Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

Still working on the motorbox modification.

I dialed in some right thrust and also a bit of down thrust. You can see that I've used 2 layers of 1/8" lite ply as the sides of the motorbox. Glued these together last night with some 30 minute and pressed them overnight under about 20 pounds of weight. The inside piece on the right side of the motorbox is 1/8" shorter than the inside left piece. This gives me the right thrust. The bottom of the firewall is 1/8" back than the top. Thats my up/down thrust.

Did I measure anything to calculate exactly how much down thrust I need? No. I'm using the old "thats about right" engineering philosophy. Been using it on a lot of kits over the years and I'm getting pretty good at it. Worked on the Sig 4*120. Worked on my last Extra before that.

All I did was cut the right side inside piece 1/8" shorter. Both pieces the bottom is move back 1/8" for some down thrust. Thats it.

Had to make a couple formers. I took the F17 former off the bottom of the fuse and incorporated it into the former you see in the pics. I'll call it F2a. I added a former at the back of the motorbox. You can see the center former that runs horizontally through the fuse has been cut out at F3. The top fuse former (1/2 moon and 3 notches for stringers..F20?) that makes up the top of the dash panel has been replace with the lite ply former you see at the back of the motorbox.

Still need to glue it all in. The front of the fuse sides will be measured and squared up perfect. They are within a "frogs hair" right now, but I want it perfect. Then I'll set the rear motorbox former in place and line it all up so my motorbox is level. Clamp these all in and when they are dry, I'll add tri-stock in a few places around the formers.

Then I'll need to glue the motorbox into the formers. Tri-stock it. I'll leave the top of the motorbox open until I'm almost done with everything. It's usually one of the last pieces I put on a plane. Once it's glue on, there's no getting your hands in there anymore.

RR24

how's Citabria coming along? started covering yet?

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

Took a break for a week when his beloved dog died.

I glued the motorbox in and started covering the horizontal stab and vertical fin this weekend.

Left the camera at Pete's house. [] I'll update with pics this week.

sebo

This is really a nice thread.
You are doing a great job.
Keep up the good work.

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

Thank you. I wasn't sure if anybody was reading along or not. There doesn't seam to be much interest in these old "Cabin Cruiser" kits. I have a soft spot for them. This particular kit was purchased a number of years ago and was not in the original box when I received it. The instruction manual was tattered and torn. The plans were cut apart. A few pieces of the horizontal stab were laminated together. Rather poorly, I might add. It didn't look very good when I bought it. It's been a dream to build and fly this old kit. I know there aren't many guys who would bother. I knew that if I didn't build it, the wood would eventually rot and she'd just end up scraps. It gives me a sense of pride to "rescue" this old kit.

It's worth the effort if people are watching and enjoying the build. Not really that hard to snap a pic every 10 minutes. The pain-in-the-butt part is uploading all the pics to RCU.

sebo

I have a thread going on the Bud Nosen Aeronca Champ under the Kit section. If you want to peek at it just do a search on sebo.
I have wondered if anyone is looking at my thread too. Believe me, people are looking but they don't want to interupt a thread as nice as yours asking questions when you are doing such a great job with the pictures. They are very explanatory.
There are a lot of people building these old kits. I have quite a few of them myself.
This, however, will be my first and last build thread. I feel obligated to supply the viewers with something almost daily. That can be tough to do. There are days when other things are more pressing than working on the plane. It's also tough when you are down to the installation of radio equipment, wheels, hinges and lots of little stuff that takes a lot of time but leaves nothing impressive to look at.
Your stuff is impressive.
Keep it up.
sebo (Ron)

szig

The citabria looks awesome!
Thanks for this excellent thread.
Please keep posting updates.
[sm=thumbs_up.gif]

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

These are pics from last week. Glued the motorbox in.

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

Started covering this weekend. I'm going to have to push hard to make it for this float fly on October 5th. [X(]

RR24

looks good, keep it up you will make it

Wes

NorfolkSouthern

Such great resourcefulness with an old Weedwacker engine. I just consider myself as lucky I was able to finish a standard kit! Keep up the good work, and yes, we are watching.

