RE: B-17 Flying Fortress ARF Question  
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RE: B-17 Flying Fortress ARF Question - 9/26/2007 5:48:25 PM   
Ichy


 

Posts: 157
Joined: 5/4/2004
From: reno, NV, USA
Status: offline 		"I first have to build a vacuum form box and learn how to use it."

One of these days in the not so distant future.... I will be doing the same. Keep us informed on how you do this please.

Lookin' good by the way! Good luck on the 6th.

(in reply to bassman)
       Post #: 326

RE: B-17 Flying Fortress ARF Question - 9/28/2007 6:14:19 PM   
bassman



Posts: 263
Joined: 1/2/2003
From: Holland, MA, USA
Status: offline

Here's the latest. Were almost done. I have the new cowls on and just have to dress them up with some panel lines. I have created the rev A vacuum form box and frame to hold the plastic. I just have to find a small oven to heat up the plastic. Once the nose is done and on a little fine tuning and we will be ready for missions.

Bassman


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(in reply to Ichy)
       Post #: 327

RE: B-17 Flying Fortress ARF Question - 10/1/2007 2:12:03 PM   
bassman



Posts: 263
Joined: 1/2/2003
From: Holland, MA, USA
Status: offline 		The vacuum forming went pretty well. I learned a lot on the first couple of tries. I had to go from my 2.75hp vac to a 6 hp one and I had to increase the height of my plug to try to minimize the creases that from in the corners of the plastic. The frame for the plastic was simple. I cut some wooden pieces and screwed the ends together. Then I just stapled the plastic to the frame. I bought my wife a new electric griddle so I could grab the old one and it worked great. As you can see the third shot for a nose bubble worked pretty well. There are 4 small dimples in the locations of the corners of the frame so it won't be the final one. MY next attempt will use a circular wooden frame and that should solve the crease problem.
Once this is done all I have left is a final balance and were airborne again.


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(in reply to bassman)
       Post #: 328

RE: B-17 Flying Fortress ARF Question - 10/2/2007 1:41:12 AM   
nchrome


 

Posts: 701
Joined: 3/27/2002
From: Galesburg, IL, USA
Status: offline 		Bassman your on the rite tract but if you increase the size of the vacum hose and possibly a little more heat on your plastic and one other thing you should do and that is take your heat gun for monokote and heat up your plug this will also help the finished product come out a lot better and fewer demples. Hope this helps you out .

(in reply to bassman)
       Post #: 329

RE: B-17 Flying Fortress ARF Question - 10/2/2007 3:35:40 PM   
Junior55


 

Posts: 24
Joined: 9/27/2002
From: ozone park, NY, USA
Status: offline 		hi would like to kwon were you got the pilots. jr.

(in reply to bassman)
       Post #: 330

RE: B-17 Flying Fortress ARF Question - 10/2/2007 5:06:12 PM   
bassman



Posts: 263
Joined: 1/2/2003
From: Holland, MA, USA
Status: offline 		They are mentioned in previous entries. You should be able to find them here.

http://www.badcataviation.com/ppi1scby21ce.html

(in reply to Junior55)
       Post #: 331

RE: B-17 Flying Fortress ARF Question - 10/3/2007 3:29:28 PM   
bassman



Posts: 263
Joined: 1/2/2003
From: Holland, MA, USA
Status: offline 		We are flight ready. I am very happy with the way the upgrade (repair) went. I think the plane looks much better now that it did before. The nose bubble vacuum forming went great. I just needed to let the plastic get a little hotter and warming up the plug probably helped too. I have a test flight scheduled for Thursday evening. I want to get one in before I try to fly it in front of a crowd. She came in at 12 pounds even and the balance point is exactly 5 inches back from the leading edge. I think were ready.


