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Cavemans Tucano Build....


Caveman
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Hi, I signed up for the mass build and have now started building.

As I haven't built anything from balsa for about 45 years I decided not to plunge straight into the Tucano build, but thought I would get a bit of experience/practise on something else first.

I ended up building the Zulu ET which was featured in RCME October 2010. The Zulu is now complete and awaiting better weather for its maiden. Fingers crossed!

Having finished the Zulu I have turned my attention to the Tucano. I have to say that on first impressions it's a far simpler build than the Zulu (may live to regret that comment).

I made a start last night, making templates from the drawing and have made the wings today, ready for insertion of the landing gear plates and sanding to shape.

I'll start to include pictures of my progress if someone will point me in the direction of the instructions for placing photos in these posts.

Cheers for now....GDB

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I've started the build and have been getting on quite well for the last few days.

First job make the necessary templates for the items to be cut from balsa - I didn't order any of the cut wood packs as I previously ordered wood from SLEC for 3 builds and included the Tucano.

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First items to cut the wings, and the first problem!

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The wing centre section is shown on the drawing at a tad over 4 inches wide, whereas the balsa from SLEC is 100mm wide. To compensate I added a couple of mm to the leading and trailing edges.

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Wing panels cut and ready for gluing.

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Inter-panels strips added and the wing panels glued together with CA.

I didn't register the comment by Nigel to fix the tips with epoxy until after I'd used CA, but they've stayed put so far, and unless they show signs of fragility I think I'll leave them alone.

I've decided that I will make the wing detachable for ease of storage and transportation. I've got the attachment scheme in my head and will add a section on it later.

More to follow.......... GDB

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  • 2 weeks later...

Plenty of work been done on the Tucano build in the last ten days.

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Wings glued ready for sanding

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3mm birch ply panels sunk into underside of wing to take the landing gear.

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Wings sanded to approximate shape. Final shaping will be done immediately prior to covering. Looking out the window it's just as well I've got some building to do - no chance of flying

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Elevators joined using a length of spruce.

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Piece added to top of fuselage side to make up for difference in width of balsa sheet between 100mm and 4 inches as noted when making the wing.

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Fuselage sides joined, doublers and tri pieces added. I made a mistake and put the short tri pieces at the top instead of the bottom, so added more to the top and left it at the bottom - can't see that it will do any harm.

More to follow...........GDB

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img_4650_s.jpg

Rear of fuselage joined using SLEC jig, which I also used to join the fuselage halves.

Vertical stab post also added at this stage.

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SLEC jig used to draw the nose together for epoxying the motor mount. Right thrust added at this stage by shortening the right-hand fuselage side ans sanding smooth.

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Top of fuselage added and sanded to shape.

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Torque rods inserted into the wing and cut-out for servo cut.

As the wing will be removeable, and won't gain any strength from being fixed to the fuselage, I epoxied some glass-cloth to the wing joint to add strength.

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Spigot from two thicknesses of 3mm birch ply fixed with epoxy into a slot in the front edge of the wing. The spigot is slotted so that it ties in with the forward dihedral brace.

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A sheet of 3mm birch ply under the wing follows the fuselage line and adds considerable strength to the wing and allows a positive location for the wing bolt. Thought of using 2 bolts but decided on one - I can always change it later.

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3mm birch ply former takes the wing front spigot.

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Retaining nut for wing bolt.

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Tail feathers fixed

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Control snakes trial fitted - another restraint to be added later.

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Now it's starting to look like a Tucano, although there's a long way to go before it's finished.

GDB

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  • 2 weeks later...

Quite a few days have passed since my last report, but domestic duties have taken precedence for some of those!!

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Elevator, rudder and aileron servos fitted

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Nose ring fitted and shaped to match (almost) 50mm spinner

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I cut out the motor/ESC hatch with a razor saw and fitted magnet to retain it. However, while this works very well it allows the hatch to side sideways, so fitted a couple of strips of balsa to locate it accurately. It doesn't look very pretty, and although it isn't really seen I'll redo it to look a bit more professional later.

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Magnetic catch also added to canopy floor. This should be enough to retain it - time will tell.

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Undercarriage made from 10swg piano wire and fitted with saddle clamps. As I would like to use an 11x7 prop I have made the legs about 20mm longer than shown on the drawing to give sufficient ground clearance - I may have overdone it - but can always make another, shorter set. The wheel uses here are 70mm, for use on soft ground with longish grass. These will be replaced with 50mm wheels for summer use.

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This how it looks now. At least it looks like it might fly!

I've roughly checked the COG and it appears that it may be a little nose heavy even with the battery (2200 3s) set right back. If necessry I can add a bit of lead to the rudder horn to get it right.

Next job is to complete the office (pilots are a replacement set from HobbyKing for their Vampire EDF) and sort out the canopy.

I have the vacuum formed canopy and haven't ever fitted one before so that will be interesting, but I've got some good ideas which I hope will lead to success - we shall see!!

GDB

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Great build. It's looking good.

RE. The canopy. I'd strongly suggest you get some canopy glue if you don't already have it. It's like PVA but unlike PVA wiil stick to the plastic. Tape the canopy in place and leave the glue to dry for 24 hours. It's great stuff.

Edited By GrahamC on 15/02/2013 08:25:20

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  • 4 weeks later...

Wow, what a great build Caveman, I have no idea how I missed this.

