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Thread: Joe Ruscito's Kitfox S7 Build

  1. #141
    Senior Member JoeRuscito's Avatar
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    Default Re: Joe Ruscito's Kitfox S7 Build

    hey guys thanks for the thoughtful responses the week got away from me (thankfully do to building!). I must say Im a bit daunted by aerothane and the like even though I will likely end up going that route (with an air system) if I think it's within my spraying ability. I'm signed up for the Polyfiber course in two weeks near ATL which I hope will educate me more on the painting process as well.


    I had my EAA tech counselor Jim Wilson out this weekend and we talked alot about painting and we also got a chance to look order my build (he is the first qualified set of eyes to see it in person). I feel super lucky to have such a experienced and great person to advise me and look over my build. Jim approved of all my work so far! Really makes me feel much better, it's easy for me to continuously second guess my work with no previous experience or anything to compare it to in person.

    I was holding for good weather to finish up the jury struts and get the tanks installed and as of last night both are complete. It took about 10 sloshes for each tank till I was happy with the lack of debris. I found that I would slosh and get a clear strainer, then would do one more for good measure and find big pieces of fiberglass, undoubtedly do to the last slosh maneuver, there are tons of places for things to get hung up in these tanks and Im positive no matter how many times one sloshes there is probably something still hung up in there in one of the corners. I also did some work on the wing tip mounting strips, got my balsa ends mostly contoured (still need to be covered in hysol), varnished the butt ribs, rudder, and inside ribs one and 3 prior to tank install. I also got around to working on my paint scheme. Open to feedback, this is just my first go, but I do like it! The wings would be one or the other pattern not both, just trying out ideas on one template. I'm certainly not a designer but I wanted something simple to paint, didn't need too many colors, had some white incorporated to blend with current white powder coated items, some black to blend with soon to be black cockpit tubes and interior, third color open to changes. I really would love your thoughts/ideas.
    IMG_0767.JPGIMG_0770.JPGIMG_0768.JPGIMG_0769.JPGIMG_0765.JPGIMG_0764.JPGIMG_0766.JPG

  2. #142
    Senior Member aviator79's Avatar
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    Default Re: Joe Ruscito's Kitfox S7 Build

    To me, one of the unfortunate things about the Kitfox when coming up with a paint scheme, is that the natural line down the fuselage stringer does not meet with a good natural line forward of the door. I think that if you do a primary color above the line, and a secondary color below, too much of your cowl ends up in the secondary color, and the line seems like it's in an arbitrary location vertically. A lot of people paint them this way, and it doesn't look bad at all, but to my eye it looks not quite balanced somehow. The lighting bolt on my airplane does two things for me:

    -Pays homage to Supercub N4101E, my first true love in aviation, which was traditional cub yellow with a black lightning bolt.
    -Realigns the sight line with the bottom of the door and gives me more of my primary color on the cowls.

    After that discussion of natural lines, I like the slanted version of your wing paint better, even though it follows no natural line on the plane. Go figure. Crossing your scheme across the gap to your flaperons will take some careful planning to get correct alignnment, but 99% of the people who see your plane won't notice if the lines aren't perfectly continuous from wing to flaperon, especially since there is only one angle where they will align visually.

    Obviously paint scheme is completely a matter of personal preference, but I just thought I'd throw stuff out there as food for thought.
    --Brian
    Flying - S7SS

  3. #143
    Senior Member JoeRuscito's Avatar
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    Default Re: Joe Ruscito's Kitfox S7 Build

    Brian I really appreciate your thoughts. I think the point you made above is why the kitfox factory paint scheme dips and curves below the prop. That being said I kind of like the clean white look so maybe the cowl being mostly white wouldn't bother me. What will bother me is how dirty it will inevitably get, but maybe that will make me clean the plane more (read: take better care of her).

  4. #144
    Senior Member bbs428's Avatar
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    Default Re: Joe Ruscito's Kitfox S7 Build

    Wow! your really moving forward quickly. Nice work. I wish the weather here would give me a
    nice window to get my wing position set. Hopefully soon!

