Ram-bro

My Feedback: (101)

you can tell those who dont know you can replicate a restoration or a warbird.hehehe, I like it

FireBee

My Feedback: (34)

John,
Im subscribed. Looking great so far

Can you tell me what glue did you used for the Dummy cowl mounts to the cowl in post 9?

ROGER RUSSELL

My Feedback: (12)

John:
Tell them just that.....or

"That was after a 6 pack and thought I did pretty good"

raptureboy

It's hard to believe that this plane isso old and still in such great shape. It looks real good now but still a little dissipointed you did not go through with the spooky theme. It sure would have been cool to see and hear the mini guns, night fire with those babieswas like watching a lazer beam coming out of the sky followed by a sound that I can only describe as a giant fart.

John Redman

My Feedback: (8)

Mike, glue is BVM Aeropoxy. Works great and never lets go.

I like your thought Roger.

Yea, I had to weigh the options on the trim scheme. I just did not think I could make the entire back of the fuse with the mini guns in the time I had with the other projects I would like to complete during the winter.

Greg Wright

My Feedback: (6)

+1

JeffH

My Feedback: (43)

Now those stripes take self control! I have often wanted to do a plane with the scale broom stripes, but I have painted too many pattern/sport planes. My eyes just will not let my brain do the right thing. I think it looks great and I applaud you!

FireBee

My Feedback: (34)

Here is picture of spit ground crew, probable after a keg of beer and not just a six pack.

Adding: John, thanks for the areopoxy glue name. I will buy some and use.

John Redman

My Feedback: (8)

Yep JeffH, it was hard. We spent the better part of our modeling career learning texhniquea to paint perfect and light. Now I need to paint like I was 8 years old again.

Thanks for the compliments guys.

rc74

My Feedback: (6)

Your restoring is looking good. I am about half was into the rebuild of my C-47 after a crash this spring when the new NKS alerion servos locked up and put it into a spin. Tail section still good , right wing untouched, left wing some light damage, both engine cranks bent.

ROGER RUSSELL

My Feedback: (12)

John I do not mean to hijack your thread,

to rc74
BUT, is this a ZIROLI, if so, where do you get the fiberglass nose cone.
Thanks

CK1

My Feedback: (60)

Nick Z sells the fiberglass nose

John Redman

My Feedback: (8)

No worries Roger. Yep, Ziroli has the nose.

@rc74, I have a question. And this is not meant to upset you or anyone but looking at your model she looks beautiful. Why would you install a non-brand servo in a model of this type? The amount of work for the build and time is valuable. I am saying using some more name brand servos like JR, Futbab, Hitec, Airtonics for example. These companies test and develope servos for the long run.

DGUY

My Feedback: (9)

John I like it ...Good work!!

John Redman

My Feedback: (8)

Was able to get some more work done on the big C-47 this past week and weekend. I have begun the new tail surface control system installation and sanding of the fuselage. The model will use JR 9411HV's on each elevator and rudder. Should be fine compared to the archaic system that was in the model before. Servos are now mounted in the bottom of the stabs and on the side of the vertical. This model is not a show piece and I prefer a more positive control for the flight surfaces. We found this past year at Indiana Warbirds in one of my passes the rudder was only deflected over about 1/4 of an inch on the model with the right wing panel up in a 50 degree bank with the transmitter stick fully deflected. When we landed we found we were able to hold the rudder in place while deflecting the rudder stick all the way over to one side or the other. We were holding the back bottom 1/4 insh of the rudder. The model had an 8611A on the rudder with the stock system.

The issue is that the current tiller arm that resides inside the fuselage is so short and it kills the torque to the rudder. Also I believe the contraption of a bellcrank system in front of the horizontal stab that was in my model was a unique pile of dung!!! The pushrod wire was also that of soft crap. That system is gone and the new system is very strong in the torque world.

