Originally posted by Aros
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Official Freewing B-2 Spirit Bomber 86" Twin 70mm EDF Jet
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Hugh "Wildman" Wiedman
Hangar: FL/FW: Mig 29 "Cobra", A-10 Arctic, F18 Canadian & Tiger Meet, F16 Wild Weasel, F4 Phantom & Blue Angel, 1600 Corsair & Spitfire, Olive B-24, Stinger 90, Red Avanti. Extreme Flight-FW-190 Red Tulip, Slick 60, 60" Extra 300 V2, 62" MXS Heavy Metal, MXS Green, & Demonstrator. FMS-1700mm P-51, Red Bull Corsair. E-Flite-70mm twin SU-30, Beast Bi-Plane 60", P2 Bi-Plane, P-51.
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I use Evercoat Metal Glaze, polyester finishing and blending putty. I think it is available in most good auto paint stores, and on Amazon, too. It comes in two parts the bag of putty, and then a hardener, which comes in a small tube and you mix like epoxy. You just need a small amount of the hardener and then use a popsicle stick or something like that to stir it thoroughly. For me, I find when I mix it if it is a light blue color, that's just about right.
Working time pretty short (5 minutes or so), depending too on how much blue hardener you add to it, and ambient temperature of your work area. But I've been using it for 15 years or more. And it works well on foam, too. Light wet sanding and you are ready to prime/paint!
davegee
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Since I got this plane, I would say that my successful flight to non-successful flight rate is about 1 in 2. IE, everytime I fly this plane, I either have a mishap on take off or landing. I take several planes to the field every time I go, so each plane gets flown twice. Yesterday was the first day I managed to get TWO perfect flights. My average is improving. I have the stock gyro on a master gain and I fly it at full stock rates for take off and landing, while I dial it down just a hair during the main part of the flight. I also use an Assan steering gyro and this has made the take off very predictable. The biggest difference yesterday was that it was relatively calm and I made sure the master gain was at full. I think those two things are key to having a good flight compared to having one where I need to take it home and fix something.
Oddly enough, one of the guys at the field was more impressed with the stock shipping box that I use to transport the plane in.
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Hi Xviper,
Yep….that’s one secret for trouble-free B-2 flying….less than 5 knots of wind and no cross wind is the other secret.
I’ve been going out at sunrise on many recent days with heat advisories. Been able to get in 8-10 flights before it gets too warm…..and in nice light winds, too. First flights are about 10 min before sunrise. She looks VERY cool all lit up in the pre-dawn light.
if the breeze begins to blow, I stop.
An added benefit…she lands sooo easily as you hold her off as long as possible in ground effect . Like a three-point Cub landing. Lots of times, touching the mains when reaching full up elevator.
-GG
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Originally posted by GliderGuy View PostHi Xviper,
Yep….that’s one secret for trouble-free B-2 flying….less than 5 knots of wind and no cross wind is the other secret.
-GG
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Originally posted by davegee View Post
It looked nasty, at first, but when I got up to it, not so bad! Lucky!
I use Evercoat Metal Glaze, polyester finishing and blending putty. I think it is available in most good auto paint stores, and on Amazon, too. It comes in two parts the bag of putty, and then a hardener, which comes in a small tube and you mix like epoxy. You just need a small amount of the hardener and then use a popsicle stick or something like that to stir it thoroughly. For me, I find when I mix it if it is a light blue color, that's just about right.
Working time pretty short (5 minutes or so), depending too on how much blue hardener you add to it, and ambient temperature of your work area. But I've been using it for 15 years or more. And it works well on foam, too. Light wet sanding and you are ready to prime/paint!
davegeeMy YouTube RC videos:
https://www.youtube.com/@toddbreda
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Originally posted by GliderGuy View PostAros - Here’s a similar product that is VERY white. Fairly short work time, as well. Wet sands well.
White Marine-Tex (Amazon)
Somewhat expensive, but worth it. Instructions don’t recommend cutting to smaller portions, but you can.
-GG
I've had some minor issues with some gatoring when in the sun even for just a few minutes, especially on places that I had put the Evercoat. Not sure if it might be related to increasing the gatoring, but I'm looking into it with some experiments. But with this intense sun up here, warm summer temperatures, and dark flat coloring, it's very wise to be as careful as possible to limit its exposure to those elements to prevent the gatoring, or keeping it to a minimum. Because of that, I fly very early in the mornings, sometimes late afternoon or evenings before the sun goes down during these dog days of summer.
Cheers
davegee
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I am not a chemist or even play one on TV, so anyone with any real knowledge, please help me, but I just keep thinking EPO foam is a chemical plastic and that gatoring certainly is heat related, so how do we prevent a breakdown? I figure all we can do is insulate the foam from both the heat and solvents. I have also noticed that many solvents have a similar effect on EPA.
