DH VAMPIRE

A good day on the vampire with hours of rubbing down but well worth the effort.Started to fill any surface indentations and scratches with a knifing putty and then a final rub down with wet and dry 1200 paper and a coat of primer ready for detaling.
Iv made it sound a guick process but this really takes time to get it right so hopefully will get the airframe to a good standard and ready to start the installation next week and hopefully a maiden for the end of november.

After another marathon of rubbing down today the airframe and wings have been given a final coat of primer and I'm really pleased with the final finish.It's a real slog with this type of finish on a model but well worth the effort as i now have a hard ding proof surface which is smooth as a baby's bum.Just leaves the booms to have the same treatment and then my favourit bit starting the installation.
Can't wait to see the vampire and my panther standing proud at cashmoor and even Dave b's hawk when he gets his finger out

I cleared an area of boxes in the garage so i could work on the vampire as i cant see us moving until the end of the month.
It was great to get back working on the vampire after a long lay off! The airframe is now in a primer coat ready to start fitting out with turbine and radio.
Once David is back from Germany with the retracts and we have sorted the final fuel tank installation, it wont be long for Jon to take over for test flights,that's if these strong winds ever die down

A bit more done! Rudders have had a final sand, check fitment and a coat of primer and robarts epoxied in place.

Looking good Pete...

How long do I have before preparing for filming it's maiden? Or is David's turbine saga going to be the end stop?

You have compressed the build from a possible three years to a few months. :whistle:

Good work....
Phil....low blow, but karma considering David's email to me this morning telling me how nice it must be for me to be back at work and how much he misses work!

Not really intended as a "low Blow". What I was hinting at was, will David see his Wren again?

There again Dave, in 42 years you will also be able to watch others work while you play with rocket planes. :silly:

The biggest hold up i have at the moment is this lousy weather Phil!! Im having to do the spray primer in the workshop and it plays havoc with my lungs.
I hear people say use a mask! i think its a bit late at my time of life after working 40 years in the construction industry breathing in all sorts of dust and fumes

Phil! No problem with the turbine in the vampire as she will have a new kero start Jetcat 80
Tomorrow i will get the tailplane scribed into the fins, fit and glue the elevator and ailerons and hopefully a trial fit of the turbine and pipe to get an idea of where we are with the c of g.

Pete makes it sound so quick and easy, respect!

See jpg on 02 Jan 2016 15:53

Now see what he has to turn it into.