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1/3 scale Japanese vintage glider Mita type 3

Let us all watch your new project progress.
norm

Re: 1/3 scale Japanese vintage glider Mita type 3

Post by norm »

Landing Gear Cover
To prevent air comes in fuselage through the gap around the landing gear, there are two kinds of covers. One is a wheel cover made of plastics and the other is a seal made of fabric. For my model I made the wheel cover with plywood and balsa and the seal with fabric.
Attachments
DWG
DWG
Wheel Cover
Wheel Cover
Gap seal
Gap seal
View from inside
View from inside
norm

Re: 1/3 scale Japanese vintage glider Mita type 3

Post by norm »

Miscellaneous Equipments
In addition to the pilot seats and the wheel cover, I added some miscellaneous equippments, such as the shoulder harness, AFT pilot's leg cover, control sticks, tow release knob, spoiler & blake lever, elevator trim lever, cockpit floor and the fuselage access cover.

Although, in actual Mita, the AFT pilot's leg cover,the FWD cockpit floor and the fuselage access cover are all made of aluminum plate, they are made of plywood or hard paper in my model to avoid the radio interference.
Attachments
Shoulder harness
Shoulder harness
AFT Pilot leg cover
AFT Pilot leg cover
Control Stick and tow release knob etc.
Control Stick and tow release knob etc.
Stick head
Stick head
Cockpit Floor
Cockpit Floor
Fuselage access door
Fuselage access door
StephenB
Posts: 187
Joined: 26 Dec 2018, 08:45
Location: Hungary

Re: 1/3 scale Japanese vintage glider Mita type 3

Post by StephenB »

Excellent detailing Norm, how did you make the harness and buckles?
norm

Re: 1/3 scale Japanese vintage glider Mita type 3

Post by norm »

StephenB, the harness is a wooven belt and the buckles are plastic buckle I bought both at a handicraft shop.
norm

Re: 1/3 scale Japanese vintage glider Mita type 3

Post by norm »

Making the Nose Cowl Wooden Form
The Mita has a nose cowl made from GFRP. In my model I simulated it with glass cloth and epoxy resin. The process to make a FRP part is, 1st: draw a 3D plan, 2nd: make a wooden form, 3rd: make a plaster mold and finally lay up cloth and resin. Attached photos show the 1st and 2nd process I took. The wooden form is made of balsa.
Attachments
Making 3D DWG by 2D CAD
Making 3D DWG by 2D CAD
DWG completed
DWG completed
Parts for the wooden form
Parts for the wooden form
Parts assembling
Parts assembling
Inserting filler
Inserting filler
Shaping the form
Shaping the form
Completed wooden form
Completed wooden form
norm

Re: 1/3 scale Japanese vintage glider Mita type 3

Post by norm »

Making the nose cowl
A plaster mold was made with the wooden form posted above. It was painted with the mold release agent, then glass cloth was layed up with epoxy resin and cured. One day after the nose FRP cowl appeard. After trimming it was tested to fit with the fuselage structure and the result was perfect.
Attachments
making the plaster mold
making the plaster mold
Plaster mold complete
Plaster mold complete
Painting mold release agent
Painting mold release agent
Lay-up
Lay-up
Separation from the mold
Separation from the mold
Trimmed cowl
Trimmed cowl
Fit test
Fit test
User avatar
SedB
Posts: 98
Joined: 14 Nov 2019, 09:17
Location: Netherlands

Re: 1/3 scale Japanese vintage glider Mita type 3

Post by SedB »

norm wrote: 08 Dec 2019, 12:18 Making the nose cowl
Thank you for this masterclass, looks great so far!

Daniel
norm

Re: 1/3 scale Japanese vintage glider Mita type 3

Post by norm »

Cliff, I checked the magazine 航空ファン(Aviation Fun) Jan/2020 edition but I could not find any page dealing with Japanese gliders. Could you please provide me the information source? Norm
norm

Re: 1/3 scale Japanese vintage glider Mita type 3

Post by norm »

SedB, Thank you for your comment. I hope you are enjoying my thread.
norm

Re: 1/3 scale Japanese vintage glider Mita type 3

Post by norm »

Making the Wing-Body Fairing
Taking same process with the nose cowl, I made the wing-body FRP fairing. This is much easier than the cowl because of its simple shape.
Attachments
Fairing DWG
Fairing DWG
Fairing wooden form
Fairing wooden form
Plaster mold
Plaster mold
Painting mold release agent
Painting mold release agent
Glass cloth lay up
Glass cloth lay up
Release from the mold
Release from the mold
Fit check
Fit check
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