RE: CD ScaleDesigns Sopwith Snipe build

RE: CD ScaleDesigns Sopwith Snipe build
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RE: CD ScaleDesigns Sopwith Snipe build - 3/25/2008 5:45:19 PM

abufletcher

Posts: 5172
Joined: 2/13/2004
From: Zentsuji, JAPAN
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quote:

ORIGINAL: deljon
It should be pretty much decked out for Toledo then we'll get some more air time on it to get ready for the Mint Julip in May.

I wish I could see if fly in person!

(in reply to deljon)

Post #: 1401

RE: CD ScaleDesigns Sopwith Snipe build - 3/26/2008 3:53:13 PM

abufletcher

Posts: 5172
Joined: 2/13/2004
From: Zentsuji, JAPAN
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I redid the UC bracing wires in the same way I did the bracing wires on the stab/rudder. A 90 degree or so angle is bent in a 0.8mm music wire (actually stainless fishing wire) and this is hooked into the bracket at one end. Leave about 2" of extra wire on the end -- you'll need this to be able to bend the end later. Then the wire is pulled across and the distance to the hole in the other bracket is marked with a sharpie. I try to mark this just fractionally short of the hole. Then the wire is removed.

Next, and BEFORE making the other bend, slip on in the following order: a 1/2" length of 1/8" plastic tube + two M2 nuts + a second piece of plastic tube. These parts with make up the mock turnbuckle which will also lock down the wire. After that make the second bend at the point marked with the sharpie.

Now slip the wire back in place and hook one end around one of the brackets. Fold over the wire and slip on of the plastic tube bit up over the end of it until it's pressed hard against the bracket. Leave it like this for now. Next slip the other end into the other bracket. It should be a very tight fit so that it sort of snaps in place and the wire is taut. Slip the other bit of plastic tube down over this. Next slip one of the nuts onto each of the plastic bits. Then bend the end of the wire down at least 90 degrees to lock down the tube and the nut.

This is EXTREMELY solid and there is absolutely no chance of this coming off. If anything that might be it's weak point. Perhaps you want the wires to break on a hard landing. I wouldn't think so but...

The other thing I did was to position the 1/8" fuel tubing that will be the cushioning under the leather cockpit coaming. I figured I've been do this now. This needs to be the very thin kind of fuel tube and not the thick-walled stuff in order to look the proper scale size. The coaming is actually very narrow. The "leather" comes from a $4 purse. It's very thin and pliable (unlike most real leather available) and looks very real. It may be a bit darker than a "natural" leather but I think that's ok.

I'll attach the tubing with rubberized glue. I haven't yet decided (or tested) how I'll tack down the leather while I do the lacing. At this scale I don't think I can find any grommets that are a suitable scale size. Even the smallest 1/32 grommets (with a flange of a bit over 1/16"

might be too big. I'll have to think about this. I'll do the lacing with the original "double stitch" method that Bob posted earlier in this thread.

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(in reply to abufletcher)

Post #: 1402

RE: CD ScaleDesigns Sopwith Snipe build - 3/28/2008 3:18:36 PM

abufletcher

Posts: 5172
Joined: 2/13/2004
From: Zentsuji, JAPAN
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I apologize for how slow this is going at the moment. I've promised myself that I'll spend a significant portion of the weekend building (or detailing). This week I've been getting tons of flying in on the Cub so that I can pull the engine. So far I've got over 70 "flights" (counted as full take-off runs from a stand still and a successful landing) in about two weeks. No deadsticks. Two nose-overs on take-off, three on landing (on a rough field with soggy ground). Nothing damaged. Well, almost nothing. I didn't exactly "fly the wings of it" but I did manage to fly the gear off. After about 50 flights the gear finally gave out on landing but some silver soldering had it flying again the next day. I'll probably fly through the weekend and then pull the engine.

Today I was trying to get the Saito 56 on the Kyosho Me-109 tuned up and I just couldn't get the idle set. Then I noticed that there didn't seem to be any movement on the trottle arm through the bottom 1/3 of the stick movement. So I checked out the servo and noticed something very odd. On the first third of the stick movement the servo arm actually moved slightly in the OPPOSITE direction! And then moved quickly in the right direction. I figured it was a bad servo until I noticed something odd about my radio: The throttle stick no longer had any "clicks" to it! Just smooth movement. I'm not sure how (or even when) this happened.

Luckily I bought a "spare" Airtronics VG6000 last summer (so transfering settings is simple). I gave the new one a try and voila, perfect movement on the servo though the whole range. So what's up with THAT? Has anyone had this happen? I've had this radio for ove 4 years and it's been subjected to a lot of dirt and grim, some oil slime and perhaps even a drop or two of water over the years.

What does all this have to do with my Snipe? Very little. Though it's all part of my "grand plan" to have the necessary piloting skills by the time I finish with the Snipe. And of course it's good that I'm dealing with equipment problems now rather than later. For example, during this week I found myself with a dead glow starter, a weak 12V battery, and now a wonky radio. Flying every day has also forced me to develop a good routine to make sure I have everything and that everything's charged and in working order when I get to the field.

Anyway, I should have some build updates soon.

