GPutt33

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Since everyone else is showing off their kits going together, I thought I would post a few of mine to.

I bashed the wing a little by sheeting the LE top and bottom back to the main spar and added some rounded wingtips I formed out of balsa block All of the ribs were cut down 3/32nd using W3 as a template for the rest. It all turned out real nice and flush

GPutt33

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I added an inch to the TE of both the Rudder and Elevators and then added a 1/2" of triangle to the LE of each and then sanded off flush. I wish I could figure out how to add more then photo to a post, but haven't yet.

GPutt33

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All Pretty simple mods.

GPutt33

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I'm getting there. This is my first kit and I am having a blast with it.

GPutt33

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I didn't like the wire tying the two elevator halves together and then having only one control horn on it. It seemed to me it could twist just a little bit. So I decided to try and add a dual crank set up on it to go along with the pull-pull to the rudder. I only had to modify the last former by cutting out a slot for the golden rod to connect through the center and the middle crank connector. I routed the golden rod from the side, ending up lined up on the center, staying away from the pull-pull system.

I noticed this photo is a little blurry :spinnyeye so I'll take another one later after it's set in permanent. I just had to make this mods while I could still get to everything before I glued the fuse together.

GPutt33

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I decided to sheet the turtle deck for the same reason as the wings. I just liked the thought of a smoother look under the monocote when I get to that point. I installed the ribs as instructed, and then sanded the formers down just a little where they touched the main body. I then added some small backing strips glued to the fuselage that the sheeting actually goes up against making it pretty stiff along the sides. I also opted for a one piece sheet of lite ply instead of balsa. Looks super. I am just hoping the Saito 91 is going to like all the extra weight

GPutt33

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I went with a DuBro 16 oz tank, which eliminated access to it through the back, so I decided I would add a hatch to it. I built a couple of formers out of 1/2" x 1" using the originals as templates. I then built a frame for the hatch, sheeted the bottom with a piece of lite ply and then sheeted the entire top with the original balsa. I used some metal 1/8" dowels at the front to lock it in and two screws to secure it at the back. It all sanded down pretty nice and flat, close to the original shape.

GPutt33

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Two or three pics of hatch progress.

GPutt33

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OK - Only one more of the hatch after this one.

GPutt33

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Here is the last hatch photo. On to the rest of the build This brings my post up to my current point in the build. Will add pics as I progress

Volfy

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I'd say you're one heck of a first time builder. Excellent work!

DSJBEAN

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Looks great. You'll like the extra surface size. I did this on my 4*40. YOu'll lopve the way this bird flies. What size engine are you going with?

GPutt33

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Hi Volfy - Thanks for the compliment, that means a lot. My brother has been in RC for a long time so he and I about wear our free cell phone minutes out talking back and forth about what I want to try. I also searched, asked, and posted quite a bit on RCU before I opened the box to start and got some great help here from everyone. What worked, what didn't..

Thanks dsjbean - I've got a SAITO 91 for it with a 14 x 6 prop to start with. I also went ahead and got the TruTurn spinner for it :spinnyeye

$ircra$halot

Looking good Gregg: If looks count, it will be an excellent flier. And it's not even covered yet. Keep us posted. Always happy to help if I can. Garry

Volfy

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Gregg, it's always good to have expert help available. I could only wish the Internet was around when I started RC.

You couldn't have picked a better first kit to build. 4*60 is probably the most popular kit around here lately. Plenty of support and ideas to pick from. BTW, what thickness liteply did you use to sheet the turtle deck?

GPutt33

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My receipt calls it out as 1/32nd x 12 x 24 3-ply ($9.99 ). One of the guys at the LHS I go to is a great help. When I told him I was concerned with trying to get the 3/32nd balsa around the turtle deck as tight as the radius is without cracking or worrying about putting my finger through 1/16th balsa he reached down and pulled out this sheet of super thin ply and wraps it up into a tube in front of me and says "So what do you think of this" with a smile

After I smelled it, chewed on it, bent it, wrapped it around a dowel, tried to dent it with my finger nails - and nothing happened I was sold on it. After I got it home, I took a small piece of it I had left over, bent it into the same approx shape as the turtle deck, and then tried to bend it or snap it, and it just wouldn't fail at any pressure I'd ever think I could exert on it even with a dumb thumb hard landing.

We'll see.........

GPutt33

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Ok - this is a very minor mod, but something that may be useful. The instructions say to make sure you glue/ca your wing hold down blocks into the fuselage by going over everything twice "Because it can be quite embarrassing to have your wing come off during flight" So after I got done following the instructions, I drilled two 3/16th holes through each block by going through the fuselage. I then proceeded to work some 3/16th hard wood dowel stock through each hole until is just protruded out the inside of the block, sawed it off and sanded it flat, and then hit the end of each with ca.

Holes Drilled

GPutt33

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Hopefully this will give them just a little bit extra strength by tyeing them directly into ply fuselage sides, and I didn't add any weight while doing it.

A couple drops of SIG BOND in each hole, worked the dowel material through, sanded off flat inside and out, and then hit each end with quick CA

GPutt33

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I am going to use the original tubing to run my pull pull system to the rudder through, so the instructions said it was time to do that, so that's done. I also mounted the dual crank for the elevator connected to a GoldnRod running up to the front.

GPutt33

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Just another shot from the rear

GPutt33

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Last One - Just another shot but from the rear quarter.

I think this should work pretty slick. I managed to get the controls so they will all line up with about the original design. You can see that the bell crank end hole is about lined up on centerline with the original tubing holes.

Wh00ps

You're going to love how the 4*-60 flies. And the 91 four-stroker will do very well. Mine was on a GMS .76, and it honked. It could positively burn it up, and the next second fly around as slow as the slowest trainer. Flaperons will let you hover into the wind. The thing I loved the most was how smooth it flew. It made me look good. =]

You'll notice I speak of mine in the past tense... Take a look in my gallery for some before and after pix.

Wh00ps!

secondchildhood

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Agree, you will love it! I stepped up to it from my PT 40 trainer, and to me, it is much easier to fly. By comparison, the trainer was sluggish, and felt like a big ol truck that you had to fight to get it to do what you wanted. The 4* goes exactly where you point it.
The Saito 91 rocks.

Take off with the 4* is almost idiot proof. (I like that) Just get in the center of the runway, roll on the throttle easy, add slight bit of up after it gets to speed and it's on its way. No fighting it to keep it from veering off. I honestly dont know why most trainers have tricycle gear, mine was a real pain to take off with, and the 4* with taildragger gear is a pleasure. I love this plane so much, I am going to build another 4*60 this winter to have as backup so that when it's "expiration date" comes up I will have another one to fly right away.

I'm sure the Tiger 2 and the Venture also have very similar characteristics. Afriend at the field has a T2 and he says it flys exactly like a 4* he had before.

Dwight Hayden

GPutt33

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I read in a couple of threads about a couple of planes losing their Vert Stabs, and being one to over build a little I decided to CA some 1/2 triangle stock to the bottom of the Horz Stab. Is a real nice tight fit, and should work well when I finally epoxy it all together. Next step tomorrow is to connect the dual cranks to the horns on the elevator

Still have a little sanding left to blend it in better.

GPutt33

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For some reason the instructions said to only carry the 1/2" bracing back 3". I just went ahead and took it to the back of the stab. Same as bottom, have a little sanding left to blend it in better.

If any of you guys think I am going way overboard on some of the extra bracing (which = weight), please let me know I'd rather find out now rather then later.

Maybe the Saito 100 wouldn't have been to bad of an idea