a model U-1A Otter

g36.JPG

Now I am cutting the openings in the fuselage to accept the wings. Look close at the picture and see that I have cut beyond the cut lines at the rear of the wing opening. This is necessary in order to get the wing to fit! Cut all the way back until the blade hits the bulkhead (that is where my blade is shown).
 
Tail feathers

g37.JPG

You can see that I use the rounded edge of my clipboard to form the leading edges of the horizontal tail.

g38.JPG
With the trailing edges glued and dry, I use 1/2 sheet of toilet tissue (1 ply) to stuff between the large glue tabs on the port side stabilizer. I do this only for the port side stabilizer

g39.JPG

I dry fit the starboard side into the opening on the vertical tail, and then I carefully reach through the vertical tail with a toothpick to apply glue only to the inside of the starboard stabilizer.

g40.JPG
Finally, I stick the port side stabilizer glue tabs through the opening in the vertical stabilizer and into the glue in the starboard stabilizer.
 
g41.JPG

Since most of my models ultimately need to cope with rough handling, I commonly reinforce joints with a caulk bead of white glue. The printer that I use is an HP 4600 laser which puts a sheen to the surface of the paper. When dry, the white glue has the same sheen and disappears. Look for the glue joints in the finished pictures that I will post at the end of this thread :thumb:
 
Wings!

g42.JPG
Once again I form the leading edges around the edge of my clipboard. Then I round out the tops of the wingsand glue at the trailing edges

g43.JPG
After the trailing edges are dry, I curl the wing in my fists to form the undercamber to the bottoms of the wings. Look at the shape that on the sides of the fuselage to see what the ultimate shape of the wings need to be.

g44.JPG
I form the wing center section the same way as the wings.

g45.JPG
When gluing the wings together, first I glue only the lower glue tabs of the wing center section to the wings. Before this glue is dry I make sure that the leading edge of the whole length of the wing is straight. With the lower glue tabs dry, I bend the wings downward so I can get glue under the upper wing roots.
 
Dihedral

g46.JPG

This is how I set up my clipboard as a jig for drying the wing.

g47.JPG

The wingtips on a 1:48 scale Otter should be 1/4" higher than the wing center section. I use small binder clips attached to my clipboard to set this dihedral. I clip it on and let it dry.
 
g48.JPG

Here I am slipping the wing into the fuselage.

g49.JPG

Now the wing is centered.​

g50.JPG
Here I go again with the glue. No one can say that I am afraid of using too much glue. I am intending to package this model and mail it off. It cannot be made too strong for the rigors of the postal service.
 
What a build thread! Your tips here are just what I need to get me back on track with several builds. One question though: After the reinforcing glue is dry do you invert the plane and reinforce the matching underside with glue as well?
 
everyone likes pictures!

All that is left to finish the model is easy stuff: The wing struts; the flap & aileron hinges, the wing fences and the pitot tube. I think these are self explanatory so I will skip to pictures of the completed model.
g52.JPG
g53.JPG

g54.JPG
g55.JPG
 
Great build of an underappreciated plane. Thanks for sharing your methods and for letting us look over your shoulder while you worked. I wish more build threads were like this one.
 
Elliott said:
Great build of an underappreciated plane. Thanks for sharing your methods and for letting us look over your shoulder while you worked. I wish more build threads were like this one.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your support Elliot!

I agree that the Otter is an under-appreciated plane, especially as I did research for this livery. There is a lot of history and some true heroism that is represented in this model.

I have learned so much about modeling by hanging around in this forum, It is about time that I gave something back.
 
The Otters are a coming!

papaace said:
Really nice Otter Jim are you going to be selling it! Looks great:thumb:
Click to expand...
This is a timely question. The first Otter model versions (two civil float planes) will be published very soon (maybe today or tomorrow).

Six other liveries are already finished (including the Army version in this thread) and as soon as I get off my rear and convert this build thread into a suitable pdf to be used as instructions, these will become available.
 
Nice Models

Hi Jim, I got both Tuesday night. They look great! I'll get the wheel and ski versions when available. again Thank you.:thumb:
 
Wheeels and skis

papaace said:
Hi Jim, I got both Tuesday night. They look great! I'll get the wheel and ski versions when available. again Thank you.:thumb:
Click to expand...

Thanks Papaace!

The wheels and landing gear are included in the kit for the float planes. I just have not published instructions yet.

The skis (both wheel-skis and straight skis) will be available as a free download in the future. I really need to document how to build the wheel-skis because the mechanisms are not intuitive.

Speaking of instructions, the otter on floats instructions (and other DGA instructions) are available as a free download at: Design Group Alpha
 
US Army Transportation Museum - Fort Eustis, VA

The subject of this build thread was mailed on Friday to the US Army Transportation Museum in Fort Eustis VA. I got an e-mail today from the curator that told me the model made it (on Monday) in fine shape (it must have gone air mail!) and that they are thinking of putting this model on display.

I should have taken pictures of the way that I packaged the model. I had it suspended in the middle of a hollow box with rubber bands. This is the best method that I have come up with for packing a model.
 
Congratulations Jim! That's awesome! Have you sent other models to them in the past?

I'd really be interested in seeing how you suspend a model when you pack it for shipment.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom