Sincraft

I am currently underway to start this project. This kit is approximately 25 years old from what I have been told. All the wood looked good, and I was up for a challenge. I found this kit unique compared to what is currently offered on the mainstream and nicht markets...so I figured I will post my progress here from time to time. I spent some time deciding on a building surface, building the building surface, deciding where the building would take place etc etc. For now, here it sits in the middle of my living-room. I am not a basement dweller. Especially since it is an unfinished basement of an old house. The other rooms are all completely stocked full o' furniture so here starts my project and the first pictures. Wish me luck, the instruction manual is a typewritten 4 page manual.

Walt Moucha: Charger MKII (biplane) (price paid 64.99 - Die Crushed Kit)
Specs:
Span= 60" -- Fuse Length = 51" -- Wing Area = 1080 sq. in. 120 4s or 90 2s

S

TomCrump

Good luck with keeping your bench that clean! Have fun building the Moucha kit.

Sincraft

Yea, no doubt. Thanks.

If I recall, the last model I built spread across the room I was in as it furthered through development. About the only thing on the bench was the current work materials.

S

elad

Sincraft,

Nice looking work station. It looks like an invitation to many pleasant hours with the plane and your loved ones.

elad

fwman1

My Feedback: (22)

I had two. Used an O.S. 1.20 four-stroke (original version, not surpass). Good flying airplane. I liked the interplane strut design. Good luck. It's not too bad a build.

JWN

My Feedback: (42)

Sincraft,
I built one of these about 15 years ago. The kit was only a year or two old at that time. I flew it with a YS .60 on a pipe. Flying weight was right at 9 lbs. It flew very nicely and was quite a floater for a bipe. The kit builds very easy and shouldn't present you any problems. Yes, the instructions are a bit short, but if you've built a kit or two previously, there won't be any areas of concern.

John

Sincraft

Hey thanks for the .nfo guys. I really appreciate hearing POSTIVE things about my future with this little bugger.
I am a bit confused already. It is asking me to glue the longerons on teh sides of the fuse but I am wondering if I am doing it correctly. WE SHALL SEE. I hope to post a semi constructed semi dimensional build step soon. I haven't had too much time to attack this project however. If this goes good, I am actually going to build another from chunks o wood and see how much it would cost me from scratch. Prolly give it to my bro to fly as a surprise. Ok, probably not.

Constrictor: no I purchased it off of a guy that had about 20 of these kits laying around in his basement for years, he gave them to a local basement run hobby store on consignment where I purchased it for 64.99.

S

Sincraft

Update: Fuse taking shape, slowly..

TomCrump

Looking good. Keep going.

Sincraft

left my charger at the airfield, guess I'll have more time to build this. HA..cough..

S

TomCrump

Some clouds have silver linings. For you, no charger so you get to build the "Charger". For me, It's going to rain tomorrow and I won't be able to fly. I will have time to work on my FW190, though.
PS, aren't you glad the Steelers got rid of Stuart? I am. The bad thing is my Bears picked him up!
Happy building.

Sincraft

He did pretty good in the last game didnt he? I thought the bears won. Either way, he still is a headcase and will never be a good qb. Amazing when he is on though.

S

TomCrump

Well back to airplanes. Putting the sheeting on. That's a good sign. The fuselage must be about finished. You're making good progress.

Sincraft

Not even close. I finished the sheeting on the aft half of the fuse, then had to spend about 2 hours cutting, shaping and gluing the 3/8 block that tops the fuse. Next, I had to figure out why they skipped a couple steps. I figured out that they left out some steps as I read ahead and had to complete these minor but necessary steps. Then I had to put the top cross braces on the top/front fuse to make the canopy look. Also prep'n for the cabane wire thingies where my top wing will attack to eventually. Now that is all complete, I am placing a piece of 3/16" square balsa along the sides of the fuse. It fails to mention however that you should have cut notches out for this prior to installing the fuse semi circle brace thingies. It also has to be sure to be 1/64" from the edge of the fuse along with the semi circle thingies so that I can wrap a piece of 1/64" plywood the whole way around giving it that canopy look. I personally would like to have had a piece of bent and stengthened (glu coating) balsa 1/8" thick but I will follow the plans. Seems rather flymsy especially since there are at least 3" x 3/4" areas completely unbraced that will act as the 'sides' to where the pilots sit.
Another issue I have is with the firewall. From what I can tell it looks like the only thing holding this onto the plane and thus my expensive engine, is the sides of a 1/8" ply and the double that touches the back. There is even a slight gap on the fuse side on the one side of the firewall. So I drained a crap load of CA down through the cracks. I am rather upset that I was not told to epoxy this. Looking ahead, I see a MINOR reinforcement for this toward the bottom where the hollowing out will be for the engine. Regardless, I see this as a major issue and the 1/64" ply side will be flimsy and junky looking at best with covering. So I am not sure what I will do with 'decorating' this...covering or some sort of paint. I need to strengthen this however and probably will have to coat it with something strong yet somewhat flexible. Decisions decisions.

