Flair Puppeteer Trust Angles
#51
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RE: Flair Puppeteer Trust Angles
Sorry, I know you asked that question before. I didn't measure it yet. I will. It is excatly the same diameter as the fuselage and not long enough for my tastes. I have an aluminum cowl that was for my Sterling Stearman that is about a 1/4 inch larger in diameter and about a 1/2 longer that I might use instead.
Bassman
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RE: Flair Puppeteer Trust Angles
Wow, thanks Bassman. I had no idea they were wanting you to use the covering as the hinge. I am confused still about part 73, wich they will have you make as the ends of the airlerons. Do I just leave those out and use the rib ends to finish the ends of the airlerons? I know part 73 with the nut soldered on would have to stay there, but the other part 73 used for the rib ends looked off centered on the left plan. I assume everything would have lined up once everything is cut. So in other words, use my knowledge and imagination to improve their plan and make a regular, modern airleron?
Thank you so much any more help and info would be appreciated.
Thank you so much any more help and info would be appreciated.
#53
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RE: Flair Puppeteer Trust Angles
Part 73 (there a bunch of them) is the part that they want you to use at the aileron ends. It has the single angle on the front. Don't use them on the ends. Take the ends you cut off of the center ribs and use those as the aileron ends and then finish the ailerons as I described. It worked great for me. If you didn't save the scrap form the center ribs use part 73 as a template and make new ends.
This kit does take a little imagination to get thru.
Bassman
This kit does take a little imagination to get thru.
Bassman
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RE: Flair Puppeteer Trust Angles
Thanks for your reply, Bassman.
I'm building a 63" Sopwith Baby float plane from plans and searching for a suitable cowl. I am needing a 7 & 1/4 inch dia cowl + 3 & 1/2 inches long (or something close). Since you can purchase the cowls, I was wondering if it was close to that.
Randy,
How are the Flair floats attached to the LG wire?
I'm building a 63" Sopwith Baby float plane from plans and searching for a suitable cowl. I am needing a 7 & 1/4 inch dia cowl + 3 & 1/2 inches long (or something close). Since you can purchase the cowls, I was wondering if it was close to that.
Randy,
How are the Flair floats attached to the LG wire?
#55
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RE: Flair Puppeteer Trust Angles
I would suggest that you check with Fiberglass Specialties www.fiberglassspecialtiesinc.com they have a Ø7 1/4" X 7" long cowl that you could cut to the legnth you need for $36.00.
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RE: Flair Puppeteer Trust Angles
Yep, That's what I figured. I'll use part 73 for scrap. I've already got the plans in my head based on your description. Thank you so much. I would have still been guessing if I didn't ask you.
Again, Thank You,
Joe
Again, Thank You,
Joe
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RE: Flair Puppeteer Trust Angles
Bassman, I want to thank you again. I just created the Airleron Cutout per you instructions. This is what I did. I use the ends of the cut ribs for the ends of the airleron, and used 1/16 in spacers between those ends and the wing edges where the airleron goes. That'll leave me a nice 1/16 gap and once it's cut out, I'll clean up all the ends and edges. Then I'll add the TE wing stock per the kit, then add my own leading edge airleron stock and angle it to have a nice modern day airleron that uses normal hinges.
Thanks again,
Joe
Thanks again,
Joe
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RE: Flair Puppeteer Trust Angles
I plan on doing them as Scale looking as possible. The wire as the undercarriage, then soldering the washer as the stop for the wheels, the brass tubing to go over the wire for the axle part, then drill a hole for the cotter pin to hold the wheels on.
I can't wait to see those pictures,
Good Luck!!!
Joe
I can't wait to see those pictures,
Good Luck!!!
Joe
#60
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RE: Flair Puppeteer Trust Angles
I guess this has turned into a building forum.. Here we go. I assembled the landing gear for the pup last night. It went really well. The key to it is making sure that the legs of the gear line up and that the metal "V"s have an angle that matches the legs.
First I attached the two pieces of the gear to the landing gear blocks to see how the ends lined up(pic 1). They were pretty far off.
I decided to use the front piece as the master. I took it and layed it on my surface plate to make sure it was flat(pic 2). Then I traced one side on the paper and flipped the gear aorund and checked the other angle to the first(Pic 3). I did this untill the wire was flat and both angles were the same.
I reattached the front wire. I then measured the distance between the ends of the front wire. I the preformed the same process on the back wire making sure that the ends endded up the same distance apart as the front.
Pictures for teh following in teh next post!
Then I put the back wire back on the plane and checked the alignment. I massaged the back wire until the ends aliged (pic 4).
I tapped the "V"s to the front wires and worked them until I had a strees free alignment of all the parts (Pic 5).
