Model Build-A-Long from start to finish with Wonwing-Sukhoi SU-11 Russian jet fighter

[wonwinglo]

This will be the basis for my next Build-A-Long something a bit different to the norm a Russian Jet fighter aircraft the Sukhoi SU-11 that was kitted by Aerographics,a glance at the contents showed that no wood is provided for the tail surfaces for some odd reason ? this is no real problem it just seems a bit cheapskate for a kit that is not cheap anyway.
Once I commenced to cut out the printwood I immediately hit a problem,the shapes are printed on paper that is stuck to the wood by very poor adhesion,thus when you take a knife to them the designs slide around with the pressure of the blade ! not good so cutting was halted and the paper re-glued properly to the balsa stock and they are currently drying out overnight so they can be attacked again with the print firmly stuck down into position,I will leave the paper stuck down as it holds the grain of the balsa together.
These models were powered by Rapier rocket motors which are no longer available so the Sukhoi SU-11 will probably be used as a chuck or even a catapult glider,we will see how things go.



The kit contents,very basic but adequate to build a simple model,grey tissue paper one choice of markings but box says otherwise,stripwood good quality,printwood patterns as described above.



A bit of lite ply is included.



The peeling paper former patterns,looks like poor self adhesive that has lost its grip,now fixed with aliphatic adhesive.



Patterns held down under weight to stop curling of the wood whilst drying.



I will build the wings first on this one,they are very simple structures with only a few parts to them.

[wonwinglo]

All of the parts have been carefully cut out from the sheets,the reglueing of the paper templates onto the wood paid off and after a days work with the balsa knife I had a full set of formers and ribs to work with,the paper can stay on as it is well and truly bonded now unlike the original self adhesive which was loose and peeling.

The missing tail parts have been transferred to balsa sheet and ready to sand up,this is a very minimal model and no doubt there will be areas where I will want to strengthen,this will be done as we go along.

The first wing membrane compression members have been laid down and pinned to the board.












Missing tail parts marked out onto balsa sheet.



Tail parts cut out,fragile end pieces will be reworked with opposite grained material spliced in.

[flyjoe180]

This will be unique, looking forward to more progress shots

[wonwinglo]

Some further work on the build of the Sukhoi SU-II,I have added a wing spar made from a wooden dowel as the balsa spar seemed very weak and would be prone to warping,the original balsa spar has been added around the dowel for shape then sanded.
Although I do not know if any Rapier rockets are still available the model will be built as intended by Aerographics for their fitment,I will be happy to glide or use a catapult for short flights,we will see if the model can be strengthened to take a suitable hook ?



Dowel spars added alongside the original balsa ones making the wing rigid and light.



Wings sanded up and trailing edge pieces shaped and fitted.



Wingtips are vulnerable so some adhesive has been soaked into them,ailerons will be fitted with small strips of thin aluminium from a drinks can,these will be useful for adjustment when trimming.



Commencing to build the fuselage,main keels laid down.



Formers added one by one.

[wonwinglo]

Stringering is now well underway with one side already done of the fuselage,various bits have been done on the Sukhoi Su.11 as seen below.



Side keels added before the stringers go into the slots from nose to tail.



One set at a time gently easing the stringers into place and making any adjustments along the way,masking tape helps hold the springy bits while the adhesive dries.



One side in place ready to take the opposite side formers of the fuselage,this is one big jet tube really !



A bit of tidying up before moving onto the opposite side of the fuselage.



I decided to cover the upper wing surfaces with Otaki tissue,ailerons have been cut out and are hinged for trimming adjustment with strips of metal from a drinks tin,as this model is tiny and will be landing in long grass I thought a brighter colour scheme would be better !



Laminating the conical nose block with discs of balsa,these will be sanded later.

[wonwinglo]

On the bench with the Sukhoi Su.11 are two other models that are receiving work at present,first a Auster AOP.9 which had an accident this morning when Ollie my hangar cat crushed the tail and snapped off a wing,not sure what happened as he is normally very careful but I heard a crunch and looked around to see the damage with one wing hanging off,anyway the old boy is forgiven and the model back together again,the other restoration is an old Keil Kraft design which someone gave me,the fuselage was buckled and longerons broken plus tissue was rotton,I have stripped it down to the bones and repaired the structure,tomorrow I will sand the fuselage down for recovering,the tail is badly warped so I have soaked it in water and pinned that down to the building board,if it gives me trouble then I will simply build another tail.
The wings on the Sukhoi have been covered top and bottom and the area where the Rapier rocket motor goes has been channeled with paper,on top of that will go aluminium foil that was supplied in the kit.






Colourful wings for long grass recovery,this model is tiny.



Paper channel glued into place lower fuselage,silver foil will go on the top of this to stop the structure burning if a Rapier rocket motor can be located.



The flattened Auster AOP.9 all repaired,you can just see the starboard wing tissue repair line,tailplane too has been fixed,this model flies wellalthough it has been in storage for several years.



Todays busy workbench with the old Keil Kraft duration model undergoing stripdown structural repairs ready for recovering.

[wonwinglo]

Also includes 'On the bench restorations' today as very little could be done to the Sukhoi as I am waiting for the adhesive to cure around the nose intake and tail jet pipe then it will be sanded and a thin ply wrap around added to form the lips of the intake and jet pipe.
Dug out a couple of models that needed a bit of work to get them airworthy again,here you will see the Keil Kraft Achilles,Westwings Hurricane,Heston Phoenix receiving some TLC.



Scrap balsa added around the nose and tail intake & jet pipe,once these are fully dry then everything can be sanded flush and thin ply outers added to form a lip.



A paper channel has been added underneath the fuselage and the paper tube that accepts a Rapier rocket motor added,tail pipe work underway and drying ready for shaping and sanding.



The vintage Keil Kraft Eaglet receives new fuselage tissue after numerous repairs internally to the structure,I picked the dark puce colour to hide the various discoloured portions of balsa.



The end result with original tissue on wings with patches,the Achilles made a small flight this evening in the garden,looks lovely in flight and model has been saved,wing can be covered again at some later date after I have had some fun with it first.



My late fathers old Westwings Hurricane with a bit of repair work done to get it flying,made a small flight this evening on back lawn.



Repairs done to my old Heston Phoenix to get it airworthy again,hand carved mahagony propeller,asteady flyer.

[wonwinglo]

After a good sand down the nose intake and tail cone were looking good,the kit supplies two myralite ply pieces to wrap around and finish off the respective pipe/intake assembly with required overhang,well anyone who has wrapped anything around a tube with a compound curve will know it is not quite as simple as that,I used artists quality cartridge paper instead and by trial and error cut two circular strips with a built in curvature to them,these were then wrapped and glued around the fuselage this proved far more manageable than struggling with thin ply and does the job,on with the build process in pictures.



The lip of the intake formed with paper and the balsa laminated nose cone.



Tail cone in place and fin/rudder and tailplane added securely into the structure,paper supports where the tissue goes have been added,simple,light and effective,grain direction on a sheet tail is always tricky but once soaked with cyno on the edges will be adequate in strength.



Chief inspector 'Ollie' taking a nap in between hangar mouse hunting duties.



It may look a simple machine but the tiny Sukhoi SU-11 has required quite a lot of careful building,parts laid out current state of play.



Tissue strips go onto the fuselage,wrinkles will vanish once water tightened.

[wonwinglo]

The Sukhoi SU-11 is complete and has been test glided successfully down the garden,some decoration has been added with real vintage HMG model aeroplane dope.