|
Post by Dr. Evil on Oct 28, 2013 8:28:51 GMT -4
WOW....that thing is coming along nice! How many more hours do you think it'll take to get her completed? Lots of hours. I started working on fitting the retracts, but going to have rethink the plan, cut too much plywood web away and going to have to cut the spar. Then route the servo wires through the wing panels, prep the wings for joining, join the wings, finish the wings, build the flaps and ailerons, build the fuse, sand the fuse, fit all together, glue all together, hinge everything, test hinging, final sand, cover, pin the hinges, break in the motor, range check/setup controls.
|
|
|
Post by rcdude07 on Nov 4, 2013 9:28:16 GMT -4
Sorry for the long delay in posts. I started a few weeks ago trying to fit the WingspanRetracts LG I bought. After trial and error I saw I'll have to cut a small gap in the spar to make room for the LG. I'll post pics when the time gets here. So over the weekend this is what I did:
Got in an hour of work. Glued on some 1/16 ply to cover the hole in the LG box I had cut (made sure to match the grain direction), then broke out the Dremel and cut the holes for routing the flap and aileron servo wires, then sanded the spars and LE flush with rib 12, then cut sections out of rib 1 in preparation for the dihedral braces. Sorry, no pics right now as I didn't have any camera with me.
|
|
|
Post by rcdude07 on Nov 11, 2013 9:17:58 GMT -4
|
|
|
Post by rcdude07 on Dec 5, 2013 12:19:05 GMT -4
Tri-stock was epoxied in on Saturday. Monday night the wing alignment bolt hole was drilled and the last sheer webs were glued in. Next up is retract installation.
|
|
|
Post by rcdude07 on Jan 2, 2014 11:44:38 GMT -4
On a build hiatus as I didn't fully understand the retract installation instructions. Took a look at the instructions before Christmas and came to an understanding after 3 weeks away from the build. I need to get a few tools in order to continue the build, but with my birthday coming up this month I've been instructed not to place an order for the needed tools.
|
|
|
Post by rcdude07 on Feb 1, 2014 19:42:17 GMT -4
After a loooong hiatus, I'm back at the build table. I was able to get the tools I need last weekend as my birthday present and a nice plane restraining device (one of those u-shaped pvc pipe stands that is nailed into the ground with a looooong nail).
Last weekend while my experienced builder was in town we talked ideas and plans for the LG and spar area. As well as getting an additional pointer for beefing up the wing bolt area in the wing.
Today I spent just under an hour looking at the retracts again. The instructions say there is a left and right, however doesn't tell you what S/N is which. So, I fitted the Robart Oleo Struts on the LG, pulled out the RX, an old spare RX battery, and y-harness. Connected everything up and started testing open and closed to get the right positions. I'll post video later once I can get it uploaded to Vimeo. I used blue tape on the struts to simulate which side the wheels would be on. After getting the correct open and closed positions, I marked the left and right LG as well as the struts. I also started looking at making a paper template for the LG mounting holes and found my LG is a bit smaller/holes closer together than the Century Jet ones used in the plan. So I have to start looking at hole locations from the LE to get close to the right location.
|
|
|
Post by rcdude07 on Feb 10, 2014 7:47:03 GMT -4
Video of the retracts in motion. The blue tape represents where the wheels will be, and the struts are just slid down on top of the post on the retracts: Pictures of the work. Yes some of the pics have the wheels on the wrong sides, I referenced earlier pics and switched them around, no change in the positioning/alignement of the struts: Step one, mark the hole needed to cut the spar and LG box. I did this by placing the LG on the LG rails and setting in place to measure the width. Then measured the depth based on the bottom of the LG rail, and marked accordingly. A saw was used to cut the vertical lines and a cutoff wheel on a Dremel was used for the horizontal lines. This was Saturday's work. Sunday was spent lining up the pivot point on the Wingspan Retracts to as close as possible to the pivot point marked on the plans. To achieve this I laid the LG rails on the plans and marked the pivot point per the instructions with a straight line. After several loong minutes I find the easy way by seeing the pivot circle on the retracts. So I had to extend the lines to the sides of the rails. In order to get this alignment I used small clamps to hold the rails in place. I initially marked screw holes this way, but this created alignment issues when set in place on the wing. So I switched to using small clamps to hold the rails in place on the wing, and lined the gear up with the pivot point and straight lines with the ribs. Once happy with the alignment, I marked my screw holes. I removed the gear and used the clamps on the rails to the LG once again, then brought out my dead center tool, usually used for engine mounting. If you don't have one, it's handy to have, it's a small drill bit on a long spring loaded rod you push down and twist to get a pilot divot. With the screw holes marked, I drilled the correct sized hole per the screw's instructions, and screwed the retracts down. After both retracts were screwed in, I sat them in place again and checked the simple lateral alignment. Looks good. Next up is to fine tune the alignments and epoxy the rails in without epoxying the LG in.
|
|
|
Post by Dr. Evil on Feb 10, 2014 8:11:33 GMT -4
Very nice!