Bassman

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(in reply to bassman)
       Post #: 332

RE: B-17 Flying Fortress ARF Question - 10/4/2007 3:41:35 PM   
DragonLines



Posts: 235
Joined: 11/14/2002
From: Toone, TN, USA
Status: offline 		Looks very nice Bassman. Looking forward to the debriefing. Good luck.

(in reply to bassman)
       Post #: 333

RE: B-17 Flying Fortress ARF Question - 10/7/2007 2:15:13 AM   
bassman



Posts: 263
Joined: 1/2/2003
From: Holland, MA, USA
Status: offline 		Friday I managed to get over to my club field and put two flights my rebuilt Fortress. Both flights were smooth with good landings. The 5" back balance point seems right on. Today I went to War birds over Woodstock (CT) with my baby figuring I would be the only 17 there. Never before had one shown up. Not today. Mitch Epstein was there with his excellent Fortress. You can see a picture of Mitch’s Fortress in the latest edition of Model Airplane News (pg. 96) and below. Although mine was a little out classed we still had a good day. Mitch is a great guy and showed real interest in my plane and the modifications I had done. He had some great suggestions to make it even better.

My first flight was eventful. On approach I lost an engine and was a little high and hot to boot. Mitch help talk me thru an engine out climb out and go around and we got the Bell back on the ground in one piece. I did some throttle linkage tweaking and got all four running great.

My second flight was smooth with all engines running great thru the entire flight. Upon touch down I had a wheel slip off its rim. No problem but I am going to CA them on to the rims before the next outing. After Engine stop I picked the plane up to carry it back to my pit spot and the right wheel falls off lower strut and all. I was really glad it didn't happen in flight. The little screw that holds the lower part of the strut in had sheared off. I am going to have to get the remainder of the screw out of the tapped hole to fix it. I think it was probably the result of some previous hard landings because todays were the best yet.

Four flights in two days and we are still in one piece and gaining some confidence with the plane.

Ya baby!

Bassman



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(in reply to DragonLines)
       Post #: 334

RE: B-17 Flying Fortress ARF Question - 10/7/2007 2:25:08 PM   
gregandhollie


 

Posts: 80
Joined: 2/26/2006
From: west lafayette, IN, USA
Status: offline 		does the top of the cockpit peice come off? your plane looks great with all the stuff you've done! how does it fly?

(in reply to bassman)
       Post #: 335

RE: B-17 Flying Fortress ARF Question - 10/7/2007 8:01:12 PM   
DragonLines



Posts: 235
Joined: 11/14/2002
From: Toone, TN, USA
Status: offline 		Congrats on your flights. I have to get back to work on mine. By the way, did Cedar stop making these? Anyone know?

(in reply to gregandhollie)
       Post #: 336

RE: B-17 Flying Fortress ARF Question - 10/8/2007 12:11:33 PM   
bassman



Posts: 263
Joined: 1/2/2003
From: Holland, MA, USA
Status: offline 		They have discontinued this plane. I couldn't even get any spare parts. There is another thread ( CEDAR HOBBIES NEW 125 INCH B-17 coming) where Neil from Cedar is talking about coming out with a 125" version. There were even a couple of pictures of the prototype wing and fuse. I guess it will be set up for retracts, have better cowls and other upgrades. It was also mentioned to have a starting price around $600.00. The only reason I am flying the one I have now was the $350.00 price tag. If you take $600.00 and add $100.00 X 4 for engines you are already at $1000.00 and I can't even begin to consider that. I paid $55.00 each for the engines in mine and at that it came up to $570.00.

Bassman

(in reply to DragonLines)
       Post #: 337

RE: B-17 Flying Fortress ARF Question - 10/8/2007 12:39:39 PM   
bassman



Posts: 263
Joined: 1/2/2003
From: Holland, MA, USA
Status: offline 		gregandhollie,
If you look at the pictures in post 322 you can see the plane with the top pieces removed. I am still really getting a feel for it in the air but so far it seems pretty tame. I keep you posted as I get more time on it.

Bassman

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