Danny Fenton Posted March 14, 2021 Author Share Posted March 14, 2021 Had to step away from the Auster, too many issues to get my head around. Wing retention, I will probably use Merlyn locks. Strut lower fixing anchor plate is crowded out by the undercarriage clamps, and you cannot get to the nut for the struts as the undercarriage legs are in the way. So probably need moving further aft. I usually find it best to sleep on the issues, they are often clearer in the daylight...... exactly a month today since I opened the box, quite pleased with the progress, and have, for the most part enjoyed it, though I think progress will slow from here on in. 10oz DuBro fuel tank is ordered, as is some stainless tube to perhaps attempt functioning U/C (we will see on that one). Cheers Danny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David P Williams Posted March 15, 2021 Share Posted March 15, 2021 10 hours ago, Colin Leighfield said: I loved Andy’s reference to my comment about Ranald Porteous and landing the Auster! He was probably tongue in cheek when he said it and after I ground-looped the AOP6 on the Tatenhill concrete runway it gave me a face-saving excuse! Not just you Colin. I used to do maintenance and restoration work on Austers, and had to frequently check the pivot bolts on the undercarriage. They are quite small diameter and the port side (pilot's side) ones would often be bent like a banana, sometimes making them almost impossible to remove. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted March 15, 2021 Author Share Posted March 15, 2021 (edited) Not had a very productive day. Ripped the sprung steel clips out of the wing, which has ruined some of the sheeting, but that's easily fixed. I have circled around this problem in my head, and have become increasingly frustrated that an obvious solution hasn't arisen. In the end (though not convinced it would be successful, I tried a "Merlyn Lock" I used these on my Piper Apache and they worked really well, however the difference on the Auster the blocks are not being used to join two wing panels, there is very little room on the inside of the root rib. Anyway they are quite small but strong, trouble is I will need two per wing as they hold the front well, but not the rear. Perhaps the struts will help? I am awaiting some long Allen headed bolts, that will be easier to fasten. These are the smallest Merlyn's I have made, and I was quite concerned that the "teeth" of the blind nut would split the wood, but the maple held strong. This is the fuselage mounted "inner" part. And this is the view from the wing underside. The angle is critical as it means a tube can be fitted that will lead out to the wings skin for attaching and removing the wing. This piccy from my Apache build shows the tube, this was a bigger unit using a 25mm cube, the one on the Auster is made from a 15mm cube and quite fiddly. Maybe you guys can think of a better way to hold the wings snuggly against the cabin? Cheers Danny Edited March 15, 2021 by Danny Fenton 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dwain Dibley. Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 Excellent solution Danny, I think it will work well. After all the wing is held up by the strut. In flight the forces are basically pushing the wings on. Your Merlyns are basically there for landings, which is where the DB fixings failed really. Quite a productive day I would say. D.D. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted March 16, 2021 Author Share Posted March 16, 2021 Thanks DD, I am not totally convinced I had wanted to close the gap up a bit better, but as you say the struts are the workhorses here. I appreciate the words of encouragement, feel at the treacle stage, where everything takes lots of thought and trial and error. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 I hate the treacle stage but you just know that you’re going to have a brainwave and the treacle will go all warm and runny, then you’re out of it and on to the next bit! Chin up old chap! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted March 16, 2021 Author Share Posted March 16, 2021 Well managed a few minutes to do the other lock, this one went really well, I guess practice does help. And it helped that I had made two sets of parts. The wing root was much straighter on this wing and has pinched up nicely. Really this would have been better if the wing root rib had been solid, the lock is compressing balsa (hard balsa at least) but balsa none the less. Ply would have formed a better base. Next time........ Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted March 16, 2021 Author Share Posted March 16, 2021 This is how you scribe the optimum angle on the blocks. Cheers Danny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted March 16, 2021 Author Share Posted March 16, 2021 sheeted the underside of the fuselage, a bit fiddly cutting around the undercarriage clamps, but waiting for glue to dry now Cheers Danny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted March 16, 2021 Author Share Posted March 16, 2021 After a bit of sanding we can see an Auster trying to get out.... Cheers Danny 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dwain Dibley. Posted March 16, 2021 Share Posted March 16, 2021 Sweet Mate. D.D. