Howard Littman Model Aircraft Dewoitine D.520

[kittyfritters]

Just a little tease about the D.520 kit I am prototyping. If the virus crisis subsides and my balsa supplier can get back to work (They have been determined to be an unessential business in their state.) I will have it and the P-6E, my first two 1:16 scale kits, available by the middle of the year.

The parts interlock

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Notched side keels make sure it builds straight.

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Don't try ti figure it out from this picture. Hint: except for the three ribs in the center and the wing tips nothing in this picture has glue on it.

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[kittyfritters]

Since many modelers will cut a 24 X 36 plan into sections for convenience on their building board I decided to print them that way. The plans in the 1:16 scale series will be printed on two 12 X 36 strips.

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Drafting on a computer doesn't make up for what you forget. In the first drawings I forgot to add the side keel lock tabs. They're in this version.

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Fuselage needed a few corrections, changed some former positions in the rear of the fuselage to remove a weak spot and move the rear peg forward.

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This iteration will be flown to check the aerodynamics. There will be a few more changes for the production version, some stringers will be re-positioned and I have to make a new mold plug for the nose block since the contours of the first one ( last version) were slightly off. There are a few small corrections needed to the wing structure.to make it easier to build and strengthen the landing gear attachment for the static builders and those who cant resist an RC conversion. The vertical tail will also have a few detail changes. That's why you build prototypes. If this were a one off, just for me, I would be satisfied with it as is.

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[kittyfritters]

Making the master models for the molded parts has not been an easy task. I started working with blue foam and plaster filler.

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This worked for the radiator and nose block but the canopy has been driving me to distraction. After several unsatisfactory tries I ended up with a wooden one.

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Still have the supercharger air scoops, the oil cooler scoop, the under wing fairings and the fillets to go. This not the usual vacuum molding (except for the canopy) because the composite material requires a different process. I will have conventional molds in case the composite doesn’t work out and I have to vacuum mold with plastic. Seriously, would anyone rather carve the nose block and radiator themselves? Let me know.

Those of you that have ordered kits in the last few weeks have seen my new boxes. They are not just kit boxes such as you find in hobby shops but are heavy duty, corrugated cardboard mailers. They will withstand shipping and can hold up to three NoCal kits or two of the Simplified or Non-Scale kits. Of course, one of the 1:16 scale kits will fill it.

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[kittyfritters]

I gave on the plastic nose blocks and went to wooden ones. The P-6E has a similar one with peg alignment and with wheel pants done the same way. The hole you seen for the thrust button in the front view is not the final version. The kits will come with Gizmo Geezer adjustable thrust buttons.

I have been accused of designing kits that go together like Chinese puzzles.

KF

[kittyfritters]

There were several unanticipated delays in the month of July but progress has been made.

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[kittyfritters]

The Dewoitine D.520 is still in process despite some unanticipated delays. I got the second prototype ready for some finishing and sprayed a coat of white floral spray on it as a primer.

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Primer is meant to show all flaws before final finishing and did it ever! The dictum that, "If a model is left unfinished on the bench for any length of time it will accumulate damage." was proved once more. There were several tears an holes in the tissue and rough spots that were not readily apparent before the primer was applied. Even though it is meant to be a quick and rough prototype I still will have to patch the holes and finish it.

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Some of the things that were obvious before the frame was even covered have already been fixed on the drawings. For example the rear windows on this one are masked off on a single sheet of acetate whereas on the production model they will be acetate glued on laser cut, sheet balsa, infill outlines, some stringers have been relocated, there will be sheet balsa bases for the exhaust stacks and carburetor scoops and, after a quick check of the balance, the rear peg has been moved farther forward (yet again). The saga continues...

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[kittyfritters]

I must apologize to all my followers and customers. Due to an unexpected family medical emergency the work on bringing my 1:16 scale models into kit will be delayed until the new year. They will be in kit next year.

Keep 'Em Flying!

Howard
(kittyfritters)