Mantua Fieseler Fi 156 Storch

[Seamus O'Leprosy]

Ok here is what I would do if building it again.
I would cut out a piece of ply about the size of my thumb in plan view.
Secure to the bottom of the centre section ply rib pointing towards the wing.
Cut out a clearance in the bottom of the first couple if ribs.
Add a ply plate between the ribs, drill a hole towards the end
of the thumb shaped plate and use a screw to hold everything
together.
I hope this makes sense.
SO'L

[PeterB]

Posted by Seamus O'Leprosy on 19/01/2012 20:00:19:
Ok here is what I would do if building it again.
I would cut out a piece of ply about the size of my thumb in plan view.
Secure to the bottom of the centre section ply rib pointing towards the wing.
Cut out a clearance in the bottom of the first couple if ribs.
Add a ply plate between the ribs, drill a hole towards the end
of the thumb shaped plate and use a screw to hold everything
together.
I hope this makes sense.
SO'L

Hi Seamus

Thanks for the idea it may be possible to carry out without to much stripping and it will be a lot easier to access later.

I hope to start in a couple of weeks after I have finished the Chippy

 

Peter

 

 

 

[PeterB]

Posted by J.N. on 19/01/2012 19:40:29:

 

I have always found that a socket cap head (allen key drive) screw is best suited for tight places. The cranked end of an allen key will give you all the leverage you need and if it is a really tight spot, shortening the working end of the key will give you more clearance. I am puzzled as to why you are using a UNC thread, is it because of convenience?

Model Fixings have all manner of fasteners in all manner of threads, head drives and metal. The service is quick and you can buy small quantities.

Please keep all of us informed.

 

Hi JN

 

I was thinking on the lines that the UNC thread will not strip as easy as the metric when pulling the wings in place. Like you I too use Model Fixings.

 

I will keep you informed on my repairs, I will try to remember to take some photos.

 

Peter

[PeterB]

Hi

Just to let you know that I have started on my repairs. What I will try to do is work out everything on one side and then do the other taking photos at different interest/help! points.

It looks like I will be going with two bolts at the wing root and replaceing the wing strut/fus connection with a dural plate.

Peter

[J.N.]

Posted by RAF-P on 22/02/2012 20:17:45:

Hi

Just to let you know that I have started on my repairs. What I will try to do is work out everything on one side and then do the other taking photos at different interest/help! points.

It looks like I will be going with two bolts at the wing root and replaceing the wing strut/fus connection with a dural plate.

Peter

Glad to hear you will let us all know how you progress. I was lucky not to have reached the stage of completing the fuselage planking down to the fuselage when I was warned of the undercarriage and wing support weak points. I have sandwiched the bottom part of all the above involved fuselage formers with 2mm ply and epoxied a 4mm ply sandwich around the 2 main undercarriage supports at the fuselage keel. The undercarriage linkage will be held in place in the fuselage former mounts with soldered on end washers. I received a new size 80 Laser this week for my Storch but will not get around to fitting it for some time yet.

Regards

[PeterB]

 

Hi

 

Some photos and info on my repairs

 

Marked hole centres on wing root rib 1. These hole centres are the same on the fuselage centre section items 9 and 10.

These 2 photos show the Tee nuts fitted with a 1/16 ply packer. The packer is required to allow just enough of the tee nut (see next photos) to locate into the holes drilled in the fuselarge centre items 9 and 10

I cut a slot into both sides of thr fuselarge at frame 7 for a new bracket (next Photo) The brackets are attached to Frame 7 inside the fuselage with epoxy and 2 servo screws( see photo)

 

The last photo shows both wings refitted. Not easy as both nylon bolts have to go from the fuselage at frames 9 and 10 into the wing root!!! But it works with no movenent of the wings.

I have up loaded these photos plus some general ones at My Photos in the Storch Repairs Album. 

I still have to recover the wings at the root and tidy up the rest, plus all the RC gear as to be refitted. My only bad thought is that it will not all that crash proof. I may have to think of a shear point, ie a waiste near the blot head.

Peter

Edited By RAF-P on 25/02/2012 19:55:43

Edited By RAF-P on 25/02/2012 20:13:03

[Paul Marsh]

This was built from a Mantua Kit. Flies well, has a OS 70 in it.

[Seamus O'Leprosy]

Eventually got some video (sorry about the UFO's in the corner)

[PeterB]

Hi

Nice one Seamus, great to see her flying, may you have many more.

Regards

Peter

[J.N.]

Posted by RAF-P on 25/02/2012 19:53:21:

Hi

Some photos and info on my repairs

Marked hole centres on wing root rib 1. These hole centres are the same on the fuselage centre section items 9 and 10.

These 2 photos show the Tee nuts fitted with a 1/16 ply packer. The packer is required to allow just enough of the tee nut (see next photos) to locate into the holes drilled in the fuselarge centre items 9 and 10

I cut a slot into both sides of thr fuselarge at frame 7 for a new bracket (next Photo) The brackets are attached to Frame 7 inside the fuselage with epoxy and 2 servo screws( see photo)

The last photo shows both wings refitted. Not easy as both nylon bolts have to go from the fuselage at frames 9 and 10 into the wing root!!! But it works with no movenent of the wings.

