Snaggletooth 2 photos

LAST EDITED ON Oct-26-04 AT 11:24 PM (CDT)
 
Well, I just finished putting Snaggletooth together and I couldn't wait to photograph it even though it is nearly dark. Thanks to photoshop the photos edit up to look OK but they should be better in sunlight.

This is an updated, laser cut copy of the molded Mustangs I flew in the early 1970's. They finished at the NATs, 3rd in 1974, 3rd in 1976, 1st in 1977 and Walker, and 2nd in 1978 World Championship. This version has a rear exhaust 65 and internal muffler. Design weight was 57 ozs. Actual weight is 55 1/2 ozs. It outa be a good one. The finish is all epoxy with poly clearcoat.

Al

I just stuck in a photo of the original "Easy Two Sugar".

>Well, I just finished putting Snaggletooth together and I
>couldn't wait to photograph it even though it is nearly
>dark. Thanks to photoshop the photos edit up to look OK but
>they should be better in sunlight.
>
>This is an updated, laser cut copy of the molded Mustangs I
>flew in the early 1970's. They finished at the NATs, 3rd in
>1974, 3rd in 1976, 1st in 1977 and Walker, and 2nd in 1978
>World Championship. This version has a rear exhaust 65 and
>internal muffler. Design weight was 57 ozs. Actual weight
>is 55 1/2 ozs. It outa be a good one. The finish is all
>epoxy with poly clearcoat.
>
>Al
Al where did you get the stars and bars? I need some.

The airplane is all painted. I have never used decals. I laid out the markings in proper proportions from a pamphlet on finishing and markings.

I like the way it looks. It looks as if it's been in service awhile and has had many encounters with the enemy. It's paint scheme suggests that this plane has changed fighter units/fighter wings, Fantastic! I really like the exhaust stains. This is what a mustang should look like, a tried and true woman. Thanks for sharing.

Ron B.
F4Fguy

Al:

As usual, BEAUTIFUL!!,but tooooo shiny. Love the shading on the fabric surfaces.

Ron,

It is no secret that competition airplanes, and this should be an excellent competition airplane, have to shine. As for shading, we know that Mustangs didn't have fabric covered ailerons, but then, they didn't have full span flaps, either. It just looked kinda neat and helped to "sell" scaleness.

The goal, of course, is an unrestricted competition stunter with pleasing appearance.

Thanks anyway,

Al:
Another work of art! Nobody does it better!

I still can clearly picture the Sea Fury doing squares at Glenview as if it were yesterday and the great visits when your flights layed over here in Minneapolis.

Take care

How does the planes today with the PA65 as compared to the originals with the ST46's and 61.

"I don't know about this tuned pipe business. I practiced on that thing until my lips turned blue, and I still can't play a stinkin note."
"Homer J. Simpson"

The only example I have so far is my Classic Bearcat. The 1970 version (2nd at '70 NATs) flew fine with a .46. The nearly exact current replica with the PA 65 flies with greater line tension, better vertical performance and an improved ability to penetrate upwind. The same should apply to Snaggletooth. I also have a Ro-Jett .77 which will certainly wind up in Snaggletooth 2 sooner or later now that it is legal for competition, or will be, come Jan.

Al-

Another masterpiece! Thanks much for sharing your pictures.

SK

Al,
Nice ship! I too like the shading and airbrush work. Looks very realistic. Keep us posted on how she flys.

This is a beauty.A First class front row plane Al.It inspires me to get out and start practicing the painting skills.Thanks so much for all the photos you have posted of the build on this great plane!

Al, you're the man!

As usual. I'm awed, again. What a lovely ship. Sounds like it will be dynamite in competition as well.

I'm so glad you have your digital camera and are sharing this stuff with us. Your paint work is just fantastic.

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"Each of us has a spark of life inside us, and our highest endeavor ought to be to set off that spark in one another." -Kenny Ausubel

>Al, you're the man!
>
>As usual. I'm awed, again.

"Often imitated, never duplicated".

I believe this is your Masterpiece. Take it to the Nats and kick some #####....

Fantastic!

Please, tell us some of your new secrets - is that KlassKote? What did you use for filler? You mention a clear poly top coat - which did you use? Is that because the epoxy clear reportedly yellows with age?

I don't have any secrets about finishing. The fuselage is covered with .5 oz glass cloth and the entire airplane has a coat of thinned Zap finishing resin. Over that, I used Superpoxy filler. The silver and white are Klass Koat. The other colors are Superpoxy. I am gradually making the transition to Klass Koat as I run out of Superpoxy products. I don't see any difference between Klass Koat and Superpoxy. They work the same. I don't mix their components but I do layer them. Clear polyurethane is polyurethane. Mine was mixed by Bill Wilson. I put it on in my driveway early in the morning while windless and dew still on the grass.

The ink lines were all Sharpie extra fine and the silver lines are Uniball Gel. No more Rapideograph pens and ink. My Millennium finishing video pretty much covers the process. I took 7 hours of digital 8 video of the finishing from the bare wood out. One of these days I plan to edit that into one or two VHS and DVD videos and offer them for sale.

Hi Al,
Look great as always. Just though I`d let you know about the Saito 82. It still vibrates but not as bad. But,bad enough I didn`t use it in Clovis,California accouple of weeks ago.I did manage to get a third place there though.The compatition there is really tough.I`m going to do more testing on the engine stand and try to sort it out.

