Yet another build of Ken West's X-15

[evilfer]

I'm about to start building this beautiful plane. I got it from eCardmodelers along with the inflight conversion kit. I had it printed in a local business and I'm very happy with the quality, and done my shopping (no less that three different glues!). Plus, the football world cup starts tonight, so hopefully building a paper model will help me cope with the dullness of most matches :P.

I'll build the in flight version. Two reasons: maybe it shows better the very special shape of the plane, and I'm thinking how great it'd be to have a few planes/satellites hanging from the ceiling in my son's bedroom (high, very high at the moment). Of course it is a pity not to show the detailed front landing gear, and the windows are a bit too small...

I have a few questions:

- This model is unusual (in my experience) in the lack of tabs. Does this make it very difficult? Do you add separate tabs to reinforce the seams, or is it ok to just glue the borders? I'm thinking about using superglue to strengthen the model, after the PVA has dried.

- In part 2 (cockpit section), part 1h is marked to be glued to cardboard. Isn't this incorrect?

- Would you say this thread could belong as well to the PASA section?

[HMCS]

Check out Billy's build thread,.. Great pictures very well explained

[evilfer]

Originally Posted by HMCS

Check out Billy's build thread,.. Great pictures very well explained

Yes, I will, especially his thread about the printed version. Not a complaint, but actually the instructions are a bit minimalistic .

[airdave]

Billy's build: Ecardmodel X15 printed version

If I am correct, this model is assembled in the "butt join" style
meaning each fuselage section is assembled with end formers
and each section is "butt" joined to the next one.



Its important to shape exact pairs of formers for each connection.
And important to maintain the same cutout methods for all your parts.
eg centerline cut

I see no reason why you could not make joiner strips and eliminate the
double formers, if that is your preffered method of assembly?

Just lay out the part (flat) on a piece of paper or cardstock and trace the edge shape of the part.
Now (draw) add a 5-10mm* solid strip to the inside direction of the part.
And draw a line of 5-10mm* flexible tabs on the outer side.
(*or whatever suits the part and your preference)

Install the strip and cut off the extra length...it will be slightly too large to fit the
inside circumference of the fuselage section.

Regardless of the assembly method, you will have to create some joiner "strips"
for the (belly) seams of each fuselage section.

[evilfer]

Originally Posted by airdave

Billy's build: Ecardmodel X15 printed version

If I am correct, this model is assembled in the "butt join" style
meaning each fuselage section is assembled with end formers
and each section is "butt" joined to the next one.

Its important to shape exact pairs of formers for each connection.
And important to maintain the same cutout methods for all your parts.
eg centerline cut

I see no reason why you could not make joiner strips and eliminate the
double formers, if that is your preffered method of assembly?

Just lay out the part (flat) on a piece of paper or cardstock and trace the edge shape of the part.
Now (draw) add a 5-10mm* solid strip to the inside direction of the part.
And draw a line of 5-10mm* flexible tabs on the outer side.
(*or whatever suits the part and your preference)

Install the strip and cut off the extra length...it will be slightly too large to fit the
inside circumference of the fuselage section.

Regardless of the assembly method, you will have to create some joiner "strips"
for the (belly) seams of each fuselage section.

Thank you for the advise. I don't really have a preferred method. This will be my first plane (I did an AXM Shuttle, but the assembly was very different). Seeing that the end circles (formers) for each section match so well, I don't think I want to change the method.

I'll use the strips for the belly seams. Maybe it's obvious that they are needed, but I think the instructions do not mention them so I wasn't sure .

[airdave]

I think the instructions only deal with what part to attach to what part.
They do not indicate an assembly method technique
or anything to do with joiner strips, etc.

Make sure you cut out and shape/sand pairs of formers.
Stack them together while cutting and shaping.
To make sure they are perfectly the same.

[nighthawk78]

I look forward to seeing this build progress,
NH78

[dhanners]

I'm still hoping Ken will offer parts to build the first X-15, 66670.

[richkat]

I built this fantastic model last year, I enlarged mine to 1/24 scale. The only trouble I had was with the cockpit canopy, it was very hard to get it to fit well. That is part of why I built the ground version. I used a mix of building, I used strips on the nose section then went to the butt method from the cockpit back. The other hard area is the chines, they are so long they are hard to glue. I wrapped paper around the body and slid it back as I stuck the chine on. And you are right 1h is NOT glued to cardboard.
Good luck I think you'll love it.........Rich

[evilfer]

Originally Posted by richkat

I built this fantastic model last year, I enlarged mine to 1/24 scale. The only trouble I had was with the cockpit canopy, it was very hard to get it to fit well. That is part of why I built the ground version. I used a mix of building, I used strips on the nose section then went to the butt method from the cockpit back. The other hard area is the chines, they are so long they are hard to glue. I wrapped paper around the body and slid it back as I stuck the chine on. And you are right 1h is NOT glued to cardboard.
Good luck I think you'll love it.........Rich

Attachment 210431Attachment 210432Attachment 210433

Thank you for sharing those pictures! Can I ask why you made the nose silver color? It looks fantastic. I think the cockpit canopy is at the end of the build so I won't think about it for a while...