Lindsay Todd Posted December 29, 2012 Author Share Posted December 29, 2012 Can you tell the weather is fowl outside? anyway tail plane support plate from 6mm balsa is used to bring the fuselage ends together top and bottom. Cockpit floor from 3mm balsa sheet goes in next glued from the inside Back to the front as nearly forgot to add the 3mm ply doubler to the rear of the firewall, could have used 6mm ply but when it comes to the cnc kit I tried to minimise the materials I used. Next job is to get the control rods in place, nothing clever here, just supported at a couple of positions down their length and where they exit the fuzalage at the rear. I will trim and fix the front later when I come to install the radio more later. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 nice Hurricane-esque rear there Linds, looks great! Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 9 Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Posted by Danny Fenton on 29/12/2012 15:44:01: nice Hurricane-esque rear there Linds, looks great! Cheers Danny Is the Hurricane not a bipe with the top wing sawn off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 yes, they bolted a second wing on top to create the "slip" wing version lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted December 30, 2012 Author Share Posted December 30, 2012 Little bit more work this evening starting with the fitting of 3mm balsa underside sheeting to the rear fuselage, also note the 3mm ply tail wheel fixing plate. When dry simply sanded to shape by rounding off the corners Next job is the 6mm balsa front underside centre panel, this is glued to the step in former 1 back to former 3. The forward fuselage side and panel will be sanded to match the former and back to where the parts meet at F3 so that a gluing joint is made for the 3mm balsa that will make up the sides. Added a 3x6mm medium balsa strip to the rear of the wing dowel fixing plate to increase gluing area and strength. more soon. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted December 30, 2012 Author Share Posted December 30, 2012 Well bit more done this afternoon starting by sanding the underside of the front to give gluing surface to the 3mm balsa side panels. these being soaked on the outside face to help them bend then glued and pinned. When dry sand generally to rounded profile to loose all the hard edges. The next job was to bend up two identical aluminium struts from 2mmx12mm flat section purchased from B&Q. I bought two lengths expecting to make a least one fowl up but by marking out carefully and using a 1:1 overlay I managed to get them right first time! Next job is the fiddly bit, fixing the struts and then complete the 3mm balsa sheeting around them so may take a couple of hours. I also plan to make the forward compartment a hatch for access to the motor and battery bay. more soon. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted December 31, 2012 Author Share Posted December 31, 2012 Ok well some more progress so a quick update. Centre wings struts have been bolted into position using spring washers and threadlock with nyloc nuts as an added measure as these will require surgery to get at after this stage. 3mm sheeting is now added to one side this was soaked to allow it to bend having first measured and cut away the relief for the struts. I added a 6mm balsa former to the inside face of the cockpit former to add gluing area, this also allows me to work with shorter lengths of wood so I can deal with the cockpit area individually later. The joint is on the centre line of the 6mm square top longeron. The sheeting can now be added to the other side although this extends from F1 to F2 and then from F3 to cockpit front. This leaves what will become the access hatch for batteries and also gives good access to the motor fixing bolts. The nose block is made up from 4 laminations of 6mm soft balsa. I chose to glue these together as pairs first then glue the two pairs together as it just makes everything more managable. This was done with aliphatics as they need to be shaped with a razor plane, hollowed out at the back and finaly sanded to match the fuselage. more soon. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted December 31, 2012 Author Share Posted December 31, 2012 and a bit more starting with the sheeting to the cockpit area. Started by cutting back by 15mm the stringers aft of the cockpit rear former a depth of 3mm to accept the sheeting so the levels are equal 3mm sheet added in sections just to use up the left overs really but also made fitting a bit easier really as the front curvature differs to the rear. Sheeting was added to the centre line then the apperture marked out and trimed with a scalpel. I then made up a stencil to repeat for the other side. Next job is the forward hatch that gives access to the battery bay. This is made up from 2x 3mm balsa formers that match the ply formers from centre longeron following the curve to the lower longeron. These were then pinned to the formers in the correct position but with a piece of card (cereal packet) between to create some clearnce. 3mm balsa sheet was then glued in strips overlapping the 6mm square longerons but glued only to the 3mm balsa formers. These were added in 6mm widths till the structure was about 2/3rds complete leaving enough gap to remove the pins and remove the hatch. the remaing sheet was then added to complete. A little epoxy was thinned and applied to the inside to strengthen. Well next job is the fin more soon. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Oi! Slow down will you, you're giving me a complex. All I've managed today was to film cover a wing and tail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Hooper Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Looking good, LInds! Your use of ali strip for the cabane struts might well have pointed me int he right direction for my own up-and-comoing project. Cheers Guv! tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted December 31, 2012 Author Share Posted December 31, 2012 Their is still a diagonal brace piece to go in but I will add that once I have the level jig made and clamped up. Nearly time to get the spirit level and incidence meter out I guess. Always impressed with your wire frame jigs, neat soldering and brass P clips though Tim. I new it would not be long before that next project got on the way. Don't give it away too soon! Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted January 1, 2013 Author Share Posted January 1, 2013 Just to keep things moving along some time this evening with the fin made up from medium 6mm balsa strip 15mm wide and 6mm wide. the rudder is made from a single centre core of 2mm balsa and 2mm strips 15mm wide added to leading edge and 6mm wide strips to strengthen. I also added 2mm sheet to the top of the fin to give added strength in case of nose overs etc. 2mm ply will be added to the bottom at a later stage to anchor the tailwheel wire and control horn. Tailplane was built as per the fin from 6mm medium / hard balsa, elevators will follow the same process as the rudder in due course. Finally for today could not resist a quick check of the cockpit instrument panel for fit and a quick jig of all the bits to see how she looks. Hopefully get the bulk of the fuselage and elevators finished off tomorrow before back to work on Wednesday. