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Joined: 12/2/2002 From: Streetsboro,
OH, USA Status: offline
At first I installed the landing wires connected to the springs inside the fuselage just as the instructions indicate. I ended up hating that because being on springs they didn't actually do anything. I ended up running 2-pieces of piano wire through the fuselage bent the ends upward and silver soldered turnbuckles on each end. It's the best I could come up with considering the fuselage was already completely covered and painted. Whatever you do plan your failures so you don't do any damage to the internal structure during a rough landing.
If I have learned anything at all it's to plan for the worst. Make it as reliable and easy to repair as possible so you spend more time flying and less time fixing.
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Joined: 12/2/2002 From: Streetsboro,
OH, USA Status: offline
This may sound a little crazy but could you imagine everyone who has built a Flair Stearman and has contributed to this thread getting together and meeting at a BIG event such as "War Birds over Delaware". It would be cool! With all of those Stearman we would just dominate the event!
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Joined: 1/12/2003 From: Warrenton, VA, USA Status: offline
Just think if they all had a RADIAL on the front of them!!! What a crowd pleaser that would be gives me chills thinking of 4 or more all in formation and an "in sync" radial sound! Ahhhhh just like a symphony!
Btw, I think I am going to opt out of the Stits and use the Coverite system, not sure yet. I know that it'll be lighter if I do tho.
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Joined: 12/2/2002 From: Streetsboro,
OH, USA Status: offline
Do whatever you feel comfortable with. The Stearman was my first experience with Stitts but it was a good one.
Not sure about Coverite being lighter though. The only covering that is supposed to be lighter than Stitts fabric is a film covering like Monokote, Ultracoat... Stitts is the lightest and strongest fabric covering process I'm aware of. I can't remember seeing that disputed anywhere but I could be wrong. Unfortunately I don't have an accurate small scale to do an exact comparison. You are aware that Coverite is a non-solvent based pre-painted fabric with an adhesive on the back? Technically speaking Stitts should be lighter unless I'm missing something.
Stitts isn't for everyone:
Negatives: 1. You have to work with MEK (solvent) so you need good ventilation and protective hand cream. 2. You have to apply Poly-Brush, Poly-Spray, and then Poly-Tone so it takes longer. 3. You need the equipment to spray paint it. 4. It's a lot more expensive.
Positives: 1. Lightest and strongest painted process available (haven't seen anything to the contrary). 2. Much easier to apply and work with than either Coverite or Monokote. 3. The entire process and finished appearance is totally scale. 4. Proven winner: Many Scale Masters competitors use it and win with it.
Sitts Lite and "Full Scale" covering from your photos:
< Message edited by Cybertom -- 2/25/2007 5:08:43 AM >
Posts: 953
Joined: 1/12/2003 From: Warrenton, VA, USA Status: offline
Stitts, is truely scale as it is the same as the full scale, just lighter fabric. I don't have the facilities here at my house to do the covering with Stitts, but I can go to the restoration hangar where I volunteer and have them help me do it., They have a real nice paint booth - I forgot about that.. Thanks for the memory jog Tom.
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Joined: 12/2/2002 From: Streetsboro,
OH, USA Status: offline
Painting Environment I bought myself a really good respirator at an Auto body supply store. It completely blocks any harmful vapors. True Value hardware carries "Protec" hand cream which ensures that none is accidentally absorbed through the skin. I had a fan going in my garage window that sucked the air outside. I had a large white sheet across the opening of the garage door filtering the air. This was a cheap setup but it worked really well. When you paint you stay up wind of the mist and you'll have no problems.
Cabanes You know one thing I really like about threaded rod for the cabanes is that its forgiving. Seldom is a hole drilled exactly in place or something else perfectly level. Threaded rod allows you to compensate. That's huge!
< Message edited by Cybertom -- 2/26/2007 12:55:34 AM >
Posts: 953
Joined: 1/12/2003 From: Warrenton, VA, USA Status: offline
Just got my order in yesterday for the T-6 tube from Sea Commander, before he closes the order process fro ther next two months. So I order 4 12" lenghts of 1"x5x16 aero tube and all the mounting hardware recommended by Ryan at Sea Commander. I hope to get it in by a week or two so I can begin to refit the cabanes. I was going to use the T-6 for the outboard N struts but chose to stay with the hardwood for that. I will be wrapping them in glass cloth after profiling them and using the setup cybertom suggested - brass screws to allow for the inevitable ( which I hope does not come) I am a little concerned tho about using the brass screws/bolts from a wear standpoint. eg. will they fail where a steel cap screw will not.
