RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

Since it will be uncovered, it's a good time to check over those old glue joints.

Ray W.

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

    Thanks Ray.  Been there ,done that.   Hank  # 20

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

  I am going with F/M enterprise covering BOB.  HANK #20 .

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

Pardon my ignorance Hank, but what is F/M?

If the front moves through Florida before the weekend and takes the winds with it, it looks like Saturday or Sunday for my maiden flight. I had my first crash yesterday while attempting to range check my Tx/Rx. I placed the Fleet in the driveway, retrieved my Tx from the garage and the pilot released the brakes. The Fleet went rolling down the incline, crossed the street and banged into the curb. No damage, as it hit on the wheels. As I saw it start to roll all I could envision is a car coming down the street and squashing it. I gave the pilot a verbal reprimand.

Seems RCU isn't notifying me of updates to the Brotherhood as it used to. I have to occasionally check in to see what's new.

Bob

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

F&amp;M ENTERPRISES.COM.  PHONE  817- 279 - 8045. GRANDBURY, TX.  Look at their web site Bob. SORRY to hear about your mis hap  in driveway. Yes I am having trouble with R C U .   HANK # 20</p>

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

send for the vido Bob. Ask for the sample pack. Balsa u s a sells the poly tack much cheaper.  You will find this cover goes on very good and strong.  Hank # 20 .

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

Since Solartex is glue backed, I'll stick with the one-step method.

Bob

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

Well Bob, looks like we won't be making the Deland Fly-in. Motor was good and strong but a case of dumb thumbs in the sun and ...

What a dust cloud it threw up. Picking up the pieces was the easy part as the landing and flying wires all held it to one heap. Sadly, the pilot was ejected from the cockpitand was hanging in his shoulder belts.

The very long walk back was made longer by having to traverse a small irrigation ditch that turneddeeper as I stood in it.

Bird is repairable but it will take some time.

I still plan to take in some grandchild time so we may drag her brothers over to the show and meet you face to face.

Ray W.

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

Sorry to see that. Hope you can make it to the show.

I'm going to maiden mine tomorrow.

Bob

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

!! OK !! One of the fleets is strip dwn. CKed all glue joints . F/W alumminum trianglemount bolts have rusted out over the year's. Landing gear bolts threads have rusted out. Wheels need to be replaced. Aluminum  tonques have to be replaced. mounting holes are strip.  HANK #20.</p>

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

# 2 Wings are in good shape. NO warpage . Stab &amp; elev. need replacment ( warpaage ). Windshield glass &amp; intrument panel ( replaced ).  All servoes need replacement.  This fleet had a S/T  3000 mounted.  HANK 20

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

Sorry to see that photo RAY !!. Can it be repaired ?.  HANK #20.

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

Good luck on your flight BOB. Today I am going to try my new 5 cyl in in my 10yr fleet.  Hope things go well.     HANK # 20.

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

Yup Hank, she is repairable but with lots of long term as I've some other planes to finish before hand.   I can get my other larger Fleet ready for a Spring maiden so that is first.   Now, seeing as I was rather rusty at the sticks, I may finish off an already framed up BUSA L-4 just waithing for covering and my new Saito 150.

I went in the trailer and sorta looked the ole bird over and see that un-cover and repair of the front ot the fuse is in order.  Maybe , that will be the best time to redo the color scheme as well.


Hoping to be hearing some good news from Retransit soon.


Ray W.

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

My Fleet completed its maiden today. Weather was just about perfect with virtually no wind except for a small quartering cross. Anyway, I had a buddy of mine do the initial because I was shooting the video and I wimped out. He was good enough to do it. Excellent pilot.

I finished the flight off, doing a loop and then landing about a minute later. Total airborne time was about ten minutes. I had about a third of a the 32 oz. tank left after shutdown. I have to shim the right rear cabane to get the leading edge to drop some positive incidence. It had a tendencey to roll left on takeoff. I also have to place another shim under the horizontal stab leading edge, as it wants to climb when increasing power. Everything else is OK and the engine ran beautiful. Must have been that little adjustment toward lean on the low speed needle. It had absolutely no tendency to drop a cylinder upon increasing power without the glow driver engaged. I finally did something right! it was peaked at 6150 rpm with a 20-10 Xoar prop.

Here are a few pictures taken at the field and the video.

Bob

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbZxPgdZMBU[/youtube]

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

    HO RA!!!!. MY FLEET # 7 TOOK TO THE AIR.aFTER A FEW TRM ADJUSTMENT'S. SHE FLEW BEAUTIFUL. lANDINGWAS A BIT (HAIRY ). COULDN'T GET THE IDLE DWN, TO FLAIR OUT. SO FAR 6 FLIGHTS. HAVE TO CK. SERVO LINGAGE ?.  4 OF MY FRIENDS HAD THEIR WAY WITH HER.  ALL WENT WELL , EXCEPT FOR THE IDLE. NEXT TIME I WILL USE THE BALLON TIRES FOR THE GRASS. HANK # 20 .

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

That's great, Hank!

Bob

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

    THANK'S  BOB. TODAY WAS A GREAT DAY. HOPE THE EASTER BUNNY BRING'S ME A NEW COMPUTOR. SO! I CAN SEND PHOTO'S . GLAD TO HEAR YOUR DAY WENT WELL.  HANK # 20.

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

    PHOTO'S LOOK GOOD BOB. THINK MAYBE I TAKE THE TIME TO DETAIL ONE OF MINE.  HANK # 20

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

Click on the top picture, Hank. It's a link to a Youtube video.

Bob

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

Sorry to hear Ray. Still hope you can make it down. I'm going to try to be there.

Nice to meet ya Hank.

Bob, I finally have my Fleet in my shop.
Looks to have been covered w/Solartex.
I think Im going to peel the bottoms off of each piece for inspection and gluing.

Still taking down computer animated Christmas light display first.

Will bring it to the show for static display.

Cliff

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

The Christmas lights or the airplane?:D

Bob

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

Bob,

Got my wings covered and pinked tape done...

On the Concept Fleet thread you installed simulated screw heads on the wing/taping and I'm thinking about giving it a try. Did I recall that you used epoxy? I did some tests of Elmers wood glue, canopy glue and epoxy, and the epoxy seemed to work best. The problem seems to be to get a consistent size drop. Any hints on this?

Dave

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

I used a stick of balsa with a pin inserted into it. The stick is just something to hold the pin while you dip the pin head in white glue (Elmers, Titebond, etc.) Map out your spacing with a pencil and start. Mistakes can be easily wiped off or picked off when dry.

I've used a syringe in the past, but the pin works better for me.

Check out this video I made:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1xYF...e-nzQ&index=20

Bob

RE: Fleet Brotherhood
 

   If you go to your arts &amp; craft store. go to the bead section. where they sell the glitter stuff, here you will fine  automatic rivets in different sizes. I had used them on a lot of war birds. since I can't send photos on this computor. they look like this.   o-o-o-o-o- . you will get about 200 on a roll.  2 rolls per pkge. about  $ 1.99 . you can cut the rivets inbetween. Or keep them attached.  sray your primer coat. and your paint color. never know the diference. And saves time. Company name Darice inc.  www.darice.com  . I hope this helps some.   HANK  #20