Finishing the 2 Bits Bipe begins with a trim layout done in the CAD program. I may change the stab-elevator as It seems a bit busy, The sort of Olive drap areas is where transparent Green will be going. To conserve on weight, I plan to use Monokote or rather plastic film for the flying surfaces, and paint the fuse.

I may be trying out different trims, as the mood strikes me.

Yes, too busy for me.  But I like the colors.
Seems like most of the time less is better.

Slight changes, I added the black anti glare panel on top of the nose, and rearranged the pants colors again.

Other than using green (I'm an infamous anti-green advocate) it looks good to me. Should show up well with transparent covering.

After settling on a trim scheme and colors, I picked up several rolls of Plastic coverings in the colors I intend to use. Most of it is Monokote, and 1 roll is Ultrakote. The black is an old roll of Black Baron. I'm using it because it's a small area that will be covered with it. It's a low heat material, and I have to be careful that I don't melt it.

I plotted up the full sized patterns for the trim, and cut them up so I could cut the covering to proper shapes. It takes a bit of patience to cut the plastic covering to shape. If I wasn't so lazy, I'd make the patterns out of something heavier than paper to make it easier to follow.

The most important item of prep work for a good looking finish using 'kote finishes, is to properly sand the surface until you have a smooth surface. at least 320 grit, and a good rub down with a tack rag. sanding dust shows up like  boulders under 'kote finishes.

I use a 1/8" overlap between the colors and use a trim seal iron and a piece of glass to attache the colors into one large sheet. It makes getting the trim scheme into place, much easier, and accurate.

I have the first panel on the bottom of the lower  outboard wing basically finished.

Now that is impressive!  Thanks for this project.  Its always fun to be invited into someones shop to watch a build.

Very cool John. It wont be long now.........

 Lookin' good John! This one should be a trip to fly.

Quote from Denny Adimisin  "Now take one of those wings and design a 15-20 sized killer stunter around it!"

Hey John, not a bad idea after you finish the bipe - you already have the tail feathers built, right?  You can use the first horizontal set you did.

Hmmm, Hi aspect ratio, Maybe I could finish it with orange 'Kote? Of course I could get me a crate to tote it around in.    Seriously, it wouldn't be a bad idea. 18% airfoil, 344 sq's, and as Will has pointed out, I already have the tailfeathers built.

 Got any more green pop bottles?

Looking great. Cannot wait to see what it looks like when the fuselage is done.

Knowing my skills and patience ... I'd settle for something more simple 

Randy, you take a back seat to few when it comes to painting a finish.

Doing this kind of "kote finish is a bit tedious, and requires patience. The panels when stuck together can, and will come apart if you're not careful, sometimes even if you are, it'll still happen. The trick I used with this particular trim scheme was having structure under most of the seams. That allows me to stick the seams down to something stable, before doing the final shrinkage.

It's tons easier to use silkspan of Koverall first, then stick the 'Kote to it. Much more stable as well. but I really wanted the transparency to show well, so no under coating was possible.

I had to rip off all of a days work on the stab, because I had no structure to stick to. I modified the method, and was able to make it work, but it wasn't the same kind of stuck together panel, though it looks like it is.

Despite my best efforts, there are areas that I'm not happy with, but I'll live with it. I realize now, why so few try for this complex of a scheme with iron ons.

I'm covering the flaps, all 4 of them, and the stab and rudder, which should be about all the 'kote that will be used on this model. After today, I should just need to build and finish the wheel pants, install the control system if it ever gets here, so I can close up the fuselage, and start the paint finish work on the fuse.

Thank you all, for your helpful comments. You help me stay focused on the job at hand, as well as good critiques. For all intents and purposes, the "Kote finish is on. There're a few places, such as the roots of the lower flaps, and trim areas inside the hinge line to touch up, but as you see it now, is pretty much the way it's going to be.

It was "interesting" going to this trim extreems with plastic film covering. I wound up throwing that partial roll of Balck Baron Film out. The heat I was using on the other films would melt the low temp BB covering, which resulted in what looked like black Bacon, all wrinkled, and curley. All but the white was MonoKote, the white was UltraKote.

I found that the MonoKote worked about the same as it always has for me, with the possible exception of the solid green, which seemed to take a little more work, and didn't seem to shrink as much as the other colors. The UltraKote was very good, and though I only had one color to judge it by, that one color worked very well.