Now before everyone says the stock system is fine let me say, it very well might be. It is just that the system that was used in my model had very soft wire which was bending under load, and the tiny tiller arm on the rudder torque rod that was about 1/2" from the pivot position gives minimal movement under heavy airloads. In normal flight the model was fine, but I did find that lack of rudder movement under some rather unique flight loads for a C-47 was frustrating. From the 3 foot high inverted passes, spins, rolls, and point rolls I needed more rudder. So we went to work.

pic #1 shows the bellcrank contraption that lived in front of the horizontal stab for rudder control. I believe he did this to use one servo for the rudder and tailwheel steering.

pic #2 shows the new servo mount for the rudder. Made of 1/8 ply and a BVM servo mount the 9411 is mounted and still removable once installed.

pic #3 shows the 9411 mount installed in the left side of the rudder.

pic #4 shows the servo and pushrod hooked up being tested. Right now it is a solid threaded rod. I use this as a tool to get the correct length pushrod and will make the actual pushrod from carbon tube. The servo cover is .010 G-10 fiberglass.

I now have a good 3 inches of rudder travel at the trailing edge. Plenty strong and moves under load.

John Redman

My Feedback: (8)

I had to make control horns for the rudder and elevator with the new control system. The new placement of the elevator servos dictated this and of course the new rudder servo position as well. The control horns are made from .080 thick G-10 material. Here you can see one ready to install. The holes in the base are for a better glueing adhesion into the model when epoxied in place.

John Redman

My Feedback: (8)

Next was the elevator system and this uses (2) JR 9411HV servos; one for each elevator half. Servo mounts are the same as the rudder and the covers will be .010 G-10 when complete. The control horns are glued in with 15 minute epoxy and the threaded rods to get the actual length pushrods to be made out of carbon tube.

John Redman

My Feedback: (8)

Here is a picture of all the wood and crap that I removed from the fuselage. There was a large number of pieces that were inside the model that are more for the building system than for structural integrity. I removed all of this. Also the old servo mounts in the fuselage are now gone as are the huge solid pushrods that used to control the rudder and elevators. The total wieght from this pile was 12 ounces. I installed 4.5 ounces of servos in the tail and believe the CG will be very close with what I removed.

John Redman

My Feedback: (8)

The next step was to begin scuffing the fuselage for the new paint job. All I am doing is scuffing the model with 120 grit paper and filling all the hangar rash. Most all is done and the next step will be a light coat of PPG K-36 primer to see where the fuse is sitting stage wise and what else needs to be done.

If everything is clsoe we will fill a few minor imperfections and then shoot the final prime coat before adding rivets and paint. Hoping to complete the fuse paint before the end of January.

rc74

My Feedback: (6)

Got mine is back up on her feet this weekend. The left wing and the engines yet to be repaired

JPate147

For what it is worth, I too use fully threaded rods to make short pushrods. After everything is sized and correct, I measure, cut, and slip a 1/8 inch (ID) carbon fiber tube over the exposed threads of the rod and tighten the ball links down snug. It makes for a perfect fit and I have never had one fail. I always install the servo close to the control surface, so the rods are short and virtually unbreakable.

John Redman

My Feedback: (8)

Totally agree with you on the pushrods you describe JPate147.

After all my pattern years I have become a big fan of the Central Hobbies pushrod system due to its incredible strength and very light weight.

RC74, glad to hear you got yours back up on its feet. Another step forward! The plane is huge and just seems to never end.

rc74

My Feedback: (6)

Took a while to find out how to upload pics from I cloud. Minor wing repair left to do, then it becomes a ARF

FireBee

My Feedback: (34)

John,
Tthe new pushrod/servo set up is looking good and as you said will hold up under flight pressure and for a good long time. I to switched over to the JR 9411 in the lower stab to drive the elevators on my ever so slow Vally Huuricane. I will have to go back and add the CF rod or look into the Central hobbies method you use.

RC74, would appreciate a pic as you finalize the landing light arrangement. My question is do you need some type of sub leading edge between wing ribs (either balsa or ply) to carry the load across the light opening?
r,
Mike

rc74

My Feedback: (6)

Mike Here is a pic of the landing light mount. Once it's sheathed it is solid as can be. Ron