Nice work, Ben...Toulouse!  Stay with it! 

My uncle (Australia) used to send letters telling us that it was winter...in the middle of our summer...and I just couldn't imagine it!  Of course, winter to my mind was sub-zero temps and much MUCH snow n' ice.   

Stay warm n' dry....

Neal

Hi bigrip74,

We reserached:
(1) using a rubber roller, or glass bottle or kitchen rolling pin to produce the curve.  (2) Also looked at the soaking in water, and with various chemicals added. (3) We looked at a video of a guy, wearing safety glasses, using the heat of a lightbulb, to produce the curve. 

We selected an ordinary iron as simplest, fastest, and risk free.  We did not fancy using balsa glue with wet balsa.

Photo is of the iron we used. We didn't change the setting.  I think it was set on wool.  10 to 30 seconds is all it took.  You just iron on one side. and it curls.  The way it works is by drying out the moisture in the balsa on one side. 

Magic.

Kerak and alfakilo,

Firstly, thank you gentemen, for your attention to our build and your interesting historical and aeronautical information.

Alfakilo, for me it is great photo that you attached. 

I believe you are standing with your F4 Phantom with its serious armament. 

Kerak I can understand your enthusiasm and appreciation of the ground support aircrew and aircraft that supported the infantry on the ground. 

There were many ground support aircraft shot down by AA in Viet Nam.

So down under, we are moving into winter.  Nice sunny day here again, with very pleasant 11 degrees celsius, and no wind.  Snow to the North and snow to the South.

Ben was around with his family on Sunday night and glued in some stringers before dinner, while there was enough light to see well enough, in the garage. 

Ben is seriously busy at school just now.  On Sunday, Orienteering, Kayaking and Basketball.

There are 3 stringers to go now on the lower fuselage, in front of the LE of the wing.  There are 6 stringers to go on the lower rear of the fuselage from the TE of the wing to the stern post.

As members of the broken stringers and cross members club we researched solutions. 

Decided to use the hot, ordinary household iron, technique to pre-curve the stringers for the front of the fuselage. 

The photo shows the result with pre-curving the first stringer.  It is glued in now.

Thanks also Alfakilo as I have looked for the Derek Robinson book "Piece of Cake" locally. 

It is not available from my library, but is available to buy.  I have looked at the start of the TV program, Episode 1, Series 1.  Hornet squadron is depicted in France in March 1940. 

My understanding is there were no Spitfires in France at that time.  However with few Hurricanes available for a TV Series, Spitfires were the best option.

Indeed, I'm certain that you are...and much appreciated by this guy, Alf. 

Neal

Well Gents...as an outsider...a former "leg," "boot," a "ground-pounder," I have a deep appreciation for that less glorious role of ground-support...no fancy dog-fighting, no Red Baron instincts...just carrying the goods and saving the bacon...tactical love.  Pluck is the last guy to go in on an AA heavily defended ground target...or the guy who makes a "precision low-level run" on a target already "inside the wire."  Just my view.... 

Every minute that "ground support" had to wait in line on the taxi-way was a real heart-wrenching moment...that important.

Neal

73 Squadron "still on patrol"....

Source  Mr S A Devon official RAF photographer.

The red white and blue markings on the Hurricane fins are the same as for the French Armee de l'Air aircraft of the time.

A few miles from here in Wellington Harbour is the former Shelley Bay, Royal New Zealand Air Base, for PBY, Sunderland and also US submarines during WW2. 

I went running from the base many times with the Hash House Harriers as guests of those members in the services. 

There is a memorial to the submariners nearby  honouring those US sailors who are "still on patrol"....

That's not been my experience, Toulouse.  If you spray it a second time...normally it will sag just like the first attempt...and then tighten up...again...just like the first attempt.

Be careful of warps....

Gotta tell ya, Toulouse...I envy you're being able to play around in the cockpit of a real airplane as a kid...what I'd have given to be with you!  As it was...my pals and I had to content ourselves with an old derelict car as our pseudo B-17.  What we did to that poor old car!    Imagine our surprise one day when a couple of men showed up...jumped the battery...it started...and they drove it away!!!!    There went our bomber!!!! 

Neal