< Message edited by abufletcher -- 3/29/2008 12:56:13 PM >

(in reply to abufletcher)

Post #: 1403

RE: CD ScaleDesigns Sopwith Snipe build - 3/29/2008 4:04:41 PM

abufletcher

Posts: 5172
Joined: 2/13/2004
From: Zentsuji, JAPAN
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I've got precious little to show for all my work today -- but I swear I DID spent hours and hours on this stuff! The main two things are the bolts on the rear edge of the side metal panel and the cockpit coaming. A tip of the hat to BobH for providing a photo of the stitching method.

As you can see I had to disassemble the top again to do the coaming. I will probably stain the white thread and may do something to create the visual effect of brass eyelets.

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(in reply to abufletcher)

Post #: 1404

RE: CD ScaleDesigns Sopwith Snipe build - 3/29/2008 4:07:25 PM

abufletcher

Posts: 5172
Joined: 2/13/2004
From: Zentsuji, JAPAN
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I also flew today. Since the Cub's gear was a bit wobbly, I practiced my rudder technique.

(in reply to abufletcher)

Post #: 1405

RE: CD ScaleDesigns Sopwith Snipe build - 3/30/2008 12:32:17 PM

abufletcher

Posts: 5172
Joined: 2/13/2004
From: Zentsuji, JAPAN
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I decided what it is that takes so darn long on the detailing: Thinking! I seem to spend an hour thinking and experimenting for every 15 minutes of actual forward progress on the model. So once again I don't have much to post.

First, let me send a big THANKS to Clouddancer who early on in this project sent me two outstanding waterslide decals of the Sopwith company logo. He says he found them on eBay. They are actually a bit large for my Snipe and probably more like 1/4 scale, but they are just so stunning that I couldn't resist using them. They can be seen in the datafile photos sitting dead center on the side ply panels below the cockpit.

There should also be one wrapped around the leading edge of each of the wing struts (at least the front struts) but I think I'm just going to have forego this -- or add them much later.

I put the bungees on the axles. I decided to use black rather that white elastic cord becuase, well, because I just like the way it looks. Also they look dark in the datafile photos but that could just be grime.

And it's finally time to get the wheels sorted out. There are two problems with the stock 5" WB wheel. One, they're too flat relative to the conical shape of the Palmer Aero Cord tires using on the original. The Flair wheels are a much better representation of the Palmer tyre but unfortunately they don't come in the 5" size. So I had to modify that. Next the tire thickness/width is too wide relative to the hub. This is a problem with all the WB wheels in the smaller sizes but seems ok on their larger wheels. They look more like the wheels found on WWI bombers. Anyway, I need to fix that as well and at the same time simulate the fabric reinforcing ring that hooked the wheel covers onto the rim. I had tried to do this at the very beginning of the build but I'm not happy with the result so I tore of the covers and am trying something a bit different.

In the end the wheel covers will be painted half white and half red.

Finally, I ran the tires against a a sanding wheel to get rid of the moulding seam and to rough them up a bit.

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< Message edited by abufletcher -- 3/30/2008 12:34:50 PM >

(in reply to abufletcher)

Post #: 1406

RE: CD ScaleDesigns Sopwith Snipe build - 3/30/2008 1:36:24 PM

abufletcher

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From: Zentsuji, JAPAN
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Here's a good clear shot of the decal just in case anyone wants to make me a set!

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Post #: 1407

RE: CD ScaleDesigns Sopwith Snipe build - 3/30/2008 5:11:55 PM

buzzard bait

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Joined: 1/1/2003
From: Ithaca, NY, USA
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I've attached leather by smearing white glue on the rough side, letting it nearly dry, and then applying to the cockpit with a trim iron, which allowed me to stretch and form it as I worked. I found thin, small swatches in different colors at one of those chain craft stores like Michael's, and they are quite pliable.

More great work there! Too bad there aren't better wheel choices available. Nice as the Williams and Flair are, they seldom have the right size and proportion for any given project. I'm sure it's just too expensive for them to make moulds for all the different types. Nice adaptation you've done.

Jim

< Message edited by buzzard bait -- 3/30/2008 5:12:25 PM >

(in reply to abufletcher)

Post #: 1408

RE: CD ScaleDesigns Sopwith Snipe build - 3/31/2008 2:52:49 PM

abufletcher

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From: Zentsuji, JAPAN
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Here is my first attempt at "weathering" which I'll describe as "scratch and smudge." Can you make it out? I hope it's just barely visible. The scratch part sure is easy when the panels are made of aluminum to start with!

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Post #: 1409

RE: CD ScaleDesigns Sopwith Snipe build - 3/31/2008 3:30:01 PM

abufletcher

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Stuff I still need to add to the top cowling piece: 1) The tops of the oil tanks in the round holes, 2) The windscreen, and 3) slot and attachment point for the cabane strut cross-bracing wires.

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Post #: 1410

RE: CD ScaleDesigns Sopwith Snipe build - 4/5/2008 12:38:13 PM

CTDavies

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Joined: 9/1/2003
From: Weeze, GERMANY
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This is to let you all know that we've upgraded our Snipe kit a bit. We've now included tabs on the fuse formers and matching slots in the side doublers. The whole fuselage is now built with interlocking parts, that nearly make errors impossible. We tried this on our SE-5a and liked how it worked so much, we decided to retro-fit all of our biplanes with this feature.

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