Evolution Models

Welcome to my build of the Evolution Models - Enigma. This is the Glow version.

10. Ready

First here is the engine arrangement that OS sticker was made by me with my new Silhouette Cameo vinyl cutter, next is the complete assembled model. The Enigma sticker was another by me, the one suppled in the kit is quite thick, and wasn't transparent, I wasn't happy in using it. I must add that this was the only bit of the kit I wasn't happy to use.
The Futaba and pilot name were also made by me. I'll put a sticker on anything now.

9. Final Assembly

Final aileron joining showing the hard point from (8) below. Next is the aileron servo arrangement, and the interplane strut fitting. I messed these up first time round, but a quick email to Gavin at Evolution models and I was soon ready for attempt no 2.

8. Ailerons

The servo drives the bottom aileron, with a link to the top one. This link is a ball joint in each aileron, the instructions say to drill the 2mm hole and strengthen with cyano glue. The aileron wood is very soft, and whilst I have no doubt that the suggested method will work, I have cut in some 1/4" square spruce to take the ball clevis, this in my mind will give a stronger fixing and spread the load into the aileron.

7. Ready for covering

All the bits ready for covering, as you can see I have started , the front part of the wing will be pearlescent blue

6. Engine Mounting

This where I had my first big problem. For starter the kit is I think primarily for electric power, but also for upto 60 power.
I have an OS 55 (40 size crank case) but with the motor fitted to the mount, and rotated to place the exhaust underneath between the undercarriage the sides of the mount over hang the fuselage sides and put the mounting holes too close to the edge. I just dont think its quite wide enough. I'd suggest making the F1 again and and make it 1/4" wider.
Now this is just me but I didn't trust the F1 to fuselage mounting, so I added some triangle fillets and glass cloth.
Because a commercial mount wouldn't fit, I had to make my own. This was bolted to the rear on the engine (with longer screws).

5. Leading Edge mod

The instructions tell to stick 1/4 leading edges, then sand to follow the ribs then stick the sheeting on and sand to shape. I didn't do mine this way. I used a 1/16 false leading edge then put the top sheeting on, followed then by the 1/4 leading edge. This gives me a straight edge to shape to, and no visible glue line.

This is my preference, the designers are aware of the glue line and suggest the use of Aliphatic wood glue, which as we know sands easily.

4. Wings underway

Just follow the instruction. It's all too easy, no really, the bits are sublime.

3. Fuselage

The fuselage was assembled in about an hour, and this was only to wait for the glue to dry. The engineering in this kit is something to enjoy and the bits fit execelently.Mostly.

Don't make the same mistake as me: When you fit the fuselage formers the front ones are marked on the wood, but the rear one isn't. With no plan all you can do is guess where this should go. I guessed wrong and when I fitted the rear fuselage sheeting it had a slight curve in it. So to make it fit I had to take some wood off from the bottom, this was the mistake. this left me with 1/8 differece when fitting the cockpit window (wood).

I reasilse my mistake when talking to the designer at the Nats. No problems though i just used 1/4 wood rather than 1/8. To be honest this now give me more wood to shape.

The instructions call for both rudder & elevator servos up front, my prefered set up is a tail mounte elevator servo, this gives me more scpoe to position the rudder servo in the middle to ensure even closed look runs. On the subject of the closed loops, There are 1/32 ply doublers on the inside of the exit holes. I said the engineering was good.

The 3rd image above shows the servo mounting hole, what you can see is the 1/8 lite-ply doubler. This also mean I can stick the wire along the bottom om the sheeting and we'll not see a pushrod through the transparent film. I dont make it up you know.

2. Tail Bits

I wasn't going to start, honest. I've too much on the go as it is. But I was fiddling and trying the fit of parts and I accidently spilled some glue on the parts, and hey presto I had the tail build in about 10 minutes.

Note: I liike to use white glue in my builds and that is what this kit will be built with. (mostly).

1. Finished model

I was at the Weston Park this year looking for an Avicraft Panic, When I saw this beauty and I was smitten. I even love the colour scheme that I've already purchased the Profilm. There is no plan, just the best instructional build sequence you will ever read.