Fireball XL5 scratchbuilt "semi-scale"

A while back I promised that I'd send pics as soon as I was at a point I could... here is a quick collage of pics...

top left: Fireball as it stands so far...a little longer than scale...no forward fins, no forward "nozzels," no canopy on the top side, no nosecone canopy....but I'm working on it! The architect's scale indicates the size.

top right: underside of the Fireball...I used a very thin corrugated board for the "cooler section" and scored it with a ball point pen and a metal ruler...the gap is for the launch lug...you can see that the fin sections are too thin to be scale, but that's ok with me

bottom left: topside of the aft part of the ship...I had carved the tail cone and attached small stirrer straws for the nozzels...next time I'm going to BMS for the tail cone!

bottom right: my first attempts at molding a canopy...I intend to cut the nosecone (eeek!) and finish the nose "interior."

I'll let you know how it all comes out

Sure...go to BMS for a custom tailcone! I don't mind.

Check out The Squadron.

www.squadron.com

They have a canopy maker (I havn't tried it yet) Part number SQ 9001 sheet assortment for $5.95.

You place a wood dowel into a vice to hold it and put a gob of clay on top.

Insert your favorite canopy from a plastic airplane model onto the gob of clay.

Heat up the clear sheet styrene from the kit over a candle (burning of course) to soften it.

When the styrene becomes soft and plyable and starts to sag, quickly and firmly pull the styrene over your master and hold it until it cools...about 1 minute.

TaDAAAA!

Instant canopy!

sandman

That's the stuff I used! (see that bottom right pic) I made several, just in case I screwed them up royally! The pic shows two...one on each end....and it was really easy to do...thanks!

Cool, what's the BT size and what will you fly it on? Maybe we can have a Fireball drag race at the next TRF Meet Now if only i can score some G80-4s....

Used a bt-60....really small actually...the pic shows it next to an architect's scale, which is about 13" in length...mine is maybe
18" in length...thinking that a c will do the job

Sandman, I just saw your work on the sonic cruiser....wow! My stuff is simple compared to that...of course you can do the tailcone! wow!

OK how about racing my Deuce-XL5 on two B6's?

hahaha....I know you'd win....

I am doing some detailing on the cockpit right now - have cut away part of the cone, fitted the floor and back wall, have made chairs, consoles and pilots, and am pleased with the way it's coming out I am attaching the forward fins today. More pics soon