Another Eindecker build
 

Just picked up my BUSA .90 Eindecker kit from the LHS. Need to clean off the work bench, but I'll probably get started on it tomorrow. I've read the manual and it looks pretty simple. Not going to go wild with the "scale" upgrades. Most likely I'll try the scale landing gear and rigging. Gonna pick up the glass cowl from Fiberglass Specialities, not a real fan of ABS and I plan on a steerable tail skid. I am thinking of a DLE 20 or some such for power. I'm open to suggestions on that. I've been out of the hobby for about 10 years and just got back in about 6 months ago, so it's not like I have engines sitting around any more.

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

Is that the .90 size that you got? What will you use for engine, etc., covering scheme?

Bob

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

Yep, it's the .90 size. Have not made up my mind on the engine. Thinking of gas. As for a covering scheme... Most likely just the traditional linnen/antique fabric with iron cross markings. That is unless I can find something more interesting. I'm pretty sure that I will try the solartex covering. Never used that one before. I covered a Waco with coverite many years ago and like the fabric look.

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

Well, it rained almost all day today, so it was a good day for cleaning the garage and getting started on my eindecker. I don't know how some of you guys talk your wifes into letting you build in the house. If mine ever lets me build or even store an airplane in my house, it's time to grab your kids, grab your guns and head for the hills because that would be a sure sign of the impending apocalypse. I digress. Got the plans taped down and covered with plan protector and assembled both fuselage sides. Next, I need to tape the two sides together and sand the edges to true them up to each other. That will have to wait until the boss lady's car is out of the garage. No balsa dust on her car. Period.

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

I have a Magnum .90 four stroke on mine and it will usually fly at 1/3 throttle. I also added a more scale fuselage behind the cockpit by building the frame I wanted, sheeting the frame as the instructions call for then cut the skin away from the open areas. On a good bright day you can see through the covering. It doesn't need a steerable tail skid. It really is too far off scale to waste much time trying to make it more scale. Just make it look good and go fly.

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

Another rainy day, so I got the fuselage side sanded to match, installed some formers, firewall and a wing brace.

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

I've had a couple crazy days at work. A lightning strike really messed up some computer controlled equipment. It took a while to sort out, and I'm going to be waiting on some parts until Tuesday, but I finally got back to doing a little work on the Eindecker. Got the cross braces in the fuselage and the rear top sheeted. I used wood glue on the sheeting, so I'll let it sit overnight.

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

I've gotten a little more done on the eindecker. I trimmed and sanded the sheeting that was glued down yesterday. Then, unpinned and removed the fuselage from the building board and installed the landing gear blocks. I'm currently fitting some triangle stock around the firewall and the landing gear blocks. There's not much left to do on this part of the fuselage construction. Most likely, I'll get started on the wing tomorrow.

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

I started the right wing today. Got the plans pinned down. Spars pinned down, ribs fitted, sheer web fitted, trailing edge fitted. I'm too tired to glue any of it tonight. I'll check everything tomorrow before I start glueing. Also, I want to read ahead in the instructions before I glue anything. Just to make sure that I'm doing it right.

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

Almost done with the right wing. Just have to add the shaped pieces to the wing tip and do a bit of sanding. I'll be taking a brief time out on the eindecker after this wing is done. I managed to seperate my Extra from it's landing gear this morning and will need to get that repaired. Should be back to the eindecker before the weekend is over. Oh, almost forgot. I'm about ready to pull the trigger on this for power:

http://www.topdawgaviation.com/Engin.../22cc/22cc.php

Any thoughts?

Also, I will be using solartex for covering. Most likely the linnen color. Is it possible to paint over the colored solartex? I don't like decals on fabric. You loose the coolness of the fabric look in my humble opinion.

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

Yes. I used white rattle can spray paint (white and red) on mine.

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

Major, did you have to prime the solartex before painting. I have one guy at our club telling me it must be primed. Also, did you have a problem with paint bleeding under tape lines because of the weave of the fabric?

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

No, and no, I'm trying to find pics of the plane to show you.

Found it:

http://images.rcuniverse.com/forum/t...27/Bw71880.jpg

The white with red trim areas were just sprayed. I may have cleaned them with thinner first. I also spray away from the tape so that the paint isn't blown under the tape.

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

I hope to build one of these one day (not BUSA per say) and incorporate wing warping. List grows faster than I can get to it :(

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

Well, I got the Extra repaired, mostly. I'm going to relocate my battery to move the CG back a bit, but that can wait. So, I got back the the fun job of building the eindecker. Funny thing is, I love building, I love flying, but I really do not enjoy repairing.

Got started on the left wing. Not much to look at, but I've got the fuse and right wing pinned up above my building board.

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

Left wing assembly coming along nicely. Probably finish it tomorrow and start joining the wing halves.

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

I did not quite finish the left wing tonight. Just need to finish up the wing tip. There is some shaping and sanding to do there. I've read where some builders thought that this would make a decent first kit. I'm not sure that I agree. While it is certainly not a difficult build, there seems to be some small omissions from the instructions. Glue this, remove that... If you've built a few kits, you know these thing will have to be done. Otherwise, I'm really liking the kit. It's almost impossible to srew up the wing construction, except as mentioned earlier.

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

Looks like you are having a lot of fun!

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

Well, I finished the left wing and sanded the dihedral angle into both wing halves. I placed them together for a quick photo. Tomorrow, I will epoxy them together, after I check everything again.

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

After looking the wing over this morning, I decided to go a head and glue it together. Although, I couldn't quite bring myself to use CA on the dihedral brace as per the instructions. Something like that, epoxy is the only thing I'm going to use. I was planning on accusing BUSA of shorting me a piece of wood, but it turns out to be my fault, at least partially. I seem to have used the 6" piece of 5/16 x 1 1/8 for the fuselage wing bolt block, and now find that the 5 1/2" piece is not quite long enough for the block in the wing. LHS here I come.

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

I didn't get much done today. However, I did pick up some basswood to replace the wing bolt block that I screwed up. Also started to sheet the bottom center section of the wing.

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

Tonight I finished sheeting the center bottom of the wing. Got that sanded and sanded the bottom center leading edge, allowing me to mate the wing to the fuse. I love this stage of building. It starts looking like an airplane. I will drill and tap the wing mount bolt holes tomorrow, when I'm not tired and sneezing balsa dust.

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

Looking good!

What are you going to use for power?

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

I leaning toward this for power:


http://www.topdawgaviation.com/Engin.../22cc/22cc.php

I have to call the distributor about it. My club is pretty serious about noise and there is, as far as I can tell, no other muffler manufactured for this engine. If they can't give me some idea of the dB level, I may go with the DLE 20.

RE: Another Eindecker build
 

I don't have a lot to show for what I've done the last couple of days. Got the wing hold down bolt holes drilled and tapped, top center of the wing sheeted, and I started my most favorite job: shaping the leading edge. I'm taking everything off that I dare with my little trim plane, but that removes balsa in a big hurry, so I'm pretty cautious with it. Which leaves a lot of sanding to do. I have the bottom right leading edge just about shaped up. I thought about it at the time, and now really wish that I had done this shaping before I joined the wing halves. 80 inches is a lot of wing to work with at one time.

Sorry, can't upload pics right now.