My theory would be heat and solvents breakdown the chemical adhesion between the foam beads (for lack of a better description) and the adhesion or chemical bond (again for lack of a better term) evaporates or shrinks leaving the 'bead'. When filling these areas, I have also used lacquer based automotive putties, though these will breakdown the foam similarly if used too thickly. I remembering watching a vid by Rich the RCInformer and he had used Foam Tack a bit too heavily in an enclosed area of his Freewing F-14 and those solvents actually ate away some of the foam.
Not certain if there is an answer to eliminating the gatoring especially on darkly finished models, but my best results have come from using good ol' Minwax Polycrylic as the basecoat, a couple light coats of primer, sand, and outdoor latex as the color finish. I have even added matte clear on top of the latex with no ill effects to the latex.
Also, I watched a series of videos that the Chris the RC Geek did and the finishes were spectacular and he admitted that with all he had done he still has had 'gatoring' issues.
All that written, every black and dark gray colors on my aircraft have still gatored some. I believe I am going to have to buy shares in the Coppertone Corporation to afford all the sunblock needed for my tri-color Corsair. I have used acrylic paints with the same pre-paint prep, but pretty sure that acrylic won't provide the same sun barrier characteristics that the latex does.
We will see. Best, LBI solemnly swear to "over-celebrate" the smallest of victories.~Lucky B*st*rd~
You'll never be good at something unless you're willing to suck at it first.~Anonymous~
AMA#116446
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Originally posted by Elbee View PostI am not a chemist or even play one on TV, so anyone with any real knowledge, please help me, but I just keep thinking EPO foam is a chemical plastic and that gatoring certainly is heat related, so how do we prevent a breakdown? I figure all we can do is insulate the foam from both the heat and solvents. I have also noticed that many solvents have a similar effect on EPA.
My theory would be heat and solvents breakdown the chemical adhesion between the foam beads (for lack of a better description) and the adhesion or chemical bond (again for lack of a better term) evaporates or shrinks leaving the 'bead'. When filling these areas, I have also used lacquer based automotive putties, though these will breakdown the foam similarly if used too thickly. I remembering watching a vid by Rich the RCInformer and he had used Foam Tack a bit too heavily in an enclosed area of his Freewing F-14 and those solvents actually ate away some of the foam.
Not certain if there is an answer to eliminating the gatoring especially on darkly finished models, but my best results have come from using good ol' Minwax Polycrylic as the basecoat, a couple light coats of primer, sand, and outdoor latex as the color finish. I have even added matte clear on top of the latex with no ill effects to the latex.
Also, I watched a series of videos that the Chris the RC Geek did and the finishes were spectacular and he admitted that with all he had done he still has had 'gatoring' issues.
All that written, every black and dark gray colors on my aircraft have still gatored some. I believe I am going to have to buy shares in the Coppertone Corporation to afford all the sunblock needed for my tri-color Corsair. I have used acrylic paints with the same pre-paint prep, but pretty sure that acrylic won't provide the same sun barrier characteristics that the latex does.
We will see. Best, LB
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I sure wish tech would advance past this Popcorn/Gator effect. It's one of the biggest eyesores in the hobby for us foam flyers. No matter how well we take precautions, it always seems like eventually the Gator Monster is going to get our birds to some degree or another. I know, First World problems.
My YouTube RC videos:
https://www.youtube.com/@toddbreda
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Originally posted by Aros View PostI sure wish tech would advance past this Popcorn/Gator effect. It's one of the biggest eyesores in the hobby for us foam flyers. No matter how well we take precautions, it always seems like eventually the Gator Monster is going to get our birds to some degree or another. I know, First World problems.
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Originally posted by kallend View PostEvery one of my EPO models has gatored to some extent.
I have three older EPS models, none of which have gatored despite being older and probably having more Sun exposure.
Regards,
davegee
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Originally posted by davegee View Post
Possibly some of that lesser gatoring effect from the sun on your airplanes might stem from your lower altitude that you fly from. I can tell you out West at 5-6,000 feet MSL, it can and is brutal at this time of year!
Regards,
davegee
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Originally posted by kallend View Post
But regardless of altitude, the EPO models have gatored and the EPS ones haven't.
Regards,
davegee
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Some pics the top wing surfaces of three of my planes. The E-flite Su-30 and Freewing Mig-29 are EPO and the Freewing Su-35 is EPS. All were coated with clear water based polyurethane varnish in either gloss or matte finish. The "quality" of EPO is better IMO....much smoother and more durable. The EPS plane shows a much rougher finish out of the box with many "divots" between the individual foam cells. And of course the EPS plane has much more hangar rash just from handling the model a bit too rough. The Su-30 and Su-35 have been flown many times and the Mig is still new with only a few flights.
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