Tim Hooper Posted March 5, 2011 Author Share Posted March 5, 2011 Now, I've built quite a few multi-winged models before and one of the trickier bits is keeping the wing panels in some sort of alignment whilst all the all interplane struttery is constructed. So, can you guess what this is yet? With the incidences at the wing roots all sorted, it's an easy matter to cobble up a balsa balsa frame in-situ, that lies along the underside of a couple of handy ribs. It's held in place by a couple of elastic bands. Oh yes, I've painted it a pretty colour just so it shows on the photographs too! The idea is that we can then slide this gauge outboard to nearer the tips. The only slight niggle is that the dihedral on the lower panel causes the upper and lower panels to converge. This easily sorted by adding another strip of balsa under the lower panel to compensate. So there we are. The upper and lower wings are now aligned both incidence and dihedral, all ready to have the interplane struts added. Easy, peasy - and took all of 5 minutes! Now at the other end of the workshop, I enlisted our resident panel-beater to make a start on the lithoplate cowl. Netty is using a round-ended mallet and a sand bag to make the initial curves in the metal sheeting. Then she moves on to a hide mallet and a metal 'stake' to smooth out the cowl as she goes along. This is quite a time-consuming operation. It would be easier if she could shape the lithoplate around the balsa cowl itself, but it's just too fragile for that. As an added complication, the sheeting has to be annealed with a gas torch fairly frequently, as it work-hardens as it's being shaped. Edited By Tim Hooper on 05/03/2011 10:03:23Edited By Tim Hooper on 05/03/2011 10:04:29 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klippy Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 Hmm, this won't compromise the 'builder of the model' rule will it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Hooper Posted March 13, 2011 Author Share Posted March 13, 2011 Posted by Tony Prince on 06/03/2011 08:03:34:Hmm, this won't compromise the 'builder of the model' rule will it? Very probably! Anyway, we're having problems getting that thin plate to form around the compound curves of the cowl without buckling too much. Even Netty's night class tutor was scratching his sage pate........ Anyway, just to put the matter to one side for a while, I've returned to the relative comfort zone of the interplane struts! Each strut will be made of three layers of 1/16 ply, with the middle lamination cut away to make room for the brass end-fittings. Here's one of the outer laminations with the brass fittings alongside. The lower fittings are bolted to the wing.... ....as are the bifurcated upper ones. The model is then assembled (using our wing jig), the outer ply strut is epoxied to the fittings. Has to be right, right? tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Hi Tim keep at it, just to prove it can be done here is the "Lord of lith's" work on a Hurricane fairing...... Ian Redshaw's work, he is very good with the stuff........... Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klippy Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Jaw drops onto the keyboard! Awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Hooper Posted March 13, 2011 Author Share Posted March 13, 2011 That's it. I've finished with this silly hobby. I never wanted to be an aeromodeller anyway! tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ton van Munsteren Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 You can do it Tim go for it , its worth the effort. Was saterday out flying with my Corby and several club members where asking and enjoying the stitsching detail on my Corby and good fun for me to tell about it. Keep up the good work Tim it really is a lovely model. TonEdited By Ton van Munsteren on 13/03/2011 16:21:41 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 It does make you sick when you see that, Ian really is very skilled, he says the tool he uses the most to shape lith is an old spinner, he says it has nearly every curve you need....... Don't give up lol, just seen the pics of the Courier and it is gorgeous. Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ton van Munsteren Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 The Litho is fantastic and not the easiest job. Ton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klippy Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I know you're joking Tim, but isn't it funny how everything thing you do, somebody raises the bar! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 So very true, I was chatting with Ian today, he was telling me about how he replicated the corragated panels on his Junkers J52 by producing a couple of press tools, a very talented man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Coleman Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Or... you could build youself a Vacforming rig and vac form the panels from Styrene sheet. Cheers, Hugh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Hooper Posted March 26, 2011 Author Share Posted March 26, 2011 Progress over the week or so has been in little dribs and drabs. The cabane struts are clad in balsa and ply, the aileron servos have found their eventual homes and other little odd jobs have been accomplished. Now, the big problem I have with bipes is putting them together at the field. I'm basically very lazy, and really can't be bother spending 15 minutes on my knees bolting and rigging prior to a couple of flights, and then reversing the whole process again afterwards! Over the years I've sort