Can I just ask for some measurements on where your snakes exit the rear of the fusealage, how far back from the back edge of the tail post and how far up the fuselage sides, thanks

I also like how you have done the removable wing, very neat indeed.

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Steve, please feel free to change the title - Caveman's Tucano build? or something similar?

I'm just organising some more pictures to illustrate the, now completed, build and to reply to WolstonFlyer, which I will post shortly.

Cheers GDB

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Hi WolstonFlyer,

If you look at the build you will see that the snakes cross over at the rear of the fuselage, so the exits are about 5mm different in height. I made the exit holes about 65mm from the rear of the tail post.

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Rudder snake

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Elevator snake

These measurements are based purely on how it looked like they might best fit, given the postition of the control horns, and trying to avoid unnecessary friction between the inner and outer tubes. It seems to work OK!

I don't know if there's a more scientific way of doing things - I'm a novice at this hobby so I'm at the "make it up as you go along" stage!

As you can see the model's finished now - I'll post the build completion later today.

Cheers GDB

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Thanks for the measurements Caveman, that is really going to help me out, I can intall the snakes next after the top deck glue has dried.

Your covering job looks very good (from the bits seen in the above pictures), I am dreading that part of the build as I have never covered a plane before.

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Right, here goes, the final leg:

Added a couple of 'seats' and instrument panels for the pilots - it's a shame both pilots are identical, it would have been nice if they were looking in different directions, but at least they're a suitable size.

Instrument panels courtesy of the internet, printed on paper and then laminated with Selotape, and glued on.

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I painted to cockpit black - in retrospect it would have been better with some white or grey detailing, but where do you stop?

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Wings covered and canopy glazed. I didn't particularly enjoy fixing the canopy - I bought some canopy glue as advised by GrahamC which stuck like the proverbial, thanks Graham, but I made the formers for the canopy to fit the body of the plane, so when the canopy is fitted it is a mm or 2 proud of the body!!

In reality it's not that noticable and it makes it easy to get hold of it for removal. It's attached with a tongue at the front and magnets at the back.

Incidentally, I thought that the quality of the canopy moulding was pretty poor, lots of blemishes and on one side two great indents. Fortunately most of the indents were cut way when fitting, and once fitted it looks quite good. But, certainly almost every High Street bubble pack is of better quality. Was mine the only one like this?

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Covering of the fuslelage underway.

This is only the second model I've covered. I have to say that I found some areas challenging - perhaps I should have approached some of it differently. Some parts don't bear close inspection, but, viewed from a short distance it's fairly presentable.

I decided at an early stage not to go down the scale appearance route.

A, because it involves a lot of time, effort and detailing,

B, because it costs more in materials,

C, the model itself isn't a true scale model,

and D, in my novice flying hands it may not last long enough to make the effort worth it!

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The 99% finished article.

I used Tower Pro MG90S servos, Emax GT2815/07 motor with APC 11x7E prop , 40A ESC and 2200 3S Lipo.

My Tx is a Futaba 6EX, with FrSky TRF6 Fasst receiver.

The covering is Dark Blue and Peach from Giant Shark, with white Trimline in various widths.

The model ready to fly, including battery, weighs 1.23kg - 2lb 12oz.

The motor uses 349W, giving a ratio of around 128w/pound, so it should perform reasonably - I'm not looking for a rocket!

----------------------------------

So, just when it seemed to be all over I received the latest copy of RCME. Aha, Nigel suggests that the model needs ply doublers over the wing seat area - Grrrrr!

I had actually considered, as I was making the wing removable, installing a couple of 6x6mm balsa longerons in this area, but decided that the battery tray might add sufficient strength. However, in light of the article I added a couple of strips of 3mm birch ply to each side.

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Incidentally, I installed my first battery 'box' towards the rear of the overwing area, where initial balancing suggested it should be, but when covered, all electronics etc. installed this proved to be too far to the rear. A revised housing with the battery tight to the rear of F2 give a slightly nose heavy balance (with no need for added balast) which I will use initially. The battery can always be moved rearward if necessary.

Well, that's it - I hope some of this will be interesting/useful to somebody!

Cheers GDB

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

Well, I've been patiently waiting for a calm day to maiden the Tucano - I didn't want all my work building it to be undone by bad weather.

This morning was overcast, a little misty, but, almost windless - so, packed the car and set off to the field.

I checked the plane over, fitted the battery, passed the range-check and carried out some taxiing trials - all satisfactory, so no more excuses!

Set up the plane head on to what wind there was, slowly opened the throttle and away it went - it quickly gathered speed, I pulled back on the elevator and .............lift off!

The model tracked straight, easily gaining height. I climbed to 2+ mistakes high and tried banks and turns - no problem, the model was very responsive and highly manoeuvrable.

Only problem was the need to hold in lots of up elevator. I throttled back and flew slower and slower - nothing happened, still fully controllable. Highly satisfied with the performance I came in to land - no problem, perfect landing!!

Then I adjusted the elevator clevis and took of again - this time perfect!!! I flew around for a few minutes and then came in for a new battery, and another excellent landing.

At this point I found that the magnet retaining the canopy had become unglued, so no more flights today.

Probably no bad thing - it's best to stop while winning!

It just goes to show what a good choice the Tucano was for the mass build and what a great design Nigel Hawes has provided for us - BRILLIANT !!!

Repairs and adjustments now made I'm looking forward to some more decent weather so I can explore the model's capabilities.

I do hope everyone who is still building has as good an outcome as this, I'm well chuffed!

Cheers GDB

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