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Joined: 9/10/2002 From: Stockholm, SWEDEN Status: offline
I do not understand how you people with kids and stuff find the time Slow going is sort of my melody, but I find support in that the building itself is a big part of the joy for me. You guys are obviously workin scale details and stuff, but I hope you still can find some joy from the build phase where I am at. I really want a copy of the updated DVD Tom so believe I will keep filling the thread as I go along!
So, working on the horiz stab. Some pics below. Pic 1 - I fitted the two gap fillers when assmblying the spar, not later as in the instruction found it easier to apply pressure to the joint that way.
Pic 2 - Fitting the frame to the rear spar I squeezed it between to boards and then glued it against the rear spar with the frame sitting vertical - see the pic below. Nice, tight and straight.
When glueing the very warped ribs I found that leaving the blanks in their holes kept the frame nice and straight. The pics show the out of the holes but I stick them in there when I work in the area. They provide support and alignment also for when fitting the leading edge.
For making a nice fit for the leading edge I will take a short piece of round leading edge, slightly reduce the OD and the fit fine grain sand paper on it. I then have a tool that I can work in the recess making the seat for the leading edge ready to perfectly accept it and all surfaces meet.
< Message edited by Aerobatic_Tom -- 3/4/2007 4:03:19 PM >
Posts: 953
Joined: 1/12/2003 From: Warrenton, VA, USA Status: offline
Not much in the way of traffic on the forum so here is where I am in the build.
Since I modified the entire tail wheel by using the Robart one instead of the one that came with the kit I am faced with some small challenges. First one being the elev. pushrod is pretty close to the cross bar I made to support the tail wheel, the second and more challenging, is the pull/pull on the rudder. The standard method of setting up the control horns will not work well. So I may modify the mounting of the horns in the following fashion
Add hardwood into the normal slot Drill out for a 4-40 or 6-32 Take two pieces of sheet metal, brass or aluminum and mount one on each side, drilled and flared out and forward similarly to the originals and make sure it clears the tail wheel brace
Next is the cabanes. I have the aero tubes T-6 very stout as I mentioned in an earlier post and some lengths of 6061 3/16x3/4 bar stock from which to fashion my mount points. Since I have already drilled and setup the original cabanes mounting point on the fuse, I'll use them as my fuse attach points.
The bar stock will be inserted about 1" to 1.5" inside the tube and then drilled and tapped for 2-56 fo I can remove them if I need to, or I can rivet them in.
What I have observed is that the mount point and tube setup will still not allow for a shearing of a screw used as a mounting screw for the cabane to mount point,
Although there is a web site the kit seems to be out of production for an extended period of time. Flair had gone insolvent and restructured. On occasion you can find a kit on ebay or in the for sale here.
Posts: 953
Joined: 1/12/2003 From: Warrenton, VA, USA Status: offline
Okay, the torch is lit...Tom I have a question about the firewall you used on your Stearman. Firstly what thckness of ply did you use (was it aircraft ply too) next how do you think it has held up to the stress of flying and the couple of hard landings you had?
This is why I ask, I am thinking along the same lines as you did , but with these changes.
Instead of using the orginal tube as you did for the formers gap. I am thinking of using Basswood or ply blocks spaced evenly around the center hole.
Installing harwood/ply mount points around the outside perimiter for 10/32 - 1/4/20 SHCS bolts
Using the same style of ply firewall you did but making it removable via the bolt down so I can get into the center of the fu
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All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> Giant Scale Aircraft - General >> RE: Flair 1/4 Scale PT-17 Stearman Review 
RE: Flair 1/4 Scale PT-17 Stearman Review - 
Slow going is sort of my melody, but I find support in that the building itself is a big part of the joy for me. You guys are obviously workin scale details and stuff, but I hope you still can find some joy from the build phase where I am at. I really want a copy of the updated DVD Tom so believe I will keep filling the thread as I go along! 
