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Chris's Bella Ballerina HD


McG 6969
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Thank you for the nice words, Andy.

Well, it was a very wrong decision to have it 'hand-made', or at least a too 'impulsive' one. blush

So, one should bite the bullet afterwards. At least it looks 'unconventional' and it makes me wonder how the main wing will look. Soon to know now, I guess.

Hakuna matata

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Patience Control

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Hello again,

Sorry for the the lack of progress to the Bella, but since yesterday I'm 'grounded' with a real nice springtime 'man's flu'.

The main wing 'zebra' vinyls are arriving tomorrow, so I hope to be allowed some time at La Grotte.

Hakuna Matata... sad

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Matata Control

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Hello again to everybody still out there,

I finally won the fight against getting ‘grounded’ by those nasty little creatures in my poor body and got rewarded with some nice Easter days off.

I will finally be back to the Bella soon now.

Luckily, before leaving La Grotte last time, I managed to finish the ‘zebra’ deco stuff.

2336_tail_zebra02_900.jpg

Also, some moons ago, I decided to make a second smaller build board for the next project and took it along together with a few balsa sticks so I could have a bit of ‘clean building’ small parts in the spare room.

Being seriously envious of those laminated wing tips and tailplanes built by John & Lucas for their Skywriter, I took the opportunity to start the fin and rudder for my next project, the Vicomte/Baron. A few 2mm sticks in the bathtub, pinned down around the ply template and left to dry.

2174_fin__lamin_dry_900.jpg

My intention is to leave the inner lamination unglued to start with so I added a cellophane layer between strip 1 & 2. I’ll add it after the ribs are glued in to obtain some tenon/mortise effect at the end.

2176_fin_lamin_glue_900.jpg

I also thought about having some ‘triangulated’ ribs instead of straight ones for increased strength (and just because I think it looks better as well). angel

2183_fin_outlines_900.jpg

Note > Lesson learned: NO pins through the wood this time (except some ‘tilted’ ones where the ribs will be glued in). wink

Hakuna matata

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Fever Control

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Thank you both for your visit, gents.

Absolutely, Peter. I used it years ago, only not for modeling, of course.

Before the composite 'monocoque' lay-out, the chassis of race cars or GT's were built following the same principle. As the Vicomte's fin/rudder really seems over-sized and 'heavy', I tried it this way and reduced the overall lamination thickness from 15 (!) to 12mm.

I will probably begin at fall as well, Steven. I want to finish the Ballerina first and plan to build a 'simple' Depron thingie to finally learn to bind a Tx, trying to set some rates & expo and probably bin it during the maiden... blush

But then, I still have a lot of Depron at hand. yes

Hakuna matata

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Geodetic Control

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Yeesss, Peter...  A true lovely racer of the sixties, the 'Birdcage'.  smiley

... or as the 'younger' Porsche 917 frame.

porsche_917_naked_frame.jpg

What a 'puzzle'... and no CAD/CAM in those days.  indecision

Hakuna matata

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Puzzle Control

 

Edited By McG 6969 on 19/04/2017 20:44:54

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Hello to all again,

Being fully ready to comply with the Purple Plan*** again, I started to work at the rudder controls. Having found some appropriate piano wire, I soldered a M2 threaded linkage to it and used - as for the ailerons - a very standard ‘Quick Link’ connection.

2338_rudderservo_linkage02_900.jpg

At least I have a very generous rudder movement, but if some Musketeers out there can see something totally ‘weird’ in what I’m doing, please let me know…

2342_rudderservo_linkage01_900.jpg

As a matter of reward, I also thought it was about time for some ‘inverted’ bench flying session.

2345_inverted_benchflying_900.jpg

*** by the way, does anybody still reading - except Peter, of course - remember, after all those months, what the ‘Purple Plan’ meant?

Hakuna matata

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Rudder Control

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For thosewho have forgotten ornot seen that posting.

The Purple plan was invented by Bill Winter, a very famous American modeller .designer, editor etc.

The rule was that you had to glue at lest one peice of wood to you current project every day. This way the model would get built eventually and not justlie half built on the board.

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Hello to everybody,

Of course, Peter. I knew you would remember as 'you' where writing it down, here on this very blog, some 'ages' ago.  wink

Anyhow, I followed the Plan, even if I haven’t much to show.

2351_elevator_linkage_900.jpg

The elevator linkage was prepared with the usual ingredients, but I apparently forgot the M2 nut (I guess Simon would now say: "again")... frown

Also, apologies for the 'wide' servo cut-out, but I had some difficulties to enter the lateral servo wiring into that confined tail space during an earlier dry-fit. angel

More to come soon, I hope.

Hakuna matata

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Cut-Out Control

EDIT > I can't remember where I possibly put those M2 nutzzz... sjeesh...

 

Edited By McG 6969 on 21/04/2017 21:06:21

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Hi Chris,
I bet that servo gap is driving you crazy!!

Don't worry about it, no one will notice it once it's flying.....but if you do want to make it look a little better you can always move the servo sideways until the gap is on the other side and is hard to see with the tailplane in the way.
From the top, it would be hard to see the gap and from the bottom, the servo will be flush with the side of the opening otherwise just try and fit the servo with an equal amount of gap on either side. Looking good anyway. Keep up the nice work.

