Lockheed Vega, 30" rubber-powered, Dave Rees plan

Well, I've made a start. This being a bigger model than the Sopwith Pup - actually the largest model I've made since about 1970 - it's a bit strange working with larger wood (that's obviously a relative statement for the RC guys...) This model is probably my first, what I'd call, pukka scale flying model, with the emphasis on flying. By all accounts, these are renowned for leaving their owners looking skyward in vain...

Anyway, the wings have been a joy to build, and I'm delighted at how rigid they feel. I pre-bent the split ribs - a first for me - and it worked a treat.



I've also cut out the formers, made from two layers of diametrically opposed 1/32".




Wing tips next.

It's good to be building again.

I have had a plan (personally autographed by the great one himself) for many years now. It is on my airplane bucket list and will be built soon I hope. I will be watching this build with rapt attention.

Looks lovely!
Mike

I've finished building the wings so time to address the fuselage.

The plans suggest building it in two halves, however, having already cut out the formers in one piece, I was loathe to cut them in half. So I decided to experiment by building the fuselage on a jig, which I've never done before. Like all approaches, it has its advantages and disadvantages, so I'm interested to see how I get on with it.

That's an interesting way of doing it, watching with interest

Well, this method is SLOW, and definitely not for the faint of heart or heavy of hand. It's so darned easy for a momentarily wayward finger to break a stringer.

Nearly done, just got a few more stringers to add. However, the ones around the cabin look very fragile considering that the wing rests upon them, so I'm considering beefing them up a tad, perhaps by making them out of 1/16th square spruce.

I've also discovered that, having built the fuselage, there's no way for me to insert the horizontal tailplane through the stringers without cutting the penultimate former... There's no warning on the plan to avoid this trap. And even if I could do it, it would create a tissue covering problem...

Anyway, those tribulations aside, what has emerged is a seriously light fuselage: a mere 6grams thus far! Believe it or not, this is a mere 0.45 gram heavier than the VMC Me109 fuselage (which is also getting a complete makeover.) The Vega is shaping up to be a floater!

Very nicely done. much to fragile for my clumsy hands thats for sure

Doing KK scale kits makes 1/16 stringers a doddle. Comes easier with practice.