Gary Manuel Posted June 18, 2018 Author Share Posted June 18, 2018 Tail wheel, tail wheel operating bracket and tail strut bracket all fitted at together as they are all in the same area and follow the same process. The tail strut is supplied with plastic clevises, which I simply do not like, so I've swapped them for 2mm metal clevises. Tail struts fitted. Tail wheel (cheese wire) springs fitted as designed. There must be a better way of doing this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Manuel Posted June 18, 2018 Author Share Posted June 18, 2018 Before I start fitting the radio gear, I'm going to have a play around with the wings fitted so that I can get the remaining equipment in a position which helps with the balance. I'm suspecting that I'll need it moving rearwards due to the over-sized engine, but time will tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 I don't recall tail struts on mine (the blue/yellow one), doesn't seem to need it to me, maybe a reaction to tail failures by heavy handed scalpel users ? Wheel arrangement looks fine to me, it'll steer n absorb shock. Plenty room Gary, my battery ended up rear of servos on a false floor. Edited By john stones 1 on 18/06/2018 16:13:01 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Collinson Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 Agree with John on both counts; seems unlikely that the maker would include struts unnecessarily. Tailwheel may look slightly ungainly but it ought to steer and absorb bumps. Both items fitted to my Mentor, tailwheel a replacement for a slightly lightweight original and what was needed in practice were two stiffer springs. Sea fishing quick links are a good way of attaching these and indeed closed loop cables, if you want to be able to adjust them without kinks appearing. A swivel further assists and this plane is big enough for them. The Mentor wasn't supplied with struts but dark web chatter from US (dark chatter, not the dark web ... as far as I'm aware ...) referred to lost tails and writeoffs so I fitted them. OK, hardly the aerobatic aspirations of a Yak but a big 20cc petrol powered plane. Don't use a butane soldering iron for film without a heatguard; mine spills heat out of the side and can cause collateral scorching. Shame as it's adjustable. excellent posts GM, you're cantering ahead and I remain glued to your solutions. Got tank at Weston, may have time to try a fit tonight, BTC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 My yellow/blue version had the tail bracing as supplied. One small point is that although the two models look similar, there are significant differences - not least that the wings are totally different sections, one (I think the yellow/blue version) having a much thicker section. Having flown both versions, I can confirm that they do fly very well and if the structure was a little more robust would be almost perfect. However, that last comment may not apply with the recommended engine sizes! Funnily enough, I added Du-Bro soft mounts for my ASP180 FS powered version to help with noise test issues and encountered the same problem that you had in the OP but added a supplementary firewall set back with cut-outs for the mounts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Manuel Posted June 18, 2018 Author Share Posted June 18, 2018 Hmmm - Remaining equipment needs to be WELL back. I could have done with some heavier batteries. I'm off now to make some shelves! Edited By Gary Manuel on 18/06/2018 16:42:12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 Found mine to be o.k on all fronts, sadly flew first into a tree, then second had a midair, lost one side of tailplane and it flew as if nowt was amiss, fly great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Manuel Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 Cardboard template made to fit between the formers well inside the rear part of the fuselage. This is the template for the battery shelf. Receiver shelf template made. Batteries velcro'd to the battery shelf which was cut using the cardboard template. Underside of the battery shelf showing notches cut to suit the shape of the formers. Battery shelf epoxy'd in place. Receiver shelf epoxy'd in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Manuel Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 JR RD922 Powersafe receiver and 3 satellites fitted.. One vertically orientated..... .... one at the rear across the fuselage ..... ..... and one horizontal along the fuselage axis. Servo extensions made up and tied in place for connecting to the the aileron servo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Gary, do you make your own servo extension as needed? I can't believe how tidy your installation is and you don't appear to have hidden bunches of excess servo lead! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Manuel Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 Posted by Bob Cotsford on 20/06/2018 13:18:35: Gary, do you make your own servo extension as needed? I can't believe how tidy your installation is and you don't appear to have hidden bunches of excess servo lead! Yes Bob. I make my extension leads to suit the model. There is a bit of a loop, due to me positioning the receiver further back than expected. Because the leads were all made up to go to a certain position though, they are all a similar length and have just been tie wrapped together as you can see in the photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Manuel Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 Just a few more fiddly bit to finish the model off. Throttle snake red outer glued at both ends and the yellow inner cut to length. Throttle set up using the second hole in, which gives full throttle movement with travel set to just under 100% at both extremes of travel (allowing a bit for the engine cut). Fuel dot fitted to the cowl - at the opposite side to the cylinder head. Slot in the top of the engine box covered with a piece of thin ply. The whole engine box was then given a good coating of epoxy to fuel proof it. Hole cut to access the top end needle ..... ...... using this little tool I made some time ago. The clevis / fuel tube nicely clips on to the top of the needle through the small hole in the cowl. Washers epoxied around the cowl screw holes ..... ..... and the canopy screw holes. Suitable prop and spinner found and test fitted. If the prop size is OK, I'll probably replace this Graupner on with an equivalent (16x8) APC prop. I don't like this. This wing bolt is virtually impossible for me to fit with my shovel sized hands. There are already 2 wing bolts behind the wing tube so ....... The front wing bolts have been converted to dowels. They will welp with the wing incidence aligning, but no