Richard Duvall

I can't believe the detail captured by the photographer!

Just before I logged onto this forum I deleted my Twitter account as I couldn't see any point to it!

I don't think it "looks great"!

I don't know anything about R/C Planemaster but I had the same problems as you've decribed when I first started trying FMS.  First thing I found was that the controller needed to be set up properly with Windows - the default control assignments were incorrect.  I then found that some of the aircraft needed significant trimming to make them flyable.

I did the same with the plan as I didn't think the parrafin trick would work as I had covered my plan with clear plastic.   I did drill the control rod holes but found later I had not got them quite right and had to redrill some of them later and had to make further adjustments after sheeting as they didn't emerge quite in the right places for elevator and rudder. Couldn't get any tool between the formers so turned a drill bit by hand - quite easy with balsa!   For the steerable tail wheel I have used one of these .  I made a ply base to fix the wheel support which I fixed above the bottom block as it the arm is such that the fuselage would be too high if you fit the arm after the block.  Had to improvise the control connection for it as there was no way to connect up with the rudder at the rear end. My solution was to put a splitter on the rudder control rod around the middle of the fuselage (I think between F7 & F8).  If you look back to earlier posts you should see a bit about the tail wheel.  With hindsight I would go for a separate servo for the tail wheel Y leaded onto the rudder channel. On the subject of servos the mounting is very much down to you to devise your own!    As to where I am. I am getting towards finishing off.  At various stages of construction, everything has been fitted together, but now before final finishing I'm trying get everything together so that I can check the balance before I fininsh the tail as I think it is heading towards being rather nose heavy so may need to put some weight in the tail.  I've been a bit lax in photo taking in the later stages so have not got much to show!

Gav,   I obviously can't look at mine as it is all sheeted in now.  But looking at the fuselage in that area the sheeting does have a curve to it so it follows that the stringers beneath must have the same shape.  I do have a vague recollection of applying a bit of steam to something and it might have been that so your idea of soaking is in line with that. It does look right.

At least the model plane got trashed!

Gav,   No, F19 finishes just in front of F2  - shown with a bevel on the plan.   I don't recall having any trouble laminating F2 - have you got them the right way up?    F1 Ply should not have any notches in it as it forms the front firewall face into the cowled area.    

Apart from trying it as a teanager, I've never smoked. I totally detest the foul stench ceated by cigarette smoke and the mess created. It's nigh on impossible to walk down the high street without some inconsiderate smoker wanting the share a cloud of their smoke with you. I think it has got worse since smoking in shops and offices has been banned and further action is now needed to control where people can smoke outdoors! So back to the original question of smoking under a canopy, any form on enclosure must increase the risk of non-smokers getting contaminated so I have to side with the regulators who say you can't. However, I have to agree that it does seem a bit odd that the same space can legally be contaminated by vehicle exhaust fumes.  And my other hate about smoking is the litter. I little tap on the cigarette and the ash falls to the ground often out of a car window. When the cigarette is finished the end goes straight on the ground, and what about those foul drivers who take the opportunity to empty their car ash trays while they wait at the traffic lights! The packaging is bad as well - first there's the cellophane wrapper, then there's a little bit of foil over the top of the cigarettes and when they've all gone up in smoke the empty packet joins the rest on the ground.   Come on you smokers - try and defend your horribly anti-social habit! 

Spot on Gav -   Soon as I got back up to my work room I recognised the shape of the rudder!   How's your build progressing?

I haven't posted many updates lately, mainly because I'm taking a long time with the painting process and there seems little point in repeating picture at different stages of painting. Updates will follow soon as I hope it will be ready for flying next month!   In the meantime I'm stuck trying to identify one of the supplied plastic parts.   I can't find and mention of it in the instructions nor see any sign of it on the plan. If any past or present builders of this kit can identify it I'd be very grateful.

Got the bearings for £3 a piece from Essex Bearings of Maldon who were very helpful.   All back together and ready to re-install in the plane and test run. Won't be able to do that till Monday as I'm out tomorrow and Sunday.   Thanks again to everyone who provided helpful advice.  It's been a useful learning experience. Edited By Richard Duvall on 03/04/2009 20:57:44

I'm not holding out too much hope of the £1 bearing as I've found that  the supplier recommended has moved/ been taken over so we'll see later. As it happens they are just round the corner from Balsa Cabin, unfortunately I don't need any balsa at the moment as I could have saved a journey. As for the other engine, I'm not looking to replace it as I had already done so with the one that now needs new bearings. I've already got an SC70 for my next plane and am using the Irvine in my trainer which I hope soon to be finished with.