NorfolkSouthern

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

Sorry for the delay guys. I discovered the game of golf. I'm hooked. I get paid to go golfing during working hours. The rounds are paid for, the cart is paid for and I'm supposed to be sitting in my office working, but they let me go play golf occasionally. I bought some clubs and a 3-wheel pull cart. I live on a golf course, so it's been really easy to come home from work and walk 9 holes in the evening.

Here are some updated pics of the wing covering. Puttin for Bogie on the 18th hole.

sebo

Sounds like you have an ideal flying field in the evenings....even ponds to fly from!

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

I don't fly anything small enough to use on a golf course pond. And this golf course is surrounded by condos and apartments on all sides. If you hit a slice, you will most likely hit a building.

No golf course flying for me. []

Peter_J_Weller

My Feedback: (2)

Good looking pics. The shop looks sparkly Clean[sm=wink_smile.gif] It is not fun building together tell your buddies fingers are burnt from covering or his eyebrows are gone from the heat gun.

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

A bit more covering on the wing. We had a club float-fly today and I wasn't ready. That was the goal when I started this project. Oh well. There will be another float fly next spring.

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

Covering and hinging control surfaces.

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

A few more:

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

Got the aileron servos dialed in. I measured the servo arms beforehand. The JR4721 servos have a tiny screw in the top of the pot. If you remove the servo horn screw and put a tiny flathead screwdriver down the hole, there is a tiny screw that can be adjusted to re-center the pots. This keeps me from having to use sub-trims when I do the setup with the radio. I know it's a programmable radio and I know how to program it. [8D] I'd rather do it mechanically if there is a way.

Set the servos arms equal distances from the hinge line. Select the correct length H9 Pro-Links. Line up the controls horns and drill.

Turn the sound down if you don't like AeroSmith. I didn't realize my pocket camera had sound. [X(]

http://s198.photobucket.com/albums/a...rrent=1715.flv

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

I want to put a cockpit in this plane. I've never done a full cockpit before, but it's always something I've wanted to try. I'm not talking about a 100% scale cockpit here. I just want a reasonably scaleish cockpit that looks good at 5 feet.

Can anybody offer tips for where to get the right decals (1/5th or 1/6th scale Citabria or Decathlon)?

How do you make seats? I was thinking about using some foam and sanding it to shape. How do you glue or stitch leather to the seat backs?

I want to put in some tubing that looks structural. Mainly up in the windscreen area. There are a few X braces and some vertical uprights that can be seen through the front screen. What do you guys use for fake metal tubing? Gotte be round. Paint it the same color blue as on the wings and stabs?

How do you make a flight stick? Where on earth would you get a tiny rubber grip for the stick?

Other details you guys could provide would be great. I don't want to go crazy though.

Thanks

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

Sorry for the delay guys. I'm gettin' there. [:-]

I decided to use Hitec 225BB on each elevator half and the Hitec HS77BB low profile for the rudder. Had to cut out the former in the middle of the cockpit and build a tray to hold these 3 servos. I'm using 2-56 pushrods and bracing them at every former.

I wanted to use one of the base loaded antenna to simulate the scale location. It was too tall and didn't look anywhere NEAR scale when mounted on top of the turtle deck. I mounted it on a balsa block and buried half of it inside the airframe. Looks "sorta" scale now.

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

I want the push rods to look as clean as possible, so I mixed up some 5 minute epoxy and a TON of micro balloons. Spread it around the push rods where they exit and then cut them off and sand flat. Looks alright.

Last pic shows the area behind the passenger seat. I am planning to put my RX here. The base loaded antenna is directly behind this former.

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

A few more shots of the pushrods.

The RX sitting kinda where I want it.

Made a suitcase out of balsa and used some of the insulation from the RX antenna lead that I cut off as bungee cords to secure it.

Started painting inside. I plan to use some blue plastic drinking straws inside to simulate the airframe tubing. Might have been a few pics of dry fitting the straws a post or two back?

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

Finished painting inside the fuse.

Put a couple silver circles on top of the wings. Fuel tank caps.

Peter_J_Weller

My Feedback: (2)

Looking Good, I like it in person and on the web. It is amazing how much gets accomplished when your having so much fun.