Prekin

My Feedback: (19)

After some hours I´ve done the instrument panel. The final form is in the first picture.
The gun sight is made from the three pieces as well as the rear mirror. The rear mirror was easier then the gun sight. It is composed from two tubes with various diameters and from one piece of hard paper.

The gun sight was a little bit more difficult, because it is very small part for the filing. The optic lentil I made from the drip of the epoxy glue. This drip I drop on the silver base.

Prekin

My Feedback: (19)

I´ve done all works before the painting. I added some rivets and I chose the paint scheme. It will be in the P. Rakov´s colours from the summer 1944. It is in the last picture.

djmoose

My Feedback: (4)

Did anyone have problems seating the wing in the saddle? I'm at the point where I'm drilling the holes for the front dowels. However, I'm trying to line the center of the wing (crease of the two wing halves) to the center of the fuse. However, there is almost no position where the wing sits nice and flat.

If I get it square to the fuse, will tightening the wing down with the bolts help "seat" the wing properly?

Prekin

My Feedback: (19)

Hi djmoose,
I didn´t have any problem with seating the wing. I had ESM Stuka, and as same as La-7 it was without problems. Small problems I had with the CMP airplanes.

djmoose

My Feedback: (4)

Ok, I'm fitting a Zenoah G38 and I wanted some opinions.

The stock muffler is small and has louvers with no pipes to direct the exhaust. However, the G38 is kind of large and I can't really move it forward much. (it's already going to be at around 170mm from the firewall. (manual says 160mm, but I can just mount the cowl 10mm forward...and I just looked, and I dont think I can move the cowl more forward then that)

If I stick with the stock muffler, I can just open up the cowl entirely behind the cylinder so the muffler is right there and above open air.

It's either that, or I try to get a pitts...but they're all thicker...so I would have to chop up the firewall/fuse which I don't want to do.

I don't think there is a wrap-around pitts for the G38. (like was done with the DA-50R earlier in this thread)

Thoughts? Thanks in advance!

Prekin

My Feedback: (19)

In my opinion G 38 is good choice. From my experience with ESM Ju-87 and CMP Zero 50cc, it is better to move the CG cca 10mm before the manual position. So if you move the engine 10mm forward you won´t do any bad thing. The cowl has overhang over the fuselage, there is some space for move with the cowl.

djmoose

My Feedback: (4)

Awesome, thanks for the info.

I have two more questions:

1. The dowels in the front of the wing. About how much dowel do you recommend extending in front of the wing? Right now I have some extending into the wing enough so the wheel liners don't hit them. There wouldn't be a problem having an inch or so extending into the fuse? Did anyone trim their dowels down at all?

2. The wing bolt blind nuts. Does anyone have a trick to get them seated nicely? I have them most of the way in, but not completely seated. I don't want to use the wing to seat them (just tightening to bring up the blind nuts) as I'm cautious of crushing/damaging the wing...but maybe I shouldn't be. It appears that it's all wood in the wing and saddle where the wing bolts go through. Is everyone just doing that? Should I get a block of wood and duplicate the angle of the saddle and tighten down that way? I could also just find some smaller bolts and use a washer.

Thanks for your input, everyone.

Prekin

My Feedback: (19)

Now I´m not at home, so I can´t to say it exactly, but I remember, I follow the ESM´s manual.
For the seating I have one "trick". I measure the position and make one bigger hole. After that I make a small tube from piece of paper which fits on the dowel and it will be in the fuselage. I spread the wax on the dowel. The big hole for the paper tube and the dowel I flood by epoxy. Last step: put the paper tube on the dowel and seat the wing.
After some minutes you will have perfect seat for dowels.

My English is not very good and I´m not sure if I understand all of yours questions. Could you rewrite it, please? Please use short and simple sentences.

And last note. The dowels are in the leading edge and bolt is the same as a screw, am I right?
If I understand right, you have problems with the seating the wing, exactly with the holes for the dowels and screws. Is it right?

djmoose

My Feedback: (4)

Yes, I have two separate questions.

The wooden dowels or pegs in the front or leading edge of the wing. I'm curious how long people are leaving these and if anyone is trimming them down. This one isn't as big of a deal.