|
|
gugie
FUN FLYER
Posts: 154
|
Post by gugie on Mar 1, 2014 10:08:47 GMT -4
rcdude been following your posts. I have to say you do some really nice work bud! I have the Topflite giant scale P51 and put this on the shelf about a year ago. I managed to build the rudder, horizontal stabilizer and wings but before I could get to the fuselage build, I got side tracked with Cliff's 737. I have to say I love working with wood... I got the DLE 55, Robart main retracts (Thinking of switching to electrics after seeing how smooth yours were)Sierra tail retract. It's amazing how much you can spend on "accessories" Anxious to see you get this puppy in the air. Keep up the good work.....
|
|
|
Post by rcdude07 on Mar 19, 2014 13:35:41 GMT -4
rcdude been following your posts. I have to say you do some really nice work bud! I have the Topflite giant scale P51 and put this on the shelf about a year ago. I managed to build the rudder, horizontal stabilizer and wings but before I could get to the fuselage build, I got side tracked with Cliff's 737. I have to say I love working with wood... I got the DLE 55, Robart main retracts (Thinking of switching to electrics after seeing how smooth yours were)Sierra tail retract. It's amazing how much you can spend on "accessories" Anxious to see you get this puppy in the air. Keep up the good work..... Thanks. The P-40 has been on the back burner right now. I've been working on a project for GWS US by building their P-38 (free kit for me) in return to sending them at least 10 pictures within 2 months time. GWS US sent me a message on Facebook out of the blue asking to participate in the project, so it was hard to say no. I believe they are working on a new website and these pics will be featured there as well as their social media channels. Fortunately I left off on the P-40 at a good spot and can pick it back up when I get done from the P-38.
|
|
|
Post by Dr. Evil on Mar 21, 2014 7:33:44 GMT -4
rcdude been following your posts. I have to say you do some really nice work bud! I have the Topflite giant scale P51 and put this on the shelf about a year ago. I managed to build the rudder, horizontal stabilizer and wings but before I could get to the fuselage build, I got side tracked with Cliff's 737. I have to say I love working with wood... I got the DLE 55, Robart main retracts (Thinking of switching to electrics after seeing how smooth yours were)Sierra tail retract. It's amazing how much you can spend on "accessories" Anxious to see you get this puppy in the air. Keep up the good work..... Thanks. The P-40 has been on the back burner right now. I've been working on a project for GWS US by building their P-38 (free kit for me) in return to sending them at least 10 pictures within 2 months time. GWS US sent me a message on Facebook out of the blue asking to participate in the project, so it was hard to say no. I believe they are working on a new website and these pics will be featured there as well as their social media channels. Fortunately I left off on the P-40 at a good spot and can pick it back up when I get done from the P-38. Cool, maybe you can post the P38 build on here as well to share.
|
|
|
Post by rcdude07 on Mar 21, 2014 8:24:52 GMT -4
Thanks. The P-40 has been on the back burner right now. I've been working on a project for GWS US by building their P-38 (free kit for me) in return to sending them at least 10 pictures within 2 months time. GWS US sent me a message on Facebook out of the blue asking to participate in the project, so it was hard to say no. I believe they are working on a new website and these pics will be featured there as well as their social media channels. Fortunately I left off on the P-40 at a good spot and can pick it back up when I get done from the P-38. Cool, maybe you can post the P38 build on here as well to share. Done.
|
|
|
Post by rcdude07 on May 12, 2014 8:19:34 GMT -4
Finally cleaned off the build table from the mess made by the GWS project. Laid down some new wax paper, double checked the retracts' alignment, was very happy. Then put the first bit of 30 minute epoxy on the rails, being careful not to glue the retracts in place. Once cured, the retracts come off, I'll add some tri-stock reinforcement (build tip not in the instructions but one learned through the years watching another builder) and do an epoxy fillet.
|
|
|
Post by rcdude07 on May 19, 2014 12:36:31 GMT -4
LG Tri stock reinforcement and epoxy fillet done on Saturday. Sunday: Wrapped up the work on the wings for now. I'll come back to do the sheeting and wing tip blocks after I get all my servo wires routed, servos mock installed, etc... to ensure I don't need to do more work on servo wire holes. Start working on the left flap, which consisted of cutting a sheet of balsa to the proper width, gluing a strip of plywood on the TE, marking all the rib and spar locations, then gluing the LE block on. I stopped here because the instructions then said "glue the Flap Spars in place. They can be cut to shape now or sanded to shape later." I've not found any pre cut balsa spar ribs yet and the strips of balsa that match the width and height dimmensions but are needed for the ailerons. I thought maybe the ribs I cut off the wings for the flaps would be used, but there's not enough of these cut offs. So I'll be hunting and figuring this out, or jumping over to build the ailerons to know how much balsa I'll have left over.
|
|
|
Post by rcdude07 on May 27, 2014 9:56:40 GMT -4
Friday: Was a management directed day off. So more building! Found the precut balsa for the flaps. So the ribs and stringers were glued on and initial sanding (shaping of ribs) done.
Sunday: Started working on the right flap. Got the base together and ribs marked as well as the marks for the stringers. There's going to be a lot of sanding in the TE so I'm planning to send both at the same time. Hence why I stated the build of the right one.
Monday night: Right flap got framed up and is now waiting for sanding. The build went just like the left flap, so no surprises or anything different. I get building time or backyard flying time now that the Bachelorette is back on TV. I can't stand the show but the wife likes it.
|
|