Scientific "Zipper" Build...The Zipper Gets Some Thursday Attention

Had two partial tubes, then got a great donation from Bob a couple months ago! I try to be strategic about using it, as it carves and sands well! Zipper will be held together by some of it!

roddie wrote:It's good to have wood.. especially when you get that urge to start carving balsa. The comets and the rest of the lawn-mowing are not nearly as important.  

May I suggest..



A real eye-opener.. for the serious coffee-drinker. Be careful....

Well, for high-octane to do any good, the engine has to be up to it....my old motor runs about the same no matter what gets put in it!!!!!!!

The Zipper project is moving right along...to the point that I've started thinking about color.  I was to replicate the box art, but am going from black and white drawings.  Some colors are labeled on the plan sheet...the rudder anyway...but the texture of the patterns on the fuse, don't really match them.

I'm thinking that it's belly is blue, with the decal stripe being red.  Bob, do you remember the stripe's color?  And if anyone might have a kit, could you please take a look?





The wing planform drawing shows both "Paint Orange" and "Decal Stripe", which seems little odd.  I know I'm over-thinking all this...but you all know how it gets...

At this point, I'm thinking that the wing leading edge-to fuse side will be blue, with a white separation line and red stripe...or I may paint the whole thing purple and just fly it!



I stuck the pieces together for some inspiration, and it's looking OK.  Gonna make a new rudder/fin though...I tried using balsa that's softer than foam, and want it to be a little stouter.

My brain is still in "Slow Mode" and it took me all day just to cut some simple parts that were good enough to use...and I ain't that picky!  Hope it's not a sign of the near-future where I can't use a ruler!

Zipper is gonna get one of my much-neglected Babe Bees for power.

Coming along Kim.

What are you using for wing rib templates? I don't have a clue.

I duplicated the box art wing and tail paint schemes on mine but the colors I used were probably just what I had on hand. Back then all I ever used was Aero Gloss.

Bob

rsv1cox wrote:Coming along Kim.

What are you using for wing rib templates? I don't have a clue.

I duplicated the box art wing and tail paint schemes on mine but the colors I used were probably just what I had on hand.  Back then all I ever used was Aero Gloss.

Bob

I used some double-sided clear tape between a stack of 4 blanks, then taped the rib pattern to the top blank.  I mentioned that I wanted to add center section sheeting, and have it extend out past the fuselage sides enough to give me an anchor surface in case I need to recover it.  I decided on 3/4 " on each side.

When I cut these ribs on the band saw, I tried to trim their top and bottoms about 1/32 inside the line to allow for the sheeting...the length stays the same until I trim them for the wing.  All ribs are trimmed from the rear to fit snugly between the leading and trailing edges.  The two innermost ribs are glued to the wing right below the fuse sides like in the plan, and I just measured outward 3/4" for the next two.

The next ribs are cut two at time, with me once again trying to trim 1/32" off the tops, but not the bottoms.  Use these for a pattern for next two, again trimming another 1/32" off the top, minding not to cut below the height of the trailing edge. I know this is all Redneck/Kentucky Windage stuff, but it seemed work OK on my scale.

Once all were in place, I just freewheeled trimming and block-sanding the leading edge to match the front of the ribs, and also put in some triangle braces.

My original Zipper also got the "what's on the shelf" color scheme, and I think I figured out the new scheme as I was typing my note!!

Today, I got it's firewall and Babe Bee mounted...to me, the little .049 STILL looks massive on the nose of the Zipper!  I also found one of the early control horns from the Scientific kits.



The fuse could probably stand some internal doublers, but I settled for some triangle stock.

That's a great idea Kim for doing the ribs. I will try to duplicate it.

Right now I'm just treading water gathering parts and checking out my balsa supply.

Bob

rsv1cox wrote:That's a great idea Kim for doing the ribs.  I will try to duplicate it.

Right now I'm just treading water gathering parts and checking out my balsa supply.    

Bob

Yeah man!  Hope it goes good for you!  I made a couple bad choices in balsa starting out.  Today, I cut a new rudder/fin from some nice 3/32 sheet I found...the 1/8 was mushy and just seemed too thick.  

You'll probably spot it, bit I nearly didn't notice that the fuse sides DON'T join at the bottom of the rudder, but rather about halfway back from the leading edge of the stab...it's sort of apparent in the small top view. I stuck a piece of 1/8th between it and the rudder.

Also got my landing gear wires bent, and it looks pretty good, so ole Zipper ought to be standing on it's legs before long.  Gonna try to spin my own ply wooden wheels on my dremel, and heat-soak'em with some epoxy before painting them black.

I AM having fun with this little plane.

Hello kim
                           I think you are doing a great job on the Zipper. I will continue watching this thread.

Juan

I finally found a picture of my Zipper rebuild.  Can't remember if it was due to a crash or simply the tissue/dope mixture cracked and degraded.  Or maybe I built two.  It was a long, long time ago. My added cowl sure improved it's appearance.  

Edit add: Now I'm really confused. That might be the original build. These came with a plastic cowl. I must have crashed it, busted the cowl and rebuilt it.

Shows little and proves even less.  But it renewed my memory.



