Building TN Halifax

[Grahamd]

Jack, I sent you a PM

[rookie jim]

All,

i have still to decide what the next project will be once i have completed the lizzie. i think i may give the halifax a miss. its large and needs four new engines which will make it a bit expensive.

 

still i will follow this thread just the same. for those of you embarking on your first build or are still relatively inexperienced like me, i can assure you there will be loads of help if the lizzie thread is anything to go by.

 

Best of luck to you all.

 

I cant wait to see Mario's finished halifax. it will be worth waiting for.

 

Jim

[aerts michel]

Hi,

 

I have found a retract wich could be good for the halifax. It is the one from Planet Hobby DC-3 (almost same size and weight). here is the link

 

http://shop.lindinger.at/product_info.php?products_id=70441

 

what do you think?

 

 

[Papa]

Hi Guys, for those of you just starting on the Halifax build here is a link to some good detailed shots of the restoration of the Halifax here in Canada. It's a Mark B Vll not a Mark B lll. You can use many of the shots for detail as it is similar to the Mark lll. It remains the only authentic restored Halifax. Much has been done since these photos were taken.

 

Jack.

 

http://www.ipmslondon.ca/old%20site/ipmslondon.tripod.com/referencearticles/id42.html

 

 

 

 

[Gordon Wooldridge]

Hi Michel and Papa,

First the retract, yes its good but unfortunatly it retracts forward the halifax retracts backword.

Papa, the Halifax in Canda is indeed a Mk VII but an A MkVII not a B Mk VII. It was used for supply drops to the Norwegian resistance and was recovered from lake Mjøsa here in Norway  where it ditched when set on fire by anti aircraft fire after completing its container drop. Unfortunatly only one person survived, the tail gunner the rest of the crew died of exposure in the freezing water. In fact the first aircraft to land in Norway after the Geman surrender was an A Mk VII carrying troops in the fuselage and a Willy's jeep in the bomb bay. 

[Ian Whittaker]

Just returned home from a trip to Yorkshire Air Museum. 350 miles each way! I've had as good a look round the machine there as space and access restrictions would allow, and have taken some (poor quality!) photos. I also got a PC CD ROM guide. I'll try and load the pictures when the computer decides to allow me to! Meanwhile, The forecast for tomorrow seems conducive to starting the build! (plans and Vac set now here too. No more excuses for me!)

[Ian Whittaker]

The better 5 pictures are now loaded. Turning all power off to the computer seems to have sorted out it's temper tantrum!

[Craig Carr]

Hi Ian,

 

Had a look at your photos of the Halifax.  Its confirmed what I had been planning.... to do my Halifax in the same scheme.

 

Bit of a mammoth Trek for you though   .  I went there last year on my way back from a few days holiday in Beverley and thought the museum was excellent.  Would recommend anyone who hasn't been to pay a visit.

 

thanks for getting the photos.  I made one fuse side on Monday and will do the other tonight before joining them with the formers.  Will try and upload a pic in the next few days

 

Craig 

Edited By Craig Carr on 14/07/2010 13:24:24

[Ian Whittaker]

Craig.

I have a few other photos which i didn't load onto the forum, as after 50 minutes to load the five i had to go out. I'll happily email them to you, if you (or anyone else) wishes. Let me know. They arent too good, the Halifax is surrounded by other planes so i couldn't get many unobstructed views. I agree the museem is excellent, i aim to revisit soon and spend a little longer there.

[Halibag]

Ive loaded the pics ive got of this Halifax in case it helps anyone.

 

Ive got pics of the inside aswell but thought they wouldnt be needed.

[aerts michel]

Hi,

 

thanks Hali, and Ian for the pictures.

 

Well I received the plans yesterday... and yes it looks quite a good size aircraft. I will need to prepare some place for it. I might begin with wings just for a restricted space reason. Looking at the maps the most tricky thing seems to be the nacelles building.

 

Craig if I understand you have to bulid the fuse in 2 parts. Then I guess the CNC formers you have are already split in 2? If you had the cance to place a pic of one half fuse that would be great.

 

Michel

[Craig Carr]

Hi Aerts,

 

Yep some good photos by Ian and Halibag.

 

Aerts, I have just finished the other side of the Fuse tonight and marked the former positions per the plan.  

 

Unlike most of Tonys other models which use split formers, this isnt the case for the halifax .  (Although once the fuse is built you need to release the bomb bay section and split the bomb bay doors in half).

 

Here is a pic of the two fuses with former positions marked on.  Next job to add the triangular stock along top and bottom of each side, then add the fuse formers, bomb bay formers, stringers etc.  Then bring the two sides together.... 

 

Note that I have temporarily left the area where the plastic canopy is to go and will only cut it away once the fuse is built so I can get a good fit for the moulded item. 

 

Also you will notice I have added a 0.8mm birch ply doubler down where the end joints of the sheets (avoiding the bomb bay area and where stringers and traingular stock go).  Thia isn't on the plan, just my own "belts and braces" approach  

 

Craig

 

 

 

Edited By Craig Carr on 14/07/2010 19:32:06

[aerts michel]

Hi Craig,

 

thanks for this pic, now It is clear!

I received all the wood and plastic parts now, 7,5 kilos of wood! Really good and fast delivery service.

I am preparing some place for it. But I will only start in 2 weeks as I will take 2 weeks holidays now.

 

I feel like this could be a great building thread. I will start with the wings. One question though wich glue have you used for the balsa and wich one do you intend to use for gluing formers? White glue or cyano?

