SE5A Cowl / Radiator Page
This page will show the making up of the Cowl Radiator assembly.
I have chosen to modify the radiator to that of an SE5a which had a Wolseley 200hp viper engine which led to the changes in the front cowling, from that shown on the DB plans which would of had the earlier Hispano Suiza direct drive V8 engine,
The start of the building process of the revised cowl is as per the plans. In the first four pictures below the frame is made up of individual sections of cnc cut balsa strips, laminated on top of each other. Note in picture Three below you can see that the final two laminations are narrower thus providing a recess once in place to allow for the fitting of the radiator grill. See picture Four
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The next picture in the sequence is showing the cowl sides cut even narrower and a new centre as per the later models from light ply
In picture two I have made up the radiator louver housing which has been made from scrap spruce which I had lying around
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These next pictures show the cowl sides and centre section overlaid with Litho Plate to give an improved scale appearance.
The top of the cowl header tank is solid balsa block, which has then been coated with a glass fibre resin mixed with micro balloons and the sanded and sprayed with silver paint.
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Over recent weeks work has been carried out on the cowl and dummy engine blocks of the model.
As you can see the cowl has been covered with litho plate using the same methods employed on the Sopwith Pup build the dummy engine blocks where made from scrap balsa and ply peaces and a bit of ingenuity. See pics below
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