Jeff's Silent Soarer

[Mikeew]

Nice work so far Jeff, very interesting aircraft.
Looks like a great little kit too.

[smethwick]

Great bubble on it..


very interested in this build...learning a lot about the vietnam equipment.

[jssel]

Have been working on this project but haven't had time to post anything in a while so.........

After a fair amount of fiddling, the cockpit finally fit to a reasonable location. Culprit seemed to be the cockpit moulding was slightly to wide and the fuselage halves were a tad to thick. After filing and sanding a bit, it all came together.




When the fuselage halves were test fit, I tried to align them so the better part of the panel lines connected without leaving to much gap anywhere. In doing so the best fit option created a wedge shaped gap just ahead of the cockpit. I packed it with stock material and put it all together. I estimate about 80% of the kit is cockpit and fuslage parts.



To give you bit of a scale reference here is a shot with the wings laying next to the fuselage.



I believe that the hardest part is over. Haven't used any more filler than the average plastc kit. Mostly due to taking the time to insure a good fit. And using super glue, that is about all you have.

[novokits]

Nice work with resin kit. And interest subject.

[jssel]

I was called out of town and was only able to check the site once from a motel guest computer. The airframe is all together (wonder of wonders). This was accomplished by drilling two holes in the wings and two more matching holed in the fuselage for wire pins. Wings were attached with 5 minute epoxy glue or added strength.

Time is short, but back on task to the finish line.

[jssel]

So here is the state of play.

Airframe completed less exhaust pipe and landing gear. I have trimmed a little on the vac-formed canopy. A little more seam work on the wing root area and time for primer and paint. The option of props chosen was the three bladed retro fit.



The color sheet shows two different camo schemes for the YO-YO. Both are wrong. To clarify, the patterns are correct but the colors indicate light and dark blue for one and tan and dark brown for the other. The US Army YO-YO's were dark sea gray and dark olive disruption. I don't know the FS numbers but it is close enough. Having said that, when the YO's were retired, several ended up serving with the FBI and the Louisiana Game and Fish Department. Sneaking up on the gator poachers. One FBI bird was overall white before the Pima Air Museum refinished it.

YO-YO Trivia: Flight line personnel reported that the aircraft could not be heard over 100 yards away and ground pounders claim, if it could be heard at all, sounded like a flock of birds passing overhead.

So the clock is still ticking and my batteries are charged again so need to get busy here.

[kruaxi]

Wow, very interesting job

[JamesPerrin]

This is a very fascinating build. Learning a lot about this esoteric a/c.

[Old_Tonto]

Great stuff Jeff. It's a cool lookig aircraft & you are doing it justice.

[Molly-new]

Nice work Jeff, Resin doesn't seem so bad to work with afterall.

[Dirkpitt289]

Wow, I didn't realize how long the wings were on this bird. How very U2 like...

[jssel]

Oh yeah. The YO traced it's lineage back to a Schweitzer sailplane.

[jssel]

Just to let everybody know. My Yo-Yo is headed for the paint barn now.

[jssel]

The initial coat of gray has been applied. Now I have no idea, right off, as to the actual gray used. I chose medium sea gray from the Polly Scle line. The green will be, wait for it, RAF dark green from the same line. Close enough. That SEA sun really did a number of paint.

In looking over the airframe I have noticed a couple of areas needing attention. The scoop on the nose is one. I was overly zealous with the sanding stick on that piece.

[Old_Tonto]

Thats looking very sharp. It's a good looking aircraft.