Jack Banner Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 Not so much a build blog - more a statement of intent! After crashing my beloved bullet at the tail end of last year I have finally got around to starting to build a new one. I am using the PB Models kit, sourced from Cloud models. Wood is pretty good and the fittings are also pretty good. I won't post each and every step here as this has been done for this model by far better builders than me. I will however detail any changes I make that I think may be of interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willyuk Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 Please do Jack, i may build one at some point and i am rubbish at it so any tips would help. Which engine are you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Banner Posted March 2, 2016 Author Share Posted March 2, 2016 Hey Willyuk, I am intending on using an SC 46 that has been run in but seen very little use. I had an iIvine .39 in my last one and whilst it was fine a little more power wont hurt. The main changes I intend on making are: Hitec HS-81 in each wing for the Ailerons Steerable nose wheel Cross grain inner and outer tip sections for the elevators and rudder Thin ply facings for the elevator and rudder where the horns are fitted I am also considering glassing the fuselage and, possibly, the wings. Partly as I haven't done it before and partly for a neat, hardy finish. I am a little wary of making it too heavy though so will decide when I have to and can check the weight without covering. If it isn't glassed then I will use Oracover and am currently leaning toward black and gold or black and red. All subject to change of course! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willyuk Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 I glassed a wot 4 recently and if done the way instructed, it adds not too much weight but does give a much better and more resiliant finish. I think its the paint that can really pile on the oz's, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Wood Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 Good luck Jack, will be following this with interest - love the bullet! Just one thing about Hitec HS81 - the nylon gears are very fragile & easily strip. I had a pair installed in Wot4 wings & flight loads stripped the gears. I'd strongly recommend the HS82MG or HS85MG - virtually the same size & weight as HS81 but metal geared & much more robust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Banner Posted March 2, 2016 Author Share Posted March 2, 2016 Thanks for the encouragement Richard! I hear you on the HS81's. I was hoping that they would be OK but suspected it was a bit risky. Of course they have the advantage that I already have them (poached from another project) but I will probably play it safe and order some with metal gears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hangar 9 nut Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 I built mine with Spektrum A5040's in the wings ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Burgess Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 Or consider Hitec HS225MGs, half the weight of a standard size servo but much stronger gears than a HS85. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Banner Posted March 7, 2016 Author Share Posted March 7, 2016 Thanks for the suggestions guys. I have gone with the HS85MG option. I have used these before for wing servos' and have confidence in them. They are also only require small holes in the wing They should arrive today so I hope to start on installation tonight. I have the fuse in my SLEC building jig now with f2 and f3 fitted plus the tail clamped together. I hoped to have the firewall in also but discovered I have no m4 t-nuts, so am awaiting some more. They wont get here until Thursday most likely so I hope to have most of the wing done by then. yeah right.... Oh and I have all but given up on the steerable nose wheel idea. The firewall and tank bay seem to tight on this model for all the required hardware and pushrods. Has anyone managed to do this and care to share? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 No, I couldn't see a way of doing it without having the link and arm mounted externally below the fuselage. It doesn't steer too slowly on rudder with some up elevator to unload the nosewheel. You would need to use a motor mount that could be drilled to hold the leg and allow it to pivot, but as you've discovered there's no room for an internal tiller arm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Banner Posted March 7, 2016 Author Share Posted March 7, 2016 Exactly the issue Bob. You are right on the steering, it just requires some planning on the strip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Wood Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 Hi Jack, One big advantage of wing mounted aileron servos is that it neatly gets around an error in the design of the kit - the wing mounting bolts will foul the aileron torque rods if it is built without modification. Perhaps this problem has been fixed in latest kits. A fixed u/c does avoid a lot of building faff. Try not to get the tail end too heavy. Edited By Richard Wood on 08/03/2016 09:01:13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Banner Posted March 8, 2016 Author Share Posted March 8, 2016 Yeah, my last one had the issue with the mounting bolts fouling the Aileron servo. This is part of the reason I am going with servo's in the wings. I will watch the weight of the tail certainly. I should have some latitude though as I am using a fairly heavy engine (SC 46) and will have an alloy spinner on the front most likely. I can alter the size of the flight pack to assist if I need to as well. I put together some servo boxes last night but might re-do them. I had planned on having the ply servo mounting plate flush with the wing veneer by sitting it on the rim of the servo box, which would be sunk below the level of the wing veneer. However, it occurred to me over breakfast that it makes more sense to have the balsa servo box top level with the wing veneer (and sanded flush) and the servo