The highlight of any interior will be a foam plane. A well-made model and fixed to the ceiling looks very impressive and quite extraordinary. Assembling a high-quality lethal device is a very time-consuming process, and how to do everything without errors, we will tell you in this article.
Advantages of Styrofoam Models
Using foam can simulate materials such as metal, gypsum or plastic. Visually prepared models of aircraft made of polystyrene will not differ from them in any way. In addition, the simplicity of manufacturing according to the layout of the customer and the ability to paint in any color, allows you to create very realistic models. The individual decorative elements made of polystyrene have the following advantages:
1) Lightness - allows you to easily not only transport large structures, but also fasten them to the ceiling.
2) Strength - if most materials crack after drops or impacts, then polystyrene, on the contrary, is more resistant to any kind of impact. An element that needs repair can be quickly glued.
3) Safety - this material has no negative effects on the environment, and is also completely safe for children, does not cause allergies and does not absorb dust.
Simple constructions
Beginners in aircraft modeling are recommended to assemble the glider first. It can differ from others in such parameters as mass, dimensions, proportions and technology for creating a wing. For example, a model with a wingspan of 400 mm and a weight of 26 grams is considered a throwing glider, and with the right throw, it can remain in the air for about 30 seconds. If you manage to build such a model and surpass the result, then you can safely go to the competition. A glider, of course, is not a foam plane, but to create the ideal model, you will need to calculate the optimal mass, shape and area of the bearing surfaces already at the design stage. Such a training will allow those already more prepared to approach serious and large models. The work begins with the construction of full-size drawings, the manufacture of keel patterns, the fuselage, the stabilizer and, of course, the selection of materials.
Manufacturing recommendations
Any model begins its birth with the manufacture of a wing, stabilizer and keel. After marking, these elements can be carefully cut with a scalpel and begin profiling. From the line of maximum thickness, most of it is better to remove with a sharp knife. You can summarize the skin with different grain sizes. In some designs, you can make the strengthening of the wing with a match. In any case, be careful when making the template. An incorrect template can negate all subsequent work. Already a ready-made model of an airplane made of polystyrene foam is balanced, eliminates distortions, etc. We understand further.
Do-it-yourself foam plane
Using various simulators, mathematical modeling of both the aircraft itself and its individual parts should be carried out. Or you can find finished projects on the Internet, you just have to print them. This is the most crucial stage and if any errors occur here, your foam styrofoam may never fly.
Further, a little work should be done on the manufacturing technology itself. The focus here is on cutting foam. As practice shows, the most accurate cut can be done using a tungsten or nichrome wire heated by a current of 1.5 A, constructing a semblance of a jigsaw. For transverse cutting, refractory plates or thin aluminum templates are applied to the ends of the material. This technology is indispensable in the manufacture of a complex wing, variable profile and any curved parts. With its development, you can immediately start cutting parts according to the drawings transferred to the foam.
When making the fuselage and wings, the dimensions must be strictly observed. Any surplus or irregularities can be finished with a sandpaper, but the disadvantage will have to be glued up, which is undesirable. If parts will be located inside your aircraft, it is necessary to take care of its internal gluing at the stage of assembly of the fuselage.
Tight construction
If you produce it already on the finished model, then in some places it will be very problematic to treat the surface with tape. Therefore, it is recommended to do this on individual parts, and carefully trim after the joints. Ideally, there should be no “bare” speck of polystyrene foam, you should imagine the whole model as if it is in a protective cocoon. The exception can only be the fuselage. Regardless of color, the first layers must be glued with transparent tape, and then in accordance with the desired color.
Heat treatment
The finished foam plane is pulled and smoothed using a regular iron. The regulator on it needs to be put between synthetics and wool. Next, smooth the skin tight, without missing a single detail over the entire area. Closely monitor the temperature, it is better to make it a little less than burn the hole. It is also necessary to take into account the fact that, when tensioned, those seams that were not overlapping will separate. You must be especially careful when pulling the steering grooves so that after heat treatment they work in both directions.
For many, it remains a childhood dream - to do aircraft modeling. To date, a large number of ready-made models or designers are offered, thanks to which you can assemble foam plastic planes in the shortest possible time. You can easily find a photo of the desired airship, including in our article. It's time to fulfill your dream!