Andy Meade Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 It is a big fin! What sort of finish will you be using Phil? I'm suprised Matt hasn't abused you about stretching the wing - perhaps he just saves that for me! I guess also no rudder? (blasphemy!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted November 27, 2014 Author Share Posted November 27, 2014 Hi Andy - after the recent learnings from my JP where you could see all the woodwork joints through the Solarfilm I'm going to go for tissue and varnish or dope with a sprayed finish on this one... Matt can't raise the temp here too much as he will be flying his Tonka with the same stretched wing as I am. Yeah no rudder - never felt the need on small PSS models like this - a personal view I appreciate that but 'bank and yank' is far more my style with these little jet models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted November 27, 2014 Share Posted November 27, 2014 Didn't think she'd be rudderized somehow Will look on in interest when it comes to finishing - I want to tissue and varnish the T50, so please don't skimp on details there if possible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted November 29, 2014 Author Share Posted November 29, 2014 Picked up the 6mm wing bolt mounts today which my dad had sourced for me following the demise of my LMS! So with these ready for use I can continue with the forward fuselage assembly - first job is to cut and double the fuselage sides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted December 1, 2014 Author Share Posted December 1, 2014 Despite it being my daughters 2nd birthday this weekend I managed to slip the family grasp just enough to make a little progress on the front fuselage section... Talking with Andy Conway the Rx battery needs to reside between F2 and F3. The plan implies a removable canopy for battery and Rx access but I wanted mine permanently fixed so a battery box was built from 1/8th balsa - designed to enable a 4 cell (flat pack) to be fitted and retrieved from the wing bay. The box was given some foundations to sit on with 1/4" balsa pads bringing it to the required height. Battery for show with F2 and F3 glued in position. With formers F1 to F6 glued square to the base and with the battery box fitted, the fuselage sides could be added - note the key slots onto the formers helping ensure everything is square. Once happy with the fit and ensuring everything was true I ran round all the joints with cyano. 1/4" triangular doublers were added to the front side of F3. Once everything is set the next job is to wet the fuselage sides at the front to enable them to be curved around F1 and the tops of F2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Nice and neat as always Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Jones Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Indeed, VERY neat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted December 3, 2014 Author Share Posted December 3, 2014 I've completed the wingbox section today making and fitting some 1/8th light-ply doublers and screw mounting the 2 SLEC wing bolt mounts to the outside of the forward fuselage. I've mounted the bolts approx 20mm further forward than the plan shows - the location aligning with the max section thickness of my chosen wing design. The 1/8th light-ply doublers run full length between F4 and F6. On the outer wall there is a 1/16th marine ply load spreader, which will be hidden ultimately by the air intakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Jones Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 This will be an invaluable guide when I eventually start mine and tidy building as always. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 Get washers under those nylocs you heathen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted December 4, 2014 Author Share Posted December 4, 2014 I was being weight conscious!!! The nyloc nuts nipped up lovely against the ply doubler and I didnt feel a washer was required, and Ive cut my bolts to length without the washer in place!! Ill see what I can do if it keeps both you and Matt happy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 We're only pulling your leg, but imho, it really does need a washer there - you don't want those nuts pulling through on a more spirited manoeuvre! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted December 4, 2014 Author Share Posted December 4, 2014 Time to pull the nose in and curve the fuselage sides around F1. I'd left this part of the fuselage sides oversize a little in depth so that they more then meet the shoulders of F1 (allowing for the curve) with any overlap being trimmed off later. Andy's plan wording suggests you need water to soften the balsa to achieve this radius without cracking, and you do. The radius in fact is needed to feather in from behind F2 - the shoulders of which also have a curve, so there's quite an extent of fuselage side that needs wetting to enable this shaping. Built up that's not as easy as I'd thought, and I wonder whether in hindsight it would be better to create at least a little curvature in this region before the sides are assembled to the formers. In the built up state, to get the two fuselage sides to sit in small pots of hot water I had to arrange everything as such; In this arrangement the fus sides touch the bottom of the water vessels (they were the deepest I could find) and you can see