TomCrump

Thanks, Carlos.

I didn't think that there would be enough room to mount the leading edge as you have done. Nice work ! When time allows, please post a few pics of your assembled model, for all to see.


I hope to start the fuselage today. I need to buy a few supplies from the LHS, first. The Vega needs some attention, too, before I remove it from the building board.

Carlos G

Hi Tom C,

Thanks for the complement. It took a little thinking on my behalf but it seemed to all work out. Here are a few pics of my plane...

SmkNhole

Very impressive Carlos. Please explain how you treated the nose. The transition to the covering is really nice.

Sweet ship!

TomCrump

Your Kadet looks great, Carlos ! Did I notice lights ?

I built most of a fuselage half today. The plans say to use balsa longerons in the front, and spruce in the rear. On the bottom, I used spruce only. On the top, I used spruce in the cabin area, and balsa aft. The plans suggest balsa uprights. I used spruce. The middle longeron is balsa, as are the diagonals.

I attached a pic on my Magnum .91, sitting approximately where it will go.

I plan to use the designed down thrust. My Kadet Sport ARF needed it.

Carlos G

Hi SmkNhole,

Thank for the complements. Basically I started by mounting the engine into position. Next I used the spinner back plate and traced around it onto a 1/32" ply to make the nose ring. Spacing the nose ring with a paper shim I bolted it to the engine and proceeded to add balsa blocks around the nose section until I had a rough shape. Then it was just a matter of carving, shaping and sanding until it all blended together. In areas where I carved or sanded thru I added bits of balsa in behind to fill in the voids Not rocket science, just patience and a little filler.

Yes Tom there are lights in the Kadet. I use some very small incandescent bulbs to make up the light string. However allot of the bulbs have failed now and I cant bring myself to strip off the SuperMonokote ( The good old stuff ! ) to re-do the lights. So now it is pretty much a day flyer only.

I am thinking of build a scaled up version of a model I learned how to fly r/c and I will set it up with LED's that will hopefully last allot longer.

EJWash1

My Feedback: (3)

Smart going on using spruce in the places that you did, Tom. Spruce cross-members connecting to spruce as well, I presume?

(Guys, now you know why he's Sea-Bee Tom!)

TomCrump

Ya, I'll use spruce for the cross members. That's the current plan, anyway.

This is a fluid build, sometimes determined by the materials on hand. LOL

plane-o-joe

My Feedback: (2)

Subscribed! Nice Build!

tomclark

Hey Tom C,

Sorry, coming into your thread a bit late. Just saw it today as I was busy writing a thread on scratch building.

I realize you are building a kit, and not scratch building, but even so, thought I would show how I build my center sections and wing attachments. A few months ago I built a 90" Kadet from a really old Sig plan, maybe one of the original Kadet drawings. I did not write a thread on the Kadet construction, but just did one on my latest build http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2259151http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2259151, a 102" version of an old RCM Trainer 60. (It's just a larger souped up version of the big Kadet.) Construction is identical.

The first photo shows the 1/4" plywood plates used for the wing dowel, landing gear, and the rear plywood cross members where the blocks that are threaded for the wing bolts are epoxied in place. The vertical pieces are 1/4 x 1/2 pieces of plywood also.

Last photo shows how I like to build the wings. This was the Kadet wing, right before the halves were epoxied together and then the center section fiberglassed. All spars are hardwood. I have been using this "D-tube" wing construction for the last 35 years, and have not had a wing failure in that time - even when not throttling back on the back sides of loops.

I probably overbuild, but even then the 90" Kadet with an OS 60 for power only weighs 7.5 lbs.

Hope you don't mind showing some ideas. Photos did not show in order uploaded, sorry!

TomCrump

Thanks for joining in, Joe and Tom.

Tom, one of the purposes of this thread is to encourage participation and the sharing of ideas. There are many ways to accomplish our goals.

More ideas=more options.

Except for the lightening holes, my wing will look similar to yours. I like your sanding bars.

I use something similar.

TomCrump

I finished the aft section of the first fuselage half. The second fuse half was then built.

On each side, 1/4 square spruce was added to the fuse at the wing dowel mounting location. Even though I won't mount the wing with rubber bands, I like this reinforcement as it ties the uprights to the longerons. This was done, per plans.

