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Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

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Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

Old 11-16-2004, 06:57 AM
  #26  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

cruz,

I found no problem with the down/right thrust present in the kit. Recommend you go with it as is and you can shim adjust if you find otherwise.

Anything you do to remove weight in the rear of the airframe will pay off in the end. I can't recommend any success areas here, as I built per plans and have at least 6 ozs of lead on the firewall with my Quadra 42 as a reward.

Bedford
Old 11-16-2004, 09:50 AM
  #27  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

One thing I noticed is that the empianage is probably built with too much wood than recommended. The rudder could have been built with less wood. I'm going to look at the rudder and see if I can shave off some wood in that area. I'm not sure how much to take off the horizontal stabilizer since that is more critical to the plane's structure. Loss of control to the rudder is less severe than loss of control to the horizontal stabilizer.
Old 11-16-2004, 08:44 PM
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

Hello again. I'm back to working on my plane once more even though my school says otherwise. I was able to make a new lightening hole in the side of the fuselage below the passenger window. I cut it 3/4 off the sides. ALso was careful not to cut where the bulkheads were going to be glued. Part of the throttle servo is in the picture on the plan, but I'm going to reposition the throttle servo closer to the engine anyhow so that will not be a problem.
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Old 11-16-2004, 08:46 PM
  #29  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

Here are some photos of the longerons, longeron doublers, and the stringers being installed.
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Old 11-16-2004, 08:51 PM
  #30  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

Ok... It took me forever to figure out what the heck they were talking about in this next step. When the time came to glue the fuselage sides with the fuse bottom, they stated to intall the 3A bulkhead and the #4 bulkhead to the fuse sides and bottom, but the photo in the book tells other wise...

The last photo is the bulk head that is suppose to be used.
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Old 11-16-2004, 08:58 PM
  #31  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

Here is what the plane looks like with the #4 and I'm guessing #3, bulkhead looks like installed. It's important that when laying down the fuse bottom that the top of the fuse bottom cut outs match with the plan for proper firewall attachment. Don't do like I did and glue bulkhead #4 on the the fuse bottom on upside down. It's not a good way to start your building day.

When I was clamping the firewall to the fuse, I didn't have a clamp large enough to get across the lenght of the firewall so I had to come up with this ingeneous method.
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Old 11-16-2004, 09:16 PM
  #32  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

When studying my plans, I noticed that they want the battery and the receiver mounted close to where bulkhead #5 is located. I believe that by relocating the battery and the receiver closer to the CG it would cause the plane to be less tail heavy. I'm wondering if people have relocated the battery and receiver to the CG area and still the plane came out "tail heavy?"
Old 11-17-2004, 01:56 AM
  #33  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

Crusmissle, where did you get your clamps. I am going to be starting my first complete build kit and I would like to have a set of those.

Sincerely,

Jim Vines Jr.
Old 11-17-2004, 07:54 AM
  #34  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

You can buy them at Lowes or Home Depot for $14 a pair. They do have larger ones if you need them.
Old 11-17-2004, 08:03 AM
  #35  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

I've completed the bulkheads #5&6. I wasn't too sure about the stress points since this is where my 120 oz X 3 servos are going to be installed so I added some 1/4 X1/4 pieces to the corners just incase. The plywood servo tray was somewhat warped, so I had to glue the bulkheads to the servo tray first, and then use a straight edge to line BH #5 and #6 perpendicular to my building surface.
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Old 11-17-2004, 08:05 AM
  #36  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

Installation of the tail wheel brace, stabilizer platform. I used a bubble level to make sure the tail assembly was level with the rest of the plane. First I made sure the plane itself was level and then I used the bubble level to make sure the tail was level with the rest of the plane.
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Old 11-17-2004, 08:11 AM
  #37  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

My girlfriend snapped a photo of me doing some work on my Extra 300s. It is still without an engine... all due to the fact that I wanted to spend my money elsewhere. I will however get one before the spring season comes around. I plan on using a Magnum 120 4-stk.
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Old 11-17-2004, 04:26 PM
  #38  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

