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RE: Blue Angel - Build - 4/29/2006 5:28:29 PM   
8178



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Joined: 5/25/2004
From: _ , USA
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quote:

ORIGINAL: rainedav

Very cool. I'm seriously considering getting a 138 rx myself. The radio I bought recently (6EX) is PCM ready, although it ships with the 127 FM to keep the cost down. I'm also thinking about the Futaba 9001 servos at $30ea., coreless, BB and 72oz torque at 6v. These would be a lot better than standard servos for my UFO me thinks.


rainedav

When I finished the build on my Tiporare last year I decided it was time to upgrade my radio gear. I’d been flying for decades with my narrow banded Kraft 77 Series seven channel AM TX with RCD dual conversion receivers and using Futaba servos. Because I had a number of flight packs with Futaba servos it seemed like it would be best to go with a Futaba system.

I first ordered the Futaba 7CAP PCM system that came with S3151 digital servos and I really liked they way they worked. But before I could install the system I discovered that the TX had the count down timer software problem so I sent it all back to Tower to get a new system without the software problem. The new system arrived and it had a piece of plastic floating around inside the display.

I was starting to get discouraged so I sent that system back and ordered the Futaba 9CAPS PCM system that came with the R149DP PCM nine channel receiver and digital servos. It worked perfectly, so I started upgrading six of my RCD AM flight packs to Futaba receivers using four R138DP PCM receivers and two R127DF PPM receivers. They all have worked flawlessly.

It has taken awhile to become comfortable with the Futaba TX because it has a different feel than my old Kraft TX but I like all the programmable features. I still use the Kraft system with my Kwik Fli III and two other classics.

The Futaba coreless servos that you are considering seem like a very good value and were the hot thing with all the pattern flyers. My friend used them in his Blue Angel. I noticed today, that Tower shows the R127DF as discontinued. That’s odd because at $59.99 it seemed to be a great value for a seven channel PPM receiver.





(in reply to rainedave)
       Post #: 176

RE: Blue Angel - Build - 4/29/2006 7:15:30 PM   
rainedave



Posts: 5186
Joined: 7/21/2005
From: Greensboro, NC, USA
Status: offline 		Good info. The 127 is being replaced with the 8ch R168DF dual conversion FM. Somebody somewhere said the FCC type acceptance is only good for 10 years and that it's easier to release a new product than to renew a type licence. Tower is selling it for $59.99.

The 3151s are only $5 more than the analog 9001s, so it makes more sense to just go digital now that I think about it.

(in reply to 8178)
       Post #: 177

RE: Blue Angel - Build - 4/29/2006 11:08:31 PM   
8178



Posts: 3022
Joined: 5/25/2004
From: _ , USA
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quote:

ORIGINAL: rainedav

Good info. The 127 is being replaced with the 8ch R168DF dual conversion FM. Somebody somewhere said the FCC type acceptance is only good for 10 years and that it's easier to release a new product than to renew a type licence. Tower is selling it for $59.99.

The 3151s are only $5 more than the analog 9001s, so it makes more sense to just go digital now that I think about it.


For $5 they might be better and the S3151s use the standard wire size unlike the S9252 that require the heavy duty large wire and large switch harness.




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       Post #: 178

RE: Blue Angel - Build - 4/30/2006 12:50:51 AM   
8178



Posts: 3022
Joined: 5/25/2004
From: _ , USA
Status: offline 		I completed more work on the vertical stab assembly. The stab frame had been covered on both sides with 1/16" balsa sheets.

To be continued…

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       Post #: 179

RE: Blue Angel - Build - 4/30/2006 2:37:40 AM   
8178



Posts: 3022
Joined: 5/25/2004
From: _ , USA
Status: offline 		After the main part of the vertical stab was complete, I shaped the leading edge and the marked the top of the block that is under the stab so that I could carve away some balsa. This carving was done to start the shaping of the block so that the shape will flow into the bottom edge of the stab. The shape is very complex and is dictated by the taper of the fuselage tail and the shape of the vertical stab. After some rough shaping I decided to glue the stab onto the block so that I could sand the final shape. Before gluing the stab to the block I did a lot of checking to make sure that the stab was exactly aligned to the nose of the fuselage and 90 degrees to the fuselage wing mount.

To be continued…


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       Post #: 180

RE: Blue Angel - Build - 4/30/2006 3:40:17 AM   
8178



Posts: 3022
Joined: 5/25/2004
From: _ , USA
Status: offline 		The sides of the block must be sanded so that it makes a transition to the stab at the same angle as the stab sides but also continue the taper of the fuselage top and sides. To keep from sanding away the bottom sides of the stab, the front of the block where it meets the fuselage and the sides of the block that will hold the horizontal stab, I used masking tape on the edges. Still more sanding to do but I’m making progress.

