Slingsby T-37 Skylark ~ 1/3-scale model by Peter Goldsmith (Build Thread by JimD)

[kjkavaney]

thanks for the update Jim...I am about 90% done with everything, but it is that last 10% that is killing me....I liked your ideas from your previous pictures...so I made a removable tray with magnets and my pilot also is held to that tray with yet another powerful magnet. I had a ton of NIB analog servos so I made new servo mounts for every servo in the plane which took a lot more time and putzy… just about ready to start covering everything... but final sanding and connections yet ...I think I will steal yet some more of your ideas....
Thanks again...kevin

[Jim Gibson]

My new REVOC wing bags are on there way to me as I'm very prone to hangar rash(this should scratch the itch....)

[Jim Gibson]

It Flies!!! Had my first flights with the Skylark today and it was great and a huge relief. The Power 32 was more than adequate for an easy climbout. The dolly works great for ROG. Thank you Peter Goldsmith for a well thought out kit/design and JimD for the build thread. Definitely a keeper


Jim G.

[ARUP]

Noyce! Conrats!

[horsefeetky]

jim gibson
did you glass the wood and paint over with clear seal coat.. info please it looks great.

did you apply glass to lower section first then cover with iron on over top at the seperation line a 1/4" or so

[Jim Gibson]

The front and rear sections of the fuselage were finished with 0.5oz fiberglass cloth and two coats of Zpoxy thinned with denatured alcohol 1:1. I also applied an oak veneer strip to the bottom of the skid and that was glassed as well. For convenience the cloth was applied in sections and very lightly sanded after the first application coat to clean up the edges(any extra cloth at the edge is easily sanded off) and smooth everything out. The second coat was applied after the glassing was completely finished. I liked the Zpoxy as it gave the wood a slight patina look that I wanted as well. The process was fairly quick and easy plus it really hardened up the wood. The black color is Klasskote satin black.

After the glassing was completed, the covering was applied(Oracover) overlapping the glassed areas about 1/4" Here's a photo of the aft portion of the fuselage..........

Also, I did not glue the nose of the fin to the stab. I installed an 1/8" CF rod into the bottom of the nose that fits into a brass tube in the stab. It get wedged into place by the fin when the stab is screwed into position.
Jim G.

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[horsefeetky]

when you applied the glass cloth over the open area did you only use resin on the outer edges and then heat shrink the cloth some then brush aecond coat to entire open area cloth.. curious and i have never used cloth on open area's but i have a project ahead like yours

[Tom]

when you applied the glass cloth over the open area did you only use resin on the outer edges and then heat shrink the cloth some then brush aecond coat to entire open area cloth.. curious and i have never used cloth on open area's but i have a project ahead like yours

The open areas are covered in oracover.....the glass/epoxy is only on the sheeted areas......the only way to use fiberglass cloth over open structure is to lay the fiberglass up on a smooth surface first letting it fully cure.......and then epoxying it to the structure.

[Jim Gibson]

Tom is 100% correct in his response. That is exactly how the fuselage is finished.

[horsefeetky]

thanks for the knowledge... just what i needed to move foward with this project.. im using hempel 50% ka wings and tail on a scratch fuse built with profile spine and built out to contour with side formers and balsa sheeting.

[JimD]

My Skylark has officially become a Kentucky resident! Joe and Les made the trip up to Cumberland last week to take delivery and fly for a couple of days at the HighPoint Airfield. Since that was taking place, two other change of owner transfers were arranged for the same general time and place. Added in were what is becoming the core USA GPS Triangle Racing squad. Since they missed the opportunity to get together at the AMA Scale Soaring Event, they decided to get together at Cumberland last week. Bottom line was we hosted about ten pilots per day for about five days. One person would depart and another would arrive. Not exactly an event, but it was a very eventful week!

Anyway, I took delivery of the Peter Goldsmith Designs Skylark v 2.0...another fine kit to build! Thanks Peter!

[Jim Gibson]

Skylark Version 2.0?? You're teasing us........details?

[JimD]

Peter's design concept for the Skylark was to offer a great flying, unique looking model that could serve as an entry level giant scale kit. Keeping the cost and parts count as low as possible and the build as simple as possible (no special tools required to build) were key elements.

On the cost side, balsa prices have recently skyrocketed while plywood wing skins have not.

So...Peter decided to try a redesign using plywood wing skins instead of balsa. This actually helps keep the price point about the same while decreasing the parts count and further simplifying the build process.

Got to clear a few other projects from the building bench, but stay tuned!

[bgarrison]

Lots of Peter's Skylarks here on the forum. If any of you still have an empty cockpit, I am putting in an order for another round from Tailored Pilots. See Jim's post #57 for a picture.

The price will be the same as Pete's previous round back in 2018, $55 plus shipping.

Drop me an IM or Email. Order is going in next week!

Cheers
Bert

[JimD]

Thanks for doing this Bert...I will take two.