the water creeping up the wood grain - but more wetting is needed further rear towards the wing box to enable the shoulders of F2... I found I could inject the balsa walls more or less exactly where I needed the water to take effect by using a small needle and syringe - this worked quite well enabling me to pump warm water exactly where required with little mess. But will it work? Time for some tea whilst its soaking out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Bennett Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 fingers crossed sir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted December 4, 2014 Author Share Posted December 4, 2014 Thanks for the support Tony!! I think it's worked out ok! I left the wood soaking for a good 90 minutes and by that time it was quite soft and pliable. I pinned the fuselage base firmly back down to the plan and pulled the fuselage sides in onto F1. Before adding any glue I made a clamping guide (a really thick piece of card with a hole cut into it which replicated the external shape of the fuselage section at F1) and slipped this over the nose feeding it over the fuselage side overhangs. This held the curves just about. A few more pins and clamps were added and everything was glued up with cyano for a quick grab. 5 minute epoxy with micro balloons was used to create some supporting fillets on the inside of F1 as shown below. Once off the board I trimmed up all the overhangs to the former and we are left with something that looks pretty accurate, ready to take the 1/2" balsa sheet top and bottom to build up the corners. The wood was still a little damp when I trimmed the corners - I'm sat here now just wondering if the wood will shrink at all as it dries - lets hope not otherwise Ill be left with a mismatch at the former! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Bennett Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 looks good though fingers crossed it stays in shape for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted December 5, 2014 Author Share Posted December 5, 2014 Yeah - checked it this morning before work and Im glad to report it all stayed aligned and true without any shrinkage whilst drying. I've also received in the post some aircrew and ejector seats made superbly to spec by RealModelPilots - more on those later! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 Oooh, brilliant. Did you get them to paint them too Phil? My German pilot came painted to a fantastic standard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Bennett Posted December 5, 2014 Share Posted December 5, 2014 we need pictures young man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted December 5, 2014 Author Share Posted December 5, 2014 Some pictures as promised chaps... Andy - I went for painted faces only as I'm still unsure on my colourscheme! Matt and I went to the Gaydon LMA show with the intention of sourcing some 1/12th scale jet pilots - these being just a tad bigger than we really needed as the plan is actually 1:13.7 (according to my calcs) - anyway we didn't find anything suitable and we parted with no money - but we did meet and speak to the guys on the Real Model Pilots stand who told us they could produce a 3D laser printed jet pilot to whatever scale we chose! Even 1:13.7 Soon after I called them and spoke to Sean about our requirements - he was very keen to help us and when he found out we were making Tornados he explained he could supply a scale model of the Mk10 MB ejector seat as well! I was sold. From that point on Sean was most helpful - sending us pictures of the CAD model design before we pressed 'go' on the printer. He enabled us to tailor the design with a 3/4 radial cut-off point at the knee - to suit exactly the cockpit tray we will have in the model - a bespoke jet pilot right down to the position of the hands and the rotation of the heads!! These guys arrived in the post yesterday - primed and ready paint - an early Christmas present to myself!! Pilot on the right (note the hands) and Navigator on the left. And here they are making themselves comfy in their future office. Thanks again to Sean at Real Model Pilots - brilliant stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 Looking good Phil! I was really pleased with their work too, and will be using them again on the Libby for gunners and flight crew. Looking forward to seeing this one in the flesh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted December 7, 2014 Author Share Posted December 7, 2014 I've started to block the nose section in with the 1/2" balsa required top and bottom between F1 and F3. I found that the former F1 was not quite tall enough at its central section so I had to add a little piece of 1/8" sheet to sit between the 2 1/2" blocks. In an attempt to get the characteristic nose shape spot on in plan I've also added some 1/8" light ply guides which will act as a sanding aid later on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted December 7, 2014 Share Posted December 7, 2014 Pointy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted December 7, 2014 Author Share Posted December 7, 2014 Yes, a bit different to the JP - this one's designed to kebab foamies!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted December 7, 2014 Share Posted December 7, 2014 Watch out Kettle!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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