![\"7485\"](\"http:\/\/www.balsaworkbench.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/7485.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThat’s a great looking canopy on a great looking plane. \u00a0Not only does it look good, it also keeps\u00a0dust and oil out of the cockpit. \u00a0(You may have noticed the generic pre-bent landing gear and commercially made wheel pants also found on this plane.) \u00a0Fortunately, Sig still makes bubble canopies and WWII canopies in various sizes from small to large and several in between. \u00a0These can be cut to fit a huge variety of airplanes, and you can get through most of your projects\u00a0with Sig canopies. \u00a0Off the top of my head, I’m suspicious that the Bandito Grande may be a bit too big for Sig’s largest canopy, though you’ll want to call Sig to be sure. \u00a0If you don’t think you can make a Sig canopy fit your next project, Park Flyer Plastics has a long list of available canopies. \u00a0Or you may be able to find exactly what you’re looking for by searching for replacement parts for ARFs or kits that are currently available from Sig, Graves, Extreme, or other vendors. \u00a0This is a hit-and-miss process, and you probably need to know some dimensions to help you make an educated guess regarding whether the available\u00a0replacement part will fit whatever\u00a0plane you’re building. \u00a0If all else fails, you may just have to go back to the stone age. \u00a0Build a form out of balsa blocks, enlist the help of a friend, and use four hands to pull a bottle or sheet of plastic over the form\u00a0while heating it with a heat gun.<\/p>\n
I got a note from Craig Vanderborgh, who points out that MP JET in Europe has a wide variety of push rods, connectors, and other hardware for sale at attractive prices.\u00a0 He says they have fast shipping and reasonable prices.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, most of the common items are still available from the usual sources here in the USA, including landing gear straps, tail wheel and nose gear brackets, screws, clevises, and control horns. \u00a0If you can’t find the correct inchworm style clips to hold your landing gear in place, you can make your own from a tin can. \u00a0There used to be a lot of brands of fuel tanks available, but the number has dwindled significantly. \u00a0You can still buy commercial fuel tanks, but if you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for you can make one out of a plastic bottle, just like they used to do in the old days.<\/p>\n
You can find a lot of stuff on the web, but sometimes you have to think creatively to come up with the correct search terms. \u00a0If all else fails, just pretend it’s 1965 and figure out how to make it yourself.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The main focus of this website is the construction and flying of balsa airplanes\u00a0as it was done\u00a0from\u00a0the 1970s to 1990s. \u00a0I don’t talk much about carbon fiber or electric motors, which are popular in modern times, or bamboo, silk and … Continue reading