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted March 16, 2021 Author Share Posted March 16, 2021 Anybody have any suggestions for a 1/5 full figure pilot. There used to be some cloth jobbies, but I heard they were no longer trading? I had hoped there would be 3D STL files available, but so far nothing but a chap that looks like he has been handcuffed! I don't want to pay silly money as it is just a sport model...... Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000560759207.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.23b81a67oNoqmQ&algo_pvid=e367ab4d-5d00-400b-bc6d-f74101706136&algo_expid=e367ab4d-5d00-400b-bc6d-f74101706136-2&btsid=2100bdde16159605880685571ef3c4&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 7 hours ago, Danny Fenton said: Anybody have any suggestions for a 1/5 full figure pilot. There used to be some cloth jobbies, but I heard they were no longer trading? I had hoped there would be 3D STL files available, but so far nothing but a chap that looks like he has been handcuffed! I don't want to pay silly money as it is just a sport model...... Cheers Danny https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Star-Wars-Luke-Skywalker-nude-body-1-6-scale-for-12-inch-figure-5-New/174471265149?hash=item289f4c3b7d:g:SXgAAOSwVH1fgC5y Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 (edited) https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HM-ARMED-FORCES-RAF-JET-FIGHTER-PILOT-SUPERB-COMPLETE/265090644955?hash=item3db8a23bdb:g:v7sAAOSwACpf1z1G https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HM-Armed-Forces-Fast-Jet-Pilot-Action-Figure-British-Forces-Soldier-LOT-PX435/265085562255?hash=item3db854ad8f:g:8Y4AAOSwTDpb4IA8 Edited March 17, 2021 by cymaz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted March 17, 2021 Author Share Posted March 17, 2021 Thanks Cymaz the first few give no size but from the comments are around 1/14 I need 1/5 which is 14" tall. I already have the jet pilot, he is around 1/7th, too small. Also way too heavy. Any other ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 I think Max Grueter designs and sells some of the nicest 3D print STL files. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted March 17, 2021 Author Share Posted March 17, 2021 29 minutes ago, Ron Gray said: I think Max Grueter designs and sells some of the nicest 3D print STL files. Very nice looking file, very tempting.... I would need to get it printed as well. Thanks hadn't seen his name come up. Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David P Williams Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 Try Andy Meade on this very forum Danny. He's on ebay as 'printedpartsfactory' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted March 17, 2021 Author Share Posted March 17, 2021 Thanks for that David, I know Andy. I presume you are pointing me at him to print files not as a source of pilot figures? I did a quick search of EBAY but came up empty. I have a few friends with 3D printers that could possibly help if plied with a bottle of wine ? Anybody have any pictures of Max's figures when printed? I have seen 3D renderings of figures before that look fantastic, only to be very disappointing when printed. Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David P Williams Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 There was a thread on here looking for the exact same thing last year, which is where I picked up the link to printedpartsfactory. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted March 17, 2021 Author Share Posted March 17, 2021 Thanks David don't know why the search failed to find him, the link worked though. Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 I believe that Andy has a commercial print licence from Max, so good designs + good printing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted March 17, 2021 Author Share Posted March 17, 2021 Thanks Ron, the files are purchased and downloaded. I have asked my friend Chris to do a small print to see how it looks. After making such a good job of the fit of the port wing yesterday I took another look at the ill-fitting starboard wing. The problem was easy to find. The Merlyn lock was pulling the two sections together at about 30% chord, but the wing was rocking back and forward. I was hoping that the struts would sort this. But when I did the port wing yesterday it was solid, with no rocking. I had put it down to the wing and fuselage mating surfaces not being of solid ply. But this was the same as the port, but solid.... Anyway when I ran a straight edge along the ply rib on the top of the fuselage there was a big bow. the leading edge had a 1.5mm gap and the trailing edge 3mm. Whilst touching obviously where the Merlyn lock was. So I added a 3mm lite play rib to the fuselage rib. then proceeded to sand until the area around the Merlyn lock was gone, leaving the full width at the TE and just 1.5mm at the LE Re-attaching the wing and pinching up the Merlyn lock has removed all fore and aft rocking. so we can move on ? Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan p Posted March 17, 2021 Share Posted March 17, 2021 Problem solved without surgery, Danny satisfied "Brucie bonus"? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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