Cliff Bastow Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 Well I am committed now! ordered all the wood from SLEC this morning so here goes. I was surprised how little it cost so not to much lost yet if I muck it up! I will just take my time and try to work methodically and carefully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eflightray Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 May sound sacrilege to some here, but why not try Depron foam for a good weight saving. I have a 72" span Spitfire, (based on TN's plan), built using Depron and some balsa, it is half the expected weight for the balsa version. My Sunderland, Lancaster, and Dauntless are Depron as well. It's an easy to use material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 I did actually consider depron but i have no experience of it at all, and although my experience of balsa is not huge I at least have a few builds under my belt. so I thought I would leave starting with depron on a simpler build in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Bennett Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Depron connie. hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm going to be nice watching this one coming together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Cliff, you can use the Depron just like balsa and in many ways it's quicker and easier to work with, as well as being cheaper. Having a few chunks of blue foam around is handy as well for producing shapes like nacelles, it's definitely easier to sand into shape than balsa is as well, or seems to be to me. On a big build like this one is where you are likely to see the most benefit from a composite approach to the build, in terms of build time, weight and cost, I would have thought. Worthy of further consideration, perhaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted May 5, 2015 Author Share Posted May 5, 2015 Hi Colin, I plan to use pink foam for things like the tip tanks, cockpit section and maybe the cowls and the sharply curved section at the tail end. i have used it before for canopys and nose cones and as you say it is very nice to work with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Hi Cliff. It's more ambitious than anything I've tried to do, I look forward to seeing the result. This plane is one of the all time greats and owes its' existence to Howard Hughes and his determination to put one over on Juan Trippe, the founder of Pan American Airways by founding Trans World Airlines and being determined to have the best plane to do it with. Hughes's quest for perfection was frequently his undoing but in this case his interpretation was brilliant, although designed and built by Lockhead, it was under his direction. In spite of his flaws and sad end, he was a great man and had a far wider influence than most of us realise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted May 5, 2015 Author Share Posted May 5, 2015 Hi Colin, Yes I agree about Hughes. Its strange how often brilliant people seem flawed in some way. I have been doing some research into the Connie and Super Connie plus the military variants. I had not realized quite so many had been built. As I am starting at the tail end I have concentrated on this and it seems there are two different fin sizes and definitely two or maybe three rudder shapes. Things are never straightforward! Also some seem to have square windows and some round! I cant wait for the wood to arrive so I can make a start. I think this is going to take a long time but I am determined not to rush things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Hi Cliff. The earliest reference I have to it is in my 1943 copy of Aircraft of the Fighting Powers. There is a very good 1/72 scale very detailed three view and some great photos, including one in military overall olive drab, which actually looks great. I like the early ones best. I think you will enjoy this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted May 5, 2015 Author Share Posted May 5, 2015 Thats strange as I think the later stretched ones with the tip tanks and the more pointed nose look better! I have seen a picture of one in MATS livery and that did look good i must admit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 I think they all look good Cliff. It's whatever turns you on. As time went by it got stretched and tweaked as they always do. I just prefer to see it as Hughes conceived it, it was a ground-breaker and the only plane that resembled it previously was the DH Albatross I think. I would not be in the least bit surprised if Hughes was influenced by that design, he knew his stuff and always watched what was going on over here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted May 5, 2015 Author Share Posted May 5, 2015 There is a lot of truth in the old saying, if it looks right it will fly right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted May 7, 2015 Author Share Posted May 7, 2015 I went flying this morning and it was ok, but about lunchtime it started to rain. So home I went and found my delivery from SLEC waiting for me. So the great adventure has begun! The Tailplane lower skin, leading and trailing edges and ribs cut and fitted. I remembered to lay in the leads for the servos that will eventually operate the outboard rudders. Edited By Cliff Bastow on 07/05/2015 19:41:25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted May 7, 2015 Author Share Posted May 7, 2015 Tips fitted and a start made on top skinning. I showed the plans to one of my club mates and said I was unsure how to cut out the fuselage formers. He kindly said he had an old modelers scroll saw he did not use and that I was welcome to it. It will help no end. Tips fitted and a start made on the top sheeting. Edited By Cliff Bastow on 07/05/2015 19:47:27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Parker Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Good start Cliff looking good. Regards Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Looks as if you'll have this done by the end of next week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted May 7, 2015 Author Share Posted May 7, 2015 One elevator completed. I am going to operate them with two snakes rather than have a joining rod as I think this will be easier to install and set up. Edited By Cliff Bastow on 07/05/2015 21:35:12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted May 8, 2015 Author Share Posted May 8, 2015 A little more progress today, other top skin fitted and other elevator made. For those who are wondering the servo leads will eventually exit through a hole in the bottom skin into the rear of the fuselage, but of course they cant do that while its pinned to the board so temporally they have to come out of the top. A piece of the top skin will be cut out later to allow the fin to go right through to the bottom skin anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Bennett Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 looking good sir. watching this build with envy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted May 8, 2015 Author Share Posted May 8, 2015 First of the fins and rudders made and trial fit. So as the outboard fins and rudders are in two parts that means only 4 more fins and rudders to make! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 I think you've got the bit between your teeth! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted May 9, 2015 Author Share Posted May 9, 2015 I think you are right Colin, I hope the enthusiasm lasts! I know from past experience that I can loose a bit of drive if I get stuck. Or sometimes if there is a job I don't particularly enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 I'm confident that you will stay focused Cliff and set me a good example, because I get distracted when I get to the difficult bits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted May 15, 2015 Author Share Posted May 15, 2015 Progress has slowed a little this work due to family and work commitments. Also I have been getting my F14 sorted (see my other post) but a little work has been done. Originally I intended to drive the Central rudder with a snake through the top of the fuselage, but because the rudder is quite high up I thought this would not look very good so the rudder will now be driven by a torque rod with a crank on the underside. Also the slot for the fin has been cut and a trial fit carried out with the new pivot tube for the rudder embedded in the fin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted May 15, 2015 Author Share Posted May 15, 2015 This morning I awoke early so I tried out my new saw. I got on well with it so Proceeded to cut out all the fuselage formers from liteply. I cut them out slightly oversize and then sanded them to the line. This seems to have worked well and I am pleased with the results. This is one of my major worries overcome. My next problem is that my building board is not big enough for the fuselage or wings! Oh well more expense. Edited By Cliff Bastow on 15/05/2015 10:56:22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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