Craig Carr Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Hi Cliff, That approach is spot on, I did exactly the same with my airbus A400m which was two sides/half formers etc. Didn't take any pics whilst in the SLEC jig but when it came out it looked like this Mine went along the centre line of the board and I used the clamps either side of the central spine (but had to use some spare hardwood blocks to take up the gap either side) Edited By Craig Carr on 12/06/2015 18:10:32 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted June 12, 2015 Author Share Posted June 12, 2015 Progress with the second side of the fuselage is going well. Also I have begun planking on the rear end and like many of use I guess, I could not resist doing a bit of a posed photo with the tail end to see what it will look like! It has really spurred me on to carry on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hopkin Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Coming on leaps and bounds Cliff...... Enjoying the progress here..... keep going Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Ther's no questioning what that is, the distinctive shape is already very obvious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted June 13, 2015 Author Share Posted June 13, 2015 I totally agree Colin, and what a lovely shape it is! Looking at the bare bones of the fuselage side on you can certainly see why the fuselage is sometimes described as dolphin shaped. I am still a bit worried that the structure looks very skimpy. Basically there is only one stringer per side.I know that the sheeting will add strength but still. I am tempted to add some more stringers to support the sheeting to try and avoid the starved horse look. Also its not easy to see in the pictures but there seems to be an very long gap between the former in front of the wing to the next one forwards. I suspect one has been missed of the plan and am thinking of adding another one half way along the gap. Edited By Cliff Bastow on 13/06/2015 08:28:44 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 It will probably be ok after sheeting and the curvature will introduce a lot of rigidity into the structure, far more so than with a straight fuselage. Even so, an extra former and a stringer here and there aren't going to add much weight, are they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted June 13, 2015 Author Share Posted June 13, 2015 Once again Colin very good advice. had not thought about the curvature adding strength, but its obvious when you think about it. As an engineer I should have twigged that! As you say I dont think the weight penalty will be much so I will add the extra former as I am pretty sure one has been missed of the plan. On the side view there are two lines shown where the red prop warning line is painted on the military version and I think this is also where a former should be. I will probabally just put extra stringers where the joints occour in the sheeting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Parker Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Hi Cliff, Looking really good and taking shape. I'm enjoying your progress as it is swaying me to build one myself after I have finished my current project and a couple of other small projects that I have committed myself to. Keep going your doing a grand job Regards Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 A little more progress to report. Having remembered to fit the snake outer's I have started to sheet and plank the fuselage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 The planking has been done on the wing as much as possible and then another of those posed shots! Is it just me or does that nose look very long? lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 It is long, but it's meant to be! Looking very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted June 19, 2015 Author Share Posted June 19, 2015 I am sitting here in a quiet moment at work thinking about the build. I realised I have made a bit of a mistake! I got carried away with planking the wing last night and did not fit the power wires for the esc! I have fitted all the servo wires though, phew! Now I have a bit of fiddeling to do to try and feed the power wires throught the holes I have fourtunately already made in the ribs. Luckly I have left two small bits of sheeting off where the nacelles go so at least I dont have to get all the way in one go! Oh well I new it was going too smoothly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Carr Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 It's looking just the biz Cliff Can you use a bit of spare snake inner to feed down the rib holes to carry the cabling with it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted June 20, 2015 Author Share Posted June 20, 2015 Thanks for the tip Craig, worked a treat so back on track now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted June 26, 2015 Author Share Posted June 26, 2015 Sheeted the wing and shaped the leading edge. This is the structure I have come up with for the flap shroud. Now I must get on with the other wing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted June 26, 2015 Author Share Posted June 26, 2015 This is what I have devised to drive the outer rudders. The bolt will have its head cut off and go into a hole in the lower rudder half. The servos are a bit more obtrusive than I hoped but I think when the Tailplane is fitted they wont be that visible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 Could the servo go on its' side Cliff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted June 26, 2015 Author Share Posted June 26, 2015 I did try that Colin but because the top of the bottom rudder is quite low down the lower fin it meant the linkage had to go at an a large angle and did not run smoothly. The way it is now at least it only moves in one plane and is nice and smooth so I think its better that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted July 1, 2015 Author Share Posted July 1, 2015 Progress has slowed a little of late as I have been busy with family and with the nice weather I have been flying as much as possible. However a little has been done. All the rudders are now fitted and working. The hinges have been pinned but not yet glued so I can remove them for covering. I plan to do my usual and test fly in the bare balsa. Edited By Cliff Bastow on 01/07/2015 12:06:57 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted July 1, 2015 Author Share Posted July 1, 2015 Also the sheeting of the fuselage is progressing slowly. The elevator and Central rudder servos have been fitted and tested so that I can carry on with the sheeting. This is the joiner that joins the two elevator pushrods, pinched from an old Travel Air! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Carr Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Hi Cliff, Fantastic, really taking shape If its of interest re split elevators I connect the ends to 2mm ball joints and connect to the top and bottom of the servo output arm with a 2mm bolt and 2mm nylock nut for extra piece of mind. Once all set up make a plate to hold the snake outers against your former in their natural resting position. Hope the pic below explains what I mean (bottom servo in pic). Craig Edited By Craig Carr on 01/07/2015 12:37:00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted July 7, 2015 Author Share Posted July 7, 2015 Just a quick update before I disappear to the sun for two weeks! not that its not been nice here. A little progress has been made with the sheeting. I received a set of air retracts I recently won on eBay. I thought I was bidding just on a pair of retracts and an air tank but when it arrived it was a complete set of tricycle complete with steerable nose leg,a bag of t and four way connectors, a charging valve and a servo operated control valve. So all in all a bit of a bargain. I have been busy trying to workout where it will all go. I am a little concerned it might be a little lightweight for the model but still it was worth a punt as if I cant beef it up a bit I can still find a home for it elsewhere. Edited By Cliff Bastow on 07/07/2015 16:56:25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Bastow Posted July 28, 2015 Author Share Posted July 28, 2015 Finally back from sunnier climes, What has happened to the weather while I have been away? Back to the workaday world! To cheer me up I have done a little on Connie. i have modified the u/c to twin nose wheel and beefed it up a bit. This is the ply structure I have come up with to support it. It will go through a slot in the nose former with the gussets butted up to the former. This will give the nose leg a forward cant when in the down position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Parker Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 Hi Cliff, That's a nice piece of work you have done with the u/c. I was wondering where you had been. I finally got round to printing my set of drawings for the connie and after looking at them I must say how well you have done, you are quite right to say some info is missing from the plans. keep up the good work Regards Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Parker Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 Hi Cliff, That's a nice piece of work you have done with the u/c. I was wondering where you had been. I finally got round to printing my set of drawings for the connie and after looking at them I must say how well you have done, you are quite right to say some info is missing from the plans. keep up the good work Regards Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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