I attached a pic of the fuselage nose sectin. I will omit the cheeks because I plan to use a cowl.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

A little piece of spruce like that isn't much weight and worth it for the added strength.

TomCrump

The fuselage even after using spruce and added ply, isn't all that heavy. The wing reinforcements added some weight, though.

Today, I joined the fuselage halves. The areas where the dowels for rubber bands are located, were reinforced with 1/'4 ply.

Spruce was used to join the halves from the firewall to the rear cabin area. Balsa was used aft, I also installed the formers that cover the tank area.

Then the sun came out, and my dog took me for a walk.

I'll either finish up the fuselage, or build the tail section tomorrow.

EJWash1

My Feedback: (3)

Looks great all frames-up Tom! Can you see the bottom of the box-o-lumber yet?

Carlos, I think you handled the wing mounting issue fantastically! The ply former receiving the wing dowels are solid.

Carlos G

Hi EJWash1,

Thanks for the praise. It has worked out well for this model. The ply blends into the structure seamlessly and yet provides the needed strength to hold things together while I put my Kadet though its paces. I have had rubber banded wings in the past and they really didn't function like I would hope during an unplanned landing.The wing would end up broken in any case, usually sheared by the rubber bands. Not only that but, after awhile you would end up with sticky gooey bands or powdered messy things. No more if I can help it !

Given a little time and thought a person can usually figure out a way around having to deal with rubber bands...

Carlos G.

TomCrump

Thanks, EJ !

Ya, There isn't much wood left. In a couple days, the box should be empty.

stevegauth30

Well, you know me Tom, late to every party.but I'm here and subbed. You got me thinking about doing one too once I'm settled in to the new house. Well see.

TomCrump

Welcome !

It's an relatively easy build, Steve, simmilar to the stick construction that we seem to favor.

My Kadet Sport ARF flew so well, I had to have another. I just didn't want the ARF, as mine came apart in flight.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

A stick built fuselage is such a beautiful thing to look at, very elegant looking!

BigTeeEldorado

Agreed......It has a delicate quality to it.... and to think your going to strap a thumping vibrating four stroke to the front of it makes the design and construction that much more remarkable. Without the time tested knowledge of how good this design is, at first glance a person not familiar with it might call you crazy.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Without looking at it they may still call us crazy!

Lowvoltage

Hello Tom, I just happen to have the kit and another wing kit. I bought the wing kit and a set of plans so I could use a Kadet Sr. that I had for 3 channel use(my plans were in the wing kit, and rolled). I never built it, and the Kadet Sr. hit the well head in a very windy out of fuel landing, and it is no longer in the picture. The Saito .80 went out for new bearings and rocker housings and covers(the crank did not bend), and I have bought another full kit. When you do surgery for the ailerons please provide dimensions. Thanks

TomCrump

Tony and Mike: Thanks ! The fuselage does look cool, with all the sticks. I really favor this type of construction, even though it presents myriads of opportunities to make mistakes..

It's worth the effort, in the end.

Hi Joe. It's been awhile ! As with most deviations from the plans, I will document the aileron construction. I'll basically use Sig's method, from the Spacewalker.

Today was landing gear day. I used the landing gear, and the py mount, from my deceased Senior Sport. It fit in thr Ksdet's fuselage with just a bit of fitting. A ply mount was installed in the rear fuselage, to accept the Sport's tail wheel unit.

I finished the fuselage construction by following the plans. I even mounted the stock LG mount, for added fuselage strength.

A rear wing mount, made from 1/4" ply, was installed in the upper aft cabin.

The firewall was installed, with triangle bracing, according to the instructions.The tank area was then fuel proofed.

Stringers were installed behind the firewall, and the fuselage was sheeted according to the plans.

I ended today's session by adding the servo rails.

Tomorrow should see progress in the tail area.

TomCrump

I haven't introduced my constant building companion to this thread.

My dog, Talle, has helped me build models for over seven years. She's a great shop dog, keeping me in good company during long hours of model building.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

It's about time! Tallie is a key component to all your builds! She knows you need constant supervision, at least that is what my dogs tell me!