Edited By aerts michel on 15/07/2010 20:43:59

[Terry Whiting 1]

Craig,

 

 Looking at you fuselage sides I notice your joint is a straight  seam.

Please do not think I'm  trying to be offensive when I say it's not a

good building practice.

If you have to use a straights as in your fuselage, it's better to stagger

the seam, or better still,a staggered long diagonal joints (scarf joints).

 

I would recommend you remove the ply doubler and replace with 2mm

firm balsa sheet doubler to fit snug between the two formers.

 

For 'doublers'  the glue I use is Evostik contact adhesive, it's extremely

good for taking shock loads.

 

Wing skins the diagonal joints needs to span two or three rib spacings.

 

Terry .

 

[Craig Carr]

Hi Aerts and Terry,

 

Yep Terry I know what you mean re the staggered joints (sort of like when bricks are layed).  I did consider this but :-

 

By the time I add the 18mm triangular stock along the top and bottom, together with the bomb bay stringers (which cross the joint) all thats more or less left is the middle length where the doubler is.

 

Also, two lenghts butt jointed were more or less (to within an inch if that) the exact length of the halifax fuse.  Scarf jointing/staggering the other 2 lengths would have meant making more joints and I came to the conclusion that as the majority of the joint will have traingular stock and stringers traversing the joint (and just leaving the middle bit) it should be ok.

 

Ive been assured by one of the lads in our club (Michael Mcturk - Ace model builder) that it will be ok this way.....  Time will tell I suppouse    

 

Craig

[Terry Whiting 1]

Craig,

 

Just hope your modelling buddy is right, and I apologise for

my intrusion into your build, but  I had to draw your attention

to what could possibly be a potential problem due to the

gross weight of the finished model.

 

It's a pity some 48" sheet stock wasn't included in the wood pack. 

 

Terry

[Grahamd]

Craig it will probably be ok, but the plans do show the scarf join on the three side sheets in staggered positions (as it should be so the stress is not in one point)

 

 

In his build article TN states

 

Start by making up fuselage sides from sheets of 4.5mm (3/16” balsa You will have to splice sheets of 900mm (36” balsa to make these sides. Note the ‘cut’ outline is slightly larger than the fuselage profile. This takes into account the curvature of the fuselage and the trimming required to level the triangle flush with the tops of the fuselage formers.

 

I'm sure a butt joint with a doubler should be ok

Edited By Grahamd on 16/07/2010 21:27:51

[Craig Carr]

Hokey Dokey,

Added the fuse formers, stringers, triangular stock and pulled the two sides together today.

Tony mentions use of a building jig to do this part and I used my trusty SLEC board.  I can vouch that trying to assemble without a jig will be a nightmare!!!.

Have added the top for the nose and profiled (front gun canopy held on with tape for example).  Still need to add the top and bottom decking and profile.

Had a chat with Michael and he reamins convinced that a good butt joint with doubler will be as strong as a scarf joint.  Obviously each to their own on this one but apprciate that was the approach recommended.

  

 

Edited By Craig Carr on 18/07/2010 18:04:22

[Ian Whittaker]

Looking very good Craig. I'm currently at the gluing fuselage sides together stage!

[Alan Shears]

I agree with you that a jig is a must have to built the fuse.  i am building the nacelles at the moment, i am in a dillema as to what engine to use. Tony said that you could go bigger than the sc30fs ,  there is not  one between the 30 and the 52 , will the 52 be to big .  These are the right price when it comes to buying 4 engines ,the os40fs are way to expensive to fit 4  . 

[A.A. Barry]

Alan, this is my opinion

Yoou are going to spend 1000's of hrs, building the best model that you can,you will need good qual. sevos and such, painting and preening the model... finally it is on the club field and all ready to go, ..................spluuter,splutter,  2 of the motors won't run correctly...."it must be those 2 I got cheap of Ebay".......and so on....

Tony flew that model well on Fs30's, why would you want to change it. it i9s dsigned around them.

Go and "layby" 4 new ones of the little suckers,  all at once, and you will not have any problems, yes it will not be cheap, but multis never are

I will keep watching the build

A.A.Barry 

Edited By A.A. Barry on 22/07/2010 23:52:36

[Terry Whiting 1]

Alan,

 

 As A.A.  our Aus pal said, you will not need any larger engine.

If you look at the video of Tony's model in flight, it was obvious there was ample power.

Take your time in their bench running in period, and do exactly as stated by the manufacturer, and do not use any plug other than a 4st.

My preference was the OS 4st plug, not cheap, but damn good reliability.

 

Terry 

 

[A.A. Barry]

Ere, ere, Terry

A.A.Barry

[Alan Shears]

Thanks for your avice ,4xsc30 fs  it is then ,  I put the wings on the fuse today for a trial fit , and boy or boy it is big,  i will put some pics together on the weekend and i will try and post them

[A.A. Barry]

S.Mario, sorry to be  pain, I am glad you have decided to stick with the 30FS's...BUT... (I don't want to start a war of words between, which make is best), the SC's are a "copy" of OS, cheaply made and reliability and longeverty, are not there best attributes, price is.they would be great in a singly engine jobby, for multi's you need every bit of assurance you can get and this is one point that I, and others , believe in....

                                                        BUY                OS      or at least Saito

They are the best in 4 St, they are a little dearer but will stand the test of time

Have a think of what you are outlaying ......best wood, new servos, new lingages and horns, radio system,new tanks and so on and then you choose 2nd rate engines?????????????????????????????

A.A. Barry