DPC Models P-38

I finally got around to starting the P-38. Dave provides a terrific example of a moldie oldie. I  took this out of the packaging last evening while digesting our fabulous dinner provided by my wife. First thing first, I bent up the gear wire. I changed things a bit as the original finished out by turning into the rib. Regardless, I sandwiched the gear wire after roughing it up and cleaning followed by epoxy. I let those sit over night. Dave provides square stock for leading and trailing edges. This stock is to be shaped so don't figure on a shaped leading edge. I left all stock square initially until assembly. I shaped the trailing edge and left the leading edge until it was assembled.

         Looking at the plan, I arrived at about 5 degrees. When cutting trailing and leading edges, don't take off any more than needed to acquire the angles. Basically, I ganged all stock up and setting the miter saw to 5 deg, I cut all stock at the same time. Seeing you need lefts and rights, just flip the material over. Now, the most important step, mark all material inboard, outboard, top, bottom. Line up the trailing edge and leading edge over the print and tick off both sides of the rib locations. The rib dadoes are NOT SQUARE to the leading and trailing edge. I used a thin kerf blade in my table saw which is exactly a 1/16" kerf. Using the miter gauge, I set the blade height to 1/8" and cut the dadoes into the leading and trailing edges with the blade set a 5 deg angle. Seeing once again, we have a left and right panel, the dadoes are also handed. Just carefully climb cut in reverse to cut the opposing dadoes. Not exactly a correct practice in harder woods, balsa this is fine. Of course one could use a hacksaw blade and do this manually. I spent more time changing my blade then the actual cuts. Accuracy is at a premium here because with all the angles, this wing won't fit together properly.

           I'm quite happy with the product, I would like to see the firewalls a bit wider as the Baby Bee backplate barely makes it onto the face of it. I'm up in the air in regards to replacing them. Fitment is terrific on the parts. I despise using CA. I use Titebond only so I like the challenge of making everything fit tight.  I'm looking forward to finishing.

         

           Inboard side , plane is on it's gear. Wheels are plywood. I glued them up last night and shaped them in the drill press this morning. Fuse isn't attached, just slipped onto wing for show purpose. The double rib which sandwiches the gear leg is where the fuse gets glued to. Sterling provided a crappy design here. Having the gear leg glued into the ribs means you now have to build the wing upside down. The original provided no sheeting in this area and this kit is no different. This is a must. Either fill in the entire bay or just fill in a 1/2" strip leading edge to trailing edge alongside of the
fuselage and tail booms topside and underside.

prior to assembly, I marked a centerline on the trailing edge stock. Without planing down the top side, I carefully used the razor plane to shape down the stock across it's face to my centerline. Assuming your dado depths are correct, the trailing edge finishes perfectly to the rib thickness.



           Power will either be Golden Bee or Babe Bees