Fuselage:
Of great concern to was the fuselage. Maupin offers a number of alternatives. I do not like the fabric and dope suggestion so I have opted for foam and glass. I have been toying with the idea of having some removeable panels for inspection but have not put the idea to paper yet. I do wonder how much the glass will affect my weight and balance. In one complete windrose the builder said he had to put ballast in the nose. I do feel the glassed fuselage will add to the safety and aero dynamic efficiency.

The bare bones structure ready for the 1/2" foam pieces

The foam is held in place by the canned foam

The foam is smoothed down with rough sandpaper

The fuselage is finally glassed inside and out. Doing the inside was no small task.

Jan97 I went ahead and did the foam and glass. It was a good experience. At some later date I would like to use this effort as a plug for a lighter kevlar fuselage. The Instrument panel has been fashioned with foam and the canopy will hinge at the front. It has been quite a design feat for this front hinging canopy. I am planning on using the plywood canopy frame covered in a light fiberglass. It will be fitted last to conform with the fuselage.

January 20, 1998 I have just finished casting the top of my mold for the aft fuslage. Pictures will follow once I have them developed. The vacuum bagging is a real hit with me but the whole process of building a plug, then a mold and then casting the part is very time consuming. I will be able to produce others though if anyone is interested.

February 19, 1998 I have just finished the rear fuselage mold (the area where the fuselage meets the wings). This was quite a process making the plug then casting the mold in three peices... photos to follow as soon as they are developed. I have been using a lot of polyester body filler adding some glass bubbles to finish up the mold. I have used a lot of door screening and polyester filler to extend the sides of the mold so I can comfortably put on my caulking for the vacuum molding. I will use a sandwich layer probably using some of the Kintex for the second layer... a few strips of foam in the large unsupported areas then cover with a layer of heavy fiberglass in the vacuum bagging process... but I will experiment first.

The plug was made from plaster, Durabond 90 seemed best over a wire screen to make the plug. This is the aft fuselage mold being cast. The vacuum baggin process has started sometime early Feb 98

One mold done. I had a number of pin holes in the surface of the mold due to my inexperience at making molds so I patched it with feather fill. Yes the mold comes apart in 3 pieces

Here is the mold in use casting the top of the fuselage first. This is the second layer of fiberglass which has a partial foam sandwich.

And there is the aft-fuselage finished and in place.. epoxied in. everthing fits! done about March of 98

This photo is trying to how a lip that I made using a plaster for a mold. This lip will have the fuselage covering attached to it by screws.About September 98

Thats just after I made the male plug.. Which was really quite easy. Just piled up a lot of scrap foam glued with the canned foam, sanded it out just below the surface I wanted then applied the wax and mold release... then fiberglassed with all my scrap fiberglass..... and incidently that fiberglass resin is about 10 -15 years old... and still works well for the non- structural parts. October 6, 1998

And there is the part just released from the male mold. Ofcourse the inside is nice and smooth.... and the outside rather rough but such is male molds. Some micro and lots of sanding and it will be just fine!

	Here it is sort of ugly duckling like but very functional!
	Jan 09, 1999 Here is the fuselage to boom join. I think this worked out rather well for me. The joins will be taped. Note the elevator controls neatly put in there.

	Well there you have it! The hole under the wing has a filler plate.