Martian Posted July 18, 2014 Share Posted July 18, 2014 decided to build a Piper Pawnee duster was toying with building Dusty from the film planes (grandson is a fan) but found the plans for a control line Piper PA25 on Outer Zone that I certain can be modified at 168% which will give approx 60" span, the original version had all sorts of working bits such as lights control stick duster unit flaps and ailerons the flaps and ae's were not functional.it will need beefing up in some areas and I will do that as I progress.. plans printed from pdf tiled the all glued together that was fun fuselage sides and formers heck it's big like a shoe box slow work but got to a stage of a part built fus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted July 22, 2014 Author Share Posted July 22, 2014 plodding on not to much to see will post in a few days meanwhile in case somebody doesn't know what a pawnee looks like here is a pic and the probable colour scheme Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted July 28, 2014 Author Share Posted July 28, 2014 Been working on the cockpit area and the working duster unit first the duster start of the hopper under the hopper, tube goes thru wing into duster the wing will be removable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Bennett Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 lovely workmanship young man, is the spreader covered in ali tape? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted July 28, 2014 Author Share Posted July 28, 2014 thank you Tony and yes it is the vanes go all the way to the front and vane edges have ali tape on to,the tube is a container for vitamin c tablets again covered in ali foil,the hopper outlet is a plastic gift card covered in ali tape and slides in a homemade guide and operated by a 9g servo in the cockpit which will be under the pilots seat..had to stop typing before tea was calling . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted July 28, 2014 Author Share Posted July 28, 2014 the rear cockpit made with spruce dowels also the rear stringers are dowel except the top one which is 1/4" pine shot of rear cockpit area painted dark blue you can also see the hopper servo the rear cockpit framework painted black to simulate the steel tube. I didn't realise until I started this plane that the aircraft fuselage is entirely steel tube bit like a kit car more soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted August 11, 2014 Author Share Posted August 11, 2014 this is turning out to be a gentle jog,I decided to have a go at doing a sort of realistic cockpit including seat control stick instrument panel complete with 2 working lights oh and the dummy lever to open the hopper, I have also been working on the centre section of the wing (no pics yet) as it will be easier to line up the hopper outlet into the spreader,motor is on it's way so the front end can be done. anyway 4 pics this one also shows the hopper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted August 12, 2014 Author Share Posted August 12, 2014 mmm a distinct lack of interest ah well not every ones cuppa tea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew767 Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Hi Martian There is interest....Just havn't made any comments!! Soooo.........I really like this....please keep posting the photos. Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Bradley Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Hi Martian, Definitely interested and it's looking good. Will be interested to see how it progresses as, in a moment of madness, some months ago I started to build a 'Farmhand 90'. Keep it coming. Derek. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Stevenson Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 I'm interested as well, looks like you are doing a good job. My grandson also loves "Dusty". I was given a Hangar 9 Pawnee which one of my club mates "wrote off" that was his view, I'm in the process of repairing it. Making the canopy may prove a bit of work Martin? Keep updating the pictures, may the maiden flight be a happy one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vecchio Austriaco Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Martian, Will you stick to the colour scheme (white and blue stripes)? In the film Dusty was white/orange if I remember right (yes, I have seen it with the age of 55...) And I am sure your grandson will ask you to go knife-edge through the hedges VA, interested Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spice Cat Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Keep it coming!!! I love Pawnee's as they are so beautiful in an ugly sort of way. I only have the Hangar 9 version but she flies and looks great. Regards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prop Nut Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Keep going Martian - no comment yet from me because I'm speechless at the quality and creativeness of your build. I'm a sucker for anything to do with crop dusters, since watching one working on the fields near my village a few years ago, so this is of major interest! Thanks for keeping us up to date with progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted August 12, 2014 Author Share Posted August 12, 2014 well I'm astounded thank you all very much . Prop nut the very first aircraft I ever saw close up was at the age of 13 and I cycled 6 miles to see it and it was a crop duster don't know which one but it was a magical moment and have never lost interest in aircraft since had a spell in the ATC got to fly in a Cadet glider and a Chippie .Spice Cat your right there is something about them functional ugly grace .Vechio I was going down the Dusty route but kind of got swept up with the real one so it will be blue and white that's fast becoming my signature colour scheme . Derek the cockpit /canopy will be from birch dowel I think it will be ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Read the thread twice now. Over 400 views! Edited By cymaz on 12/08/2014 19:46:14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted August 12, 2014 Author Share Posted August 12, 2014 ha ha that made me laugh Cymaz, I'd better get back to the build .my pilot arrived today it need a torso extension Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Hoping to build a Wittman d12 Bonzo in my retirement, 6 years to go! ( hoping for 56). Have the scale drawings already. Might need Dylan to cut out the parts.....hopefully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Hope these help Martian Edited By cymaz on 17/08/2014 09:42:39 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 thank you Percy and that Billkit is nice . Cymaz that Wittman is something else and I bet it's fast far to fast for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 certainly that right colours Cymaz thanks ,by the way I'm pretty sure there is a Pawnee on the Long Mynd glider station used as a tug I going to have to go there for some of the finer details (if it's still there ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 hay fever and arthritis mean I can only work in short stints never mind more time for thinking. below my pilot with his lengthened torso and then painted,,my good lady says he looks like me when I was younger I said wot you mean artificial fuselage front end time to tackle this bit ,the original plan was a lot smaller and also ic powered so the front end relied heavily on the engine bearers to build around after some thought I decided the only way to do this for electric power was to build a motor box that combined the battery box and esc mounting this would be epoxied to the firewall which also has the uc mounted on it. in this pic below you can see a tube this will carry the throttle wire from the ESC to the receiver it passes through the hopper box. motor / battery box plonked in place to give me an idea how it's fitting,bear in mind I'm making this up as I go along this shows former 2 slid over the box I have made a duplicate former with a larger cutout when complete the cowl will be split at this point these 2 pics show F2 in place being bonded with pu glue and held with home made elastic band clamps. I'm sure a while ago someone did a survey ,which bit of building do you like least well for me it's bending wire of any size especially UC wire my hands are painful at the best of time but this stuff takes the biscuit moan over it's done now just got to figure how best to mount it ,on the grown up pawnee the uc is mounted just forward of the leading edge it's made a little more difficult because the duster box will not allow the wing to detach at an angle so it will be bolted in place in front as well as the rear ,more soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Coming on nicely...like the braces on you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted August 19, 2014 Author Share Posted August 19, 2014 On a whim I decided to fit a tilt switch to operate a flashing led on the instrument panel a faux stall warning indicator.Instrument all wired up now and refitted run wires to servo/radio bay and tried pilot again I just have to epoxy him in place then complete the cockpit cage ready for glazing. Tilt switch fitted in instrument panel panel with led unlit and panel tilted led now on (instruments don't work ) maybe another time panel in place and pilot doing pre flight check Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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