I do know that it was a tiny thing.



Can't wait to see your final product Kim and the colors you choose to dress it in.  Even more impatient to see the maiden.  Living vicariously through you.  

Bob

F4D Phantom II wrote:Hello kim
                           I think you are doing a great job on the Zipper. I will continue watching this thread.

                                                                                                            Juan

Thank You Juan!!!!

rsv1cox wrote:I finally found a picture of my Zipper rebuild.  Can't remember if it was due to a crash or simply the tissue/dope mixture cracked and degraded.  Or maybe I built two.  It was a long, long time ago. My added cowl sure improved it's appearance.  

Edit add:  Now I'm really confused.  That might be the original build.  These came with a plastic cowl.  I must have crashed it, busted the cowl and rebuilt it.  

Shows little and proves even less.  But it renewed my memory.

I do know that it was a tiny thing.

Can't wait to see your final product Kim and the colors you choose to dress it in.  Even more impatient to see the maiden.  Living vicariously through you.  

Bob

COOL MAN!!!!!

Yeah, the way I remember, the plastic cowl that came with it had included both sides molded into a single sheet. I had a rough time cutting it out with the scissors I had back then, and don't think it was a very good job (maybe that's why I can't remember it!). Wish I'd gotten a photo of it.

They DO look tiny now, but were just a step up from my plastic display that were my main focus before Wayne taught me to fly. My PT-19 and these Scientific looked MUCH bigger, and the .35-sized planes looked like monsters!

AND...talk about being confused! I've got photos that don't jive with my memory at all, but yet there they are!

So, it was Zipper's turn for some attention today, though to be accurate, the project has been progressing in the past week.  

I didn't want to post an update with every (to paraphrase my grandma) "piddly thing" I did with the model, and waited 'till I had a small group of them.  It's cowling was mostly finished, and the main gear and struts installed.  I spun Zipper's wheels from some scrap ply, and am pretty happy with them.  A coat of black dope got them REAL close to those I remember in the original Scientific kit.

Then, I had a "dry assembly" to fire my imagination a bit.  I'm betting that Bob and others may get the same "flash-back" surge as I did while looking at Zipper's bare bones.  And...it MIGHT have happened that Zipper may have pulled a couple loops in the shop while I made airplane noises...








Made up some filler goo from Ambroid cement and balsa dust.



Needs a little fine sanding, and the taped-on cowling will be better centered behind the spinner when the mounting screws are installed.










That plank is the soft balsa stock that will be carved into a turtle deck for Zipper.





This is the "Big Airplane" view I remember as a kid (bet Bob does too!).  The Zipper had some real purposeful lines.

That is looking really good. it looks like you are ready for the upper deck carving marathon.

Yeah,  That sharp nosed profile and swept back fin brought me back to a better time and reinforced my contention that the Zipper is about the best visual design model that I have seen.  Maybe it's because it's not a tail dragger.  Does it for me!

Extra nice job on those wheels and landing gear assembly.  You must have an ability to look at Walt's Zipper plan and transfer that to 3D balsa.  Meant to be built from a kit of parts there is just not much information there as to dimensions etc..

I'm just waiting for this economy to open up so I can get to Staples and have the plan blown up to something that I could actually work with.  Besides, I don't want to destroy my original plan. I haven't been to next door Virginia for weeks.  They are supposed to peak next week.  West Virginia peaked last week.  Got up early this morning and went to the local Food Lion and actually wore a mask.  A gift from my son.  Felt foolish but there were others in there wearing masks too.  

Bob

All that room directly behind the engine and no provisions for a tank?

Ken Cook wrote:                All that room directly behind the engine and no provisions for a tank?

Ken, that's a "tankless" comment.    Your finding the cloud in the rainbow.  

Joking of course.

But yes, plenty of room back there.  

Bob

I should've started out with it looks great, can't wait to see it fly. Maybe, consider offering a larger tank with provisions to access.

Ken Cook wrote:           I should've started out with it looks great, can't wait to see it fly. Maybe, consider offering a larger tank with provisions to access.

Very diplomatic.

Bob

Nice Looking Airplane , Very Nice Job on The Build

rsv1cox wrote:

Ken Cook wrote:           I should've started out with it looks great, can't wait to see it fly. Maybe, consider offering a larger tank with provisions to access.

Very diplomatic.  

Bob

  Yeah, believe me!!!  That space behind the engine begs for a tank, and bugged me bad, but my mindset, in spite of the 10% enlargement, was STILL stuck in the "make it like it was mode", so I stayed with the Babe Bee.

Thanks for all the great comments! We're now bearing down on the dope-slinging phase.

And Bob, while I should still have your mailing address, if your lock-down looks to go on a while longer, please shoot me your snail mail address and I'll send you the enlarged plans sheet, and a copy of the original size you could chop on for a regular size Zipper.

Walt Musciano Lives !!!!

Thanks Kim, and done.

Bob

The general layout of this model is just begging for a reconfiguration to a Beechcraft Bonanza. With a good specimen of a Wen Mac MK II or Mk III for power.

I think it also begs for someone to take the opportunity to double it in size and power it with a .15 - .19 engine, like a Testors McCoy .19 Red Head.