Rosco

Edited By Rosco on 21/04/2017 22:03:42

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Chris

That servo installation look fine to me.

I am always in two minds with any servo installation - linkage geometry versus aerodynamic drag.

Obviously in your elevator set up its geometry is perfect but it does mean the whole top of the servo is "sticking out in the breeze".

Mount the servo vertically within the fuselage then only the servo arm needs to protrude but it does require 'ball joint' end linkages to work properly.wink 2.

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Thank you both, guys.

Don't worry, Rosco. I'll survive the gap being there, no doubt.

The problem was that I couldn't get the servo cable in that confined space without being able to 'tilt' it a little bit. Not a dramatic situation anyhow as it's just under the stab and nearly invisible while sitting on the ground. Of course the white colour isn't helping a lot to hide that 'ugly' shadowed area.

I absolutely agree about the "drag" created, Simon. For my defense,allow me to argument that I was 'stuck' between the two nylon tunnelings for the removable tailplanes and the internal mount for the sliding-in tail wheel.

What I should have done beforehand was to position the servo sideways a bit further in front of the tailplanes and creating a hatch to mount it 'vertically'. Learning curve here as well, I guess... blush

At least, my linkage geometry seems acceptable. wink

Hakuna matata

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Drag Control

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Hi again to all,

Some progress with the Bella, but I don’t think these pics need a lot of ‘zebra’ literature.

2352_wing_zebra01_900.jpg

Even Gaston approved a close-up of the ‘yellow’ leading edge… angel

2360_wing_zebra_02_900.jpg

Maybe a few words here though. I remember Peter’s suggestion to use spare servo ‘roundels’ to make some washers for the wing bolts but as I don’t possess lots of ‘scraps’ obviously, I thought these ‘thingies’ would do the job as well. Apologies proposed as I don’t even know their name in English blush, but they are used to screw bookshelves or kitchen cabinets together.

2362_wingbolts_washer_900.jpg

In fact, two ABS collets joined by a threaded piece of metal. The only thing I had to do is to drill out the internal thread and to have a hole to accept my M5 wing bolts. Another advantage is that small ‘tunneling’ protecting the foam triangle in the wing trailing edge.

Do I feel pleased now with the ‘zebra’ deco? Well yes, I do… smiley cocktail yes

Hakuna matata

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Wing Washer Control

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Thank you gents for the confidence in our new 'range of products'.

Following the extended amounts of PMs received till now, I can only conclude that we have only a few in stock and readiily modified but that they could be handled to mail on a quick base.

Before committing to accept some additional fixed orders for the next batch, I'm afraid I will have to wait a while to get an idea of the mounting kits involved

Thanks for your comments, inquiries and orders.

Cheers

Chris

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Thank you both for your motivating words, gents.

I'm very pleased as well, John. Although I realize it's quite a bit 'unconventional' so it isn't very probably to everyone's taste.

I'm pretty convinced though that 'visibility' won't be a real concern. angel

Can't wait either, Stuart. But still some time consuming little bits to take care of and then finalizing the deco job. Still a few question marks thereabout, so may I ask you to have a little more patience. wink

Hakuna matata

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Patience Control

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Hi Chris I wish my French was as good as your English . Those thingies as you call them have various names but cabinet alignment/joining screws will cover it .Also tubular nuts and studding describes what they actually are .N'ecst pas Damn the spell thingy on this site I have to delete half a message to correct a spelling. The word "alignment " is what I meant Now it has sorted itself out dammit

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Posted by McG 6969 on 25/04/2017 09:27:58:

,,,,,

I'm very pleased as well, John. Although I realize it's quite a bit 'unconventional' so it isn't very probably to everyone's taste.

I'm pretty convinced though that 'visibility' won't be a real concern. angel

....

Hakuna matata

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Patience Control

 

Just as long as it doesn't work like disruptive camouflage! Zebras are painted in that pattern for a reasonlaugh  Might help it to avoid being attacked by prides of lions though.

Edited By Bob Cotsford on 25/04/2017 12:17:11

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Thank you for filling the gap in my knowledge, Onetenor. yes

Anyhow, I’m lucky that your ‘auto-correct’ didn’t proposed “nuts & pudding” as explanation instead, n’est-ce pas? I would still be trying to understand it… wink

There must absolutely be a reason for the zebra ‘pattern’, Bob.

But apparently it has nothing to do with the lions - exception made for Clarence maybe - which definitely are great zebras and equine catchers anyway.

Researchers - even from the Psychology Dept of Royal Holloway (!) - say there is, however, consistent evidence that range of zebras and closely related animals overlaps with that of biting flies. indecision

Scientists seem to affirm: “that zebra’s short hair and lack of a winter coat may make it especially susceptible to bites, necessitating the need for extra protection”. Also adding: “despite usually being thought of as camouflage, the stripes more likely evolved to keep disease-carrying flies at bay”. surprise

Bizarre as this sounds, studies show that flies find it harder to land on stripes - and that zebra-sized bands are particularly effective at keeping them away. question

Well, back to the Bella, but now I’m just hoping that Gaston will not start to paint our Belgian clouds with some freehand black striping… angel

Hakuna matata

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Flight Flies Control

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