To be continued…


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       Post #: 181

RE: Blue Angel - Build - 4/30/2006 5:27:15 AM   
Jim_Purcha



Posts: 1024
Joined: 9/18/2003
From: La Salle, MB, CANADA
Status: offline 		Forget posting this thread under Pattern planes or even RC Universe for that matter. Let's get it posted under the website of Fine Woodworking. Looking great Mike. Beautiful carving on the tail.

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       Post #: 182

RE: Blue Angel - Build - 4/30/2006 7:14:02 AM   
vasek



Posts: 1996
Joined: 1/24/2002
From: centre, QC, CANADA
Status: online 		I have to agree, it must be preserved as a sculpture... not sure if it should be covered with plastic

BTW you are keeping the shavings, right? you could build another .40 plane from that....

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       Post #: 183

RE: Blue Angel - Build - 4/30/2006 9:34:10 AM   
roncoleman


 

Posts: 560
Joined: 4/27/2002
From: FPO AE, NY, USA
Status: offline 		Outstanding workmanship. Would you say the fin to fuse area was the
hardest part of this project? I bet some of the ARF guys are still trying
to close their mouths after seeing this latest bit of your balsa wood magic.

Ron


< Message edited by roncoleman -- 4/30/2006 8:49:29 PM >

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       Post #: 184

RE: Blue Angel - Build - 4/30/2006 2:33:06 PM   
rainedave



Posts: 5186
Joined: 7/21/2005
From: Greensboro, NC, USA
Status: offline 		Definitely falls in the category of artisanship. This is above and beyond cutting out parts and glueing them together. Maybe you should cover the fuse with silk & dope so the wood shows through.

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       Post #: 185

RE: Blue Angel - Build - 4/30/2006 3:56:28 PM   
Ed Cregger



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From: Ringgold, GA, USA
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quote:

ORIGINAL: rainedav

Good info. The 127 is being replaced with the 8ch R168DF dual conversion FM. Somebody somewhere said the FCC type acceptance is only good for 10 years and that it's easier to release a new product than to renew a type licence. Tower is selling it for $59.99.

The 3151s are only $5 more than the analog 9001s, so it makes more sense to just go digital now that I think about it.



---------------------


Receivers are not type accepted in the usual sense, just transmitters.

There are regulations regarding spurious emissions from the digital portion (microprocessor) of receiving devices, but no one is going to come after you if your receiver violates the 1998 rules regarding the power level of the emissions, etc.

While the 127DF is a fine receiver, I have always found the Hitec Supreme 8 channel receivers to be a bit tighter. No, I have not using test equipment to form this opinion, just flying experience over multiple seasons. Still, the 127DF worked just fine.



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"Flying models since the Fifties - I'll get the hang of this yet!!!"

(in reply to rainedave)
       Post #: 186

RE: Blue Angel - Build - 4/30/2006 6:02:26 PM   
8178



Posts: 3022
Joined: 5/25/2004
From: _ , USA
Status: offline 		Thank you all for the wonderful comments. You guys are making me “blush”!

Seriously, if it wasn’t for the generosity of Ron Ellis providing the plans and canopy, Dan Hines at Carolina Custom Aircraft carolinaaircraft@earthlink.net providing the wing and stab cores and Tony Howard at Howard Engineering making canopies this project would not be happening. So many thanks go to Ron, Dan and Tony for making my dream of building a Blue Angel possible.


< Message edited by 8178 -- 4/30/2006 6:42:17 PM >

(in reply to Ed Cregger)
       Post #: 187

RE: Blue Angel - Build - 4/30/2006 10:15:36 PM   
8178



Posts: 3022
Joined: 5/25/2004
From: _ , USA
Status: offline 		I did some more finish sanding on the vertical stab base block and then started on the stab top and the rudder. The first step was gluing the hardwood edge on the rudder and the trailing edge of the rudder top piece.

To be continued…


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< Message edited by 8178 -- 4/30/2006 10:16:18 PM >

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       Post #: 188

RE: Blue Angel - Build - 5/1/2006 2:09:34 PM   
8178



Posts: 3022
Joined: 5/25/2004
From: _ , USA
Status: offline 		More work was completed on the rudder and vertical stab top. It’s odd that when Yoshioka modified the tail on the original Kato Blue Angel design to make it narrower he made the back of the fuselage wider than the lower part of the rudder. The very back edge of the fuselage is still squared off and the edges will be rounded as per the plan.

To be continued…


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(in reply to 8178)