I've never been a fan of low temp coverings, having used them in the past, I find them tto go on well, cover compound curves easier, but they seemed to loosen up faster and easier in the sun, and within a relativly short time, I've had them delaminate. The top clear plastic would start to peel away, leaving the color adhesive stil stuck to the plane. A messy situation. So hence my usual adherance to high temp coverings.

For those who may be interested, I've invested 43 hours into the 'kote finish on this plane. That doesn't count the almost 1 days work I removed because it didn't come out like I expected. The finish I wound up with, has it's flaws, and if you look close, you'll find them, but over all, I'm happy with the results.

Now, it's back to building. I'll soon have the wheel pants finished, the controls installed, and then be ready to start finishing the fuse. I'll be using paint for the fuse.

Here's a picture as it sits today.

Bill, thanks for your comments and encouragement. In answer to your question, I've designed almost everything to be adjustable, removable, and replaceable, in anticipation of solving or experiencing many of the problems previously experienced by those who've tried to make a truley competitive stunt biplane. You'll notice that each flaps chord is rather narrow, the design idea was to wind up with 4 flaps that equal, or come close to the area of 2 on a mono plane.

Several designs are out there using quite wide flaps. The Flapper by Larry Scarinzi comes to mind. I haven't read the artical, so I don't know much about the findings, or usfulness, of the concept. I do know that except for these few design excursions, such configuration did not catch on, and the designer never built a follow on design using the feature.

Contol loads may wind up becoming a problem. Overcoming the "swoopy" turns with enough elevator authority may become another.

Testing having been done by a chap "down under", where he built a unique, adjustable bellcrank, that alllowed him to vary the amount of throw on the control surfaces easily. He evenually wound up with only 7 degrees of flap to perform to his liking. It tends to make me believe that a small amount of flap, at the extreems of the B.C. rotation is more useful than more.

 

My one foray into bi-planes was a bit different. A sorta profile canard pusher with a sort of X-wing layout. The thing flew like crap, but it was sure a blast.

Will,

yea, that's where the idea came from. The thing actually flew OK, but just wouldn't turn all that well (a canard - go figure). Sure was fun, though. Getting a reverse crank for an ST46 was a trip.

Today, I started applying dope to the fuse, and other parts that are to be painted. I got 3-4 coats of clear on the bare wood, applied the silkspan, and 3 more coats of dope. I sprayed a light coat of primer on the cowl, cabane mount, and wheel pants.

A long day, but it's going together pretty good now.

That's a lot of dope for one day.   Guess that is why it takes me so long.   I think Sparky stated no  more than two coats a day.

Yes indeed, perhaps too much, but this morning sanding out the cowl and wheel pants, it seems to be working out fine. Gordy has told me that applying dope this fast, doesn't allow for it to act like seperate coats, rather it acts like one thick coat.

I'm not sure, I've done it both ways, and they seem to be the same in the end.

I'm sure that doping, here in the dry high desert of Utah, is a huge difference from other areas. Absolutly no blushing, and we have a strom headed our way. Below 30% humidity does make a difference.

Today, I've started making fillets, and tightening up the seperation lines for the various take apart options. Pictures laterr.

Oh no!!!  Something learned from RC.  Yes I learned the same thing years ago when I was playing with the twiddly sticks.

It's getting close, today all fillets were installed, and the canopy was blended in.It's all drying right now. I really like the Super-Fil, it works as advertised.

Tomorrow morning it should all be good and dry enough to sand out really well. I expect to be spraying on a coat of primer. 

Here are pictures of yesterdays work. Fillets installed, canopy blended, and such. To days chores are to get a coat of primer in place, and if it dries fast enough, some wet sanding.

The base is on. Letting it dry overnight before masking.

Blush, Thanks Randy, for the compliment.

I got some trim masking done today, and the first trim color applied. It was raining, so I got some blushing. I'll apply another coat tomorrow which should take care of it. Two more colors to go.

Thanks guys, It's coming out OK, not as nice in person as it looks in pictures, but that seems to always be the way it is. I'm struggling with weight buildup at this stage. It's now looking like somewhere between 68 and 70 Oz's. I wanted 60 or less. I've already designed new larger wings to bolt in to give me a better weight to sq inch ratio.

I'm looking at changes to make to trim some weight from the fuselage.

I still have hopes for a great flying plane, even if it's on the limits due to weight.

Today, I'll be masking and applying the last trim colors.