pd1

Cees, It looks like I mis-read your intent.
But I still wonder what you dislike about the new airfoil he chose.
I think part of the fun of building your own models is trying new things, some work well and some not so well.
All contribute to one's own knowledge.



Merry Christmas,
Paul

8178

My Feedback: (17)

RG,

Thanks for the interesting link on the Falcon. I resisted using plastic films for many years because I liked working with silk and dope. Nothing nicer than a good silk and dope finish.

8178

My Feedback: (17)

I’ve been working on my parts list and hope to pick up some of the stuff at the local hobby shop tomorrow so I can get started on the wing and fuselage. I’ll be doing the old school process of cutting the parts by hand.

To be continued…

edp

My Feedback: (5)

Here is my Skylark 56 MkII I built in '81 before I went into the Navy,. I did fit retracts into it but never flew it. I wa told by my Dad that it flew like a missle. I did put on a Kaos style tail for better spin manouvers.

Nieuport nut

My Feedback: (10)

I think the basis for Cees' question is that a laminar airfoil needs a sheeted airfoil to take advantage of it's design. With the open structure, the airfoil between the ribs sometimes approaches a diamond section! See Martin Simmonds book for lots on airfoil use in models and the effects of differing structures. Truth is, keep the wing loading low enough and almost anything works.

Martin

8178

My Feedback: (17)

I have a similar airfoil on another aircraft with an open structure wing that I designed and built back in 1976. It is still flying, does it well and has proven its self through the test of time over the last 36 years. Like you say Martin if the airframe is light enough it hardly matters, besides I like it. Not to worry! If this Skylark only flies for 36 years that would be great especially if I’m still around to fly it!!

8178

My Feedback: (17)

Went by the hobby shop and picked up a few items but as usual I’ll need to order some of the stuff.

I glued Tony’s wing template drawing to a piece of 1/8” aircraft plywood and cut out my wing rib cutting template. I cut to the outside of the drawing lines and sand to the final edge. Although sighting the lines by eye is important I find that running my finger along the edge is a really good way to make sure the curve is constant without dips, etc. I then coated the plywood edge with some super glue and sanded it smooth. The nails are used to hold the balsa layers as I cut a few stacked wing ribs at a time.

To be continued…


Guess things at RCU have not improved!!!! Can’t upload the images!!


They finally got it fixed. It is so frustrating posting stuff on this site.

8178

My Feedback: (17)

Using the plywood rib template as a saw guide I cut the 28 required wing ribs from light 3/32” balsa. I cut four at a time and give edges a light standing while they are still attached to the template.

I use my old (late 60s vintage) reliable Dremel Moto Shop saw for this type of work. It has the cast aluminum table used on the early production models and it makes a nice platform for moving the parts around as you are doing precise cutting.

To be continued…

R_G

My Feedback: (1)

That's a very nice looking pile of ribs!

RG

8178

My Feedback: (17)

Working on the wing.

To be continued…

8178

My Feedback: (17)

More wing work.

To be continued…

8178

My Feedback: (17)

Working on the horizontal stab rib templates. I’m reducing the stock airfoil ribs 1/16” on the top and bottom so I can change the design to an open frame D tube with cap strips. I’m also cutting 1/4” off the back of the ribs so I can increase the elevator cord by 1/4” for a total of 1 1/2”.

The stab ribs are scattered around on a number of different di-cut sheets so it was interesting locating them, tracing them, reinserting them in the sheet and then getting everything back in the box correctly.

To be continued…

crigotti

My Feedback: (3)

Here's a pdf of my Falcon 56 ribs that I used on my project. You can use them as a comparison.

8178

My Feedback: (17)

Thanks crigotti. I would think your templates will be helpful for someone building it to spec. My ribs are smaller because I’m doing a D tube.

8178

My Feedback: (17)

Preparing to cut the horizontal stab ribs in a stack of two and the cut out ribs.

To be continued…

doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

Great build thus far Mike!

But then again, this is no news to anyone...

David

8178

My Feedback: (17)

Working on the Horizontal stab. Decided to wait until I put the main parts of the structure together before cutting slots for the D tube spar. Trying to decide if I want the spars parallel with the leading edge, cord or somewhere in-between. The stab needs to be absolutely true/square and although the structure is simple it was challenging to build it square.

The leading edge in the center is braced with a 1/8” plywood triangle epoxied to the leading edge.

To be continued…

8178

My Feedback: (17)

Thanks for the kind comments David. Coming from a craftsman like you it is very meaningful. There is something about cutting all your own parts, fitting them together and having it all come together into an awesome flying machine is really appealing to me.

skrchbldr

Hi, I just started to follow this thread as I am about 1 month into a scratch build of the original Goldberg Skylark. I am building it as the twin option and installing 2 O.S. 20's for power. Here's a couple of pix that show the progress so far.

Jim B

My Feedback: (3)

My first plane was a Falcon 56 with "rubber banded" stab and fin assembly. State of the art, Testors/McCoy series 21 0.35, guided by a "gold/green colored case" Blue Max radio. I'm sure though, my memories fly much better than the actual model/radio did? My son constantly reminds me of how "crude" our equipment was back then. I remeber covering it using my mother's clothes iron, monokote red and black, just like the box.

Doc B.

8178

My Feedback: (17)

Working on the stab sheeting.

To be continued…

8178

My Feedback: (17)

Thanks for posting your project and pictures. Looks like great minds think alike! Let’s see, I still have my two NIB Webra 32s!

8178

My Feedback: (17)

Small world, my son soloed on a Flacon 56.

dhal22

Nice to see other comments on this classic. Enjoying the build Mike, thx.

8178

My Feedback: (17)

Messed up a bit and missed taking a picture of a epoxied in place 2 1/4” X 1 1/4” X 3/16” plywood piece that spans ribs 1 between ribs 2 and above the lower D tube spars (the center section). There is a filler piece between the plywood on the lower sheeting. I put the plywood piece in to use as part of the stab mounting system if I decide to bolt it to the fuselage. The plywood will be drilled and threaded for a nylon mounting bolt and there will be at dowel at the front and back of the stab to be used as alignment keys.

Working on the rib cap strips. I cut these just a smidge long so they are a very tight fit to eliminate having a glue seams at the sheeting edge. Also because I’m trying to use as much of my existing wood supply as possible I ended up adding a 1/8” piece to the leading edge to get the shape I wanted. Thinking about using built up sheeted elevators.

To be continued…