john stones 1 - Moderator Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 I read it Lindsay, looking good John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Lindsay, I avidly read everything that you write, I don't like to comment on everything because I post so often that I don't want to appear as if I do nothing else! You might gather that my long-lasting enthusiasm for aviation has made me aware of many off-beat or lesser known types and this reflects in my interest in re-creating some of these as flying models, as reported in other threads. I think that the Owlet is a great choice by you and expect it to have good flying characteristics. More power to your very capable elbow, I wish that I could emulate your skill and determination. Edited By Colin Leighfield on 17/09/2015 21:45:09 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Looking Good, looking good Linds, Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Price 2 Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Hi Lindsay. I also enjoy lurking, avidly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted September 19, 2015 Author Share Posted September 19, 2015 Much appreciated so with enthusiasm in overdrive I got a good amount done this evening on the first of the outer wing panels. Simple stuff starting by pinning down the 6mm balsa main spar and a short section spar that spans the inner first two ribs. Then ensuring everything stays square the first two ribs can be glued in place taking care with correct spacing as these will need to slide onto the spar braces on the centre section later. The remaining ribs can now be added and glued. When you get to the aileron servo position I cut and used the ply plate to ensure the ribs spacing was correct and also added to spruce 6mm square lengths between the ribs that will be the fixing for the ply plate later. Sorry 2nd spruce length is hidden from view behind the plate. next I added the rear trailing edge from 6mm sheet cut to depth for the aileron cut out trailing edge and also the top main spar again from 6mm medium to hard balsa. I added a couple of 3mm ply off cuts into the spar brace cut out in the top surface of the first two inner ribs just to ensure I maintain the gap for later assembly, these are not glued but just acting as a spacer. Wit that done I added the rear top spar that extends into the aileron area and the leading edge which is 6mm balsa cut to width. Once dry the wing was removed so that it can be sat onto a couple of sheets of 1.5mm balsa so that the trailing edge can be added with the correct offset on the underside. This just means that when I come to glue the sheeting in place it sits flush to the underside of the tailing edge. The trailing edge was then cut to size and glued onto the rear of the ribs with a couple of sheet triangular webs for added strength and left to dry. More soon. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Hooper Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 Posted by Lindsay Todd on 19/09/2015 00:41:21: Once dry the wing was removed so that it can be sat onto a couple of sheets of 1.5mm balsa so that the trailing edge can be added with the correct offset on the underside. This just means that when I come to glue the sheeting in place it sits flush to the underside of the tailing edge Cleverrrrrrr........ tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted September 20, 2015 Author Share Posted September 20, 2015 Simple when you think about it Tim, the clever bit is remembering to do it. Today I have been mostly covering the fuselage, my usual method of glass cloth and Deluxe Materials Acrylic Finishing Resin. With good weather I got the fuselage complete and it now sits in the workshop with the first coat of primer sprayed. Bit of sanding tomorrow might see her ready to glue the tail on. Much progress on the wings today so will update photos tomorrow when everything is dry and can be moved a bit from the building board. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetenor Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Original was impressed as DP 240 "£ and 602 Sq and no 51 OTU used her to train pilots in the use of tricycle u/c aircraft Written off Aug 30th 1942 Does this help anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetenor Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Also 23 sqn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetenor Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 It may be of interest that One Cygnet with a conventional tail and tail wheel was built. 10 Cygnet II's were built with trike u/c and twin finned tail All had an enclosed cockpit which was the main difference between them and the Owlet development of the Cygnet II If you look on Wiki there is a lot more there John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetenor Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Just for fun Google up General aircraft Fleet Shadower and see any likeness? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Price 2 Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 That is one ugly aircraft Onetenor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted September 20, 2015 Author Share Posted September 20, 2015 All good input guy's keep it coming, track down flight magazine review Nov 1940 good write up and photo's, a classic case of a good aircraft at the wrong time. Ok bit more of an update starting with joining the wings panels together. This is done by aligning the spars and sliding the panels so that the joining ribs but up together. I also made up a little balsa jig pinned onto the outer rib to help ensure both panels have the correct and same dihedral angle. When happy spars and ribs can be joined together and parts pinned down secure till dry. With both panels glued in place the next job will be to sand to section and then add the 1.5mm sheeting to the outer panels, the balsa block wing tips and then make up the ailerons so plenty still to work on. With the weather dry I could not resist pinning all the bits together and assemble her in the garden The fuselage has also now been sanded and ready to be marked out with panel lines and indeed decided just how much detail to put on. More soon. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted September 24, 2015 Author Share Posted September 24, 2015 Bit of sheeting to the outer panels starting with the top surfaces using 1.5mm sheet working from the trailing edge forward. I pinned the wing down and also add a 6mm block under the tip rib trailing edge to add a couple of degrees of washout to the wing. I worked the sheeting back towards the leading edge on both sides on both panels. Usually I would finish all the sheeting but as I will use off cut for the last two sections I will add these later. Now to sheet the underside of the wing, this time working from the leading edge backwards. Having the sheeting running at opposed diagonals adds torsional stiffness to the wing. While the first sheets are drying on the underside I also made a start on the instrument panels. I have drawn out the cockpit panel in cad and then printed out onto some self adhesive paper, stuck this down onto some 1mm ply and now its a case of trimming to size and cutting out the apertures. A centre rectangular panel will also be added for a 3 dimensional look, instruments and thin acetate before fixing in the cockpits after all the painting is done. Good to make a start on some bits of detailing though. Need to make up two of these. More soon. