David Davis Posted January 12, 2017 Author Share Posted January 12, 2017 The fuselage is made up of a plywood forward section and balsa longerons and uprights. The bridge-like structure is a home-made tool used to ensure good fits between the longerons and uprights. I have changed the structure of the extreme rear of the fuselage to ensure a stronger tail support. The picture in the instructions and the image on the plans do not correspond. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted January 16, 2017 Author Share Posted January 16, 2017 Fuselage is now one unit and awaits undercarriage blocks, cross members, diagonals and servo mounting rails. I made one error which I hope won't come back to bite me. Instead of fitting the firewall and then glueing the 10mm x 10mm support blocks in place afterwards, I assumed that the firewall was a flush fit to the front of the fuselage and not inset, which of course is a much stronger way of doing things. Consequently I had to cut a slot in the support blocks to fit the firewall. I hope it will be strong enough as I plan to use an OS 40 Surpass in the model. I'm considering using an external pull-pull arrangement for the elevators but need to work out a way of doing this. We all do this don't we? . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted January 17, 2017 Author Share Posted January 17, 2017 Massive fin and rudder, so much a feature of this design, waiting for the glue to dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted February 1, 2017 Author Share Posted February 1, 2017 I have decided to actuate both the rudder and the elevators by closed loops to make the model more "scale!" The rudder is not a problem, I will take the cables from the servo to the existing slots in the rear of the fuselage but the elevators pose a bigger problem converting the side to side movement of the servo to up and down. I have therefore made up this rocking arm from some plywood, a balsa spacer, a servo output arm, a socket bolt, a nut and some washers. Thinking about it now, I could have simply mounted the servo on its side! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Fentiman Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Looking good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted February 1, 2017 Author Share Posted February 1, 2017 Thank you Gary. I have decided on a spoof Russian WW1 scheme and have had Tim Calvert of Model Markings make up some decals for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted February 5, 2017 Author Share Posted February 5, 2017 The next few photographs show the servo installation in the fuselage. Firstly I glued two rails to the fuselage sides above the plywood undercarriage doublers. These were cut from hardwood supplied with the kit. Please try to ignore the less than perfect joints between the vertical balsa doublers on the sides of the fuselage, the main forward fuselage, on the other side of the doublers, is made from ply so it should be strong enough! The next picture shows the the sandwiches I made up from ply and balsa which will support the servos themselves, again, these are made up from excess wood from the kit. The final picture shows the servos in position and waiting for the glue to dry. The central servo is screwed into place holding everything square. Note the use of a budget servo to operate the throttle. I am a notorious cheapskate, er...I have been brought up to be careful when spending money! . As I will be using closed loops to operate the rudder and elevator I may have to adjust the height of one of the servos to avoid the cables touching but with the ideas I have, I think I'll get away with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamish Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 Similar to David I will be using a micro servo for the throttle as there are no major forces to overcome. Why should a standard type servo be used? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted February 5, 2017 Author Share Posted February 5, 2017 Posted by Percy Verance on 05/02/2017 09:24:13: A budget servo on the throttle David? I'm shocked. I've always used a ball raced (at least a 3001) on throttle, as I consider throttle to be just as *important* as any flying control...... Throttle controls the height - with elevator controlling the speed - on any decent landing landing approach, don't you know? So do you use budget servos at all Percy? If so what do you use them for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamish Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 A bit disappointed that no advice being given as I thought that was what build blogs were for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted February 6, 2017 Author Share Posted February 6, 2017 What advice do you need Hamish? Your build seems to be going pretty well. I am very pleased with the kit. The wood is of very good quality especially the plywood. The 1/8 sq (3mm sq) balsa could have been a bit harder but for 80€ delivered (£68.87 or $85.96 US) I'm not complaining. I have made a number of changes from the standard kit which have been mentioned but if built as standard it would be an easier build. Oh... Percy, I've found an old 3001 among my souvenirs. I'll use it to operate the throttle.. People looking at this thread may find this amusing. **LINK** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamish Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 David, thanks for responding. Comment was made about the servo your were using and I basically questioned why I would need a metal geared servo for an operation that is very lightly loaded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted February 6, 2017 Author Share Posted February 6, 2017 You don't. Neither is the Futaba 3001 a metal geared servo . It does have a ball-raced output bearing which makes it slightly superior to the 148 the standard Futaba servo. The servos I am using on the elevator and rudder are ordinary Hi-Tec 311 plain bushed servos which I have found to be quite suitable for most purposes and certainly good enough for a slow-flying trainer like the Baron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 I think I can honestly say that I've never had an issue using low spec servos on throttle. I don't see the throttle control on model engines being that precise that it justifies anything special. As long as it gives a repeatable action I consider it fine. A little slack in the gears? no problem, you don't get flutter on a throttle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted February 8, 2017 Author Share Posted February 8, 2017 I've reached the stage where I am about to mount the engine, an OS 40 Surpass. I plan to fit it inverted. The