mounting plate sunk inside the servo box, screwed to hard wood posts. This will ensure a tidy fit right up to the veneer, with no foam showing, even when the mounting plate is removed. I will have a play tonight anyway and decide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Wood Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 Mine with ASP40 & alloy spinner balanced perfectly with 4 cell AA flight pack wedged under the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Banner Posted July 18, 2016 Author Share Posted July 18, 2016 Wow, 3 months since an update. I have now done some more work on this (most of it in the last week or so) and am close to being able to cover it. I am trying to get it ready for the UKCAA meet on Sunday. Not too sure I fancy doing the maiden flight in front of everyone but we will see if it is even ready! And, yes, that is blood on the fuselage. Serve me right for using a david plane at 11pm Edited By Jack Banner on 18/07/2016 16:15:03 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Dunning Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 Hi Jack Don't worry about doing a maiden in front of the assembled fliers. We've all been there at sometime or other. On e thing you can be sure of is all the help an support you would ever need. Look forward to seeing you on Sunday, with the Bullet ready to fly. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Cook Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 Hi Jack, My first UKCAA meet was at Skeggy in April this Year. Everyone is really friendly and its a relaxed,' no pressure' environment. Great fun and a place to talk to like minded fliers. The build looks as good as any I've seen.. Enjoy! Tony . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Banner Posted July 18, 2016 Author Share Posted July 18, 2016 Thanks guys, I appreciate that. Will crack on tonight and see how i get on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIM Shaw Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 Posted by Richard Wood on 08/03/2016 08:59:47: Hi Jack, One big advantage of wing mounted aileron servos is that it neatly gets around an error in the design of the kit - the wing mounting bolts will foul the aileron torque rods if it is built without modification. Perhaps this problem has been fixed in latest kits. Edited By Richard Wood on 08/03/2016 09:01:13 I know this is an old thread but I wish I'd read it before I started putting mine together because I can absolutely confirm this little problem has NOT been fixed - I went for a single servo in the interests of originality and am now wishing I hadn't... I was thinking a Thunder Tiger PRO 46 might be suitable, or might that be a tad too much? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis Watkins Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 It is an easy choice to make Tim, but as you found on a low winger A single center servo is smack dab exactly where you don't want it, and it needs room to move. The great thing about wing servos is they are located in the c of g area where any weight penalty is easily lost, and you then have control over differential if required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 IIRC I moved the wing bolts 1/4" to clear the torque rods on mine. I think there was room enough on the bolt plate to do that, but it was still a close fit. I didn't find differential was an issue on the Bullet, rolls were too quick for it to deviate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIM Shaw Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 Hi Dennis Yeah, I know about the advantages of separate aileron servos, having been flying mostly F3f type gliders for the last few years - its partly as a reaction to that I went for the "simplicity" of the original set up. I've never found differential to help with a symmetrical wing, TBH, but as Bob says, these old models tended to roll quickly anyway - although a slow roll is sometimes required. I've done it both ways - built an 80% Challenger with a single set-up and both an 80% Mach1 and KF 4/40 with a pair of side mounted HS 85MGs in the wings. What really winds me up is that I built an original Crescent kit back in about 1987 - and I'm pretty sure, now I think about it, I had exactly the same problem back then! Edited By TIM Shaw on 07/07/2017 17:17:31 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Wood Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 Posted by TIM Shaw on 07/07/2017 14:37:53: Posted by Richard Wood on 08/03/2016 08:59:47: Hi Jack, One big advantage of wing mounted aileron servos is that it neatly gets around an error in the design of the kit - the wing mounting bolts will foul the aileron torque rods if it is built without modification. Perhaps this problem has been fixed in latest kits. Edited By Richard Wood on 08/03/2016 09:01:13 I know this is an old thread but I wish I'd read it before I started putting mine together because I can absolutely confirm this little problem has NOT been fixed - I went for a single servo in the interests of originality and am now wishing I hadn't... I was thinking a Thunder Tiger PRO 46 might be suitable, or might that be a tad too much? Disappointing that they haven't sorted out that out yet. On my 1st Bullet build - when it was too late to do much else, I resorted to installing dowels in the fuse for rubber band wing fixing. 2nd build I moved the wing bolts back to clear torque rods. It'll live up to its name on a powerful .46! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIM Shaw Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 I'm thinking that if I ditch the spike nuts and go for tapped hardwood blocks - which I prefer anyway, I can probably get away with it. I have a choice of engines available - OS 35AX, OS 40, OS 46 and an OS 55AX as well as the Pro, but although the Bullet is a little smaller than my 35/36 powered KwickFly and Challenger, its also going to rather more bulky and quite a bit heavier, so I'm leaning towards the Thunder Tiger. I can of course always throttle it back...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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