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1/3rd Classic Scale Tiger Moth -


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A bit more tinkering with the detail now..

Another one of the key bits of the Moth are the compasses - they are very visible!

 

almost stock panel.jpg

I wasnt looking forward to this as the supplied vac formed ones looked naff..They were formed on the same sheet as the panel surrounds and padded cockpit back rests so they are textured..moth 036.jpg

So I went on the recycling hunt again - this time for suitable sized discs..

model pictures 017.jpg

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An empty glue bottle makes a great source of tubing for the body..

model pictures 020.jpg

Now I will admit that at this point I got lost in the moment and forgot about the camera..

But grey paint, some stuck on dials, a dodgy stuck on name plate (thats actually a sticker for prop info) and a few Mick Reeves gorblimey screws later.....

model pictures 023.jpg

I'm really happy with this! Just got to make the little Compass lock...

model pictures 021.jpg

Jez

 

Edited By Jez Harris 1 on 19/09/2015 09:25:27

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Time for some struts.

I hate struts with a passion usually...my other Biplane builds have been WW1 stuff which have involved hours of initial shaping, gradually decreasing grit sizes of sandpaper to achieve a dead smooth finish, followed by staining and layers of varnish...all messed up with 2 different lengths and different profiles leading to confusion when assembling at the field or having to resort to some sort of markings.

Moths often have stained wood but the scheme I have chosen has painted fabric covering..RESULT!! plus all the struts on Moths are identical in length and profile...YAY!!!

Heres a couple of pics of a full size showing firstly the layout and then the metal work at the end..

great wing rigging deatil shot.jpg

bottom wing interplane strut attachment front.jpg

So I started by shaping some blanks..

model pictures.jpg

The it was out with the brass work again...strut ends and some shaped plates - I annealed the plates to allow me to shape them - for brass you heat it until cherry red then quench in water.

model pictures 024.jpg

A quick spray of etch primer..

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Next up I epoxied the strut ends into the struts..

model pictures 025.jpg

Yet more solartex...

model pictures 028.jpg

Then I shaped the strut end caps..

model pictures 029.jpg

Sorted..I just need to cross drill and pin through them..another job ticked off!

model pictures 030.jpg

Jez

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I've just noticed there is a part built one of these Moths for sale on the classifieds section!!

However I think £700 is too much for a part built - I paid that for my totally unstarted one...

Might be interesting to see some photos of it to see how much has been done.

If anyone needs to know if the kit is fully complete I would be willing to help out..

Jez

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Jez

I'm a bit disappointed that you have made negative comments as to the value of my Heron Tigermoth kit as advertised in the classifieds.

I was under the impression that forums were for the general good of the subject and as a fellow modeller I find this less than helpful.

Your opinion that a part build model is of less value than a virgin kit may well be true to some but this kit/model has an interesting history and provenance that could to some increase its value beyond your perceived valuation.

Although I chose not to include that info in the advert, I wasn't expecting to have to defend the advert to uphold its credibility.

Your offer to help with the audit of kit contents is most welcome.

Best Wishes

Tim Mock

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Bit more achieved the weekend..

Finished the struts - they are all drilled through and bolted and the brass ends have been crimped a bit..

model pictures.jpg

Bit more detail...

The airspeed indicator is ahem - basic - its mounted on the front left strut - the breeze pushes against a little flag mounted on a sprung arm - this pushes it backwards and you read off against a scale..Heres the full size..

asi & strut details.jpg

In the kit you get the back plate for it but nothing else..

model pictures 001.jpg

I had kept some scrap bits of litho from the off cuts..

model pictures 002.jpg

So - a bit of cutting, folding, slicing a groove, bending a spring, adding a nut and bolt and printing a scale on the laptop later...The spring looks a bit thick so I might change it later..

model pictures 004.jpg

Edited By Jez Harris 1 on 21/09/2015 10:55:31

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I also managed to get the oil tank sorted..

That comes as a simple moulding..

570669.jpg

So a nut in the bottom right corner becomes the drain plug (I've used a fitting from a filler kit so might be tempted to use it as the fuel filler point)

model pictures 005.jpg

A length of carbon tube and the top off an old tube of oil paint becomes the filler cap and tube.

model pictures 008.jpg

A dozen or so screw holes - All primered up ready to go..sorry about blurry pic..

model pictures 003.jpg

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Back to those magneto switches..

model pictures 009.jpg

A couple of years ago I refurbished a 1/3rd scale cub. As part of the job I added a set of instruments to replace the sticker it came with.

I used some stuff from Aerocockpit - great stuff at decent prices..**LINK**

I had some switches left over..

model pictures 010.jpg

So I trimmed them down and stuck them to a cardboard backing..

model pictures 011.jpg

Sprayed them back and fitted them from behind..

model pictures 013.jpg

Jez

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For the next couple of jobs I need to get the fus back on its wheels so its temporarily back on with the U/C..

model pictures 014.jpg

I think this is the first time its had wheels on.

model pictures 015.jpg

Just need to fit the fairings on the legs and get hold of an old inner tube to make the gaitors - Anyone got an old one from a racing bike? - need a skinny one!

model pictures 016.jpg

First job was to stick the engine back on to get the carb bend and carb mounted..This would allow me to make a new top part of the cowling.

model pictures 018.jpg

And this is where its all gone a bit odd..This kit is supposedly built around a 62 Zenoah - The combined exhaust and mount shown above does the Z62 and nowt else.

