Robert Parker Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Hi Cliff, You have made a good job of cutting out the formers, and the tail end coming on a treat. Looking good keep it doing fine. Regards Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted May 15, 2015 Author Share Posted May 15, 2015 Many thanks Robert, seems to be going well so far, then again not got to any complicated bits yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted May 16, 2015 Author Share Posted May 16, 2015 All the fins, sub fins and rudders cut out. Now begins the slow job of sanding them all to the correct cross section. But first I could not resist a trial fit to see what it looks like! a classic shape is slowly starting to take shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 This is one of those projects where patience will pay off, I'm sure. Definitely worth waiting for. Good one Cliff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted May 17, 2015 Author Share Posted May 17, 2015 Not known for my patience Colin! I can rush things sometimes but trying to be more discaplined with this one! PS you can tell my age by some of the toys in the background of last pics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 I have been busy at work again plus we have been away for a few days. Also I have been trying to get my SAAB j21 flying again. However i have made a little progress. I have cut out the wing ribs and made a start on one side. It has gone ok, a couple of the ribs seem a bit on the short side but I will shim them as needed. there seems to be a lot of wiring to install! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 I have started to realize that the plan is a little basic in places. For instance there is no information about the structure to support the wing top skin over the flap area, so I am making this up as I go.Also nothing about the flap structure at all! I wish I knew what power set up I need as I could take advantage of the low prices at Giant shark at the minute! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 On the point about power requirements, the plan calls for Astro 035s. I can not really find any info about them and how much power they would deliver so not sure what wattage I would need. The biggest prop I can fit is realistically a 7". Any suggestions gratefully received. I thought somewhere about 200 watts per motor but not really sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Parker Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Hi Cliff, Your progressing well, I too have been away and have just returned from a weeks camping in Cornwall. Yep there is a lot of wiring in a multi motor model. I see what you mean about the there being no info around the flap area. As for the Astro 035's, I built a an Easy Built Catalina ( could get them on trades descriptions as the fuselage was anything but). This also suggested a pair of Astro 035's but I used a pair of brushed geared speed 400's and a 7 cell 1400 SCR flight pack, flight was a none starter and I passed her on, this was one of biggest regrets I've made, I wished I'd kept her cannot find another for lover nor money. Have you tried calculating the amount of Watts required via the Gibbs guides? These a very good, although may be a bit of a guesstimate as you don't know the all up weight yet do you. Regards Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted May 29, 2015 Author Share Posted May 29, 2015 Had a little free time today so I have made a start on one fuselage half. It has gone ok, I had to tweak a couple of the formers to size. It looks an awfully flimsy structure to me. I expected more stringers! I hope it will firm up when its sheeted? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hopkin Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Personally I would leave motor choice until you have a much better idea of the AUW, as there are a myriad of 35mm sized motors if you plan the mounts for those then you will be fine I think 7" prop max is small, three or 4 bladers might be better to get more prop area or you might have to go to very high Kv rates to get the wattage and it wouldn't sound right sounding like a swarm of angry wasps! Buts its looking like its going to turn out a bit of an eye catcher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted May 29, 2015 Author Share Posted May 29, 2015 Dave, That sounds to be good advice, as you say its all a bit of a guess till I have a better idea of the weight. I think i could go up to an 8 inch prop as the inners are further forward than the outers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted June 2, 2015 Author Share Posted June 2, 2015 I have not been able to make much progress this week. I underestimated my wood order somewhere and have run out of 1/8 sheet so I cannot continue with wing or the fuselage half. This means I cannot remove them from the plan yet and therefore I cant build the other wing or fuselage half as I need to turn the plan over. So I have to wait until my next wood order arrives. So I have started on the wing tip fuel tanks to keep me going. The first one is carved and shaped from pink foam I do find this a nice material to work with. It cuts and sands really nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Wilder Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 This really piques my interest to the highest degree. I got married to my lovely wife in a Lockheed L-749 Constellation that was the first ever delivered to Air France, and now resides at my former local airport of Greenwood Lake in New Jersey in the US. We