New Yellow F/A-18 Build Project
#27
Thread Starter
RE: New Yellow F/A-18 Build Project
Hi,
I think it's going to take me as much time to clear out my shop and dust off my 'full build table' than it will to build the jet!
I'm building this one for single ops just for weight savings. With an engine as light as the K180, I will definitely be able to get this bird to build out to 35 pounds or less, RTF minus fuel. That will make her a KITE to land. That means less fatigue on the airframe with each landing, and a generally easier to fly jet.
I've seen guys to LE flaps on this bird, but not really with the newer wings. The front spar goes out far enough to be pretty close to the LE, so for it to be safe, you'd have to re-engineer the wing. Those would look cool, but they're certainly not needed for slow landings.
I think it's going to take me as much time to clear out my shop and dust off my 'full build table' than it will to build the jet!
I'm building this one for single ops just for weight savings. With an engine as light as the K180, I will definitely be able to get this bird to build out to 35 pounds or less, RTF minus fuel. That will make her a KITE to land. That means less fatigue on the airframe with each landing, and a generally easier to fly jet.
I've seen guys to LE flaps on this bird, but not really with the newer wings. The front spar goes out far enough to be pretty close to the LE, so for it to be safe, you'd have to re-engineer the wing. Those would look cool, but they're certainly not needed for slow landings.
#28
My Feedback: (23)
RE: New Yellow F/A-18 Build Project
ORIGINAL: YellowAircraft
Hi,
I think it's going to take me as much time to clear out my shop and dust off my 'full build table' than it will to build the jet!
I'm building this one for single ops just for weight savings. With an engine as light as the K180, I will definitely be able to get this bird to build out to 35 pounds or less, RTF minus fuel. That will make her a KITE to land. That means less fatigue on the airframe with each landing, and a generally easier to fly jet.
I've seen guys to LE flaps on this bird, but not really with the newer wings. The front spar goes out far enough to be pretty close to the LE, so for it to be safe, you'd have to re-engineer the wing. Those would look cool, but they're certainly not needed for slow landings.
Hi,
I think it's going to take me as much time to clear out my shop and dust off my 'full build table' than it will to build the jet!
I'm building this one for single ops just for weight savings. With an engine as light as the K180, I will definitely be able to get this bird to build out to 35 pounds or less, RTF minus fuel. That will make her a KITE to land. That means less fatigue on the airframe with each landing, and a generally easier to fly jet.
I've seen guys to LE flaps on this bird, but not really with the newer wings. The front spar goes out far enough to be pretty close to the LE, so for it to be safe, you'd have to re-engineer the wing. Those would look cool, but they're certainly not needed for slow landings.
I have been thinking of doing another one of these, but doing up a set of Composite wings that utilze the LE flaps and all the scale hinging for the flaps/ailerons.. with a set of composite wings, I'm betting you could modify the forward spar to clear the LE flaps pretty easily
#29
Thread Starter
RE: New Yellow F/A-18 Build Project
Hi,
I'm sure you're right. It's amazing how little of the wing is left on the FS bird when you move the hinged parts away.
I'm sure you're right. It's amazing how little of the wing is left on the FS bird when you move the hinged parts away.
#30
My Feedback: (3)
RE: New Yellow F/A-18 Build Project
I think part of my fascination with the Hornet are the wings so to see a model fully operational is pretty cool. Ca-mon give into the peer pressure and build in LE flaps! Lol
True about the wings as you said, once you take away the moving parts its like half gone! How strong must that wing structure be on the FS bird!
True about the wings as you said, once you take away the moving parts its like half gone! How strong must that wing structure be on the FS bird!
#31
My Feedback: (23)
RE: New Yellow F/A-18 Build Project
ORIGINAL: Chris Nicastro
I think part of my fascination with the Hornet are the wings so to see a model fully operational is pretty cool. Ca-mon give into the peer pressure and build in LE flaps! Lol
True about the wings as you said, once you take away the moving parts its like half gone! How strong must that wing structure be on the FS bird!
I think part of my fascination with the Hornet are the wings so to see a model fully operational is pretty cool. Ca-mon give into the peer pressure and build in LE flaps! Lol
True about the wings as you said, once you take away the moving parts its like half gone! How strong must that wing structure be on the FS bird!
If i remember correctly, theres 30-40 bolts per wing edge (IE 30-40 on the top, and another set on the bottom) holding the wings to the fuse...
#37
My Feedback: (40)
RE: New Yellow F/A-18 Build Project
ORIGINAL: YellowAircraft
I'm building this one for single ops just for weight savings. With an engine as light as the K180, I will definitely be able to get this bird to build out to 35 pounds or less, RTF minus fuel. That will make her a KITE to land. That means less fatigue on the airframe with each landing, and a generally easier to fly jet.
I'm building this one for single ops just for weight savings. With an engine as light as the K180, I will definitely be able to get this bird to build out to 35 pounds or less, RTF minus fuel. That will make her a KITE to land. That means less fatigue on the airframe with each landing, and a generally easier to fly jet.
