Mein Duff

Hi Joe, I have a 1/4 scale Concept Fleet that I picked up from a friend last year. I have had to rework the struts a few times to get the incidences identical on both wings. One thing I noticed is how indestructible they seem to be with a patch of heavy glass cloth on the joints !...You might want to go that route as well.
Good luck

Fleet

Once assembled, I put 1/8 wood pins and wrapped with carpet thread then epoxied over all. Never had a problem.

jmatusic

My Feedback: (16)

I was going to go the pin route, thanks for the suggestions though. I have used the carpet thread wrap on pushrods and landing gear before,,,sure wouldn't hurt and would look the age.

jmatusic

My Feedback: (16)

Struts finished. They came out pretty nice.

Dave, thanks again for the data. I had to increase length of the strut about half an inch from your drawing. I glassed one side of the strut and double coated the joints with epoxy. They seem tough enough.

Will paint the mounting bolts same color as the struts or may change to black bolt hardware. Also changed out the entire fuel system, new tank, lines, and cleaned the carb. Thanks everyone for your help, especially Dave.

Fleet

Very nice work. 

What did you use for the cockpit coming and spiral wrap? 

Ray W.

dabrown

Don't mention it Joe. The plane looks great and looking at it motivates me to try some of the detailing like the rivets and rib tape.

Right now my fleet is on hold for a few weeks while I rebuild my Drastick that tried to fly through the earth last summer. But I'm almost ready to start covering and need to make a decision on the color scheme and prototype I'm modelling...

Dave

smithcreek

My Feedback: (25)

Has anyone heard from Concept Models lately? I ordered a kit back in March still haven't received it. Emails and phone calls not returned, now his site is gone. I waited as long as possible, I'm pretty patient, but I had to open up a Paypal dispute before the 45 days was up. I was planning on opening the dispute some time this week but when I saw the site disappear I figured now is the time. I'll post here if I get any more info.

Mein Duff

Do you know what kit was used for the cylinders? they look great...I am planning on putting a dummy engine after this flying season..using an inverted Laser 200 engine.

landeck

My Feedback: (1)

It was a Williams Bros. kit used for the dummy cylinders:

http://www.williamsbrothersmodelproducts.com/rc.html

Bruce

Fleet

SmithCreek.... I've tried too with no success.   I hope it is temporary as the past may dictate.

Ray W.

smithcreek

My Feedback: (25)

I talked with Roman Bukholt's wife at Concept Models this morning. She did not ask me to keep this confidential so, Concept Models will no longer be selling kits due to serious health reasons. She told me she would ship my kit minus a few parts and that it would be the last kit they ship. If you are a fan of the Concept Fleet biplane an email to Roman might be nice, let him know his work was appreciated. The email address from the site was [email protected] .

Fleet

Too bad to read.   I hope all works out for them.   Any kits remaining on Ebay or elsewhere will probably go up now.

Ray W.

bassbug62p

Hi Fleet guys, I'm sure some one will come out with 1/4 scale Fleet sooner or later... You run across Concept's Fleet every now & then (kit)... Its a great kit, I have built 2 of them & I have 1 kit unbuilt... One of the best Biplanes out there... Alex

Fleet

I built one and the 3 piece rib and spar box build was not that enjoyable.   Still, I loved it dearly with a Enya 2.40 up front.  I might look for another but I've so much on the boards now.

Ray W.

jmatusic

My Feedback: (16)

Ray, I think the builder used a bicycle inner tube for the cockpit coming and black upholstery thread. I'll try to post close up pictures.

Fleet

Thanks for that.  I wondered about some real fine leather like doe skin or something along those lines.  Stiched up with carpet thread...just pondering.

retransit

My Feedback: (18)

I ordered a Fleet from Roman in April and was notified by his wife that the company was closing. Since I used Paypal, my money was safe and I received a refund.

The reason I ordered one is because I augered my original into the ground. I'm starting a build from the plans I have.