Thanks to everyone for their advice.  Followed the instructions from the video and one firm tap on a block of wood and the offending bearing dropped out.   Timbo, the chap in the video did mention marking the con rod and can be seen making a little scratch on it.  Unfortunately for me the helpful chap at the field had the piston out without making a mark!  However, in his defense, he did advise replacing the pistion and liner as they had some scoring from the broken bearing debris.    I have another Irvine 46 with a broken crankcase and was going to use the piston and liner but it's a Mk3 and my new one is a Mk4 and they don't fit - a good 1.5mm too big.  The price of a new piston and liner is about £38 against £57 for a whole new engine and when you add in the cost of the bearings £15 (Just Engines) I don't think it's worth replacing them. I've been told of a local bearing supplier that can supply the bearings for about £1 each, so I'm off there later today.  The scoring is not too great and I've managed to polish them off a bit.  Does of course solve the problem of not having the orientation marked!

Thanks Hamish.  Watched the video - sounds so easy doesn't it!  Seems that I didn't use enough heat.  I only used the steam from a kettle which would have only been around 200F whearas the video suggests 350F and then apply a blow torch if that  doesn't shift it!  I'll try again in the morning with more heat.  I'll then need to find part 2 to find out how to put the new one in.

My Irvine 46 packed up today while I was practising for my A Cert doing a simulated "deadstick".  Shut the trottle down and heard the enigine revs go down and for just a few seconds could hear it ticking over and then it stopped, so I had a real deadstick! I thought nothing of it as it often cuts out from tick over.   When I went to start it up again (btw I landed it nicely on the square) I found it had locked up solidly. Luckily a club colleague turned up who knew about engines and he got me stripping it down in the field. Found that the back bearing had gone. He gave me two ideas for getting it out: first to heat up the crankcase and if I was lucky it would knock out; I wasn't lucky! The other possibility was to get something onto the very slight lip that was visible but I've tried a number of implements but can't get a good enough contact.   So if anyone has any suggestions how I can get this offending bearing out I'd be very grateful.    ps  Before today I had never seen inside an r/c engine, so my skills are fairly minimal. 

Martin,   Sorry I missed your posting at first!  Use of allen keys through the air intakes sounds good; I'll have a go later.

Graham,   Thanks for your advice above, especially the temporary rudder band fix - so obvious but I didn't think of it!  Apart from resolving the extremely tight fit of my engine, the only problem I am left with is how to attach the extension to the needle valve after the cowl is fitted or how to get the cowl on with an extension already fitted to the needle valve! (choke would be a similar connection).  I'm currently wating for the glue to dry on the 2 cowl halves as up till now I've been doing my trial fits with them just taped together in case they needed trimming down at all - they don't!

Having got to the stage where preparation is needed for the fitting of various components in the fuselage, I've done a trial fit of the engine and it looks as though I may have to cut a hole in the bottom of the cowl to make room for the engine rocker cover of my SC70.  May also need to trim a little off the engine mount which snags the upper part of the cowl.  Perhaps going for the biggest engine was not the right option!  The good news is that the exhaust nicely fits into the space beneath the tank box and the plastic extension can either come out of the gap betwwen the bottom of the cowl and the fuselage or I can make a hole in the cowl which I am leaning towards as it would avoid the exhaust running so close to the fuselage.   In the absence on any specification exactly where the engine should be positioned, I am assuming that it needs to be such that the rear of the spinner is a couple of mm in front of the cowl.   I've also got to work out  how to get extensions to the needle valve and the choke to operate outside the cowl.  No problem in fixing extensions but the question is how to fit the cowl with them in place.  Suggestions would be welcomed!

Gavin,   The instructions I read before use clearly warned of the risk of warping as Poly-C is water based; it recommended the use of sanding sealer first.  I've used it and had not any problems at all.

Thanks Martin & Phil.  I'll post a picture here when I've dressed my action man.

I've more or less decided that I will use a cut down Action Man for my Chipmunk pilot, but I'm not sure how he should be attired. I'm assuming that it should be an RAF flying suit 1950 -1970 vintage, but what about headgear? I've tried seaching the internet for pictures to no avail.   Anyone got any thoughts? 

Have you unwittingly given away your secret location?  I don't think there are many Alpaca farms in Essex.

Gavin,   I've just come back from holiday, getting a bit of winter sun, so not a lot of progress lately.   My wing is glassed (Poly-C) but needs a few more coats to get the required finish. I've fitted the end caps complete with navigation lights - I'm not madly keen on the fit so will need to smooth the joints with some filler.   I've finished covering the fuselage, including the shaping of the top and bottom blocks (a lot of carving and sanding). I'm now trying to make my mind up whether to glass it at this stage to make it more robust for further handling.    I think I'm still on course for a maiden flight in the spring. Will post some more photos soon.   Are you the same Gavin previously posting under the name "Chinesespaceman"?

I've used a big roll of clear sticky back plastic from Staples. Cost about a fiver - enough for 3 or 4 plans.