#41
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RE: New Yellow F/A-18 Build Project
Guess I'll chime in on that one. Main gear are barely started. I haven't even finished the nose gear. I am going to do this in stages. For stage 1 the parts for the nosegear are done with the exception of decals, but after I am done with the mains I will go back and start doing the small details like actuator rods. Its been aloooottt of work, but I'm happy so far. Cool thing is the parts are sleves which means they slip on over the existing gear. Simple install and you can move them from plane to plane. They also only weigh a couple of ounces at most. Landing light is functional. The lense in the picture is just my plug, the finished one will have a clear lense. I don't think I'll go as far as Paul did, I just wanted to fix the only "weak spot" on my plane which was the bird legs. Glad ya'll approve.
#44
My Feedback: (23)
RE: New Yellow F/A-18 Build Project
ORIGINAL: FenderBean
are the comp wings and new thing? I thought they were sheeted wood before?
are the comp wings and new thing? I thought they were sheeted wood before?
#45
Thread Starter
RE: New Yellow F/A-18 Build Project
Hi,
So, on my off-time, I started doing some prep work on this. I've snapped the plywood parts out of their sheets and assembled the stab bearing boxes. Nothing fancy there. I've seen a few guys build this bird and redo this section or add a bunch of reinforcement to it, but it's totally unnecessary if assembled per instructions. Contrary to the instructions, though, the bearing boxes will be glued to the bulkheads outside of the airplane and shoved back there and glued in place when cured.
I pulled out the other bulkheads to ponder mods. For the twin-turbine ones I've built, I added a 1/8" carbon plate doubler to the front and back of the front main bulkhead, but those bulkheads had far less meat to them as they were cut to accommodate twin inlets. This one is plenty good-to-go for single turbine use, especially since it already has an additional 1/8" ply doubler factor installed.
The rear main bulkhead comes with a supplied 1/8" aluminum doubler which is epoxied and bolted onto the 1/4" ply bulkhead.
The stab shafts are 8mm titanium with a steel cross-pin. The cross-pin slides into a slot cut into the (very wide) hard balsa block which is glued into the balsa-sheeted foam-core stab. There's an 8-oz carbon cloth sandwiched between the balsa and the foam in the stab too. When the stab root is capped with ply, the root side of the cross-pin is encapsulated between the balsa block and the ply root with epoxy, too. The result is a stab which 'ain't goin' nowhere', and will never develop slop or play in the shaft.
I'm going to use the scale aileron and flap hinges, which are a lot bigger than I thought they were. The go through the bottom skin, the balsa I'll insert in the wings and all the way to the top skin. Each flap and aileron only has two hinges per (scale).
Note the strategic use of honeycomb in my tail bulkheads, inspired by recent scientific discoveries regarding proper tail-section design.
So, on my off-time, I started doing some prep work on this. I've snapped the plywood parts out of their sheets and assembled the stab bearing boxes. Nothing fancy there. I've seen a few guys build this bird and redo this section or add a bunch of reinforcement to it, but it's totally unnecessary if assembled per instructions. Contrary to the instructions, though, the bearing boxes will be glued to the bulkheads outside of the airplane and shoved back there and glued in place when cured.
I pulled out the other bulkheads to ponder mods. For the twin-turbine ones I've built, I added a 1/8" carbon plate doubler to the front and back of the front main bulkhead, but those bulkheads had far less meat to them as they were cut to accommodate twin inlets. This one is plenty good-to-go for single turbine use, especially since it already has an additional 1/8" ply doubler factor installed.
The rear main bulkhead comes with a supplied 1/8" aluminum doubler which is epoxied and bolted onto the 1/4" ply bulkhead.
The stab shafts are 8mm titanium with a steel cross-pin. The cross-pin slides into a slot cut into the (very wide) hard balsa block which is glued into the balsa-sheeted foam-core stab. There's an 8-oz carbon cloth sandwiched between the balsa and the foam in the stab too. When the stab root is capped with ply, the root side of the cross-pin is encapsulated between the balsa block and the ply root with epoxy, too. The result is a stab which 'ain't goin' nowhere', and will never develop slop or play in the shaft.
I'm going to use the scale aileron and flap hinges, which are a lot bigger than I thought they were. The go through the bottom skin, the balsa I'll insert in the wings and all the way to the top skin. Each flap and aileron only has two hinges per (scale).
Note the strategic use of honeycomb in my tail bulkheads, inspired by recent scientific discoveries regarding proper tail-section design.
#48
My Feedback: (1)
RE: New Yellow F/A-18 Build Project
So is the detail work on the landing gear some kind of kit or all hand made, I assume the latter. Also the information plates that are put on the gear, is there a source to buy those or are they also one off products. The results you are doing look awesome. I have a Tam F-18 and I have always wanted to scale up the gear as well.
#49
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RE: New Yellow F/A-18 Build Project
I am doing the gear by hand. If you get a pic of your gear and write dimensions on them I'll see what we can do. For what I am calling stage 1 I have the nose gear complete except decals and the final lense cover. I have just started on the mains, but told Kevin I'd get his nose gear done. Next week I will get back to designing the main gear detail. Canopy details and vertical stab braces are in the near future. I need to update my build thread.... Shaun I know I told you I'd do a scale hinge/hinge gap cover overview, but I am really busy. Call me if you want any help on it. Since I've been there and all