P40N

Great stuff John, you really are on a roll. I see you've converted to a tail dragger, I'm still hanging in with a trike U/C until the first time I have a crook landing and rip the nose leg off...

Here is a picture of my nose leg made by Custom Retracts, Sydney. Beautiful job.

All the best
Stan

musterpilot

Thanks Stan I am modelling this on the old full size pacer that I had

still got a long way to go getting a bit hot here at the moment in the shed should be able to finish the struts tomorrow

John

P40N

Hi John,
I've been thinking how I'm going to make the struts, be a great help to me if you could give us a few pictures of yours as you go.
All the best
Stan

musterpilot

I will put up some photos of them when I get them done
I am using the K&S aerofoil for my struts 3/4 inch and adding strength by inserting a timber strip down the inside

musterpilot

Ok this is how I did it
the ends on the wing I used old brackets from a H9 Pawnee that I had
on the struts I epoxied large split pins in on the shaft of the split pin I drilled a hole 1/16
I then put the pin in the strut then drilled right through the strut pined with 1/16 music wire
On the fuselage end of the strut I put a threaded rod tube 4-40 size in the tube I put a turn buckle end screwed into it this will give you adjustment if you need it
to hold this on the fuselage I used old brackets from the Pawnee again
Also were the servo wires come out of the wing I put a brass insert just under the hole were the wires exit on the inside of the fuselage you can use a wing bolt 1/4 inch
just for added safety if you need any more info I may be able to explain it better on the phone just PM me and I will give you a ring or visa versa

John

P40N

Thanks John, I get it, good job.

Are you up to checking the balance yet? I'm concerned that mine with the nose leg and big gasser up front is going to be nose heavy. I hope to mount the engine in the next week or so to find out but I'm already working out how I can mount batteries down the tail.



There are some pretty big levers around this nose leg, I would hate to have a deadstick low and slow and not be able to get the nose up..

Cheers
Stan

musterpilot

I have mounted my rudder and elevator servos down the back the batteries will also go down the back
I should be able to get my balance point done in the next few days so I will let you know when I have that done

John

Just did a balance check all is spot on my batteries are in the baggage compartment and I have room to move them around
if I need to

geoardsog5

My Feedback: (31)

Stan & John. great work! Keep posting. Regards, John R.

avionics

My Feedback: (3)

Hello All
I am excited to see so many high caliber master craftsmanship here. I also have a kit sitting and waiting for me to start but one question, Where do you buy the wind shield from? I spoke to Wendell and he suggested using a acetate sheet .015" thickness. has any one done anything for the wind shield?.
appreciate to have your advice on that.

musterpilot

G'day Avionics
I bought some sheet off a guy on ebay it is petg clear plastic sheet 0.030 24"x24"
I went for the heavier sheet to see how it will go I should be putting the windshield on in the next week or so
so will let you know how I go

avionics

My Feedback: (3)

Thank you masterpilot look forward to that.

P40N

Gooday Avionics,
I have some 1mm PETG sheet left over from my warbird builds, I'm going to try that. I dont see it as a big deal as there is a template to start from on the plans which I'll copy onto cardboard so I can add / trim to create a master to transfer to the PETG.
Cheers

avionics

My Feedback: (3)

Thank you P40N . Can I request you to post some photos of the steps you take in making the wind shield if its not too much trouble for you. also I was checking my wood stocks in the kit and the 1/4 X 3/8 for the vertical sticks for the doors I noticed yours is not balsa did you change it or did it come in your kit. mine is National Balsa from the US.

P40N

Gooday Avionics,

I'm way off doing the wind shield but no trouble putting up some pics when I get there.

My kit was from Laser Kits Australia and didnt include any of the sticks used in the basic framework. I sourced all sticks locally that I couldnt make with my trusty balsa stripper and they were a mix of basswood and balsa. The sticks that have the wire hoops attached to them for the wing mount were aircraft spruce.

My club website has a more comprehensive build blog that may help you, the address is

http://www.wrcs.org.au/newsite/index...=53&Itemid=350

Cheers
Stan

avionics

My Feedback: (3)

Thats awesome thanks a bunch. that is a good lead for me as I also wondered about the balsa used in the sticks I will do as what you have done I have to find a source here in Quebec.

Cheers

avionics

My Feedback: (3)

Stan What an interesting blog you made I read it with great interest. After looking at your kit and others I decided to throw mine in the dust bin as it looks like someone has gone to Wallmart and bought lots of rejected balsa wood and put it in a box and send it to me !. So i contacted Brad Heller in Lazer cut Australia and decided to buy from Australia as the shipping cost to Canada is the same as the US ! believe it or not!.
Thanks again and please keep us posted with your built is very interesting.

Cheers
Ross

P40N

Hi John R,

Can you give me a hand with how you made your cowling latches please. I want to make some scale looking latches and have been mucking around with a heap of K & S sections but nothing looks right and works right. I can see on your pics that you have based the latch on piano hinge but I dont get how it latches. Is it just screwed to the cowl and looks the part or do you have some clever stuff going on that I cant see in the pic.

All the best
Stan

musterpilot

I am with you on these catches Stan I have a bench full of rubbish at the moment trying to get something
near scale but no go yet it would be great if someone has made any scale latches
I have looked on the net but no one seems to make them

John

geoardsog5

My Feedback: (31)

Stan & John. I'll go thru my picture file on the build and see if I can find some close-up pics, of the latches. John R.

geoardsog5

My Feedback: (31)

made from small brass piano hinge and brass stock.Latches secured with small machine screws into nut plates on wood blocks, inside cowl. Pics attached, I hope. John R.

musterpilot

Thanks John R just what we needed now I can clean the crap off my bench and make some

John

P40N

Thanks John R, that'll do me. I was trying to make over centre latches like miniature tool box latches, wasted hours...

P40N

Tail feathers are done now. The elevators are joined with carbon tube and ribbon all stuck together with Hysol.

The rotating beacon on top of the rudder was sourced from the RC car section on ebay, I think it came off a fire truck.

The pilot looks extremely unimpressed to be included in this project.

avionics

My Feedback: (3)

Looks very impressive. What material are you using for covering?

P40N

White Solartex, it's expensive but very good IMHO