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Cermark Pitts Build/Assembly - 8/24/2006 12:51:33 AM   
V2PLUS10


 

Posts: 662
Joined: 5/31/2003
From: Boise, ID,
Status: offline 		Based on some posts elsewhere in this forum I ordered a Cermark Pitts S-2 ARF. I'm impressed with the quality of this model but have added a few of my own touches.... I intend to mount a Saito 180 in the nose so the changes so far have been to beef up the nose section and firewall. I have used vibration reducing motor mounts before and really like the result, so some of the additions to the firewall were to allow the use of EVE's from www.apacheaviation.co.uk which require a 1/2" thick firewall. The first few pictures show where I've added 1/32 ply to the inside of the fuselage in the nose section. These areas were only covered/protected by the exterior covering material so to add strength and help eliminate holes caused from working inside the fuse I added the ply sheeting. ....Other pictures show the firewall from the rear and the various stages of installing the EVE's and the motor.....I think that Golden Knight looks pretty good in there!!

Randy

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       Post #: 1

RE: Cermark Pitts Build/Assembly - 8/26/2006 4:20:58 AM   
V2PLUS10


 

Posts: 662
Joined: 5/31/2003
From: Boise, ID,
Status: offline 		A little more progress on the plumbing. The fuel tank is one that I had bought from Hobby-Lobby for another project. It is a great fit and holds about 18 oz....It is held in place with Velcro and has some foam rubber between it and the framework to cushion the vibration.The throttle linkage can also be seen alongside the tank.The muffler is the one supplied with the engine. I made the brass clamp/standoff so it can be secured in place. That is a 6.5 inch Saito exhaust extension.

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       Post #: 2

RE: Cermark Pitts Build/Assembly - 8/26/2006 9:25:12 AM   
Kostas1



Posts: 1228
Joined: 12/19/2005
From: AthensAthens, GREECE
Status: offline 		Good luck with the build buddy.
Keep posting these nice pics!
Kostas

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       Post #: 3

RE: Cermark Pitts Build/Assembly - 8/26/2006 2:14:23 PM   
DadsToysBG



Posts: 1570
Joined: 7/31/2003
From: Bowling Green, KY, USA
Status: online 		These planes are know for loosing their landing gear. Add stock to the landing gear plate with lots of glue. Have had 3 of these planes plus many at our club and all have lost their gear in flight. Dennis

_____________________________

Dads Toys. I fly what I sell
CD Vette City Big Bird

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       Post #: 4

RE: Cermark Pitts Build/Assembly - 8/26/2006 11:40:16 PM   
V2PLUS10


 

Posts: 662
Joined: 5/31/2003
From: Boise, ID,
Status: offline 		Hi Dennis,

I added a 1/8 ply plate to the inside of where the landing gear attaches, and
I thoroughly epoxied it to the existing formers, fuse sides and bottom ....I hope that will be enough... I also replaced the 4mm steel bolts with four 1/4-20 nylon bolts that pass through the old hard points and go into blind nuts anchored in the new ply plate....The model is very nicely built but is pretty lightly built..almost as though it was intended to be electric powered....

I'm always open to more suggestions or comments. Now is the time to make any needed modifications...!!

Randy

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       Post #: 5

RE: Cermark Pitts Build/Assembly - 8/28/2006 2:00:17 AM   
V2PLUS10


 

Posts: 662
Joined: 5/31/2003
From: Boise, ID,
Status: offline 		Installed the rudder and elevator servos today, the picture shows the control linkage and the carbon fiber tailwheel assembly. The tailwheel assembly is the 15 lb variety from Troy Built models..the springs are from Ace hardware. Also made a bracket to support the fueling valve. I will cut a small hole in the cowl and reach through it to fuel the airplane..I soldered an extension on the fuel filler nozzle to make this work...

This model is small enough so that once assembled, I can transport it and store it without taking it apart, so the charge jacks had to be accessible from the outside...so I installed two pretty ugly switch/charge jack assemblies in the side, one for the radio and one for the onboard glow-driver.....just could not come up with a really good way of installing the switches and jacks short of making some sort of door or hatch..... well, this is a sport model after all...!


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       Post #: 6

RE: Cermark Pitts Build/Assembly - 8/28/2006 9:37:45 AM   
ram3500-RCU



Posts: 1815
Joined: 8/17/2002
From: n. canton, OH, USA
Status: offline 		Pictures look great. Wish I still had mine. Never lost my gear. Don't know what is up with that, but iI usually beef up the gear mounts on ARFs anyway. Did you check those wing dowels yet? Light yes, but still able to handle the power. I did put guy wires on the tail though. I could do knife edge loops with mine. It was light, and had that much power.