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 Looking good Linds, yep good tip, running grain different adds strength for no weight penalty. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastFlyer Smyth Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 Looking great Linds. Can't wait to see the finished article. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetenor Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 Brilliant idea about the grain and a lovely build Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted September 25, 2015 Author Share Posted September 25, 2015 Sometimes the simplest of techniques are so useful, as John says added strength for no weight gain. I think I assume everybody knows these things so don't always give them the focus they need, I guess we are all guilty of that from time t time. The beauty of a build blog is that we can ask why, you don't get that when you just buy a plan and stack of wood. Thanks for the comments, keep em coming. The end is now in sight I think, Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted September 28, 2015 Author Share Posted September 28, 2015 Well not much progress due to flying events over the weekend but I have now got the wing sheeted and cut out the pockets for the aileron servo's. I mark these as I lay down the sheeting so I know exactly where to cut through later and use a 1.5mm ply plate with slot to drop in place so the wing surface remains flush. These will also have the servos mounted to them on hardwood blocks later on and secured with four screws that will screw into the spruce 6x6 built into the wing earlier that are now revealed. Next little job was to cut out the wing tip profiles from soft balsa sheet, in my case 6mm but thicker could just as easily be used, laminate to give the correct thickness and then can be glued onto the wing tip when dry. More soon. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted October 2, 2015 Author Share Posted October 2, 2015 So a bit more done over the last couple of days starting with the pleasant task of gluing on the wing tip blocks and attacking them with a razor plane and then sandpaper to finish. Next job also required a little 6mm balsa added to the rear of the fuselage front and rear of the tail plane, I jigged the tail square first then glued the blocks in place and then sanded to shape when dry. At this stage the tail plane is just a push fit and not glued. Time to go back to the fin and rudders now. As I have decided to go for a scale ish finish on the model I need to sheet the fins and rudders with 1.5 balsa. This is straight forward enough having pre sanded the rudders to a taper the sheet can be simply glued to each side. The only tricky bit is leaving a cut away on the inside face of the fins for the tail plane to locate, just check with a square that the trailing edge is vertical to the tail or it will all look a bit wonky later when assembled. Quick sand when complete and trim away for the rudder connection horns that will be glued in place when I connect everything together. Next job is to sheet the elevators, make the ailerons and then some more covering I guess. More soon Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted October 7, 2015 Author Share Posted October 7, 2015 ok a bit more done over the last few days, mostly covering and sanding etc but I have moved a few things forward including fitting the elevator joiner to the elevator halves, this is a 2mm piano wire 'U' shape let into the leading edge of the elevators. I also took the opportunity to fit the hinges (mylar type) and assemble all the parts together and then mount the tail finally onto the fuselage using a couple of screws to hold firmly in place whilst the glue dries. I checked with a level and measure to ensure all was square first. Those with eagle eyes will spot that I have gone back to a single servo at the tail for the twin rudders, it just seemed a better solution and the time had come to make a final decision. This of course meant it was time to set up the control rod length for the twin rudders. I did this by dry assembling and measuring the distance to each rudder horn then allowing for some additional thread adjustment cut a length of inner snake and set up to standard plastic clevices at the correct length once slid within the tail plane. The fins and rudders were then joined with mylar hinges and then glued onto the tail plane using a square to ensure all was level. I used a slow cure epoxy for this for maximum strength. Once all was dry the rudder servo was centred and the final adjustment to the linkage made, the horns were then glued into the slots in the rudders and left to dry. more soon. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted October 13, 2015 Author Share Posted October 13, 2015 Bit more of an update, the ailerons have now been made up from 38x12mm stock trailing edge section with two laminates of 6mm sheet added to the front to make up the required width. This was then sanded and cut two size with a rounded leading edge. The top edge of the leading edge is sanded down by about 1mm to simulate a panel edge and to bring the aileron flush to the top wing skin when in the aileron is in the up position so we have a minimum gap. I chose to use Robart pin hinges and these have been aligned drilled and glued into position. A taper burr was used on the aileron, a bit like a counter sink to ensure full and free movement is maintained. I'll add the horns a little later but time to get a little detail work started on the wing by marking out the major panel lines with a soft 2B pencil. Once done I then masked off the cover plates on the wing that hide the joint seem at the dihedral joint. these are approx. 10mm wide and a couple of layers of masking tape was applied each side and then filler applied and then sanded flush to the tape. When the tape is removed it leaves a raised section. It is a method i'll use on several areas but this needed doing first. I also cut out the landing light recess in the leading edge and lined with 2mm balsa facings and sanded flush, a little acrylic resin seals the edges ready for the next stage. More soon. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted October 15, 2015 Author Share Posted October 15, 2015 As usual at this stage in a build you tend to jump around a bit so finally got round to selecting a motor, this being a Turnigy 3548/4 1100kv item that should be up for a model around 4.5lb with some reserve but I'll test the watts and thrust later before committing to flight, This will be coupled to a 50amp esc and 3cell lipo The motor has been temporarily fitted to the mount and seems to work really well and can be slid into the correct position with ease so makes installation simple. No excuses for not getting the prop and spinner neatly set to the front of the cowl now Just to finish I have been working on the panel lines over the entire airframe, should get the trim tape down over the lines and a coat of filler sprayed to build up a thickness over the weekend. Hope to make some progress on the undercarriage too. more soon. Linds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 Looking good Linds, Is it the picture , or is their no dihedral in the wings ? Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted October 15, 2015 Author Share Posted October 15, 2015 Must be the picture Steve as it does have dihedral, in fact about an inch under both tips, maybe a little more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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