of adopted the idea of mounting the wings to the fuselage as plug-in 'cells', so that the interplane struts can stay in place permanently. So what I've done with the Cygnet is to make a couple of frames from plywood strip, and then fit shaped EEP foam cradles. These slip over the wings as a snugly as possible, but without causing any undue stress. Well that's the idea anyway! .....and then the wings can be removed easily.... In flight the wings will be held on solely by the rigging wires, each of which will be equipped with a metal clevis at its inner end. 8 of them in total. Looks like its time to seperate and hinge the ailerons then. Edited By Tim Hooper on 26/03/2011 17:02:56 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ton van Munsteren Posted March 26, 2011 Share Posted March 26, 2011 What can I say Tim your a very skilled modeller it looks great and such a clean build. Ton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Hooper Posted March 27, 2011 Author Share Posted March 27, 2011 Not very skilled, Ton. We've decided to temporarily abandon the plan for a lithoplate cowl, and settle for humble silver film instead. I think this was too much for a first attempt at litho working. Other than that, whatever I manage to achieve is usually the result of hours of frantic deliberation before I actually cut any bits of wood! tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparks59 Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 Don't be modest Tim, This is yet another wonderful example of your construction skill! Keep the updates and photo's coming! sparksEdited By sparks59 on 27/03/2011 15:06:59 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Hooper Posted March 30, 2011 Author Share Posted March 30, 2011 OK Sparks, you asked for it! It's always a milestone in the build project to be able to lash/tape/pin all the bit of the airframe together for the first time, and then to take a few pics. So, herewith..... The bungee undercart springing. In travelling/storage mode. As it stands in the pics, she weighs in at 4 1/2 lb. Add another 2 lb for the 5S pack and two more servos, and perhaps another pound for covering and detailing leaves us comfortably under the proposed AUW of 8lb. We'll have to see, eh?tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ton van Munsteren Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 OOOOOOO Tim that looks so lovely. I stop designing myself and just follow you in your designs this will really look beautiful in the air on those long summer evenings. Ton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Hooper Posted March 31, 2011 Author Share Posted March 31, 2011 Thanks Ton! Don't you dare stop designing though - we need your models too! Next up is to sort out where the fuselage servos are going to live, and then attack the poor thing with lots of glasspaper, prior to breaking open the Solartex! tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ton van Munsteren Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Go for it Tim can't wait to see it finished. Ton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Hooper Posted April 5, 2011 Author Share Posted April 5, 2011 Posted by Ton van Munsteren on 31/03/2011 20:03:49:Go for it Tim can't wait to see it finished. Ton I'm doing my very best, Ton - honest! I have to say that the strutwork loks a lot better for a daub of woodstain, and a couple of layers of lacquer... There's also been several hours of sanding down the airframe, prior to starting the covering process. Given this is my fist experience of Solartex, I thought I'd better start out with something simple.... ......so where better than the centre-section? Actually, it's a lot easier than I expected! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ton van Munsteren Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 I'm doing my very best, Ton - honest! Okay then Tim I believe you. But why stop with only the centre section finished , keep on going its looks great. Ton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Hooper Posted April 11, 2011 Author Share Posted April 11, 2011 Well, it has to be said that covering in Solartex isn't half as hard as I envisaged! I had a mental picture of the equivalent of trying to cover a football with a tarpaulin, but the 'tex just softens and complies with every curve as soon as the heat is applied! I'm using nothing more than my trusty Argos travel iron, and using the same temperature settings that I use when applying ordinary Solarfilm, and so far it looks the business! Well, it looks good to my mind anyway........tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Excellent Tim, but where are the pics? It says on the Solarfilm website something about not to overcoat solartex with dope, but I have found a coat stops it from sagging in hot weather......mmm I could do with a coat or two thinking about it maybe it would stop me sagging in the sunshine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Hooper Posted April 11, 2011 Author Share Posted April 11, 2011 Posted by Danny Fenton on 11/04/2011 17:34:51:Excellent Tim, but where are the pics? OK, Danny, just for you; Some time ago, Uncle Alex W warned me that as an el*ctric modeller my future was going to be beige. Seems he was right after all! It all looks a bit bland now, doesn't it? So.....just for a bit of excitement I rigged up my new Spekky DX8 to see if those pretty TowerPro digi-servos all work as promised. All very smooth and quiet. I even persuaded the telemetry module to join in the fun too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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