Gordy

Gordon,

For what its worth, I still think that a more rigid nose structure would be necessary to control and REDUCE vibration.

Another masterpiece from Al's drafting table.. Looks great and at that weight it should be awesome.. Please do tell us more about the finish..

Very NICE!!!!

Thanks
Paul

Absolutely stunning! When I was a kid, I read about this Al Rabe guy, and the more I read, the more ipressed I became. I even bought a set of plans for a Mustunt of some kind that I was going to build. Alas, the plans are long gone and the plane never got built. I'm happy to say that my admiration has not dimmed in these 30-odd years since I was active.

Absolutely beautiful!

Kim Elmore

LAST EDITED ON Oct-27-04 AT 02:29 PM (CDT)
 
Thanks all, for kind words. Maybe I can get a few more photos on this post today showing the bottom. Here are a couple. Still gotta do some touch up, paint screw heads,etc.

Al,

Personal question here. I know you flew the P51 (am I wrong?). My bet is that you could sit right down in one right now and fly it pretty well (I know, Lears are different!). True?

There is a "war power" position on the P51 throttle for water injection, right? With a wire on it? (I read this somewhere, seems like it was Popular Mechanics..)

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"Drawing on my fine command of the English language, I said nothing." -Robert Benchley

LAST EDITED ON Oct-27-04 AT 02:23 PM (CDT)
 
Larry,

Got 55hours and 20 min pilot in command in Mustangs. No water injection. When you pushed the throttle farther forward, through a "gate" it simply gave more power above the normal maximum rated power for the engine. The safety wire was primarily an indicator to maintenance that "War Emergency" had been used, possibly triggering extra inspections of the engine.

HI Larry. I alwys thought that the alcohol/water injection was on radials, not V12's. The one place I know it was used was on the P47 as I read this in the story about Robert Johnson and his "Penrod & Sam" P47 in the ETO.

>Thanks all, for kind words. Maybe I can get a few more
>photos on this post today showing the bottom.
>
>Al

You should read what they're saying about you over on RCuniverse. From Dennis Adamisin on 10/22/04:

Big Bro'

Little secret - the Sea Fury was MY absolute favorite stunt model of all time too! Al Rabe was also the hardest working most dedicated and knowledgale designer I ever met. you MIGHT outscore him sometime, but you would NEVER out work him. After that Walker fly-off Al offered me a chance to fly it - I was intimidated and decliined- something I still regret!!!

A couple years back I built a TF R/C Sea Fury for an RCM kit review. Every time I look at it I still see Al's Sea Fury.

da

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/We_Need_More_Posts/m_2213149/tm.htm

I apologize if posting a link to another forum is forbidden, but I thought it was appropriate in this case.

"...I apologize if posting a link to another forum is forbidden, but I thought it was appropriate in this case."

Tom,

I think that posting a link to another forum from this one is not frowned upon in any way. However, that OS character did push the envelope at RCU when he posted four links to this site in a succeeding message.

The wheel wells are very "Trompe l'oeil"
Pat MacKenzie

LAST EDITED ON Oct-29-04 AT 00:04 AM (CDT)
 
Pat
They will be better when I get the screw heads painted.

LAST EDITED ON Oct-29-04 AT 02:04 PM (CDT)
 
Al,
You do very nice work.... but I must ask what the red dots are on the plane. I am sure you put them there for a reason.
My guess is the real plane has them???

Thanks
Paul

I am a retread, - I did C/L in my youth and did not know what I was doing then other then having fun. And not much has changed.

Edit - to add picture.

I've said it a hundred times! I am just so awed by the quality of work some put into their models!! This is a beutiful plane but are you going to fly it in stunt or enter it in scale!
A very sweet looking plane!
Dwayne

LAST EDITED ON Oct-29-04 AT 05:42 PM (CDT)
 
Paul,

Gas caps and grounding jacks. It has always been recommended to ground an airplane while refueling because of the static buildup from the flowing fuel. Yes, their size and location are scale, or semi-scale (more or less). The airplane had three tanks, two wing tanks of 92 gals each and the fuselage tank behind the pilot of 85 gals, all individually fueled and grounded. If you look carefully, the model has a sorta tank behind the pilot with a fuel line running to it, all made from paper. The Mustang also had a radio and a large battery behind the pilot, also simulated in paper.

Thanks Al,
It is a work of ART!!!

Paul

>Thanks Al,
>
>
>Paul
>
>I am a retread, - I did C/L in my youth and did not know
>what I was doing then other then having fun. And not much
>has changed.

Keith Varley

LAST EDITED ON Nov-01-04 AT 11:50 AM (CDT)
 
Here are a couple more photos with Snaggletooth's older brother and "Big Daddy", the Millennium. Which is also a very fine flying airplane. I expect the Millennium may be as competitive as Snaggletooth if I can figure a way to overpower it as much. The new Millennium awaits, hanging on the wall needing only finishing. Maybe its not too late to shoe-horn in a Ro-Jett 90. Yes, they exist.

Al,

I'd love to hear the process you use for finishing. From the wood up. Not a detailed description, but the steps used and the products.

The new Snaggletooth is awesome.