With all the parts in place including the axle (the end of the legs trap the axle in place) I started wrapping the back wire and the back leg of the "V" with pre tinned wire (radio shack). I Used a piece long enough to continue the warp form the back leg around the axle and up the front leg (pic 6).
After it was all wrapped I removed the gear and checked that it layed back into the fuselage and wing slots correctly and didn't have to streess it to get it to fit.
I used a propance torch and regular solder to lock the whole thing together.
The whole porcess only took a couple of hours.
Bassman
First I attached the two pieces of the gear to the landing gear blocks to see how the ends lined up(pic 1). They were pretty far off.
I decided to use the front piece as the master. I took it and layed it on my surface plate to make sure it was flat(pic 2). Then I traced one side on the paper and flipped the gear aorund and checked the other angle to the first(Pic 3). I did this untill the wire was flat and both angles were the same.
I reattached the front wire. I then measured the distance between the ends of the front wire. I the preformed the same process on the back wire making sure that the ends endded up the same distance apart as the front.
Pictures for teh following in teh next post!
Then I put the back wire back on the plane and checked the alignment. I massaged the back wire until the ends aliged (pic 4).
I tapped the "V"s to the front wires and worked them until I had a strees free alignment of all the parts (Pic 5).
With all the parts in place including the axle (the end of the legs trap the axle in place) I started wrapping the back wire and the back leg of the "V" with pre tinned wire (radio shack). I Used a piece long enough to continue the warp form the back leg around the axle and up the front leg (pic 6).
After it was all wrapped I removed the gear and checked that it layed back into the fuselage and wing slots correctly and didn't have to streess it to get it to fit.
I used a propance torch and regular solder to lock the whole thing together.
The whole porcess only took a couple of hours.
Bassman
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RE: Flair Puppeteer Trust Angles
Outstanding!!!!! I hope mine turn out that good. I'll start posting some pictures of the one I'm building when I find the time. That looks great Bassman. Keep up the excellent work.
#64
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RE: Flair Puppeteer Trust Angles
I did the gear as shown on the plans, and added the brass tubing on the axles with a washer and cotter pin to secure the wheels. Work well, looked a little spindley. I happened to have a Proctor Nieuport landing gear assembly that had been removed from the model due to a hard landing. It was bent a little so not suitable for a scale airplane but, turned backwards and with a little tweaking here and there it fit the Pup just fine, and looks good. Proctor sells the gear assy seperately www.proctor-enterprises.com but short of that you may be able to modify the original gear with that aerodynamic shaped aluminum tubing from the hobby store.
But, the original did work just fine. you might use a bit larger diameter wire for the axle though, seems to me it bent pretty easily.
The Flair floats come with their own mounting wire so they attach and remove from the plane as an assembly-just remove the landing gear straps and mount floats or wheels, it is very simple and quick
Be sure to use a fairly stiff piece of wire for the tail skid. I think I lost the one from the kit and just used whatever I had around and it is too soft, bends all the time...in fact, I just leave it bent, I'll repace it someday.
But, the original did work just fine. you might use a bit larger diameter wire for the axle though, seems to me it bent pretty easily.
The Flair floats come with their own mounting wire so they attach and remove from the plane as an assembly-just remove the landing gear straps and mount floats or wheels, it is very simple and quick
Be sure to use a fairly stiff piece of wire for the tail skid. I think I lost the one from the kit and just used whatever I had around and it is too soft, bends all the time...in fact, I just leave it bent, I'll repace it someday.
#65
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RE: Flair Puppeteer Trust Angles
The Pup really is looking good. Have you decided on covering material? You may have mentioned it before....I'm building a Chipmunk from www.apacheaviation.co.uk another British kit by the way, and am using Solartex for the first time. It seems to work really well, would certianly recommend it!!
#66
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RE: Flair Puppeteer Trust Angles
I have cream Coverite fabric for the lower surfaces and olive drab Solartex for the uppers. I plan on painting the markings but I have been in touch with Major decals and they make some water transfer British markings that are pretty close to the right size. I have time to make that decision.
On the landing gear, although I m happy with the way the kit gear went together I think it's to short and to wide. I am going to add wood fiarings to the wires but I may just make another set that has a little closer to scale look. I'll wait until the plane is finished and see how it looks to me then. I am seriously considering putting a steerable tail wheel on it. Again I will wait till it's finished to make that decision. I have a Fokker tripalne with a tail skid that handles fine.