I had to go to the hobby shop to pick up some extra wood for the construction of the interior. I'm going to use 1/8 X 1/4 balsa strips as support that will outline the door and windows. I'm going to lay 1/16 balsa over the 1/8 stips to provide as the new interior wall. After I get off work I think I'm going to outline the door dimensions so that I can begin cutting out the door. I'm still curious as to what hinges I need to use. I could make my own out of 1/32 or 1/16 brass sheets and cut them to size, then I would use a small pushrod as the hinge pins and with my table vise, bend the brass over the shape of the pushrod to ensure an even diameter with the pin to hold the hinge together.
Old 11-17-2004, 08:58 PM
  #39  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

Here are some photos of what I did to try and reduce the weight of the tail section. I also added a lightening hole to the servo cover.
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Old 11-18-2004, 02:45 PM
  #40  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

I've decided to make doors on this plane. I first had to gather info on the dimensions and scale them down as close as possible. I drew the outline with a pencil and ruler. I then used a dremel tool with a cut off wheel to get a clean straight cut.

Because there is now a gaping hole in the side of the fuselage, I'm going to construct an interior wall with 3/16 basswood and frame the interior for strenght. I have framed up the inside door and afterwards I'm going to lay a sheet of 1/16 balsa over it. I'll do the same with the interior.
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Old 11-18-2004, 02:46 PM
  #41  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

here are more
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Old 11-18-2004, 05:26 PM
  #42  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

I did some framing of the interior with 3/16 X 1/4 basswood.
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Old 11-18-2004, 05:29 PM
  #43  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

I built a spring lock for the door. After that was installed, I sheeted the interior door so the door is complete besides the cosmetics part. I don't want a piece of rod coming out of the door, so If I want the door open, I'll have to do it from the inside.
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Old 11-18-2004, 05:31 PM
  #44  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

door sheeted.
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Old 11-20-2004, 11:24 AM
  #45  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

Here is the forward belly pan completed. The belly pan aft of the landing gear will be covered after I make aluminum strut supports. I will run the strut support the length of the bottom fuse coming out of both ends. The last photo is showing a reference line I have drawn to relocate the W2 rib for the wing.
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Old 11-20-2004, 11:28 AM
  #46  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

Here is the wing being constructed with the hallow spar to allow for attachment to the fuselage.
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Old 11-21-2004, 01:19 PM
  #47  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

Because I will be using fuctional struts, I had to improve on the strut mounts in the wing. The instructions say to only use a small block that will be mounted to rib W5 with a ply brace. However, I'm going to extend that and make a solid ply rail that will go from rib W5 to the other W5 rib.
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Old 11-21-2004, 01:21 PM
  #48  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

wings covered only on the top, the bottom will be covered as soon as I fabricate the strut rail and anchors.
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Old 11-21-2004, 01:24 PM
  #49  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

The instructions to some of the details are not so clearly marked. I had to search the parts of my box for several minutes before I found the "rib doubler" they where instructing me to find. The rib doubler is glued to the inboard part of the wing tip attaching to rib W4. Here is the location of that rib doubler and what die cut section it's from.

From there I can start on the ailerons.
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Old 11-22-2004, 06:55 PM
  #50  
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Default RE: Building a Dynaflite Super Decathlon

well, well. I've come to that point where I have built all I could build without the other hardware and wood needed to complete this kit with the revised wing installation. I'm having to wait till I get paid again before I can purchase the parts needed to go futher. I've been working a little on sanding the elevator and rudder edges. I've also done some work on installing the door hinges. I'm just using regular Dubro hinges and imbedding them into the fuse and door. I had to use my drill press to carve out a 1/16 tick piece out of the fuse and door so that the hinge lays level with the surface. I'm going to go back and cover it with filler and sand it smooth level with the surface. I'm going to do some work on the interior to get it looking presentable. Lot's of wood filler and sanding headed my way with that one. I'm also not too impressed with the "Interior Kit" that the plane recommends.

So far, I only had a couple of problems with this kit as far as insructions not being as clearly readible and die-cut parts not being fully labeled. I did more searching and flipping back and forth between book, plans, book, plans... than building.

Another thing is the placement of the fuel tank and if you do install the tank you had better make sure it will never ever leak because it's pisotioned in the forward part of the fuselage and completely built around, it would be hard to replace or service the tank.

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