Avro Vulcan B2

[Mark Kettle 1]

After a resent visit to the Great Orme, North Wales UK in June this year 2014, the occasion was to attend and take part in the Jet Provost Mass Build event and great time was had.

Whilst there I met Matt Jones who had built a JP, however he also took along his white Avro Vulcan, what a fine looking model. Well I can't think of anything better than build my own example and enjoy flying it on the slopes. I've always enjoyed seeing the Vulcan throughout my life, and to enjoy one up the slope just makes the sport of slope soaring better.

Well after studying photographs, drawings in the back of books or on the net, I have finally decided on a size, to make it.

This is my build thread for the Avro Vulcan B2.

Drawing in this book

Edited By Mark Kettle 1 on 15/07/2014 19:27:29

[Mark Kettle 1]

First made some practice measurements to work with converting the drawing into a ratio measurement I could work with, record my findings and start thinks how I'm going to make it.

If you hadn't noticed a big part of a Vulcan is the wing so a lot of time was taken on that and choosing a section thickness practical for both foam use the slope flying.

Edited By Mark Kettle 1 on 15/07/2014 19:33:36

Edited By Mark Kettle 1 on 15/07/2014 19:35:01

[Tony Bennett]

nice one.

i like the vulcan.

[Mark Kettle 1]

Next was sparring for the wing and if possible place the main spar on the centre of gravity this helps when setting up and balancing, this can be a compromise because it doesn't place it in a position where it gives full width wingspan support. I will be covering the wing in brown paper and wallpaper paste which gives a little more support and aids decoration.

[Depron Daz]

I like the idea of wine position points during a build session! LOL hic.

You'll be wanting to make a bigger one once you get this flying and see how nice they actually fly. There's never enough model Vulcans, watching this one!

[Mark Kettle 1]

Next thing on my design mind was the fuselage construction, and I had to walk away for the drawing board. Well solution was found maybe after one or two cups of coffee and it looks like ' back of a fag-packet ' - drawing, however I'll show it because it's all part of the design and modelling process.

The drawing below shows the a standard servo even with lugs on ( 55 mm wide ) will fit into the body width.

Edited By Mark Kettle 1 on 15/07/2014 19:52:10

[Mark Kettle 1]

When I can I try to build into my designs features that allow you to build without always measuring and refitting etc, it doesn't always work, but on the fuselage top and bottoms it does work for this part of the build

In this drawing by splitting the top and bottom fuse foam into two 10 mm parts that are glued together, there is a step made and you locate the 15 mm body sides into it, the bottom is done first and after gluing the two top parts together again gluing and placing into the fuse sides to the step.

Once the fuselage is stuck together it is shaped like a lot of other fuselages are done here's a drawing to show how you can get a round fuselage in 4 easy steps.

Edited By Mark Kettle 1 on 15/07/2014 20:06:41

[Mark Kettle 1]

Thanks Tony for your comment, do you think Tony, 'everyone likes the Vulcan' , for instant whilst I'm at work and it fly's by even girls stop work to see it fly over, when It came back a few years ago it grabbed the nation

Edited By Mark Kettle 1 on 15/07/2014 20:10:45

[Depron Daz]

Everyone loves the Vulcan! Well at least they should do as it protected us rather well!

Here's my build blog on RCGroups for my Vulcan, enjoy **LINK**

[Mark Kettle 1]

Even at 44" span which really isn't big when you consider some of the Depron sized models made ( 88" and 100" I think I've seen on here) the wing seems to have a lot of mass which for me means a lot of foam.

Laid out on the bench, some of the section need to be got ready by gluing two bits of foam together, see how the wing will be cut in parts to get the Vulcan shape.

Edited By Mark Kettle 1 on 15/07/2014 20:18:34

[Mark Kettle 1]

Cheers Daz for your Vulcan link, I really enjoyed your build and flying videos they were a pleasure to watch. Spurred me on greatly thanks.

[Mark Kettle 1]

I made a glider a few years ago that was a bit like the Vulcan, it was a sports epp foam racer, I even decorated it bit like a Vulcan. Here's a link :

Enjoy this video it is a nice flyer from light to heavy winds when ballasted.

Edited By Mark Kettle 1 on 15/07/2014 20:23:42

Edited By Mark Kettle 1 on 15/07/2014 20:24:21

[Depron Daz]

I shall watch your vid now, and I'm glad that my build had spurred you on and several other builders too, the same way that Electriflier's Vulcan build spurred me on.

[Depron Daz]

Great vid Mark. You can see the Vulcan shape no doubt, well done fella!

[Mark Kettle 1]

Close up wing section A (this the mid section) with the line on it for the foam thickness make-up 20 mm with 30 mm of foam on top.

Here is the the section up against the the foam block from the middle.

Better get on a cut the sections, lots of pinning on section patterns and moving from shape to shape.

[Mark Kettle 1]

Thanks Daz about the Gazelle video, can't believe it's took me so long to make one -Vulcan that is, cheers happy landings.

[Mark Kettle 1]

Translating the back of the 'fag packet ' drawings into wood patterns for the fuselage epp foam cutting has been done.

Foam sides cut notice that wider top and bottom width foam seen here on the bottom piece in this picture.

[Tony Bennett]

looking good and quick as well.

[Mark Kettle 1]

Cheers Tony for your comments, well a lot of the drawing, thinking and sorting out was done on Sunday and Monday and I've bought it together today once I finished work.

[Mark Kettle 1]

After gluing together the epp foam blocks for each wing part, the main wing sections have been cut on all foam pieces and sides to glued dressed up square so make best contact. After gluing all the wing together the wing was allowed to dry a little, 'then I cut it apart again' - the reason was to cut the corner slot where the main spar goes.

The spar was dropped on the bottom front edge of the front triangle it was 600 mm long and 10 mm square wood - or 24" long by 3/8" square. seen here in this picture.

 

Edited By Mark Kettle 1 on 15/07/2014 21:21:59

Edited By Mark Kettle 1 on 15/07/2014 21:26:23

[Mark Kettle 1]

After a little wing sanding with a grit paper of 40 grade stuck to a wooden block with contact adhesive. Need to smooth and check the wing before next stage - after hot wire cutting always a little 'swarf' left on the wing foam surface.

First preparation for wing finish is filling with 'light weigh filler' this one is from Wilko hardware, its the type when you pick it up off the shelve you think it's empty.

Have a little water spray on the go to pre-wet the foam a little or spray to help smoothing fluidity.

[Mark Kettle 1]

Now one of the best bits on the Vulcan, 4 jet pipes and engine pods. After a little working out of the scale they need to be 30 mm wide and 355 mm long and on my scaling start under the wing just behind a line from the first out kink on the wing.

Some cut some 30 mm square foam and like the fuselage cut the corners off and with a small practice piece you see near the wooden patterns made some 30 mm round foam.

[Mark Kettle 1]

These engine are lovely to make and in not time made 4 pod and round jet pipes

If you see pictures of a Vulcan a little of round-ness of the nacelle - engine jet pipe is seen above the trailing on top of the wing.

couldn't resist and just had to try them out - the fillers not even dry yet.

Need to glued on and I think I do this before covering with brown paper - I'll just have to contour the paper around the pods.

[Mark Kettle 1]

Now back to the body, remember the section layout, well it makes the fuselage go together really easy I show that tomorrow. 

 

Edited By Mark Kettle 1 on 15/07/2014 22:14:56

[Depron Daz]

My god, this will be flying by midnight if you keep building that quickly Mark