I have up loaded these photos plus some general ones at My Photos in the Storch Repairs Album.

I still have to recover the wings at the root and tidy up the rest, plus all the RC gear as to be refitted. My only bad thought is that it will not all that crash proof. I may have to think of a shear point, ie a waiste near the blot head.

Peter

Edited By RAF-P on 25/02/2012 19:55:43

Edited By RAF-P on 25/02/2012 20:13:03

Thanks for the time and trouble you have taken. You have a valid point regarding a sacraficial fitting for the wing anchorage, an alternative arrangement could possible be to make such a fitting bombproof. I am some way off reaching the point when I will have to decide.

Jeff

[PeterB]

Hi Seamus, JN,

Just a note to let you know that I have found some 6mm x 15mm long nylon spacers for the 6mm wing bolts.These will save a few turns with the screw driver. (see photo).

The wing has been recovered at the wing root and all the RC gear fitted. The engine as had a run, started 2nd flick!! I had a go at making a new cowl out of balsa, got to the planking stage and then realised I would have to take the engine out to get a good fit! So had a look at the 8 pieces of the old cowl and spent a day putting it back together. I gave it a quick lick of paint and if the test flight goes ok I will do a better job. A new cowl cost £24 plus P&P!!!!!

All that is needed now is to get her back into the air, which I hope to do in the next couple of weeks. Do the test flight at the same time as the Chipmunk first flight which I still have to finish off.

Hope these mods/repairs I have carried out as helped you. The Storch is a great plane to fly as you already know Seamus.

Peter

[PeterB]

Hi,

Were did last year go!!! and this year seems to be going the same way, but with a bit more flying!!!

Anyway I did fly the Storch last year two or three times and the mods were just great, no wing movement. then I, not the aircraft, dropped a wing coming into land. More repairs, broken rear spar and a damaged flap and a couple of ribs. Root rib not damaged so repairs didn't take long.

Full test flight carried the other day including flaps, no trim needed so I am really looking forward to flying her a lot more.

I think one of the lads took a couple of photos so if I get a copy of them I will post them.

Peter

[J.N.]

Posted by PeterB on 09/08/2013 20:00:10:

Hi,

Were did last year go!!! and this year seems to be going the same way, but with a bit more flying!!!

Anyway I did fly the Storch last year two or three times and the mods were just great, no wing movement. then I, not the aircraft, dropped a wing coming into land. More repairs, broken rear spar and a damaged flap and a couple of ribs. Root rib not damaged so repairs didn't take long.

Full test flight carried the other day including flaps, no trim needed so I am really looking forward to flying her a lot more.

I think one of the lads took a couple of photos so if I get a copy of them I will post them.

Peter

Very pleased to hear that you are making good progress. Trying to complete my Storch came to a halt early last year, the last 18 months have been filled with every family committment in the book.

JN

[PeterB]

Hi,

Here are some photos of my Storch, The last for a while, went flying the other day, things went wrong so more repairs. I was trying a cross wind landing and a sudden gust of wind flipped her overand the ground was a little to close!! She will fly again.

Peter

[Tony Bennett]

lovely model sir.

hope it flies again real soon.

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Oh dear! You're having a few challenges with this one Peter. She does look very nice in the air though! Hope the repairs aren't too extensive.

BEB

[PeterB]

Hi BEB,

Yes, I have had a few problems since day one. I have put her to one side a few times, even taken all the radio gear out, then I hear or see something on a forum and down she comes.

This time I said, That's it no more!! and before I got the above photos I had removed the engine and most of the radio gear. Then Mike sent the photos so I had a quick look to see what repairs are needed. The fuselage is ok, one wing just the root rib needs replacing, the other wing needs the root rib and 4 ribs replacing but the spars,L/E and T/E are ok. The carbon tongue ply slots just need tidying up, they damaged the ribs.

I have had her a few years now and she was my first scale and when when very thing is ok she is great to fly and looks good in the air.

In the next couple of weeks before I fully strip the wings and after I will post a couple of photos. Then as the repairs are carried out I will post some photos etc. Then in time flying photos!!!

Peter

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

That's the way - nil desperandum! Looking forward to seeing some more photos of the "pheonix" Storch!

BEB

[SkippyUK]

Hope it's not too far off topic but looking at all the pictures in this thread and comparing them to my HK Storch, Durafly haven't done too bad a job of producing a cheap RTF replica of this iconic aircraft.

My experience of flying it also mirrors the comments in the thread - ground looping, slow aileron response etc..

Wish I had the time atm to build a proper kit but unfortunately I have to rely on RTF's.

I congratulate and envy you all for your building skills.

Skippy

[Peter S B]

Hi

I have done it again, a year as passed, so first of all I must apologize for not letting you all know that I have repaired my Storch. I flew and re-trimmed her a couple of weeks ago.. It was great to get her back in the air as I was not really going to repair her this time. The only thing that needs doing is a new cowl, (it was beyond repair this time) The price for a new one is over £30 which I find a little high, so I am going to try and make one from scratch. Next time I fly her I will try to get some photos, plus I will post some photos of the repair I carried out and now I get on with the cowl.

Peter