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Foamboard CAP232


Graham Davies 3
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Just weighed up.

 

4lb 12 Oz with everything except paint and elevator/ rudder horns. Span is actually 56" and total area 3.9 sq ft. So loading is just under 20Oz/ sq ft.

 

No featherweight, but fine. Similar size to my old acrowot, and that was 6lb fuelled up. 

 

Interesting though; if you use foamboard as a replacement for conventional materials and use a conventional structure, you don't get the big weight savings. This model is about 8Oz heavier than the Reggiane, which includes flaps and retracts!

 

Graham

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Started spraying her today. With rather mixed results. Honestly? I half expected this...

 

I'm going with a bright, stark scheme that is befitting of a CAP232. Red and Blue and of course the base white. I have been concerned about the backing paper on the HobbyCraft foamboard as it is really easy to split off the glossy top surface. With that in mind, I used the low tack blue masking tape, which has worked for me in the past.

 

Sprayed watered down emulsion from my little HVLP touch up gun, which went on OK. However, as feared, removing the masking was  a problem. There was some splitting, but not too bad. The bigger problem is that removing the tape 'loosens' the backing paper and makes it baggy. I have tried to re-tighten it with a bit of heat from the iron, but it's only partially successful. Second side I minimised the pressure on the tape. This meant slightly less bagginess, but also a bit of leaching...

 

So people, little to be gained in leaving either inner or outer skin on! I shall be fully denuding my foamboard in the future; I know where I am with brown paper... 

 

Less of an issue with the warbirds as I don't remember using masking tape.

 

Still, it is what it is and will look fine at 50ft...

 

Graham

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On 25/10/2022 at 11:37, Peter Miller said:

I am looking forward to seeing this in the air. Must bring the cameras.

 

A side note to Eric Robson:  I always fancied a Westland Welkin but the nose is a bit on the short side

That would be a good subject for foam Peter apart from the wing span, 70" would be a 1/12 th scale.                                                                                                                              I'm hoping the wing of the Whirlwind will be ok at the d/h break, The tail plane works out at 20" span, a lot to hang on top of the fin and with the short nose I don't want a lot of weight at the rear.

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9 hours ago, Eric Robson said:

That would be a good subject for foam Peter apart from the wing span, 70" would be a 1/12 th scale.                                                                                                                              I'm hoping the wing of the Whirlwind will be ok at the d/h break, The tail plane works out at 20" span, a lot to hang on top of the fin and with the short nose I don't want a lot of weight at the rear.

Miller's First Law:  Nothing "simple" ever is!

 

Talking of Whirlwinds brought back a memory of my childhood.  We were living in Avebury at the time and I can still remember two Whirlwinds flying over the house pretty low down.  I must have been 6 at the time.

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On 25/10/2022 at 08:28, Graham Davies 3 said:

Interesting though; if you use foamboard as a replacement for conventional materials and use a conventional structure, you don't get the big weight savings. This model is about 8Oz heavier than the Reggiane, which includes flaps and retracts!

As you say it does rather depend on how you use it.

Foam board has a lot of material in it so the design of the structure has to ensure the board carries its fair share and in some cases all of the load involved.

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I think the main attraction to foam board is the cost compared with the ever spiralling price of balsa.  

Graham, B&Q are doing packs of 4 sheets of insulation similar to depron in 3mm 6mm and 10mm  thickness and comparable in price to foam board, it would be easier than removing the paper from the foam board/

I have some 6mm but have yet to use it I will let you know how I get on.

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1 hour ago, Peter Miller said:

I ONLY use balsa.  I am far too old a dog the learn new tricks like foam.

Anyway it is a vintage model, this is the fourth one that I have built in standard size.

I'm an old dog too Peter but I like using foam as well as balsa, cutting ribs was never a favourite job for me.

Back to 1946 as silver plane whistled across the sky it was quite low and I remarked to the others, "that is a Gloster Meteor" to which I was shouted down it's a Whirlwind look at the high tail, where's the propellers I replied. I don't know if a Whirlwind ever made it to the North East. 

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Just now, Peter Miller said:

And talking of Meteors,When I was on Master Diversion flight in Cornwall we could often scrounge lifts home.  I managed to scrounge on in  T7 Meteor.  1/2 an hour Cornwall to London.  I will never forget the instructions I got before take off.  "If we get into  trouble I will slow the aircraft down to 100 knots and jettison the canopy.  You will climb over the side of the cockpit and slide off the wing. IF you miss the tailplane count to 10 and pull the ripchord!"

I

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Looks great Graham, should have no problem seeing that in the sky, hope the maiden goes well 😊. I've spent the last couple of evenings trying to come up with solutions on my build to the short comings of the plans. The wing ribs have been extended by 6mm at the main spar location so that they reach the location shown for the rear of the wing on the plan and have made new rib patterns. The pile of cut ribs is now growing, i will update my build once they are all cut and gluing commences. 

Edited by martin collins 1
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A bit more feckling done.

 

All the radio gear is fitted and linked up.

 

Balance is a bit rearward at about 29%. I will try to shuffle some things around, or add an ounce or two of 'insurance'.

 

Power is a 4250 540kv on 4S, spinning a 14x6. It's giving me over 700W of electrical neddies. It feels OK rather than sparkling, partly as the model is a bit heavier than I'd hoped at 4 lb 13 Oz. Still, should be fine for a 56" span model.

 

Just need some decent weather now.

 

Graham

 

CAP232 301022 1.jpg

CAP232 301022 2.jpg

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