DDC Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 Howdy folks, thought you might be interested in my latest project at work. It's a Cessna 170 that is going through a complete restoration. The owner wants it to have a polished metal finish, so this is what's kept me occupied for the last few weeks. Before: As of today: Sadly the LH wing has some hail damage and the owner doens't want to go down the road of reskinning the wing. Fair way to go yet, but she's looking mighty awesome sofar! Cheers, Denzil Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The Cameraman Posted March 24, 2010 Share Posted March 24, 2010 Howdy folks, thought you might be interested in my latest project at work. It's a Cessna 170 that is going through a complete restoration. The owner wants it to have a polished metal finish, so this is what's kept me occupied for the last few weeks.Before: As of today: Sadly the LH wing has some hail damage and the owner doens't want to go down the road of reskinning the wing. Fair way to go yet, but she's looking mighty awesome sofar! Cheers, Denzil Hi Denzil, that sure is a fine looking aircraft, thanks for posting. Reggie AKA The Cameraman Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pbishop Posted March 24, 2010 Share Posted March 24, 2010 Cool job. Wish I could have it. Dont forget to put a sticker for those sunny days that says "Caution, aircraft may be hot." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RCoulter52 Posted March 24, 2010 Share Posted March 24, 2010 (edited) Why does it have a nose gear in the 'Before' picture? :D Great job on the hand polish, so far! Edited March 24, 2010 by RCoulter52 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DDC Posted March 25, 2010 Author Share Posted March 25, 2010 Cheers guys! pbishop- You ought to be able to find a 170 easy enough in your part of the world. All it takes to get her looking good is a bit of paint stripper and a bucket load of elbow grease! That's a bloody good idea about the sticker, I'll suggest that too the owner! :D RCoulter52- The aircraft started it's life as an early Cessna 172. The 170 and early 172 are almost identical, save for empenage, a bit of internal structure, swapping a nosewheel to tailwheel, and moving the main landing gear forwards. Fairly common mod, and it results in a MUCH prettier aeroplane! Denzil Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pbishop Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 Yeah but you get paid to do it, lol. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RCoulter52 Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 I knew it looked like an early 172 but, I didn't know that this could be done. Thanks so much for the clarification and information. I can't wait to see the finished product. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ross blackford Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 (edited) :D, Hm, had a look at one of the O-1 Bird Dogs I have in the stash and I reckon I can convert it to a 170. Just needs a bit of formwork laid onto the empenage up to the Bird Dog's rear window and fill that in with card and filler and change the shape of the door and add a new one on the left hand side, rub the heavy window frames down, fill in the top windows, change the shape of the rear side windows and remove the radio areials on the tailplanes. With all that extra weight behind the main gear there's no way it would be a nose sitter. Then all that would need to done is make up a couple of control wheels from wire and a couple of pairs of rudder pedals and voila a 1/72 scale Cessna 170. Not strictly accurate but I think good enough for a representation in 'braille scale'. , Ross. Edited April 3, 2010 by ross blackford Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Antonov Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 ,Hm, had a look at one of the O-1 Bird Dogs I have in the stash and I reckon I can convert it to a 170. Just needs a bit of formwork laid onto the empenage up to the Bird Dog's rear window and fill that in with card and filler and change the shape of the door and add a new one on the left hand side, rub the heavy window frames down, fill in the top windows, change the shape of the rear side windows and remove the radio areials on the tailplanes. With all that extra weight behind the main gear there's no way it would be a nose sitter. Then all that would need to done is make up a couple of control wheels from wire and a couple of pairs of rudder pedals and voila a 1/72 scale Cessna 170. Not strictly accurate but I think good enough for a representation in 'braille scale'. Or you could just build the ol' reliable Monogram kit in something-sorta-close-to-1/48-scale. I think that'd be much less work in doing a respectable 170. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ross blackford Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 :D, You're probably right there Antonov, but I model in 1/72 scale for space reasons. And besides that I don't mind a challenge. Apart from that there's a Sai-Marchetti Super Dog at Luskintyre airfield, not too far from where I live. I'd like to do that conversion some day too. Next time I'm up there and it's out of its hangar I'll do a walkaround and post the pics in the walkaround section. :(, Ross. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 (edited) Denzil, You did a great job there....Looking good ...Keep up the hard work... Edited November 25, 2010 by HOLMES Quote Link to post Share on other sites