My other question was about seating the blind nuts for the wing bolts. Your trick is really interesting and I'll look into it. My issue is setting these blind nuts with angles. The wood in the fuse is angled as well as the "seat" for the wing, so there is no easy way to drive the blind nuts in without the wing. If I used smaller 4mm bolts to pull the blind nuts up into their wood...because of the angle of the "seat" I will probably mess up the angle of the blind nut...and then it won't align with the real wing bolt with the wing on.

I appreciate your help!

Prekin

My Feedback: (19)

The answer on the first question I will give you on this Friday when I will be back at home.

If I understand the second question you ask how to make the holes into the wood nuts?
I don´t know if the wing has already had the holes for the bolts. If they are there, seat (put down on the fuselage) the wing and make holes into the nuts trough the hole which are prepared in the wing. The nuts have to be stick in the fuselage.

Here are some new pictures of the remake my ESM La-7 into the La-5FN.

SU-31 flyer

Just to let you know B&B Specialties make a nice muffler for that engine that is slim. Here is the standard http://www.bennettbuilt.com/shop/Muf...h_38_ZP38.html and they also have a smoke muffler for it.

SU-31 flyer

http://www.bennettbuilt.com

On the first address their should be an _ in the spaces that the line is missing up.

Prekin

My Feedback: (19)

Hi djmoose,
as I promised, I will answer on your first question. So, the dowels in the leading edge are 2cm (cca 1") long. Here are the pictures.

djmoose

My Feedback: (4)

Thanks Prekin. I have the wing mounted and now will be moving on to the rest of the fuse.

Prekin

My Feedback: (19)

OK, so I´m awaiting some pictures from you.

Here are some new pictures. The highlighting of the rivets and sheeting which is necessary.

Prekin

My Feedback: (19)

Now I am in the most difficult part of the painting. I have to mask the stars and flashes. The stars are red for now, but in the few days they will have yellow edges. And the Lavochkin will get yellow "8" of course.

AZThud

She is looking good thanks for sharing,

Cheers

Prekin

My Feedback: (19)

So, left side is almost done. Number and yellow edges. Now I have to make right side and wear out.

Plano78

My Feedback: (39)

Gentlemen,

Just beautiful work!

A few months ago in a moment of total stupidity I cartwheeled my ESM LA-7 on take off. I still regret that day, until then she flew like a scalded cat with a DLE-55 on board. May have to get another one, she was my favorite.

Prekin

My Feedback: (19)

The cartwheel on the take off is also dangerous for. The maiden flight could be one big disaster. Here a link for the one flight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E11DCuiT5w

BJ64

Exquisite, Prekin.

A real work of art

Will an ASP FS400AR 5cyl fit one of these things, or is the cowl too small?

BJ

Prekin

My Feedback: (19)

Thank you very much BJ
I don´t know the dimensions of this ASP engine. But I can measure the diameter of the cowl if you want.

BJ64

That would be great if you could, Prekin.

Love the LA-7, but I'm not sure the ASP 400 will fit without a lot of modification to the cowl section.

I'm in two minds here - the 80" ESM LA-7, or the Top Flite 85" FW 190.

Both look like terrifc Birds - getting either one of them down here seems to be a major mission.

$-wise, the LA-7 will work out to be around AU$600, the TF FW 190 around $1,200. (airframe only in both cases).

Out of the 2, the LA-7 would be something quite unique, but I'm not sure my motor would suit it. The FW probably will.

Can't work out what to do - both are not easy to get, and could pan out to 3-4 months wait.

In the mean time, I'll keep reading the LA-7 and FW 190 threads.

My preference at the moment would be for the Lavochkin - what a remarkable looking aircraft. And something different. Though I do like the FW 190 too. *sigh*

Really enjoying your build posts - keep 'em coming


BJ

Prekin

My Feedback: (19)

The diameter of the cowl is 240mm and diameter of the fuselage is 215mm. They are in the pictures.

I´m not sure, if I understand very well, but you´ve just had ASP 400 and now you are looking for some airplane, is it right?
You are thinking between the ESM La-7 and TF FW-190. You are not sure about the size of the La-7´s cowl, but FW-1900 is expensive, isn´t it?

The other possibility is ESM 82,5" FW-190D. I saw it with the RCGF 50 TWIN .

Prekin

My Feedback: (19)

Base painting is done. Tomorrow I will start the wear out. It will be the most pleasing activity.
The next plane must be a Bf-109 in the Barknohrn´s paint scheme.