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Hooper Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 Linds, I'm just wondering how you're going to show off those side stringer when the model is covered? Will you induce a curve to the fuselage side so that each stringer presses against the underside of the covering? Looks great! tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted January 1, 2013 Author Share Posted January 1, 2013 You got it Tim, at least thats the plan, in fact i need to start thinking about the colour scheme, some parts are now ready for covering. Not bad for 3 1/2 days of effort if I say so myself. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted January 1, 2013 Author Share Posted January 1, 2013 Well the aim today was to complete the fuselage and tail feathers. I did not quite achieve this but I did get the elevators made up. As per the rudder these are made from 2mm balsa sheet and 2mm strip balsa top and bottom. The connection will be a 'U' shaped 2mm wire joiner so I have added 2mm ply plates to the inner surfaces to give some local reinforcement to were the joiner will fit. I also added 2mm ply to the rudder at the same time. Parts were then saned to a taper and 45 degree angles top and bottom to the leading edges. A quick fit test that everything lines up as it should before I add soft block each side of the fin and carve / sand to shape to complete the rear end. More soon. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nev Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 This is looking really great Lindsay and compared to some plans I have looked at relatively straight forward with no tricky bits, at least not yet. I think this will defiantly make the to do list. Nev. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted January 2, 2013 Author Share Posted January 2, 2013 Thanks Nev, I have tried to keep this as relatively simple as possible and so far so good all has gone together as planned. I am always concious that the aim is to keep it simple but sometimes you forget and get carried away then to think later how the heck am I going to describe how I did that? Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Hooper Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 Linds, Those control surfaces will look great under the covering! tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted January 2, 2013 Author Share Posted January 2, 2013 I just need to come up with a colour scheme! I designed it with 1920-1930's in mind possibly air race ish or as the name suggests fictional sky writer / air circus but a scheme is eluding me at the moment. Suggestions welcome as its not far away before I need to make a start. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Hooper Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 Posted by Lindsay Todd on 02/01/2013 21:15:17: ......its not far away before I need to make a start. Linds Not having any wings, then? I like to have the entire airframe built before I start on the covering. It gives me more of an idea just what the finished model could look like when complete. Mind you, cream or silver is always a good base colour for a 'golden age' aeroplane.... tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted January 4, 2013 Author Share Posted January 4, 2013 A chance to add the soft block to either side of the fin and over the top of the tailplane is easy to get wrong so I always start by making sure everything is level. The fuselage wing cut out is sat on a level, a second level checks for parrallel at the cockpit and the third checks the tailplane wing seat. Some slight sanding was required to the tailplane seat to get it level, everything else was spot on, or should that be bubble in the middle? To ensure I keep the clearance for the tailplane I used two 6mm sheet off cuts across the tailplane seat and then a 3rd 6mm balsa piece tack glued to the very back with the wood grain running down the fuselage length. The fin is then centered onto the off cuts and soft block added to the side. I then check fin is still square to the fuselage and then add soft block to the other side, again check nothing has moved and leave to dry. Note the fin is not glued into position at this point and can be removed. When dry I removed the two large off cuts and the fin and then tacked the soft block to the remaining off cut at the very back. This is so that when I razor plane and sand the block to shape I don't knock it off. Also I can leave the off cut in place until after covering and trim it away with the covering when I come to glue the tailplane into position. more soon. Linds Edited By Lindsay Todd on 04/01/2013 15:10:13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted January 4, 2013 Author Share Posted January 4, 2013 Time for another progress report starting with the engine mounting. I have calculated that I need circa 1.5 - 2 degrees down and right thrust on the motor so using a very useful nylon angle wedge available from model shops a single item on the top right side does the job nicely this is glued to a secondary ply 2mm back plate and then temporarily bolted in situ. I have also decided I did not like the front appertures on the cowl so changed them a little, this also gives some additional clearance to get at the motor fixing bolts. Now for a start on the bottom wing. This is shorter than the top wing and has dihedral so is made one panel at a time. I chose to use a single spruce 6mm square spar for the lower main and balsa 6mm square for rear and top spars. The main spar joiner is from 3mm marine ply. To start I marked the centr line on the main spar joiner, i then glued the lower spruce spar to the bottom of the joiner. The bottom spars can then be laid over the plan and the 2mm balsa ribs glued into place. Mental note to make sure that the ribs with cut outs for strut fixing go in the correct place. When dry the top spar can be added and then the trailing edge added also from 6mm balsa strip cut to size. Then add the rib doublers around the centre section for u/c mounting blocks. Next job will be leading edge strip then start the other panel. More soon. Linds Edited By Lindsay Todd on 04/01/2013 22:39:49 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Concorde Speedbird Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Posted by Lindsay Todd on 04/01/2013 22:38:48: Time for another progress report starting with the engine mounting. Engine? What engine?! Nice job! CS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat (rActive) Harbord Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 I've not been on here for a while. This looks fabulous Lindsay, top job. Got to be a free plan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riverlandgirl. Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 Yep, looking forward to this one too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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