
clear, I chose a product called Base Fix from Sikkens
automotive. You can find this in most auto body shops.
It’s a one-part spray that doesn’t need to be reduced,

u
so it’s easy to use and apply. When you are spraying the
plane, I recommend two light coats. The heavier you lay
it down, the glossier the shine. Since this is a warbird,
we don’t want it shiny. Remember to take the LMF off the
canopy with an Xacto knife.

Using TS-27 Matte White, spray the entire mask as a
base coat. You may have numerous layers of paint to
coat over the green. Once the white has dried, align the
top mask and spray Testors Enamel Insignia Blue in light
coats. You will have to get out a small air gun for the
blue; it’s not available in a spray that I am aware of.
Paint the edges down first. You only need to paint over
the exposed areas. I chose Testors Enamel Insignia Blue
over the acrylic simply because it looked like a better
shade. You can now lay out the #11 on the fuse and bot-
tom of the cowl the same way. After you paint the small
#11 on the cowl, shoot a light coat of yellow for the final
strip arund the cowl.
Weathering
I like to add some more dirt to the plane, so I used pastel
chalk from the local art supply store. You can purchase
a combo kit that has some black, gray and brown colors.
Sand the chalk into powder with 120-grit paper. This will
be a messy job because of the fine powder, so be sure
you are in an open area. Dip a disposable brush into the
powder. Lightly streak the brush across the exhaust area
and/or gun ports. You can use the chalk wherever you
see it might add some realism. Using various pastels, you
can highlight the exhaust too. Even though you place the

Detailing
Good job! You’re almost done. Now, take some 320-grit
wet sandpaper and lightly sand down the green until
some areas of the silver show through. Especially, sand
down the panel lines again very lightly. Don’t go further
than the silver paint. And remember to keep the sand-
paper wet.Once you are happy with the result, lightly
wet-sand with 400-grit. Make the leading edges of the
wing and tail a little more damaged-looking than the

2 1
 chalk over the clear, it will stay attached to the surface
for a long time.
P-47D Thunderbolt 150 ARF
Engine, Radio & Accessories Realistic scale details include a com-
The Evolution 35GT gas engine (EVOE35GT) is perfect bat-ready "Razorback" fuselage, mold-
for the Jug. It fits into the cowl using the engine mounts ed air scoops and vents, greenhouse
included with the ARF kit. The ignition mounts in the canopy, molded fiberglass wing fillets,
firewall box with a strap. Cut the ignition monitor light belly tank, bombs, display propeller
lead, solder a connector in between, and mount the light
in the gunsight inside the cockpit. and more.
The Jug comes with a very nice centerline static tank. Specifications:
The hard mount is already inside the belly. I looked at
it and thought I could make the tank removable without Wingspan 81.25 in • Wing Area 1164 sq in
much work. I used a small drop tank release system from Length 71 in • Weight 15–17 lb
Aero Accessories (www.aero-accessories.com) All you
have to do is cut a slot in the fuse for the release) switch
Radio 5 channels w/6 servos
and add a 2/56 wire with a clevis. Engine 1.20–2.10 2-stroke;
Attach a sub-micro servo such as the JR S241 or JR 1.20–2.10 4-stroke; 26–35 cc gas
SPORT SM15. Mount the servo in the fuse and you are Motor (electric conversion);
set. Adding a Tru-Turn Prop Hub (www.tru-turn.com)
simply made the P-47D come to life. You can’t fly without E-flite Power 110 (EFLM40110A)
one!
NOTE:
Hangar 9 has since discontinued the
About the Author
Razorback model of the P-47D and now
has a new Bubble Canopy version of the
t
Dino Di Giorgio has been flying model aircraft since
before his eighth birthday. As a teenager, he discovered
the excitement of giant-scale competition and began col-
“Hun Hunter”
lecting warbirds. Dino has been a member of Team JR Visit:
for twelve years and, in 1992, began competing at Top
Gun, where he has earned three Team Scale 1st-place
trophies. w w w. h o r i z o n h o b b y. c o m
You can easily see Dino flying, competing and having a Keyword “Thunderbolt”
good time at warbird, scale and jet RC events year round.
Product Code HAN4485

2 2
NEW PRODUCTS & SCALE INFORMATION

Scale cockpits, Instruments, seat belts,

toggle switches, gun sights and more.
Visit: http://www.aerocockpit.com

P-51D
Panel
u

2 3
 NEW PRODUCTS & SCALE INFORMATION
Retractable Landing Light
B307114
This retractable landing light is detailed similar to
the Grimes landing light used on full scale helicop-
ters and can be used on scale aircraft. It includes
the servo and requires assembly along with install-
ing the pushrod. The actual lamp bezel of the light
hangs below the edge of the mount so the unit can
be easily installed directly against the inside surface
of the wing and still look perfectly scale.

Contact: Starwood Scale Models -

650-851-9027
Woodside, CA 94062 USA
Email: sales@starwoodmodels.com
Specifications:
Website:
Light Unit: 1.25” long x 1.25” wide x 1” tall [3.175cm x
http://www.starwoodmodels.com 3.175cm x 2.54cm] $98.75USD
Operating Voltage: 4.8 Volts, servo controlled.

t Eurokit from Italy features heavy duty electric

retractable landing gear. See thier new cata-
log at www.eurokitlucca.it

CRE/15890/303
95 degree Giant
Scale Retract.

CRE/15860/000
On Board
Control Unit

RCA/15961/000
Retract
Programmimg
Module.

2 4
u