Bob

Planejaw

My Feedback: (53)

Finished covering the fuselage in olive-drab Solartex, complete with "pinked" reinforcements on all corners and joints where the covering was overlapped. Vertical fin/rudder, horizontal stab/elevators also covered in Linen Solartex, along with "pinked" tape all on perimeters and over the ribs in the flying surfaces and fin/stab.

Also included a photo of a reinforcement for the cabane struts that insert in the fuselage. 1/64" plywood, covered with Solartex and added to covering over the holes in the fuselage to give extra reinforcement.

The fuselage will be painted in Rustoleum "Hunter-Green" with the Linen tail feathers/wings being painted in Navajo White spray. Very close to the Linen Solartex color. Will also be painting the landing gear, adding the triangular wood pieces/covering with the green Solartex, then painting the fuselage and empennage.

Final sanding and covering of the wings comes next.

retransit

My Feedback: (18)

I'm in the process of building another Fleet from the plans I have. The problem is that the wing plan is over-used and it has developed creases that sort of compresses the length of anything laid out on the plan (they are over 30 years old). Does anyone have a good set of plans that can be copied? I sent a request to Roman Bukholt's wife, but haven't received an answer yet.

Bob

Mein Duff

Coming along nicely ! That pinking tape looks great. I have been flying the heck out of mine recently and am ready for my first competition in two weeks. Finally have the bugs worked out of the Saito 220...was running too rich and kept conking out on me....7 dead sticks out of 10 flights...with resulting damage...
I have noticed that the rudder is very effective and need to dial in some expo for smoother flying. Also have maximum deflection now on ailerons in both direction and rolls are getting easier but still slower than I would prefer (I know it's not an aerobatic plane)..

Even with about 3 degrees ( positive) of elevator I still need a few degrees down trim to get her to fly level.
I don't have any engine down thrust built in...

Hope you have her ready for summer fun soon

Planejaw

My Feedback: (53)

Thanks for the note Duff.

Yes, hoping to have her ready to fly no later than the end of the Summer. I've had this one under construction now for over 2 1/2 years, so my plan is to have it done before the end of this flying season. I've had a lot of projects in-between, but I really want to get it finished up with. Will be curious to see how the balance comes out with the Fuji 43 in the nose. I've got a spare DA-50 laying around, but that would be just too much for her. I also may use a radial cowl, as I saw one photo of a Fleet that had a full cowl around the cylinders.

I too have built mine as per plans, with no down or right thrust in the firewall. I'm used to flying tail-draggers and helis, so no stranger to dancing on the rudder "pedals" as it were. Good to know about the rudder and ailerons as well as the horizontal stabilizer trim. Going to set my wings and horizontal stab at 0-0-0 for the initial flights and see where everything goes. Would like to end up with a couple positive degrees in the upper wing (allowing it to stall first), but we'll have to see. Sounds like negative incidence in the horizontal stab is common for this ship. Guess I'll need to be ready to add down-trim on that first flight.

Every Saito I've ever had has needed to have the slow-speed needle dialed in from the factory setting. Have had a few dead-sticks with a Saito 150 before and learned the hard way.

Planejaw

My Feedback: (53)

Bob, where would be a good place to get the plans copied for you? Do you know of anyone that will copy something that large? If we can locate a service to do that, I'll donate my plans for a copy for you.

retransit

My Feedback: (18)

Thanks for the reply.

I've use Fedex-Kinko's before and it worked out nicely. Try this locator:

http://www.fedex.com/Dropoff/start?&cmp=KNC-1000441-1-1-950-0010000-US-US-EN-ZZGFXOSTORELOCA&x=1&s_kwcid=TC|16501|fedex%20kinko's||S|e|9709659315

Bob

retransit

My Feedback: (18)

John, this is what I found:

FedEx Kinko's is now
FedEx Office Print & Ship Center
5730 S Westnedge Ave
Portage, MI 49002
(269) 344-7445

Also a map:

http://www.fedex.com/Dropoff/Locatio...0&partyIndex=0

Bob

Planejaw

My Feedback: (53)

I believe I know exactly where this one is...right across the street from a Bob Evans Restaurant that I frequent. Are you looking only for the plan sheets for the wings?