longer will they contribute to prevent ing the wing from sliding out of the wing tube. I do't think this will be a problem as there should be very little force trying to pull the wing out. If anything there should be a force pushing it on due to the tapered leading edge. That's my thinking anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Manuel Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 Thread lock added to all servo screws. All lock nuts tightened up. All clevis keepers slid into place. Control surface movements set up, including common 3 position flight mode for all 3 main controls. Low rates pretty much as the initial / sport flying recommendations in the manual. Medium rates as per the Aerobatic rates in the manual. High rates - a bit more than the recommended settings. And the final job - apply the stickers. Nice looking model if I say so myself. Ready to maiden at the weekend maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Collinson Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Gary, looks excellent. You’re giving me ideas and inspiration. Forecast seems to be improving for the weekend so fingers crossed and do please report back. Are you flying it like this without any blanking inside the cowl to channel air over the head, per Brian Winch? I had assumed it would be needed with a large cowl opening ahead but very little exhaust cross section. BTC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Manuel Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 Funny you should mention the cooling air. It has been niggling me a bit that there is one helluva shortcut for air entering the front and out the back without going anywhere near the cylinder head. I normally go to great lengths with petrol engines and the model this glow engine came from had to have one side cheek blocked off due to overheating problems. I think I'll have another look at this before I fly it. The issue is that whatever baffling I add will make fitting and removing the cowl difficult, so I'll have to apply a bit of ingenuity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Forecast is good, lovely model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Manuel Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 If I was building it again and using the same engine, I would cut another inch off the engine box and push the cowl further on, making it less nose heavy. Regarding the engine cooling - I have a cunning plan brewing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Posted by Gary Manuel on 20/06/2018 21:25:51: Funny you should mention the cooling air. It has been niggling me a bit that there is one helluva shortcut for air entering the front and out the back without going anywhere near the cylinder head. I normally go to great lengths with petrol engines and the model this glow engine came from had to have one side cheek blocked off due to overheating problems. I think I'll have another look at this before I fly it. The issue is that whatever baffling I add will make fitting and removing the cowl difficult, so I'll have to apply a bit of ingenuity. Maybe some hard foam sheet hot glued in place to form a blanking plate at the cowl front. Then adding a foam tunnel around the cylinder head. Do you have an exit hole? If not the heat will collect on the cowl and form an air dam..just a thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Posted by Gary Manuel on 20/06/2018 21:40:03: If I was building it again and using the same engine, I would cut another inch off the engine box and push the cowl further on, making it less nose heavy. Regarding the engine cooling - I have a cunning plan brewing! Why, you had to add weight ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Manuel Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 Posted by john stones 1 on 20/06/2018 21:46:27: Posted by Gary Manuel on 20/06/2018 21:40:03: If I was building it again and using the same engine, I would cut another inch off the engine box and push the cowl further on, making it less nose heavy. Regarding the engine cooling - I have a cunning plan brewing! Why, you had to add weight ? Not yet! It's balancing at the forward end of the recommended range (7cm to 8cm at tip / 15cm to 16cm at root). I'm expecting it to fly OK, but my flying preference nowadays is to push CoG as far back as it will go without making things too difficult. I've got nowhere to go with equipment positioning, so if it's too nose heavy for me, I'll need to add lead. Edited By Gary Manuel on 20/06/2018 22:03:33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Manuel Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 Posted by cymaz on 20/06/2018 21:40:37: Maybe some hard foam sheet hot glued in place to form a blanking plate at the cowl front. Then adding a foam tunnel around the cylinder head. Do you have an exit hole? If not the heat will collect on the cowl and form an air dam..just a thought If you look at the photo taken from the front of the spinner / prop, you can see the large exit hole at the bottom. As you say, I need to prevent the direct path from front to rear by forcing it over the cylinder head. Watch this space. Hopefully it'll be sorted tomorrow. Edited By Gary Manuel on 20/06/2018 22:15:47 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Ah, I've a 16x8 APC if you want to take it n gauge the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Manuel Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 Thanks John. Slip it between your sandwiches this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Manuel Posted June 21, 2018 Author Share Posted June 21, 2018 Outer edge of the front of the cowl marked with masking tape to show the outer edges of the cylinder head. Cardboard template drawn with the appropriate sized circled to suit the diameters of the cowl opening and the prop driver. Template cut out. Template taped to the cowl and tested to ensure that it is possible to fit the cowl to the model without catching the engine on the cardboard template. The cowl slipped on quite easily, meaning that there was no need for me to resort to my cunning plan. I could just add the cooling baffles to the cowl. Cardboard template shape transferred to the "Darice Foamies" 6mm Craft Foam. Craft Foam cut to shape...... ..... and Cyano'd into the front of the cowl - all the way around, including where I'll be cutting it out for the cylinder head shape..... ..... like this. Internal baffling added to suit the cylinder head shape. Cowl refitted to the model. There's only one place the air is going now - towards the cylinder head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 Ah, the cunning plan comes to light! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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