Phil Beard

Back to the balsa bashing tonight after going to Malta for 10 days and then being laid flat on my return with Covid for the next 13 days. Just sanded the fin to final shape tonight. PSS friends have guided me tonight on the closed loop system that I'll be using for the rudder control.

Alan based upon incubation periods I caught it whilst in Malta. Most likely on the public bus system which was usually shoulder to shoulder.

Guys just to confirm with yourselves that this build blog is still continuing and hasn’t been updated since I’ve been away on holiday to Malta for the last 10 days till Thursday. Unfortunately first thing Friday I tested positive for Covid. Hopefully build will start to progress again in a day or so.

Starting to finalise the route for the rudder bowden cables now the fin is temporarily installed and the elevator control rod is finalised.

Mostly finished the elevator control mechanism and linkage from the mechanism to the servo. Whipping at either end not my best, but will do ok. I've used M3 rods and M3 quick links over the usual M2 items due to the increased loads that these parts will see. Next it will be the rudder linkages that will be fitted. Amazing the amount of time these footery little items take to do.

Spent time today cutting out the Servo Tray installation for both the Elevator and Rudder as can be seen in the photos. Next job will be to finish the Elevator control rod by finishing the end that attaches to the servo. Then onto working out the routing for the servo Bowden cables. I'll be using 2, one for each side due to the greater loads that this will see. Note the fuselage may look rough on the outside as the filler needs sanding to a smooth finish, rather have it on for some extra days so that it completely hardens and is easier to sand then.

Holes have been drilled for the elevator mechanism as can be seen in photos 1 & 2. Photo 3 shows that I've removed the central spine of F6 so that the elevator and rudder control cables can pass through F6 unhindered as the control tray is going to be mounted just forward of F6. Photo 4 shows the MG5510DS servos for the elevator and rudder mechanism which have a 10Kg.cm Torque with 6.0 Volt. These are far more meaty than anything I've used before. Further set-up information will be given as the blog goes on.

Aft bottom fuselage skimmed with light weight filler and initial sanding has been started. Ordered the elevator and rudder servos also today, these being MacGregor MG5510DS as they've got 10Kg.cm torque with 6.0 Volt. Learning lots from my fellow of PSS guys of what I need to setup for a large model as this.

The majority of the fuselage bottom skin planking has been completed today ready for a skim of lightweight filler and then lots of sanding.

More planking has been progressed on the lower fuselage side as access is still needed so as to set-up the elevator mechanism prior to finishing the upper planking and inserting the elevator control rod and rudder control rods also. As can be seen from the photos the obtuse angle elevator control mechanism has been finished with a M3 Ball link attached to a M3 rod which has been bonded and whipped to a spruce rod which leads back to the servo. All these footery jobs take up lots of time but need to be done right. Elevator wires going trough the elevator control mechanism will be bent to shape next, remembering these need to be done whilst inserted in the control mechanism.

As can be seen in photos 1 to 5 that the mechanism is starting to look the part. The wires will be bent to shape shortly once I've checked the plan for the sizes of the elevator fillets that need to be made. In photo 5 this gives a quick impression of what the empennage will look like once completed. With the mechanism progressing I've started to do some more planking as can be seen in photos 6 to 10. With this all happening I need to finalise the rudder control paths prior to the planking being completed.

Required parts for the mechanism arrived today. Been able to measure holes in the ball links and now have ordered required bolts, washers and lock washers. Bought sets containing various sizes which may help in the future.

Started to put together the elevator mechanism today with some of the parts I already have whilst waiting on the other parts to arrive. 1st photo shows the wires going through the angled horn (note for future this should have been used whilst I built the elevators especially putting the tubes into the middle). 2nd photo is a template for bending the forward and rear tail plane joining wires. 3rd photo shows I've had to pull the hole slightly aft, thus reducing edge distance. Don't worry all you stress guys watching, I've a modification to alleviate this concession which you'll see when the other parts arrive. (This issue wouldn't have happened if I'd had the angled horn with the wires in place when putting the tubes into the elevator). 4th Photo Shows the mechanism with wires joining both halves prior to being bent.