Baron has a radial or rotary cowling of 12cms in diameter, therefore 6cms in the radius. From the bottom the engine lugs to the top of the rocker box the engine measures 8cms, therefore, I will have to cut a section out of the bottom of the cowling to allow the top of the cylinder head and the exhaust pipe to protrude. I do not foresee any cooling issues with this arrangement. However, for the first time I plan to fit a Vortex Vacforms artificial nine-cylinder engine.I propose to proceed as follows. Firstly, to cut out a 12cms wide plywood disc, then to assemble the Vortex cylinders on to the disc and then glue the engine to the disc. I am prepared to dispense with one, perhaps two, of the cylinders to ensure an adequate air flow to the OS. At this stage I was planning to paint the disc black and the cylinders silver-grey to simulate aluminium Now as I understand it, the conventional wisdom is to leave most of the disc in place so that air is forced onto the engine to improve cooling. However, the instructions supplied with the Vortex engine kit suggest that I should fret out the space between all of the cylinders. So, a question for the cognoscenti. Should I leave most of the disc in place or should I fret it out as the instructions suggest? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 Yep i often use a mini or even a micro servo on the throttle, reliable is all i need it's not working hard, some lads i fly with use ones that only go full on, till fuel runs out John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted February 9, 2017 Author Share Posted February 9, 2017 One of my least favourite aspects of building model aeroplanes is soldering the undercarriage wires together. After years of practice I have managed to get the joints strong enough but they always look awful! I have disguised this by shrinking some heat sensitive insulation over the joints! I need to chop a bit off one of the axles but otherwise the undercarriage is ready to be installed. The pictures show the complete undercarriage with a pair of wheels which once adorned my old Sopwith One and a Half Strutter control-line model aeroplane. This model was designed by a Mr B.Sichi who also designed an early single channel radio model called "Guidato,"which is on my build list. If my grammar school Latin serves me right, I think that this means "I guide you" in Italian. Any Italian speakers out there? Please feel free to correct me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McG 6969 Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 I'm not Italian native at all, David. ... but if my memory still serves me, "guido" would translate to "I guide you". While "guidato", also from the verb "guidare", means "guided". Cheers Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted February 15, 2017 Author Share Posted February 15, 2017 Servo installation in the wing, the servo goes on top of one of my balsa and ply sandwiches. An HS 5085MG might be a bit excessive for a five-foot trainer but I had a pair hanging around which I had probably bought for another project which I must have forgotten about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted February 27, 2017 Author Share Posted February 27, 2017 On reflection it would probably have been easier to mount the servo on its side. The practice of mounting the servo under the wing on sports models probably dates from the time when one adjusted servos mechanically after the first test flights but with so many model memories in our transmitters these days how many of us actually do this? I have been rather distracted from the Baron Build over the last couple of weeks but this is as far as I have got. The aileron cables are in place and I have added extra diagonal bracing to the wing running in the opposite direction to that of the bracing on the bottom of the wing. This has stiffened up the structure immensely. The next stage will be to sheet over the centre section and to cut out the ailerons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted March 5, 2017 Author Share Posted March 5, 2017 I've been made up to Leading Mode 2 Flying Instructor at my club! That's not too onerous a task as most French pilots are Mode 1, however, I have been given an ARTF trainer to assemble at that has diverted me from carrying on with the Baron. I have a question for you knowledgeable forumites. I am thinking of painting the cowling and maybe even the whole forward fuselage in black Hammerite, so my question is, "Is Hammerite fuel proof against glow fuel containing 10% nitro?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted May 7, 2017 Author Share Posted May 7, 2017 I've had something of a psychological block about making up the ailerons for the Baron, no real progress since February, but this afternoon I conquered it. I cut out the aileron from the port wing. Some of the ribs fell out! This was not a problem as I needed to make up two new aileron ribs for each side of the aileron. I made up an pattern from an original rib cut at an angle of about 10 degrees to allow for downward travel of the aileron and made the rest to conform to the pattern. The final picture shows the aileron assembled and waiting for the glue to dry. I made the leading edge of the aileron out of 1/16 sheet deliberately slightly oversize. It will be trimmed down to size later on. I will insert a piece of plywood to take the aileron horn. I intend to top-hinge the ailerons using the covering as a hinge. Do you think I should add gussets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted May 10, 2017 Author Share Posted May 10, 2017 The upper forward part of the fuselage on a Baron is glued to the leading edge of the wing and pegged to the firewall. I was thinking of gluing it to the fuselage top but that would only entomb the fuel tank so I went with the instructions. The problem was that I had to reduce the supplied balsa block by quite a bit to make it match the firewall. As I'm doing up a house at the moment, most of my tools are 4kms away so I resorted to using the bread-knife! After that I sanded it to shape using increasingly fine abrasive paper, then I stuck it into position using 2-hour epoxy. I knew those big LiPos would come in handy one day! Must stop skiving and get on with the house renovation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted May 26, 2017 Author Share Posted May 26, 2017 House renovation is getting in the way of this build blog or is it the other way round!. Here is a picture of the halfway stage of top-hinging the ailerons. I wish now that I'd built the model as a three channel model, it would have been easier to cover! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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