Guillows Mustang 900 series build

scigs30 · Post by **scigs30** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 1:50 am

I am building this kit to practice my covering skills with silver tissue. I have tried the new Esaki silver with poor results. I will now give Easy Built Silver a try. I did not want to practice on the Beaver so I threw this plane together pretty quick. I have a few of these kits lying around and they go together pretty fast. This kit came with heave balsa 10-15lb/ft wood. The other Guillows Mustangs I have come with 7-8lb/ft balsa. I figure if the tissue does not go on smooth, I can just rip it off and try something else. Normally I would paint silver but I really want to use silver tissue.......If anyone knows of a good Silver Tissue please let me know. I will let you know how the Easy Built tissue works. I built this plane per the plans using Testors wood cement. So far as shown it weighs 22 grams.

cliffm · Post by **cliffm** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 3:47 am

Very nice scigs. I've tried the silver that comes with Diel's and Duma's and neither was what you could call real good or real bad. I'm quite partial to silkspan and acrylics as most of my builds are static and the colored tissues don't fit my bill, although hopefully there are better alternatives to the ones I've mentioned. It will be interesting to hear what the other folks have found.

Phugoid · Post by **Phugoid** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 6:08 am

Hi Scigs,

Nice build as normal. It looks like it from what I can tell but is the canopy in one piece in this one? (as against the Trojan)

I also notice that there is no nose moulding, I don't think I've ever seen a guillows kit without one!

I'll be reading with interest as I've always been afraid of silver, both for paint and tissue..... good luck

scigs30 · Post by **scigs30** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 1:47 pm

I started with the silver tissue. So far I have the sides and top done, next is the bottom then I will spray with water. I am putting this stuff on as tight as I can get it then I will mist the water on to shrink it. I am attaching the tissue with 50/50 Elmers/Water.

All I have left is the bottom, then I can spray with water.

wmikedavis · Post by **wmikedavis** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 4:43 pm

Do you ever use a hair dryer to hasten the drying time on the tissue?

scigs30 · Post by **scigs30** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 9:38 pm

No, it for sure will cause warping. I have tried it with poor results. One secret I have found to a great wrinkle free covering job is light mist of water to shrink tissue. Sure it is not fun waiting for it to dry or doing multiple mists, but it sure looks great in the end.

scigs30 · Post by **scigs30** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 11:43 am

This is why I built this practice plane. If you don't succeed the first time, try again, and again. I was not happy with the covering when I went to shrink it, so I tore it off the fuselage and now I am re covering. The tissue shrinks much better than the Silver Esaki tissue. The problem is it shrinks too much causing a bunch of stress wrinkles and some of the tissue pulled away. So I studied the silver tissue Walt Mooney used on his Bostonian and I am back at it this morning. If it works I will be happy. Will post pictures.

scigs30 · Post by **scigs30** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 11:17 pm

I have most of the structures covered, still have to do the top of the wing and the rudders tissue is shrinking. So far I am pretty happy with this tissue not too much weight gain. Still lighter than painting. I brushed on 2 coats of dope before adding the decals. The only wrinkles I have are stress wrinkles. Those could have been prevented but I was lazy. Should be done on Sat. I hope.

lukebozek1 · Post by **lukebozek1** » Fri Nov 12, 2010 9:29 am

I find it hard to believe that you would be "practicing" any tissue operations, regardless of the medium. I did a P-38 many years ago and tried a silver tissue that just didn't work. I tried it wet and dry but the color kept washing off. I think it was from Hobby Lobby, but that was twenty years ago. I ended up using a monokote on most of the plane. I do remember the tissue I had was fairly heavy. but it didn't shrink up as well as the silkspan that came with the kit. By the way. that Mustang looks great!

scigs30 · Post by **scigs30** » Sun Nov 14, 2010 12:01 am

I finished my Silver Tissue experiment and I must say I am happy with the tissue. Final Weight is 28 grams. The only wrinkles that developed were stress wrinkles. This tissue is much easier for me to work with when compared to Esaki Silver, this is also cheaper. A small sheet of Esaki Silver is 4.00. The larger sheet of Easy Built Silver is 1.10. Also Esaki silver weighs 4.7 grams for a sheet, and EB same size sheet as Esaki weighs 4.86.

jack lee · Post by **jack lee** » Sun Nov 14, 2010 4:08 pm

I wanted to see how your model came out, but, on my computer, your photos aren't showing up. Instead there's a Photobucket sticker that says, "Bandwidth exceeded," where each photo should be. I can't tell if this is my problem or photobucket's but I wanted you to know.

John G Jedinak · Post by **John G Jedinak** » Sun Nov 14, 2010 4:46 pm

Scigs...ditto Jack Lee...no pic on my computor as well. JGJ

scigs30 · Post by **scigs30** » Sun Nov 14, 2010 7:05 pm

Something is wrong with my account, I emailed tech support and they are working on it. They think I have been hacked. Until then, here is my build.
http://www.virtualaerodrome.com/image_b ... 97&offset=

cliffm · Post by **cliffm** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 11:25 am

Very nice build. On your clear dope application, what do you use and how do you apply it? Butyrate, nitrate, clear gloss or satin, how thin do you mix it and do you brush it on or spray? The only thing I've tried is clear gloss in a spray can, it came out all right looking nice, but it was for awful on the heavy. Thanks for sharing.

John G Jedinak · Post by **John G Jedinak** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 12:11 pm

As usual Scigs....outstanding work...Cheers!!!!