David Gilder Posted October 4, 2018 Author Share Posted October 4, 2018 Ade, Looks good. I measure mine at 416mm. Would suggest extending rear end by 3mm... Can always reduce to fit then! Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer Posted October 4, 2018 Share Posted October 4, 2018 Posted by David Gilder on 04/10/2018 19:48:47: Ade, Looks good. I measure mine at 416mm. Would suggest extending rear end by 3mm... Can always reduce to fit then! Cheers Cheers Dave, Will do. Ade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kettle 1 Posted October 4, 2018 Share Posted October 4, 2018 Hi Dave, Tornado cockpit mould, I've done one at 100% size - model size that is -, if you have a go there easy to make, I made it from 15mm MDF board stuck together, frame work from thick card By chance a local school, a couple of hundred yards away from the house, has one hiding behind a shed, its full size though !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Gilder Posted October 5, 2018 Author Share Posted October 5, 2018 Thanks Mark Going to leave it with Ade for now and if needs be will look at making one myself! ( I have faith in Ade's abilities! ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Gilder Posted November 1, 2018 Author Share Posted November 1, 2018 Small update time... Inbetween work and a family long weekend away visiting sick relative, I have managed to do a little more on the build! The axle for the AMT has also been made up and a metal horn spot welded to the axle. This will allow the clevis to link up solidly as this whole area in time will be sealed up! Unlike the original plan, I have decided to move the AMT Servo into the rear part of he central under-wing bay in case any issues and it was to need replacing in the future! From here, the rear sides where checked for fit and then fitted along with the rear formers and the AMT axle. Unfortunately I forgot to take any pics of this stage! 3 wide stringers lay into the rear formers from F6 to F8. This provides the stability and stiffness to the rear end and as such has to be glued in whilst keeping the whole airframe centralised and steady. As the plans are being used for a 2nd build, I was unable to do this over them, so some accurate guide lines were drawn on to the build bench and the model pinned down to it! Once this was all set and the rear end stable, the model could be removed again from the build board without risk of any misalignments later on. I couldn't resist a mock up! Definitely a Tornado shape there now! The cockpit area has been lined all around and F4 (which provides the spread out of the rear sides up to the air intakes. So what else... I decided to work on getting the intakes sorted (well one of them for now!) These are made up of black foam, veneered in balsa! And this is how it should look on the model! So that's about it for now... Oh, I have ordered my wings from Cloud Models and they should be here in the next few weeks! Wings will be as plan, no alterations to size or profile. The only planned change on these will be to have a servo mounted in each wing with direct link to each aileron instead of a centrally mounted single servo running torque rods. Will update again where there is more to tell! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 Great progress Dave, well done. Did you go for extra spars or glass under the veneer from Cloud? You'll be happy with their work either way, excellent craftsmanship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Gilder Posted November 1, 2018 Author Share Posted November 1, 2018 Neither Andy. Will be looking to inlay spars myself, just like the A4 build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 Looking good Dave. Hope to have workable canopy plug finished in next two weeks. Hopefully have some workshop time over the weekend; if so, will post up some progress pics. Cheers Ade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 How are you making the canopy plug without a finished fuselage Ade? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 Posted by Andy Meade on 01/11/2018 16:31:18: How are you making the canopy plug without a finished fuselage Ade? From the Plan Andy; there should be enough excess around the edges to cover any small errors. I've checked the dimensions with Dave, so should be within a reasonable tolerance. Or he will need to bodge a fit Several fingers and toes crossed ! Ade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 Hmm, should be quite interesting I've only ever seen it done by making an exact copy of the canopy as a plug on the fuselage - that makes sure it's a good fit all the way round. Good luck...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 You’re progressing well there Dave - she’s looking nice at that size too 👍🏻 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Gilder Posted November 1, 2018 Author Share Posted November 1, 2018 Sounds great Ade, I have faith in your ability.... Sure it will fit the model just fine! Thanks Tim. Yes, Shes quite a good size.. To be honest, I'm glad I didn't go to 200% plan. Would have struggled to build and then store! Looking forward to the wings arriving and then I can get a real size feel for her! Will update when there is more to show! