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75% F4U Project 
What is being displayed on this page is a work log. This is the process we chose to build the master body skins of the 75% F4U Corsair.

May-12-2012     75% F4U Project     The surfaces on both sides were sanded and two domes were found and cut out. These domes are caused by overheating when the foam is too close to the surface and aggressive sanding heats up and melts the foam. The result is a weak or tender spot that will not hold its stiffness and therefore sink at the slightest pressure. The only thing to do is to take an modelers knife and cut it out creating a hole. I filled the hole and sanded smooth. Both left and right sides had extremely minor deressions that you could not easily see. In fact, I can mostly find them by feel. So a added slurry to just the affected areas and will sand them smooth next week. The next step is to do what I call "reflection-inspection". When a surface is truly free from defects, you can polish that surface and the reflection will have very little distortion. The leading edge spar was installed I will and foam blocks to the open areas and shape the leading edge next week.

May-5-2012 & May-5-2012     75% F4U Project     Installation of the remaining support stripes were added and slury was added to the top of the strips to bring them the rest of the way to the surface. Also, the left side was sanded into final shape. Several surface layers of slury were added to the surfaces and low areas where built up and smoothed out. The surfaces will be ready for sanding next week. The right side is so much further ahead than the left and may be ready for fiberglass this week. Also notice that the leading edge was cut out to allow for a stronger structure to be added later.

Apr-29-2012     75% F4U Project     Both sides are now foamed in and the right wing was sculpted into an acceptable shape. The second picture shows the first surface layer completed and is curing.  The remaining pictures show the the second surface layer in place.   Notice the transition between anhedral and dihedral is getting smoother and the anhedral that was done weeks ago is really getting much smoother.

Apr-22-2012     75% F4U Project     One more section to foam in on the top and I can begin the sculpting process.   In the first image, you can see that the transistion between anhedral and dihedral  is getting smoother.  In the scuplting process, the transition will have to be perfect before I can fiberglass or I will be fighting with the upper surface right up until I begin the molding process.

Apr-15-2012     75% F4U Project     A section and a half plus another rib was added to the left side and only one section was added to the right.   It takes an amazing amount of time to custom fit each foam block thru the anhedral and dihedral transition.

Apr-08-2012     75% F4U Project        One more section added and cut & ground into shape. I built a stand to hold the wing perfectly level on both sides. The top of the elevators is finished and just needs the finaly layer of gelcoat.

Apr-01-2012     75% F4U Project    POSTED: 09-April-2012 Adding the foam...

Mar-31-2012     75% F4U Project    POSTED: 09-April-2012 Adding the foam...

Mar-28-2012     75% F4U Project    POSTED: 09-April-2012 Adding the foam...

Mar-28-2012     75% F4U Project    POSTED: 09-April-2012 Adding the foam...

Mar-26-2012     75% F4U Project    POSTED: 08-April-2012 More backing plates...

Mar-25-2012     75% F4U Project    POSTED: 08-April-2012 Installing the backing which gives me something to glue the foam to and helps keep things straight.

Mar-18-2012     75% F4U Project    POSTED: 08-April-2012 I played around with the idea of skinning.

Mar-04-2012     75% F4U Project    POSTED: 04-April-2012 The aft spar is added and stringers were cut and added.

Mar-03-2012     75% F4U Project    POSTED: 04-April-2012 The aft spar is glued togehter and more ribs are fitted into place.

Feb-26-2012     75% F4U Project    POSTED: 04-April-2012 The remaing layers are glued into place and the ribs are now dry fitted.

Feb-25-2012     75% F4U Project    POSTED: 04-April-2012 The first 5 layers of the spare are glued and weighted down until they are dry.

Feb-02-2012     75% F4U Project    POSTED: 04-April-2012 The latest spar re-design was finished and all the layers where cut and dry-fitted.

Jan-27-2012     75% F4U Project    POSTED: 04-April-2012 Added another finishing coating today to the HStab.

Jan-17-2012     75% F4U Project    POSTED: 04-April-2012 Sanded and repaired HStab from damaged caused by moving...

Nov-26-2011     75% F4U Project    POSTED: 04-April-2012 Moving the monster out of storage to yet another temporary location.

June-26-2011     75% F4U Project These are the very last photos before the plug was shipped to the storage facility. The canopy and windshield is our version of the W.A.R F4U (50%), which we do sell and it's sitting in place for effect.  You may notice that the rudder and tail fin are not in place. This offset is because that the tail piece that sits on top of the horizontal stabilizer we semi-finished the night before.  I ran out of time to completely finish it. Notice in the last picture, you can see one of our 5 W.A.R. Corsairs.

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