MaksArt 1/72 Lun Projekt 903

[SJPONeill]

Originally Posted by whulsey

Great, will be following along with great interest. Have it in the pile but...

Originally Posted by herky

i should really start this someday

Did you gentlemen suggest a group build...?

Every modelling home needs a metre-long Lun...

[SJPONeill]

Working on the rudder aka the big sticky-up bit at the back...I think but need to check with the skin sheets that the horizontal former midway up the rudder has a 45 degree tilt on the piece that projects to the rear of the rudder...

This section didn't go together quite as easily as the other sections so far...I had to work a lot harder to work out exactly where parts fits and it was more necessary IMHO to use the 5mm balsa square section to be the formers aligned on the main rudder shape...

Not that having to think a bit more is a bad thing...I am pretty sure that the design will continue to come together well and there is a strong possibility that I am just over-engineering this...It will be a large model however, largely by 40% than originally designed and so I am conscious that there may be additional stresses and strains on the parts, especially if it is handled...

[herky]

Originally Posted by SJPONeill

Did you gentlemen suggest a group build...?

Every modelling home needs a metre-long Lun...

sounds like a plan but snowed under with part builds at the moment.did you say you are not doing it at original scale?

[SJPONeill]

Correct...enlarged it to 1/72 from the original 1/100 which is a little too fiddly for me - also means a better range of detail parts if I was to add a cockpit. The only after market i am looking for at the moment though are 4 x gsh-23-2 barrels which are uncommonly hard to find...

[Graham]

Mr O'Neill,
This looks a massive job just in size alone. I'm looking forward to see it come together. BTW great work as well.
Cheers G

[SJPONeill]

Thanks, Graham

It will be quite long but the itty-bitty wings (relative to its length) should make it easy enough to display (or use as a softball bat). The great design makes it a lot easier, easier than many of the commercial models I have worked on. I hope to have all the major sub-assemblies done by the weekend and then I'll look at foaming them for extra strength and a good surface to support the skins...

[SJPONeill]

Working on the wingtip outriggers...

[SJPONeill]

...and on to the missile mounts...

...and then there were three...

...and as they will sit, front to rear...

[SJPONeill]

The engine...pylons? ...canards? ...wingy thingies? Not quite sure what you would call them...they are wingy thingies ahead of the main wing so could be canards but are all engine(s)...

Quite simple in design, only 9 pieces that clip easily together but there's not much laterail stability...

...so I've again turned top my trusty stock of 5mm square balsa to reinforce the joins and make them more rigid...

This design would, of course, be locked in place when the skins are applied but it's the strength and stability getting to that point that concerns me, more so since the intake and outlets are quite complex and will need quite a bit of handling x 8...

[SJPONeill]

The tailplane...another large part that fits together really well...

However the two halves are joined in a single butt joint each side of which is also a butt joint with no spanwise former for strength...using the trusty razor saw I cut a notch out of the cenbtral formers where the two halves are joined...

...to insert a short 5mm balsa spar that runs across the join...

...with another across the rear...normally I would ensure that these were square to each other but I didn't notice the error til the glue had cured; as it provided the necessary strength and rigidity and would be out of sight out of mind I left it as is..