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Gilder Posted November 8, 2018 Author Share Posted November 8, 2018 Another week gone and time for another update... Well, It seems the build bug is firmly in control at the moment with things coming together! I am pleased to say also that the 2nd Tornado (being built by Warren) is finally underway. I'm not sure if Warren is planning on doing a build blog or not though! Anyway, where were we....... Oh yes..! So the rear top decking has gone on over the rear top stringers and the control rod is connected to the AMT axle. The 2nd air intake is under construction also so these parts will be ready to be added later in the build! I'm not going to bore you with pics of those bits though as there is much more interesting stuff to update! Yesterday the doorbell rang.... There was a delivery in the form of a large cardboard box! That's right. The wings arrived from cloud models! So 2 sets of wings (one for me and one for Warren). A quick inspection showed the quality and finish of these to be at a very high standard. I just had to lay a set out to see! But that just led to the obvious thing happening.... A full mock up! Oooooooohhh Yeaaaaah!!!! Now we really are getting somewhere! You will see the rear deck in the above picture also! Okay. So, These wings are not swing wings and will be joined permanently in the fully forward position, but I just couldn't help seeing what it would look like if the were swept back! What do you think!!? Pretty cool.... Maybe a future model will have swing wings.. Who knows! So to the wings then. Considering they only arrived yesterday, the following has been completed: Servo position calculated.. I plan to have the wing fuel tanks on this so the position of these pylons had to be calculated to the scale and the servo positioned outboard of these! Once this was worked out and the positions transferred on to the undersides of the wings, these were cut out! I hadn't asked for Cloud Models to do this for me as I wasn't sure exactly where I wanted them so needless to say, there were no servo wire holes either, so these also have been done with some heated wire pushed carefully through at the required place so the exited into the servo bays! Again, other measurements had to be calculated so as not to route them where the wing joining braces would be placed! The positions of the joining braces were then drawn onto the wings and cut out on the fretsaw with each wing half supported in their foam halves (if that makes sense!) The braces are made from 8mm ply so will provide a good solid link! That was all yesterday.. So today, The leading edges and false Trailing Edges were glued on and once dry the sanding down has started to ensure nice smooth transitions. (This is nearly finished but had to make tea and walk the dogs!) So just one last pic showing the wings together with the braces in position. (These will be sanded down flush once the wings are joined for good!) So that's it for now! I will be doing more sanding tomorrow as long as the weather allows, as there is nothing worse than sanding in the workshop with no moving air and balsa dust filling the air (and lungs)! As always, comments and questions are very welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 Nice progress Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 Looking good Dave. Apologies for delay in canopy, although things are back on track now. On reflection, it's a large area, so have gone down the mdf plug route. Here's a taster..... Certainly a large brute! Hope to be pulling the plug next weekend, so should be with you shortly after. Just got to glass the surface to ensure that it is smooth for forming. Cheers Ade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Belshaw Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 I built the original one more years ago than I care to remember and spent many a happy hour on the slope with it, covered it in Solartex and painted it grey I seem to recall. Great model and a superb flyer, I'm sure your enlarged version will be even better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 The canopy is huge !!! Few more coats of primer and a few more hours going down the grit and it will be pullable. Frame to add and the plug is ready. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetenor Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 Talking of Tornados they are to fly over N Wales for last time this week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 The plug was huge, so a local manufacturer has just installed a large vac former ( 40 inches by 44 inches). Am quite please with the results Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Gilder Posted April 4, 2019 Author Share Posted April 4, 2019 They look great Ade. Cant wait to sit one on top of the model soon. I will update the blog soon as things have moved on quite a bit since the last update. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 Looks like some lovely work there Ade, well done! Get that Mig painted though you slacker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 Posted by Andy Meade on 05/04/2019 13:52:14: Looks like some lovely work there Ade, well done! Get that Mig painted though you slacker Cheers Andy, just packing up the car with a repaired A4 and tatty P80 (old rough hack model) As far as the Mig is concerned, paints have arrived, and am awaiting suitable weather to finish it. The pilot figure under the canopy is destined for the Mig . See you on teh slope in the morning. Ade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 I'm afraid I'm not going chap, decided to go flying a bit more local instead. Have a good weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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