Eflite Viper Repaint

[rc_heli_flier]

Just finished up the repaint of my Eflite Viper. Great jet, but really hard for me to see in overcast skies or later in the evening after the sun sets before it get s dark. I removed the pilot and all of the decals on it and added a new set from Callie Graphics. Great place to deal with and great decals!!

Anyway, it started at 2,048 gms (I have a 6S 4500 mah pack in it). Final weight is now 2,152 gms. That is a modest 5.1% increase in weight, which I think is acceptable for a complete repaint. I used 3 coats of Kilz primer to cover the camo scheme and then 2 coats of white and 2 coats of the fluorescent red/orange color. Now I just need to recheck the CG and then a decent day here in the northeast to do a shakedown flight to be sure everything in put back together properly.

[Bellke]

Nice looking paint job. Been thinking of repainting mine to hide the bruising it's showing.

[Wrthog]

I just bought new fuse wing and tail feathers for a repaint in the viper, since I paint cars for a living we spray water and it’s 1/2 the mill thickness of any solvent and covers in 1 coat. Foam safe as well, I’ll post more when I finish up!!!

[Nikom]

I really like the paint job. But why hide the awsome canopy with pilot???

[xviper]

I think those who paint the canopy are hiding the horrible gatoring caused by the sun’s rays.

[Nikom]

Hmmm, never saw or heard of this issue.
Anyway nice paintjob never the less. Guess the decals should be removed before painting?

[xviper]

Hmmm, never saw or heard of this issue.
Anyway nice paintjob never the less. Guess the decals should be removed before painting?

It's so common, I think people have simply stopped talking about it. Repeated exposure to the sun, even while flying, will cause the painted foam (usually black) inside the cockpit to sort of bubble up and look like a dry desert (or a gator's skin) - "greenhouse effect". I drill some entry and exit holes in the canopy to promote some airflow to help keep it cooler but that won't prevent all gatoring. Those with plastic cockpits won't have this sort of problem.
Some people paint over the decals, especially if they are thin like water slides.

[Nikom]

Okay. I'm thinking of spray paint the wing tips on both sides on my new Viper. So it's more visable from below.

[xviper]

Okay. I'm thinking of spray paint the wing tips on both sides on my new Viper. So it's more visable from below.

Beyond about 300 to 400 feet distance, no color of paint will show up. It all fades to a kind of grey, even fluorescent pink. It's around the 300+ feet mark that many pilots lose orientation (if they're going to lose it). I have the wingtips of my P.15 covered with fluorescent pink tape. Close up (and on the ground), it's blindingly obvious, but in the air it quickly all looks one color (greyish). Same goes for my sailplanes. I have large, wide (6") strips of the same tape on the underside because it's easy to lose sight of it. Once past about 300 feet, you can't even tell there is any tape on it. I learn to know what the plane is doing no matter how far it is based on what it was doing a 1/2 second before, tape or no tape. As long as I can actually see it (even if it's a dot), I usually can fly it. You just have to pay attention and never take your eyes off it or blink too long when it's getting further away. And DON'T look down at your TX. That's what many people do just before they start to lose orientation. You should know without looking where all the switches are and where the sticks by feel. Plus, you don't need to check to see what the timer says, at least not at that particular instant when the plane is far away. You have audible alerts for that.
OK, enough preaching. You'll find out for yourself on some of this and some of it you should already know.

[Nikom]

Xviper i see your point. Think i'll maiden it first before painting anything. I'm still on my Phoeninx flightsim practise flying the Viper:)

[xviper]

Good idea. Keep it close as best you can. I'm not sure if flight sims give a real representation of color fade with distance. I have had 4 different sims and from what I remember, even when the plane got very small and far, I think I could still tell what color the plane was. I think ultra HD resolution on a computer screen is much better than real life representation when it comes to color and perspective.

[Nikom]

Yes, good idea keeping the Viper “close” in the sim👍
Thank’s for the tips.

[Madness]

I painted mine in aggressor camo!

[Nikom]

Very nice paint job. Spray or by hand?

[Madness]

I painted the base color with spray (Krylon Satin Lagoon Blue) and the rest by hand.

[Nikom]

Nice job.

[Gilatrout]

Must be nice to have room to store bikes in the plane storage room.

Nice job, I like the scheme