Hi everybody
This thread will describe the building (and hopefully flying) of a Sebel Folland Gnat. I bought the kit some time ago, mainly because I got intrigued by the construction method with preformed fuselage halves split horizontally, not vertically as you would normally do. I found that the kit was more or less complete, but missing plan and building instructions, fuselage halves and canopy warped, box in bad condition, so I decided that there are other kits more collectible, and that this one deserved to be built.
Thanks to Roger and Andy I got copies of the plan and building instructions, so here we go.
Since everything except the fuselage halves can be easily copied, I have documented all parts, and am preparing a 3D cad model of the fuselage, which hopefully will make it possible to 3D-print “molds” to reproduce the fuselage halves as well. We’ll se.
Here is a picture of the Kit before starting. As you can see, one fuselage half is badly warped, but no major cracks, and I have assembled the fuselage jigs. The print on the jig formers was made at the wrong side, so the fuselage would have had a very narrow waist if the formers were mounted in the order they were numbered, and the top formers were marked bottom and vice versa.
Next step was to identify all parts, and by turning the jigs upside down and adding some weight I try to make the fuselage halves go back to their originally intended shape. I don’t want to use too much water here as I then risk losing the fine details imprinted in the balsa, so I start by just adding pressure while dry, and letting it sit for a few days.
A question about the colour: The kit should be painted “Nordic blue”, and as far as I understand it is a pale blue colour. Is there anyone that can help me with some kind of colour code reference so I know what I am looking for?
Gunnar