Funny thing, If you read one of the first posts I was having aproblem getting the tip to tip distance the same on both sides of the plane. After installing the gear I put the plane on the floor and it turns out the top wing was parallel to the floor and it's the lower wing is the one that is skewd. You can almost see it in one of teh gear pictures. I am going to have a closer look at that tonight. I'm sure that to get a 1/4 inch difference at the tip I am only going ot have to massage the saddle about a 1/16" so it should dial in just fine.
I do have floats coming.
Getting there!!!!!!!!!
On the landing gear, although I m happy with the way the kit gear went together I think it's to short and to wide. I am going to add wood fiarings to the wires but I may just make another set that has a little closer to scale look. I'll wait until the plane is finished and see how it looks to me then. I am seriously considering putting a steerable tail wheel on it. Again I will wait till it's finished to make that decision. I have a Fokker tripalne with a tail skid that handles fine.
Funny thing, If you read one of the first posts I was having aproblem getting the tip to tip distance the same on both sides of the plane. After installing the gear I put the plane on the floor and it turns out the top wing was parallel to the floor and it's the lower wing is the one that is skewd. You can almost see it in one of teh gear pictures. I am going to have a closer look at that tonight. I'm sure that to get a 1/4 inch difference at the tip I am only going ot have to massage the saddle about a 1/16" so it should dial in just fine.
I do have floats coming.
Getting there!!!!!!!!!
#67
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RE: Flair Puppeteer Trust Angles
Excellent!! Glad you solved the wing alignment thing. Solartex will look great. The Pup handles fine on grass with the skid but is touchy on asphalt. The nice thing about the Pup is the gear can be changed any time. In the overhead pic of my Pup that i posted a while back, you can see the Nieuport gear. Makes the ole Pup a little trickier on the ground though!!
#68
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RE: Flair Puppeteer Trust Angles
Here's the latest pics, I have the motor set up, the cowl installtion finished and the elevator and rudder push rod installed. Here the next question. The fuel tank supplied is a very tight fit into the tank box. I like to cushion my tanks to help prevent fuel foamming. Has anyone else had thier tank go in tight and if so how has it worked out?
Basssman
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RE: Flair Puppeteer Trust Angles
No problem with stock tank with my Pup. Except that the outlet tube corroded, causing a leak, making the engine run erratic.
That was a tough one to track down!
That was a tough one to track down!
#71
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RE: Flair Puppeteer Trust Angles
Yes, the tank fit was very tight. I think I removed the back end of the box so that the tank protrudes into the radio compartment area. This gave a little more clearance for fuel lines etc. Now I'm not certian if this is the way the Pup tank is assembled, but the tanks with the machine screw and nut assembly for holding the stopper in place sometimes leak because the nut/screw vibrate loose. I believe I replaced my stopper assy with one that used a long sheet metal screw like the Sullivan tanks use..
If you remove the back end of the box it also allows you to push the tank out from the rear should it ever need to come out..I had to remove it when i changed over to diesel because of the need to change the fuel lines and clunk line to diesel-proof material. The Pup looks great. Makes me want to build another one of the Flair Scouts!!
Randy
If you remove the back end of the box it also allows you to push the tank out from the rear should it ever need to come out..I had to remove it when i changed over to diesel because of the need to change the fuel lines and clunk line to diesel-proof material. The Pup looks great. Makes me want to build another one of the Flair Scouts!!
Randy
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RE: Flair Puppeteer Trust Angles
Hi Bassman,
So far I've got the tail feathers done and one wing, My question is, would you reccommend assembling the whole thing including attatching the control surfaces and then cover it, or cover all the parts first and then assemble it? Obviously, if I covered everything first, then I'd have to remove the covering in the areas that are being joined, like the horizontal and vertical stabilizers.
Thanks in advance,
Joe
So far I've got the tail feathers done and one wing, My question is, would you reccommend assembling the whole thing including attatching the control surfaces and then cover it, or cover all the parts first and then assemble it? Obviously, if I covered everything first, then I'd have to remove the covering in the areas that are being joined, like the horizontal and vertical stabilizers.
Thanks in advance,
Joe
#73
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RE: Flair Puppeteer Trust Angles
I am doing as much as I can before I start covering. I complete an operation and then assembly the whole plane just to see how it goes together. It makes it easier to correct something if there is a problem. Take a look at my last pictures and you will see what I mean. You will spend some time aligning the wings and making small changes that will be very difficult with the covering on. The last thing you want to have to do is cut into a fresh covering job to make a change.
Bassman
Bassman
#75
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RE: Flair Puppeteer Trust Angles
I will have 11 seperate assemblies to cover , the fuselage, top wing, bottom wing, 4 ailerons, Vertical Stablizer, Rudder, Horizontal Stab and the elevator assembly. After that I am going to assemble the whole thing like it was an ARF. I've seen it done the other way too but that's not the way I do it.