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       Post #: 7

RE: Cermark Pitts Build/Assembly - 8/28/2006 3:37:06 PM   
V2PLUS10


 

Posts: 662
Joined: 5/31/2003
From: Boise, ID,
Status: offline 		The wing dowels seem to be an issue with this model....the wing that came with the ARF had the wing dowels installed at such an odd angle that when you attached the wing there was a gap of about 1/8th inch on one side at the wing saddle, and since the bottom wing is used to align the top wing this was not acceptable...I contacted Cermark and sent a couple of pictures, and they were very helpful and sent a replacement wing which arrived in less than a week. Excellent service. The new wing fit great but on the advice of ram3500 who once had one of these models, I checked the dowels to be sure they were secure and one came out with just a tug, and the other took just a little more effort. Since they were so poorly glued the holes were not distorted so I cut some new, longer wing dowels and thoroughly epoxied them in place. Everything fits snug and secure now, so as soon as the Virtual Cockpit arrives from www.wrightrc.com I'll be ready to fly....

(in reply to ram3500-RCU)
       Post #: 8

RE: Cermark Pitts Build/Assembly - 9/1/2006 2:06:26 AM   
V2PLUS10


 

Posts: 662
Joined: 5/31/2003
From: Boise, ID,
Status: offline 		We are nearly there...I like to use Goop to attach the servos to the hatch covers. If you use this method don't just apply the Goop and leave it to cure..the servo will slide with the slightest pressure..keep an eye on things till the Goop sets a bit... I like to minimize the number of servo plugs if I can. So the servo extensions were soldered into the existing servo wire-with fewer plugs there are fewer things that can vibrate loose... I used Dubro ball-end links for all the pushrod attachments. This is the upper wing. Other pictures show the battery location, behind where the bottom wing attach screws are fastened. I needed this location to balance without adding any dead weight to the tail. The other pics show the location of the onboard glow driver and the throttle servo. The rudder and elevator servos are in the tail so the fuselage looks a little empty, except for all those wires everywhere. The model looks pretty good..The Virtual Cockpit from www.wrightrc.com arrived today, so once that nd the pilot are installed, I'll attach the canopy and go flying....!

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       Post #: 9

RE: Cermark Pitts Build/Assembly - 9/1/2006 7:44:20 PM   
V2PLUS10


 

Posts: 662
Joined: 5/31/2003
From: Boise, ID,
Status: offline 		The Virtual cockpit is installed and the canopy is in place...the model came with screws to attach the canopy, but I used Formula 560 canopy glue instead. I marked the fuselage with a Sharpie fine point pen, as the ink can be removed with rubbing alcohol, and then poked a thousand or so( or maybe a few hundred!) little holes in the covering and into the wood with a pin, where the canopy would contact the fuselage. I'll post pics when the tape is taken off... These pics show the cockpit just prior to attaching the canopy, and also the Pitts logo on the fin that I bought from www.litepilots.com ....

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       Post #: 10

RE: Cermark Pitts Build/Assembly - 9/2/2006 2:13:18 AM   
V2PLUS10


 

Posts: 662
Joined: 5/31/2003
From: Boise, ID,
Status: offline 		Here is the finished product. The virtual cockpit from www.wrightrc.com looks great. the canopy fit just fine and all I need to do now is start it up and keep it straight down the runway...I'll get some better pics when we go out for the test flight...

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       Post #: 11

RE: Cermark Pitts Build/Assembly - 9/2/2006 7:29:08 AM   
vasek



Posts: 1993
Joined: 1/24/2002
From: centre, QC, CANADA
Status: online 		nice job Randy!

i have some questions re. the cockpit:

where did you get the cockpit from & how did you mod. the area around the front of the cockpit (white styrofoam)?

thanks, V.

_____________________________

I am a proud Canadian >living in Europe;-)

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       Post #: 12

RE: Cermark Pitts Build/Assembly - 9/2/2006 3:01:15 PM   
V2PLUS10


 

Posts: 662
Joined: 5/31/2003
From: Boise, ID,
Status: offline 		The cockpit is from www.wrightrc.com . It is a virtual cockpit in that it is really a 3-d photograph of a real cockpit. I just trimmed the foam at the front around the instrument panel, and gave it a thinned coat of 12 minute epoxy to toughen it