Next I look like I will be working with the gear mounts/supports, and wing mounts/ support. I think I probably have another 10 hours left before I can call the fuse complete. Usually I am wrong about such things so probably more like 15. Sad isnt it?

S

TomCrump

Sincraft, Too bad you had to spend all that time hacking away on the 3/8 block. Master Airscrew makes a tool called a razorplane. It's great for shaping large blocks of wood. Only costs four or five bucks.

As far as the firewall is cocerned, put some 1/2 inch balsa triangle where it glues to all four sides of the fuselage.(top, bottom,sides) That will beef up everything for you. Don't worry about not having used epoxy. The triangle should do the trick.

Be careful with trying to reinforce too many things. It's real easy to add on pounds by adding an ounce here and an ounce there.

Take some pictures of any problem areas you may come across. Somebody here will be able to help you.

Sincraft

Fuse takes finaly shape before final sanding and shaping of nose area. (which is cause for concern as it doesn't seem to be able to hold a decent sized engine..we shall see)

TomCrump

Sincraft, Nice job! That nose section is a prime cantidate for that razor plane. I know I'm harping, but it will make your life so much easier.

JWN

My Feedback: (42)

Unless you install an aftermarket cowl, any engine you install is going to hang out in the breeze. I installed a YS .60 in my Charger and everything outside of the carb was exposed. This made it very easy to install a header and pipe

John

Sincraft

John, PICTURES?!?! PLEASE?!?!

I don't mind it sticking out, I am more worried about it fitting..as in side to side and front to back. Did you also have to push the side balsa blocks inward to meet the nose circle thingy? I am a bit confused on this.

Also, how did it fly with that 60? I was thinking of popping a .76 in there. Whatcha think?

Tom: yea yea yea. I'm an old fashioned guy sorta. (Cough, and cheap) Not to mention a bit impatient. So unless you have a GOOD hobby store that will have this item within 45 mins of my house...well I'm too impatient for mail order.

S

TomCrump

Sincraft, I comprehend. What I'd do then, is carefully take your XACTO knife and whittle it down close. Don't take too much at a time, and don't take it down to the final dimension. Leave about an 1/8" to 1/4". Then take your sanding block,(you do have one, don't you?) and sand it down the rest of the way. This should give you the correct shape.

Good luck. I'm glad it's not my arm! Your gonna be sore!!!

Sincraft

I did this shortly after that post, took only a short period of time. Most of the work was done with a dremel but you know how those can really chop into something even if you are careful. Final rough shaping was with a thick grit sandpaper and block to fit my current needs *usually a scrap piece of ply*. Half done and final shaping to meet other side...+ fine sanding still needs to be done. Then overall fuse sanding and final fillings. Alas, it must wait till I rebuild the front of my eagles wing and cover it for a HOPEFULLY maiden rebuild flight on Sunday.

Here's da pics of the nose shaping up...

TomCrump

Looks like you're coming along fine.

TomCrump

Sincraft, I forgot to tell you. Don picked up a razor plane at a swap shop last weekend. $4.00.

Sincraft

Tom,
I'll probably grab one. I was using a dremel but the amount of dust kicking around is enough for me never to use it again. Not to mention it 'grabbed' on me and dug in further than I wanted to when I was ripping in for some hard sanding. It's all good now. The shape looks acceptable. Slight variances here and there but nothing noticable or readily remedied. I fine sanded the rest of the fuse, and will post pics as soon as I get her back on the table from the Eagle fix. Tomorrow probably.

Swap meets. I hope they are better in your area than in mine. Mine consisteted of about 40 older guys all trying to sell junk for more than you can buy it for new. There were SOME bargains, but in a nicht area. If you however are looking for a large scale plane (1/5 or 1/4) they had a few for sell at what I believed were really good prices. But who has that kinda cash to drop on a strangers creation. I just couldn't do it. Even if I was wealthy. I would need to trust my plane while in flight ya know?

S

TomCrump

Sincraft, Swap meets are all the same. Some good stuff hiding in all that junk. Afew years ago, I went to a really good swap meet. I bought my Focke Wulf and Rearwin Speedster there, along with some other stuff. The next year I went and there wasn't much of anything there. You just have to keep going to them, hoping for the best.
I just thought I'd kid you a little bit about the razor plane. If you get one, be prepared. They make a mess, too. All those shavings, But they are easier to clean up than dust.
Buying pre built airplanes is always iffy. To me ARFs are in the same category. You just don't know what's inside. I don't have a problem buying one from someone I know. That way you have an idea of how it was built.
Don says half built kits can be the same. He figures there is a reason the person quit working on it.
A few years ago I gave him a kit, started by another builder. He recently started work on it. He found all sorts of problems. It took him a couple of days to get them sorted out. Any more, if someone wants him to build a kit for them, he won"t take the job if it's already been started.
Anyway, my point is watch out at swap meets. Know what you are buying.
Get any work done on the bipe yet? Finish fixing the Eagle?