used the isle as the actual wedding isle, and the cockpit as the altar. It was something for an aviation buff such as myself. My wife has since been on me about building a Constellation, but finding plans for anything other than the "Super" Connie is next to impossible. But, for me a Connie is a Connie, and I can't wait to see how this turns out. Also, a link for anyone interested in the Connie. This is the exact one I was married in. **LINK** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted June 3, 2015 Author Share Posted June 3, 2015 Matthew the plan i am building from also shows the alternative fuselage length, window positions and fin/rudder profiles for a Connie. It is available as a free download from outerzone. I just think the stretched Super Connie with the tip tanks and more pointed nose looks better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Wilder Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Oh, that's outstanding. Thanks so much for cluing me in. It seems now I should download it, and explain to the wife that I have no excuse now not to re-create "our" airplane. Also, much luck to your build. It's really turning out great so far. What color scheme are you thinking of doing it in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted June 3, 2015 Author Share Posted June 3, 2015 Thats ok Matthew, I havent decided on a livery yet, I am torn between Quantas or the classic TWA. Mind you I have seen one in MATS livery and that looked nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 I think you should go for authentic TWA and stick a miniature Howard Hughes in the cockpit! (That's me being selfish Cliff). This is another product of his brain, the XF11. It is a cousin of the Connie, because he had a lot of influence on the P38 as well and you can see the thinking in the XF11 here. So although this one was built under the Hughes name, there is a strong Lockheed thread running through all three. I think these are classic designs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Wilder Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Ohhh, I really like the Quantus idea a lot. Many of the Connie's I've seen modeled are TWA (for good reason) or Air France, so that'd definitely be something different. And I agree that the MATS scheme is also a good one. But hey, you'll be at that point soon enough. One step at a time until then. Oh, and I amend my previous comment (for accuracy sake)..I misstated mine as an l-749; It's really an L-049 variant, not that there's a huge amount of difference externally. But one thing I can't possibly agree with (and my apologies) is that the Super Constellation looked better than the original! I used to joke around with my brother (who prefers the Supers as well) that the tip tanks were only added as flotation aids to appease passengers afraid of cross oceanic voyages. And he'd make fun of me about the astrodome navigation bubble in the top of earlier models and the navigators use of sextants by asking, "so, where are the sails rigged on this thing?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 Finally gotten around to shaping all the fins and sub fins and fixing them in place. They have short dowels fitted right through the tailplane to strengthen the joints. The rudders are hinged and upper and lower joined together. A bit of filler and sanding and all is good. You can see the two completed foam tip tanks in the windowsill behind ready to fit to the wingtips. Edited By Cliff Bastow on 09/06/2015 20:02:08 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Parker Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Hi Cliff, Your doing a great job, it's coming along nicely. Regards Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouncebounce crunch Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Just popped in on this Cliff. very nice indeed. how will the rudders be setup? Qantas livery is a must. biased of course. bbc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted June 10, 2015 Author Share Posted June 10, 2015 Hi bbc Thanks for the comments. The rudders will be set up as follows, The Centre one will be driven by a snake from a servo in the fuselage driving a torque rod you can see in one of the pictures, this will have a crank under the tailplane. The outers will have low profile servos in the tailplane driving the bottom rudders and these will also drive the upper ones by torque rods already fitted into the fins. hope this helps. Cliff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted June 11, 2015 Author Share Posted June 11, 2015 I have been giving some thought to making the other side of the fuselage. I was not looking forward to it to be honest. I worried about turning the plan over and ending up with the two sides slightly different. Then inspiration dawned! why not use my SLEC jig? So I lined up as many of the angles as I could and with lots of clamps and pegs held the fuselage side to them. I added the second half of the top and bottom longerons, and clamped this too. Next I trial fitted some of the half formers. Nothing is glued yet but I think this will work! I will probably do as much of the sheeting and planking while its still in the jig. The piece of hardwood clamped across the front stringer is temporary to hold both halves square while the glue dries. Thoughts anyone? Edited By Cliff Bastow on 11/06/2015 20:49:56 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 I can't see anything wrong with that idea Cliff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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