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Started Roden DC-7

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  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Started Roden DC-7
Posted by Don Stauffer on Thursday, November 3, 2011 9:09 AM

Since I am using enamels on my staggerwing, I have a lot of drying time to do other things (it is really drying slow right now) so I have started my Roden DC-7C. 

One problem with it I thought I would mention.  The fuselage sides are very thin, especially along the mating areas (seams).  Already thin, they taper down to almost a knife edge.  The edge width is in the neighborhood of about twenty to twenty-five mils, which doesn't make for much of a gluing area.  It is almost like doing a vacu-form.  So, I have reverted to vacu-form techniques and am gluing styrene strip stock along one fuselage half, sticking out to form a ledge in which to nestle the other half. No locating pins on any seam.

BTW, the staggerwing is also a Roden kit, but the plastic in the two kits is very different.  The staggerwing is old style rigid styrene, while the DC-7 is the newer flexible styrene, almost like a vinyl.

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Saturday, November 5, 2011 9:22 AM

Another issue- similar, though- that I have found is that the gluing surfaces between the wing tops and bottom are not very good for holding wing straight. I suggest that people jig up the wing while those joints are drying.  Then, check the dihedral when gluing the wing assembly to the fuselage.  You may find you have to remove wing and reglue one or both tops to bottom to ensure straight wing at proper dihedral.  For only one wing, you can probably jig up one side and merely reglue that top to bottom/fuselage assembly as I have just done (waiting for glue to set to see if that worked).  Wing assembly is not real strong!

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

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