My balsa curved easily around the bow. If you are having trouble, add doublers to the formers like this, and then do the bow in sections.
...and will easily join to the framework with pins, so long as it has been sanded flat.
Use rubber bands and a bit of scrap wood to hold the skin right up against the bow for gluing like this.
The prop-tube is centred through the keel by eye, and is secured by epoxy. Once the skin is in place, more epoxy can be poured through the place where the tube emerges to give a secure waterproof joint.
I decided to use a short prop-tube, and a longer shaft supported by a skeg at the end.
The bottom skins are joined the same way. Place the edge of one skin half-way across the keel at the stern, and then sand it at an angle as it starts to overlap at the bow. The second skin is but-joined along most of the keel, but starts to overlap as the bow starts to curve - as you can see here.
The superstructure is a simple box. Glue the formers into one side, then add the other side and the roof. Check that it is all square.
The prototype had the fixing lugs at the front of the superstructure. You will see that the final plan has them at the back. But the principle is the same...
The skins are cut slightly oversize to allow for inaccuracy and adjustment...
Check that the assembled superstructure unit fits snugly inside the access hole in the hull.
Trim all skins with a sharp knife, and finish off with medium sandpaper.
The front cabin formers are glued into their slots, and the side and front skins are put on.
Now we can move onto the missile housings. Note that each one is different! There are front and rear housings, and left and right-handed ones. Don't get things mixed up!
First make the framework with two sides, and a front and back former...
I was working with rather variable quality balsa - some bits were quite soft. So I decided to add 1/4" stringers to support the wider expanses of the sheet. If you are using hard balsa, or ply, you can omit these. But they add strength..