To stop the carb poking out the side cheek of the cowl you need to fit a 90 degree carb bend and a thinned down carb insulator. The instructions tell you to reduce the spacer to 7mm and fit it between the bend and the carb.

The picture below gives a hint as to the first problem..This is taken WITHOUT the insulator in place. There is no way you can fit the spacer as the carb body would foul the exhaust.

model pictures 023.jpg

So what if I was to fit the insulator between the head and the carb bend? - all it does is remove heat transfer and this stops the fuel vapourising befoe it gets to the motor..

This is where it gets worse still...The reason for fitting the carb bend in the first place is to stop the carb fouling the cowl cheeks...

Well this is where I am with the totally uninsulated carb bend install - The framework that holds all of the cowling pieces hits the carb still..On the right hand side you can see the green framework of the left hand frame - its in the right place.

On the left of the pic you can see how far out the other side of the frame is.

Thought about moving the engine a few degrees off vertical but that would make it worse.

Hmmm - suggestions on a postcard please..

model pictures 021.jpg

I cant change the position of the framework either as this sets the height of the cowl cheeks and top. This pic makes it look as if you could trim the frame a bit and take it over the top of the carb that way. Trust me  - it wont.

model pictures 024.jpg

 

Jez

 

Edited By Jez Harris 1 on 22/09/2015 08:34:43

Edited By Jez Harris 1 on 22/09/2015 08:49:14

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On the two I've done I had to thin down the structure of the side frame to allow space for the carb to slide between it and the exhaust. It is very tight however. I also think I have a carb bend I made up which swings the carb down about 3/4 of an inch so there is more space for it. I'll have a look when I get home. Could you fit two thinner isolators, one at either end of the bend? I may have some pics too.

Ian.

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Hi Jez

 

looks to me like you may need to make a custom inlet manifold, cant tell exactly without seeing it, but it looks like there is space to take the carb further back clearing the exhaust with a suitably angled extension twixt carb and bend, but this will no doubt require several coats of thinking re throttle arms/linkages etc!!

But first off I would ask Simon (always broke on here I think!!) to post a pic of the one he has, or Ian if he has one, as I am positive this was exactly the set up they had,

failing that just get rid of it!!! there's always a moth sized space in my workshop!!cheekydevil

 

cheers mate

 

  beat me too it Ian!!

Edited By ceejay on 22/09/2015 09:36:18

Edited By ceejay on 22/09/2015 09:38:38

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Have you been to your local air handling suppliers or plumbers merchant to see what fittings they have that you you may be able to use or adapt .Or a spray paint equipment suppliers . There are all sorts of short and close coupled bends that may be adaptable. Air suppliers and spray stuff suppliers use a lot of ali fittings .Plumbers largely brass. Plastics / nylon is an iffy area because of the heat

Some of these fittings are also malleable / bendable to some extent with the proper tools. It's worth a look see.

A close coupled bend for instance has a spigot / male end and a female end which means that the bend takes up a lot less space in the system . I can't show a pic. but if you get a Screwfix or Tool Station catalogue you can see what I am talking about by looking through the plumbing section. Love the build so far. I have a part built Practical Scale model but can;t finish at the mo due to not being able to walk much . Bad hips means /I can't get into shed.

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Jez

Fitting the insulator between the head and bend will cause a cold bend and throttling problems due to condensing cold air just like full size aircraft and the need to select 'carb heat on' when taking off and landing, both critical occasions when a reliable throttle is needed.

It will need an insulator between carb and bend to stop a hot carb vaporising causing difficult hot starts and poor throttle pick up from idle.

You might have to fabricate something to satisfy both to keep the carb within the cowl. The bend is easy enough but the pressure pipe might have to be an external fitting with tygon tube direct into the crankcase.

Another mod you might consider is fitting a pressure compensating pipe to the carb.When engines are fully cowled a pressure difference can occur in a dive etc within the cowl that affects carb metering. If you look at the carb on one side there is a removable plate with a small venting hole in.This is the atmospheric hole where the diaphragm beneath it responds to atmos pressure. The mod is to solder a small brass tube into the hole(removed)and push on tygon tube and lead this back into the fuz and undisturbed air ie normal pressure.

Hope this helps

Been there, done that, crashed and figured it out !

Regards

Tim

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Had a fiddle...

First off fitted a 2mm insulator at the junction between the bend and the carb..got another on order to go between the head and bend

model pictures 013.jpg

It now fits - just!

model pictures 002.jpg

I've also re-made the side frame on the carb side of the engine...

model pictures 014.jpg

Ian - You werent joking when you said it was tight!!!!

model pictures 004.jpg

Alignment is still ok..

model pictures 006.jpg

I love the scale catches.

model pictures 008.jpg

Next problem is the top of the cowl. The supplied one doesnt fit!

With the back aligned in the right place......

model pictures 011.jpg

Its a good few milimetres short..

I spent a fair bit of time checking and re-checking the bits I have made - especially the side frames - Everything is spot on. The cowl cheeks fit properly, the cowl bottom panel is fine and the prop driver is in the right place.

I can only assume I have a duff cowl top.

model pictures 010.jpg

I think the solution will be to clad the existing part in lithoplate, adding a former to support the front.

Thats a job for tomorrow.

Jez

Edited By Jez Harris 1 on 24/09/2015 21:08:52

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