RodneyFord

This project has been on hold due to work commitments. However I am unemployed for a while hopefully.
Time to build the wings. First worked out the sheeting plan. Most sheeting parallel to the trailing edge and one sheet parallel with the leading edge.

RodneyFord

Graded my wood for equal weights per panel. It is a gram a sheet too heavy but I will sand them to weight later.
Straightened all the edges with a sandpaper backed straight edge then sanded them.

RodneyFord

Taped the sheets together and then glued them with aliphatic.

RodneyFord

Had to extend the LE sheeting. BTW the glue bottle has a V cutout to hold the edge while applying the glue.

Anthony-RCU

My Feedback: (2)

The convention is to keep the grain parallel to the leading edge to improve flexibility around the airfoil and prevent splitting.

RodneyFord

The single sheet at the LE pretty much does it. Sometimes I will do it the other way with a single sheet parallel with the TE for the ailerons. Due to the wing taper it works better for me this way.

RodneyFord

Made the horizontal and vertical stabiliser skins too so I can seal inside of them with dope at the same time.

RodneyFord

Haven't painted for a while so it was good to get the gun out again and start getting my hand back in. Put on 2 coats of dope sanded in between. Tinted the dope with a little colour (Green) for a visual indication of coverage. Sealing the inside surface of the skins stops the epoxy I will be using to glue them too the cores from soaking into the balsa. This reduces weight and promotes bonding. Hair spray will also work and is easier but I like the traditional materials. Started preparing the wing cores for bagging.

RodneyFord

I sorted out the riblet shapes and spar hole position in Profili Pro. The dihedral is half way between zero and having the top surface of the wing flat. Did some test cuts first. I like to add some 5mm balsa to the riblets for a little more surface area.

RodneyFord

Sheeted the cores. I used epoxy and vacuum bagged them. Wings 320gm each (a bit heavy I suppose but in the ball park). Tail surfaces 55gm each.

RodneyFord

Made a fixture to hold the fuselage in position to set up the horizontal stabiliser. This is just a false tail post with a hole for access. In the first image you can make out the laser line I used to get the tube position.

RodneyFord

Made an adjustable fixture to hold the stab in position. Four different measurements to get right.

RodneyFord

Setting up the wings with more fixtures. I'm setting it up as per Brian Hebert's triangular trimming method. 0.5 degree down thrust 0.5 degrees positive incidence on the wings and 0 on the stabs.

RodneyFord

Glued in the front motor mount. Front plate is for clamping and alignment and will be discarded. Wing doughnuts are glued in too. They will get some carbon reinforcement.

RodneyFord

Got the UC mounting plate in along with carbon reinforcement. It will also have some reinforcing formers front and back. I'm going to use these legs I made a while ago for another project.

RodneyFord

Installed the UC formers. I developed the shapes by trial and error with the band saw and (mostly) the disc sander.

RodneyFord

Stab anti rotation pin 4mm carbon tube.


Got a carbon arrow for the wing anti rotation pins. I glued them in one piece to keep them square and will cut them off when the glue dries.

RodneyFord

Got the ply plates in for mounting the incidence adjusters on. Designed and printed the incidence adjusters in ABS Poly-carbonate alloy, this stuff is incredibly tough.



Laminated the tail post from 5mm balsa and glued it in. Also got the ply/carbon tail wheel leg mount in.

RodneyFord

A six week adventure to Europe intervened but back into it now. Starting to look like an aeroplane now.

RodneyFord

Let's see, what have I missed. Foam core rudder. 2 pieces of foam cut on the CNC foam cutter. Vac bagged as usual. I added a bevel to the tail post as well.

RodneyFord

Got the battery tray supports in and started on the rear motor mount. Got the hatch fitted with front dowel and rear latch.

RodneyFord

Made a tail wheel assembly. 6mm nylon bolt that screws into threaded hardwood plug glued into the bottom of the tail post. Made the little 5mm diameter collars on the lathe.

flywilly

My Feedback: (121)

Great build thread, Rodney. I've missed seeing updates. Looking forward to seeing the finished airplane get airborne!

RodneyFord

Cheers Flywilly. Hopefully they don't offer me another film contract for a while.

Got wing servo mounts in and capped the trailing edges. Also some smart***** at work got to my straight edge.

flywilly

My Feedback: (121)

That's the kind of thing I would do...