    My 2c worth...

    I like the slanted tips as well. I would go with a slant up toward the vertical tail tip with
    the black stripe so your primary color can carry on to the tail and be on a slant at the vertical tail tip as the rest.

    Pardon my crude drawing... lol

    Drawing reduced.jpg
    Somebody said that carrier pilots were the best in the world, and they must be or there wouldn't be any of them left alive. — Ernie Pyle

    Brett Butler
    Flying: 1998 Model 5 Outback, 912ul Zipper 110hp, G3x avionics, ss7 upgrades

  5. #145
    Senior Member aviator79's Avatar
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    Default Re: Joe Ruscito's Kitfox S7 Build

    Quote Originally Posted by JoeRuscito View Post
    What will bother me is how dirty it will inevitably get, but maybe that will make me clean the plane more (read: take better care of her).
    That's actually why I went with Grey. However, white is really good for helping to identify problems early. Anything out of the ordinary(oil, fuel, exhaust) shows up well.
    --Brian
    Flying - S7SS

  6. #146

    Default Re: Joe Ruscito's Kitfox S7 Build

    Kind of like this?
    Attached Images Attached Images

  7. #147
    Senior Member PapuaPilot's Avatar
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    Default Re: Joe Ruscito's Kitfox S7 Build

    Here's my paint scheme. It's similar with some curve at the nose and tail. I didn't do the blue strip yet.

    Red:White.png

    R&W.jpg
    Phil Nelson
    A&P-IA, Maintenance Instructor
    KF 5 Outback, Cont. IO-240
    Flying since 2016

  8. #148
    Senior Member JoeRuscito's Avatar
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    Default Re: Joe Ruscito's Kitfox S7 Build

    Thanks for all the paint scheme suggestions! I still have some thinking to do! Phil its really nice to see your drawing and then what it turned out like! Looks great!


    If you primed your spars did you prime before or after installing the leading edge extrusion?

    Also what does everyone paint their fuel sight backer plate with? I assume white, would the white primer paint look ok/do the job?

    And lastly, any suggestions for black paint for the cockpit tubing, I have a small spray gun I plan on doing it with? Hopefully cut my paint spraying teeth on the tubing where I imagine its not as noticeable if I screw up. I don't think I want to go full flat to prevent scratching but maybe a semigloss?


    ... ah one more. Can the flaperons be put on two saw horses? Or do they need to be supported in the middle? Not sure how longitudinally stiff these things are.

  9. #149
    Senior Member aviator79's Avatar
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    Default Re: Joe Ruscito's Kitfox S7 Build

    Quote Originally Posted by JoeRuscito View Post


    If you primed your spars did you prime before or after installing the leading edge extrusion?

    Also what does everyone paint their fuel sight backer plate with? I assume white, would the white primer paint look ok/do the job?
    .
    Prime the spars before Installing the leading edge.

    I assume you have the fuel placards from Kitfox. They are white stickers that cover the sight gauge backing plates. I primed mine, but if you use the placard kit, you'll cover whatever you paint them with.

    I did flat black and really prefer the look. Semigloss would be more durable.

    The flaperons can be supported in two places for a short amount of time, but they are pretty delicate. If you accidentally lean on one that's only supported in two places, it might be done for. I used four saw horses with plywood on top, and some moving blankets.
    Last edited by aviator79; 01-31-2019 at 07:28 PM.
    --Brian
    Flying - S7SS

  10. #150
    Senior Member PapuaPilot's Avatar
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    Default Re: Joe Ruscito's Kitfox S7 Build

    If you want to lift the ailerons you need to keep the chord vertical. Don't lift them with them in the horizontal position unless you are grabbing it with both hands spread so it splits the load in thirds
    Phil Nelson
    A&P-IA, Maintenance Instructor
    KF 5 Outback, Cont. IO-240
    Flying since 2016

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