Decided that since I was waiting for the parts for the elevator mechanism, I could always cut out the spine that it fitted between F9 and F10 and has to be removed so that the fin holes slips into the holes already in F9 and F10. You can see in photos 3 and 4 the fin fitting nicely awaiting the parts for the elevator mechanism which you can see in photo 5 hopefully. From the research I did yesterday I think I've decided upon a colour scheme, but will wait till later to announce it as I'm not 100% sure yet.

Not much progress yesterday and today as ordering accessories for the control linkages and working out the path for the rudder controls. Could have started the wing build, but decided to keep on with the fuselage build as I always find these harder and more time consuming. Also going through a couple of books looking for references to Colour Schemes, Cockpit Instrument panels and pilots flying suit colours. Not sure if I'll use the Iranian Airforce Colour scheme that I used on the Mass Build Sabre as can be seen in the photo.

Looks like not much has progressed today but I can say I've been busy for a couple of hours Glass Clothing small areas and the opposite side of the fin that was done yesterday. Also I cut the front and rear metal tailplane joiners to length and made sure they fitted snuggly into the tubes in the tailplanes. The front tailplane joiner seemed slightly over tolerance but after a couple of minutes in a drill with emery cloth slightly reducing the diameter it fitted nicely.

Decided not to do the Freddie Mix today but instead to cut the rudder our of the fin and then glass cloth the fin. Initial template made of the rudder which was placed against the fin and cut marks made as can be seen in the photos. Final photo showing the fin glass clothes on one side. Other side will be ready to complete tomorrow once cured.

Don glass micro balloons will work, but it's vastly more expensive than the very cheap lightweight filler you can buy from The Range. Other DIY stores are available.

See photos of PSS BAe Hawk which was glass clothed and then painted with Freddie Mix and sanded back ready for painting. These should give you an idea of what you can achieve using this method.

Nigel first time I've heard of where the Freddie Mix may have come from originally. Thanks.

Don, I hope it works out ok for you. I don't usually have to add water to the Freddie Mix that I make. I haven't a clue where the name for it has come from, but a good number of the PSS guys use this.

Tomorrow I will start making the Freddie Mix which is used to fill the weave left in the glass cloth. The Freddie Mix is made up of equal volumes of floor varnish and light filler. A good shake of talc and some paint to give it a contrasting colour. Mix well into a paste and add water until it's like pouring cream. You should be able to paint it on and it will flow into the weave. Once this has fully dried you can sand back the Freddie Mix starting with 280 grit going onto 400 grit and it will leave a surface as smooth as a babies bum ready to apply paint.

Once the epoxy has cured, it's time to remove the excess overhanging glass cloth. The best way i find to remove it neatly is to gently sand along the edge with say 400 grit sandpaper and it leaves a really smooth edge. Using a scalpel you usually find bits left where the scalpel hasn't fully run along the length. Opposite sides have now been glassed clothed and will be left till tomorrow to dry and excess glass cloth to be removed.

Elevator end pieces have been glued into shape as can be seen in the first 2 photos. Since the model is going to be painted. I'm going to glass cloth the entire structure. There are various ways to glass cloth. I'm going to put the glass cloth over the structure and gently use a paint brush to dab the epoxy into the surface going from one end to the other. Once the surface is covered I place kitchen roll over the surface and press onto the surface so as to remove the excess epoxy. Now to leave overnight so as to fully cure.

Started to plane and sand the elevators to the required section. Initially made section template for the root section of the elevator. As you can see there's lots of balsa plane shavings from only working on one elevator side. Once at the required section the end piece of the elevator can be fitted and then sanded to section once the glue has dried. The other elevator side should hopefully be at the similar position tomorrow. Once elevators are completed these will be glassed clothed so as to protect from hangar rash.