I'm considering building a replica of a 30's glider that was originally
built in two halves, like a plastic model, but with pressed plywood halves.
Duplicating this has been outside the reach of a homebuilder without some
sort of press, and any made since have either been made out of fiberglass
or segments of scarfed plywood as were the prototypes. Here's a pic of one
here. The fuselage on the production originals was, as I say, made of
molded plywood in two halves and assembled over formers and stringers.
some of you might be familiar with the Bowlus Baby albatross.

http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/AC/airc.../info/info.htm

My question is, would it be possible to laminate your own shell using
vacuum bagging? Seems to me even the wettest veneers would split if you
tried to force them into or around a male or female mold. to date, the only
sort of manipulation I've done with ply is to wrap 1/16 leading edge pieces
over a hot pipe. I just don't see how Hawley Bowlus got the compound
curves..


Any insights?