[The Dauntless build]

Mick which plans for the Dauntless have you got ?

[The Dauntless build]

Must tidy my desk .

 Well the flaps and dive breaks are now built and hinged, so I couldnt resist having a play.

Heres the wing with every thing tucked in

Now here comes the flaps (both center and wing inners)

Now the freightening bit, flaps and dive breaks fully open

Deploy them in a dive and she will stop dead in her tracks

[The Dauntless build]

Well knock me for six, I got this from Jerry Bates (the designer of the Dauntless I'm building)

Good show, mate. I have heard good things about Belair. My pal, John Mackie, uses them for cutting all of the Jerry Bates Plans. Those G-10 flaps and dive brakes are the way to go. I have been using G-10 for a lot of things on my new plans. It is great for the center sheets of the rudder, elevators, and ailerons. The stuff is quite heavy but extremely rigid so a lot of lightening holes can be used. Keep up the great work. I have really enjoyed your thread and have learned some new (to me) tricks and methods I will apply in the future. Thanks for sharing.<!-- Signature -->

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Jerry Bates
Jerry Bates Plans 

[The Dauntless build]

The original plans call for 5/8" brass strip (piano) hinges for all the dive breaks and flaps, but after several weeks of surfing and phoning I gave up and had to settle for Large Kavan hinges. With the center main flap being 18" long and 4"'s deep, meant I had to secure the hinges to avoid the flaps ripping off with some cunning. I opted to cut the wing trailing edge (1/4" balsa) and inset some 1/4" sq Cyparis cut just under the depth of the kavan hinges, so when the 3/32" wing sheeting is added over the top it will sit flush. I epoxied the hinges onto the Cyparis, but was unhappy to put all my trust in just a man made goo, so I thought as the hinges have pre-drilled holes, what I needed was some self tapping screws, thats why I put the Cyparis in. I spent ages hunting for screws the size of a pin, and found these at Mick Reeves.

Thats a 2mm bolt for reference to show the size of these miracle screws.

So now I have the hinges epoxied and screwed into the Cyparis, they aint going to fall out now.

Now I've just got to do all the other flaps and dive breaks

[The Dauntless build]

I got my Glass Fiber sheet back from Belair, cut to bits , just as well its what I wanted...

To explaine:

The kit comes with 1/16" ply flaps and breaks, but they are very flexible and with my landings, subject to a lot of bangs, and knocks. So I asked Leon at Belair if I supplied some 1/16" GF sheet, could he cut and laser them from my sheet?, the above picture tells you. Great company, Great guy.

Taking the largest part, the center flap, I added some 1/4" sq cyparis and some strips of CF, and the effect is amazing, just need to do the rest now.

[The Dauntless build]

Well still waiting for the retracts, so on with something else?

 I want a semi good looking cockpit, and the dash is important, but I'm not going to pay over £100 for some styro moulded parts, so I'm knocking my own out.

first step was to copy the plan diagram onto a couple of 1/32" ply sheets

Then I searched around the internet for dials and instruments of the era, and used corell draw to match them to the size of the blank cockpit dash formers I made.

These will then be covered in a plastic sheet (transperancy material for overhead projectors) and placed behind the dash formers.

With a lick of paint and the rest of the switches and signs etc and it should be ok.

[The Dauntless build]

I've been working on these damn ailerons for what seems like forever, still better to get them right now, ay?

 Whilst waiting for some epoxy to dry I cut and lined (shown as only painted on the plans) the cockpit steps, well may as well make it look something like the original.

Should be starting on the flaps and dive breaks by the end of the week, then the fun begins, getting them ALL to work together.

[The Dauntless build]

Hi Doug, no I can't get on with the crimpers, I brought my servo leads with the plugs already done from SM Services (they are more meaty than normal equivs).

 Thanks

[The Dauntless build]

Almost finished the ailerons, meanwhile I wired up my wing plug. Took ages as I wanted to test every servo wire both after soldering and after screwing the shroud on. I also filled the shroud with Silicone Sealant before closing so the wires will tolerate some vibration, but will stay put.