skidbuggy Posted May 14, 2010 Share Posted May 14, 2010 That's alot of Alclad Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VADM Fangschleister Posted May 16, 2010 Share Posted May 16, 2010 That's alot of Alclad Or in this case, Mother's Nothing like spinning that goop around with a buffing pad and getting all black and grimy. Having done a number of alloy wheels in the past, it's nasty but well worth it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
georgeg Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 Cheers guys!pbishop- You ought to be able to find a 170 easy enough in your part of the world. All it takes to get her looking good is a bit of paint stripper and a bucket load of elbow grease! That's a bloody good idea about the sticker, I'll suggest that too the owner! :) RCoulter52- The aircraft started it's life as an early Cessna 172. The 170 and early 172 are almost identical, save for empenage, a bit of internal structure, swapping a nosewheel to tailwheel, and moving the main landing gear forwards. Fairly common mod, and it results in a MUCH prettier aeroplane! Denzil Are they keeping the original tail? If they do, it will look more like a 180 than a 170! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
georgeg Posted May 17, 2010 Share Posted May 17, 2010 ;),Hm, had a look at one of the O-1 Bird Dogs I have in the stash and I reckon I can convert it to a 170. Just needs a bit of formwork laid onto the empenage up to the Bird Dog's rear window and fill that in with card and filler and change the shape of the door and add a new one on the left hand side, rub the heavy window frames down, fill in the top windows, change the shape of the rear side windows and remove the radio areials on the tailplanes. With all that extra weight behind the main gear there's no way it would be a nose sitter. Then all that would need to done is make up a couple of control wheels from wire and a couple of pairs of rudder pedals and voila a 1/72 scale Cessna 170. Not strictly accurate but I think good enough for a representation in 'braille scale'. :), Ross. Funny, I always hankered to take a Monogram 180 and a 1/48 L-19 and make an OE-2. Never got around to it, tho. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DDC Posted November 25, 2010 Author Share Posted November 25, 2010 Howdy again guys. Been a bit of a while between posts, but better late than never! As of now, all the polishing is done. Owner just needs to decide what engine to put in, then we move forwards again! Georgeg; that would make for a very cool project, and certainly get a lot of strange looks. Yes, she's going back to 170B spec, round tail and all. Ross, how's your 72nd 170 coming? Cheers, Denzil Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ross blackford Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 (edited) :), Hi Denzil, At the moment it isn't going at all and neither is anything else. I'm 3 days back at work after a 2 week stint as a patient where I work and then had just on 3 weeks sick leave during which time my Mum was admitted to the same hospital with a bad chest infection. She should be coming home tomorrow. My days have been rather full of visiting and washing clothes these last 2 weeks. I like the reflection portrait of you in the Cessna's tail. You've done an excellent job there mate. Do you think it will be finished by Festival of Flight next year? It would be great to see it there if the owner could make it. Hope to see you there again next year. The other day at work I got a call from one of the owners of a beautiful maroon Stinson 108 Voyager. Ihad met these fellows at Watts Bridge and had acted as this man's and his friends' taxi while they were at Watts Bridge. The Stinson is hangared at Luskintyre and they invited me to go up there this Saturday and go for a fly with them in it. That will be a real privilege. As well it is the Luskintyre Christmas Party so I'll be able to rub shoulders with other air minded people. , and all the best for the Festive Season, Ross. Edited November 25, 2010 by ross blackford Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted November 25, 2010 Share Posted November 25, 2010 Denzil SHE is looking mighty SMOOTH !!! :D GOOD WORK..KUDOS !!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 Denzil How is it going? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DDC Posted December 21, 2010 Author Share Posted December 21, 2010 Howdy Holmes, Sadly work has come to a halt for the time being. The owner is trying to sell his other C 172 to finance this thing, and sofar he hasn't had much luck (know anyone who wants a well run in Cessna 172? ), Add to that, we're up to our eyeballs in 'bread and butter' types (Cessna 182s and 208s) there hasn't been any time to get back to it. :P Same old story, time and money standing in the way of success! Ill keep you posted of any progress. Fingers crossed! Denzil Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 Howdy Holmes,Sadly work has come to a halt for the time being. The owner is trying to sell his other C 172 to finance this thing, and sofar he hasn't had much luck (know anyone who wants a well run in Cessna 172? ), Add to that, we're up to our eyeballs in 'bread and butter' types (Cessna 182s and 208s) there hasn't been any time to get back to it. :wub: Same old story, time and money standing in the way of success! Ill keep you posted of any progress. Fingers crossed! Denzil Denzil, thank you for the explanation..shame that it came to a halt just as it was getting exciting not just for you but for US as well.. I do so hope that the customer gets to sell his other C172 to make this one go forward and progress. MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR to you Denzil and your family. :D HOLMES :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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