Martian Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 I've just checked my Barnstormer thread and I had posted the weight it is 3lb 8oz .hope that helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 3, 2014 Author Share Posted June 3, 2014 Hi Martian, you're a gent, that's brilliant. The way it's going, mine ought to weigh about half that with the Lipo on board, so it seems to be a worthwhile project. However the proof of the pudding will be in the eating, hopefully I'll soon find out for sure. Cheers mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 3, 2014 Author Share Posted June 3, 2014 Pictures show the mounting platform with lightening fretwork attached to the cabane and using the square garden slabs to ensure that the wing is lined up! The 3 degrees right side thrust on the motor makes it looks a bit wonky. Here is my first proper look at the 17gm glass cloth and Ezekote. I've started to paint it on but didn't realise how long it takes to dry, so progress is a bit limited tonight. All of the bits are made, I'm into the finishing stages now so increasingly optimistic about completing it with time to spare. Who can spot the bits of Barnstormer distributed among the other paraphenalia, drying out the first coat of Ezekote before I can stick the glass-cloth on? Sorry about the mess, sadly it's always like that. I daren't show you what's lying around in the garage loft, let alone the garden shed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 That's looking great Colin. If we have some nice weather at Greenacres (pleeeeeease) she'll fly beautifully with that ultra low wing loading. BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 4, 2014 Author Share Posted June 4, 2014 Thank you BEB. I certainly hope so. A lot of the forumites will wonder why it's taken me so long to find out things they learned years ago, so I hope they'll excuse my simplistic approach. Even so, this has taught me a lot and it looks as if the finished plane won't have any down-side to a conventional build, in fact as a robust weekend flyer it is probably going to be better and the light weight is a bonus. I did this on impulse because I originally fancied doing a Barnstormer or Bi-Stormer, but chose the PC because of limited time. Therefore I decided to do this as a last minute attempt to do a bit more for Greenacres. It's actually gone together faster than the PC and looks like a four week part-time build, so definitely it's given me things to think about. I hope it's been of interest to a few others as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 5, 2014 Author Share Posted June 5, 2014 Into the slow and messy stage, (for me) of covering and painting. Reading Danny's article I realised that he'd demonstrated epoxy because of the issue of the water based products causing warping with wood structures. As I'm covering foam I'm not worrying about that, so I've used Ezekote with 17gm glass cloth. I'm not very dextrous at this sort of thing, but the pictures show me puzzling my way through. I'm working today and have to attend a dinner tonight, so the only way I could do anything was to get in the shed at 05-00. I am a light sleeper anyway and this morning it was beautiful, a proper early summer morning. A brief pleasure to savour. I've sanded down the fuselage and put on the first coat of Ezekote, covered and finished the fin with the first coat of paint and part covered the wing and tailplane. The many who are more expert than I will hopefully be having a good laugh, those who are more in my half competent category will perhaps be more sympathetic! However, we will definitely finish this on time. Edited By Colin Leighfield on 05/06/2014 07:10:27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 7, 2014 Author Share Posted June 7, 2014 Here's the fuselage after covering with glass cloth, before applying another coat of Ezekote and sanding down for painting. tailplane is finished, next I will cut the elevator and paint it. Wing is covered underneath, next I will cover the top and prepare that for painting. I need to re-make the fin, somehow I've cut it too short, but it won't take long. I'm going to solder a wire diagonal into each half of the cabane, that will stiffen it up and will look scale-like anyway.Then I will fit the magnets to the two removable hatches and paint it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 7, 2014 Author Share Posted June 7, 2014 Had loads of other things to do today but got a bit more done. Getting there! Decided on the colour scheme. I like the pre-war United States Army Air Force blue and yellow with pre-war stars. I think it will suit the parasol winged Barnstormer, so that's it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 looks very nice Colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 8, 2014 Author Share Posted June 8, 2014 Thanks Martian, as long as you don't look too close! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Ohh its getting there now , one final push and you will have it ready . Come On . Steve , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Price 2 Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Cant wait to see it complete - and flying. Well worth all that huffing and puffing. Cutting foam wings next, I understand!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 8, 2014 Author Share Posted June 8, 2014 Kidding apart Andrew, there's a whole list of things I've been wanting to do for years and I'm finally starting to get on with. Whether I get them all done is another matter, but I'm going to do my best. I've got an eight foot long block of blue foam in the loft I really need to have a bash at, the cutting bow is waiting! Still scratching my head. I love this forum, there's so much knowledge and inspiration on here that leaves me breathless. What some of the forumites achieve is beyond my wildest dreams, beyond anything I'll ever manage! Still, I kicked this one off only four weeks ago with no experience of Depron at all and although a bit of a codge, I think that it's going to work. Fingers crossed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 It'll work Colin John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Bott - Moderator Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Wow that's coming out a treat Colin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Price 2 Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 I agree with John - of course it will work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 8, 2014 Author Share Posted June 8, 2014 Thanks chaps, pushing on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 It's looking pretty Colin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 8, 2014 Author Share Posted June 8, 2014 Managed to do a bit more tonight and made the mistake of gluing the fin to the tailplane before I stuck it to the fuselage. When I'd finished up juggling to make sure that everything was square(ish), I realised that the fin wasn't quite straight! This will be down to slight misalignment of the fuselage, cabane and wing I suppose. Nothing unusual for me there then! However it looks ok so I've removed the fin and will stick it back correctly. Diagonal bracings are soldered into the cabane, servos in and everything works. I've got to work tomorrow, but will get more done early and late. Suddenly it's starting to feel close to finishing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 12, 2014 Author Share Posted June 12, 2014 Nearly there, just re-making the rudder because I inadvertently cut the first one too short. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 12, 2014 Author Share Posted June 12, 2014 Nearly there, just re-making the rudder because I inadvertently cut the first one too short. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 14, 2014 Author Share Posted June 14, 2014 Structurally complete now. Rx, servos, all linkages done and everything working. Remaining work is to fit magnets to engine cowling top and cockpit, put fairings on undercarriage and cabane struts, make windscreen and pilot, finish painting and put decals on, get the cg right. The colour scheme is pre-war USAAC with the big stars on the wings, the white rudder will have red horizontal stripes. When I decided that the Baby Barnstormer idea of wire hooks on the wings clipping onto the cabane struts wasn't right for this one, I decided to simply slot them into the wing platform and fix them with epoxy. I thought I would need to cap them or secure them some other way, but they're really strong as they are and there's no way they would break out without something else breaking first. I've cut a small air intake under the nose to feed cooling air directly onto the ESC, it will vent through the cockpit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Bennett Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 wow thats looking very very very good sir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 14, 2014 Author Share Posted June 14, 2014 Thank you Tony, but it's a flea-bite alongside your Shackleton. An interesting experiment for me though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted June 14, 2014 Share Posted June 14, 2014 Looks well Colin, nice cheerful colours John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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