[The Dauntless build]

Just a quick update, still working on the ailerons  taking a bit longer than I thought. Should have the retracts in the next week or so, then I can get them in and close up the wing. Whilst I'm waiting for the retracts, and when I get the ailerons finished, I might have a play with making some wheel wells in glassfiber or polythene.

[The Dauntless build]

The Dauntless features Freis ailerons, hinged at the bottom, and with a curved aileron its proved to be nothing but fun (apart from yet more grey hairs) trying to think how to get the hinges at the right point to allow the aileron to swing up and down.

I used some brass tube (something I've copied from someone else) and this has allowed the hinge point of the Robart Super point to swivell at the correct place.

This is the aileron in the Up position

And here in the Down position (Wing upside down)

to get a better idea here are the three hinges

And again in the down position (remember the wing is upside down)

Now I have one working I can move on and do the other aileron a little older and wiser

[The Dauntless build]

Thanks for the kind comments Lee, its just a labour of love.

 A quick update;

Retracts on order (CenturyJet)

All servos (except bomb release) are now installed and wired in the wings, inc the retract (mini) servo, and all air retract pipes and operating valve are now in (picture to follow).

The retracts will be a week or so, so I will move on to the Ailerons (complex being bottom hinged), and I've had a result on the flaps and dive breaks, but more on that later.

[The Dauntless build]

Both wing panels are now complete and I'm upto my eyes in installing servos, however as the sun was glowing in the sky, I couldnt not take another picture with the wings now almost (less the leading edges and wing tips) semi built.

if you look carefully down the fuz you can see I've cut out the holes for the steps that the pilot and gunner used to climb in.

[Win a Multiplex Fun Jet kit!]

Can I fit a glow ?

[The Dauntless build]

One wing panel almost complete, and three servos now installed (and tested)

And as a bonus my aircrew just flew in

[The Dauntless build]

Thanks Arthur, its slowing down a little as I do the intricate bits like fitting the flap and dive break servos etc.

 Remember the plans show a complex arrangement of cranks, wires and luck, and I'm using a shop load of servos, so planning where they are going, and how they will work takes some thinking out. However I now have the two servos in (just leaves the Aileron one to do), and every opertunity I've added to the strength with very little weight being added, including a cyparis frame that will also provide the surface for screwing down the inspection hatches.

[The Dauntless build]

And one wing panel takes shape.

[The Dauntless build]

Going to start building the outer wing panels, I need 8 1/2" at the end of each tip, so I inclined the center panel 4 1/2" by using steel rulers, clamped and spot CA'd, the Cyno will allow the rulers to stay put, but they will rip off easy afterwards.

[The Dauntless build]

Wires on the back of my connector (stripped, tinned and soldered), with sleeving.

And after I've epoxied them (used tape around the wires, and poured epoxy in), before I sheet the bottom, the wires will also be epoxied to wood braces, ensuring none of them can either work loose or break due to vibration or external forces.

[The Dauntless build]

Quick Drum roll.

Drrrrrrrrrr, Drrrrrrrr

oh and that trampalene is 15 foot across

[The Dauntless build]

Gt the top sheeting on (now the glues dry), just need to give it a light sand, and on with the wireing.

[The Dauntless build]

Bummer, glues still wet, never mind time to move on with installing the servo wires.

[The Dauntless build]

Now you see it, and some time tonight you wont!!!, Hopefully

Just spent a good hour selecting, cutting and joining the 4" sheets together (but joined with pva), just got to wait till they dry

[The Dauntless build]

The other factor in the equation of wires and breaking is the composition of the wire, but lets not go there, thats a whole thread on its own.

 Rather than have multiple servo plugs and extensions, I'm going to run all the cables & wires through to one "D" type connector located in the front top of the wing.

[The Dauntless build]

I've now got the first servo for the center flap installed and working, the ball-link operates the rod via the trailing edge of the wing, so no links are visable.