Anyway I've started on the replacement forward fuselage (the tail section is detachable behind the wing TE and survived the crash
).First I sketched a side view and plan view of the fus and lofted some cross-sections.
There are many ways to transfer these 2D drawings into foam.
You could just get a big lump of foam, transfer the top and side profiles onto it, bandsaw around these, then get creative with a sanding block to create the contours. But I didn't think I'd be able to get enough cross-sectional symmetry to be happy enough with the end product.
At the other end of the spectrum you could cut many (say, 20mm thick) formers and sandwich these together. This would massively reduce the amount of sanding and ensure good profile accuracy. It would also take blummin' ages.
In the end I decided to cut a 50mm thick central keel to capture the side profile, then fill out with 50mm thick half-formers either side. Yeah this means there are some big steps between adjacent formers, but I reckon there are enough reference points to help me keep the profile accurate when sanding.
So.. over to the scroll saw, and about 2 hours later I have a little kit of foam parts. Must say, this pink foam is fab to work with - so easy to cut/sand but stiff enough to stay straight and rigid.
A couple of hours later the whole lot is glued with PVA, taking obsessive care to check alignment/symmetry.
The next step is to get jiggy with a sanding block and blend all those formers to a smooth flowing shape.... BUT maybe not for 6 weeks as I'm back to work Monday.
