jchumley
Posts: 383
Joined: 12/4/2002
From: Dunkirk, MD, USA
Status: offline
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Very nice. Looks like the real thing.
You are building much more scale than I am but I too am planning a larger detailed scale version. This one is for an actual combat type event where it will tow a ribbon and be protected by a flight of fighters against a flight of enemy fighters. The risk of damage is high. That, and the fact that I have only had about 3 months to work on it in my spare time meant that I could only go semi sport sorta kinda scale. I hope to fly it this Sunday. I decided to go with three engines after all. It looks like it will still come in around 6.5 lbs and be a real floater. Can't wait to fire up the three saito .30s. should sound really cool. It should probably fly easily at considerably less than full throttle. (if it flies at all!)
You have an advantage with the Ca.3, there are several good reference works on it. I have Gregory Alegi's Windsock Datafile on it and it is good. THe Ca.42 is not nearly as well documented. I have one book in Italian that shows some detailed construction drawings of the center nacelle, the landing gear and tail skids and some of the strut mounting hardware. anything that I can't document I will use the Ca.3 documentation. I am not sure whether I will go 1/8 scale (12' wingspan) or 1/12 scale (8'). I can tell you that I will be tired of making ribs by the time I am done. Even for this one which has much wider rib spacing, I had to make over 150 ribs!
I have heard that the Caproni Museum in Trento, Italy has a model of a commercial version of the Ca.42 but have been unable to contact them about it. WHen I get to designing a scale version, some time spent with that model would be very helpful.
Your rudders look great with all the wires and braces. How did you attach the bracing rods to the center rudder without inhibiting rotation and what mechanism did you use to fit the rudders to the elevator?
Jeff
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All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> Scratch Building, Aircraft Design, 3D/CAD >> Caproni Ca.42 
Caproni Ca.42 - 
Of course in the end the decisions were all your's but if I was able to help then all the wear and tear on my fingers is worth it. 
and last but not least ..better documentation. I too have the datafile from Albatros and using its 3 vu as basis of the plan.. also a website has over 50 good pics of the one in an american museum (Patersons ??) . Ive been at it on and off for about 2 months .. although it looks detailed .. its all quickly done (see pic) Origionally it was going to be 2 x .15SC glows .. but now I think that may just be a tad marginal so will probably have to get two .25 but that is still debatable as its only to find out its flying characteristics before doing a 108" version powered by two 52 fourstrokes. Not sure of the size of yours ?? but if about 6 -7 ft and around 6 lb ?? perhaps be aware of the power of three .30 two strokes ? I have a partial built beaufighter at 6.5 ft span ..weight about 8-9lb designed for two .32 two strokes !! so keep the throttle down. Someone also told me of a chap that won an AMA control line event with a caproni 3.6 at 72" span and 6.5lb powered by two .25's so Im in the right ball park. Controls are as the original eg closed loop. Instead of pulleys I just put the rigging through brass tube bent to right angles with a "gentle" bend works very well and no slop !(see pic)