joeflyer

My Feedback: (48)

I'm working on the wings now. Since I'm using the gear out of my old Maverick I had to shorten the opening about 2 inches. The left wing is almost done.

What's left is to mount the hinges and controls, do the right wing, booms, rudders and elevator, figure out how to mount the canopy, and then mount the turbine & equipment. I'm using my Artes Bee (12 lbs. thrust). From the videos 14 lbs. seems to fly it well. I hope it's fast enough for me with the Bee.

Later,
Joe

joeflyer

My Feedback: (48)

Lior,

I put a piece of hardwood on each side of the aluminum where I want to bend it. Then I clamp it in a vise. First I fold it over by hand as much as possible, then hit it with a plastic mallet along the crease to sharpen the bend. The aluminum is soft enough that it can take a 90 degree bend without cracking or breaking. I've made turbine mounts like this before and they hold up well.

Here's what it will look like with the engine mounted.

Joe

i3dm

My Feedback: (51)

Joe, it looks great ! very neat installation.

erazz

Hi Joe.

That a super installation! I think you're much neater than me.


I plugged the holes with balsa as well and applied a patch to cover it up. The picture makes it look much better than it is. The whites don't match up to well. It's on the bottom though so I'm not bothering with it too much.

I haven't started on the fuselage yet and so haven't thought about the nose gear too much. The strut I have is too long so I can either mount it deeper in the fuselage or shorten the strut. I think the latter.

The installation is pretty much straight forward. I haven't removed the formers and I intend to modify them just enough to fit the fuel tank. I'm not too concerned about the glue because the fuselage is quite sturdy as is.

I'm giving the electrical system a lot of thought. I'd like to maximize reliability and minimize the complexity of it. As it is there are wires for 4 servos running to each wing. That will be a total mess to do with simple extensions. I plan on running 2 20awg wires down each wing and boom for power and a ribbon cable for the signal. That will allow me to use a single 6-pin multiplex connector at each joint (fuselage-wing, wing-boom) instead of 4 connectors. I also plan on using 2 Rx batteries wired in parallel with separate switches for redundancy. It sounds very complicated but it is, actually, very simple (see schematic).

Erez

i3dm

My Feedback: (51)

Erez,

What do you mean a ribbon cable for the signal ?

Woketman

My Feedback: (6)

I will need to mod the wheels wells as well. What are you guys using for iron-on covering over the Chinese stuff? Is Monokote OK? Or is it too high heat? Thanks.

erazz

Hi Lior,

Ribbon cable is a multi strand flat cable. Similar to the flat cables you get in your computer except that the wires are colored hence "ribbon".


Woketman,

I'm using a kind of sticky decal similar to trim decals. No heat needed and they stick very very well.

joeflyer

My Feedback: (48)

Wocketman,

If it's not too late don't cut the covering over the original wheel well opening. I cut just enough covering to mount the retract, then with the strut and wheel mounted determined the new location for the wheel opening. After cutting the covering and balsa at the new location I installed a circle of balsa from inside the wing to fill the old location and then trimmed it. You will have to remove part of one of the wing ribs to accomodate the plastic well.

This way you will not have to patch any covering. If you have already cut the opening in the original location then it's not big deal since it's the bottom anyway. Get a white Monokote trim sheet from your LHS to patch the covering.

Joe

joeflyer

My Feedback: (48)

erazz,

The electronics look pretty comprehensive. Be carefull doing all of the solder joints. I'm not sure if it's worth all that trouble.

If you read some of the earlier posts I inquired about the assembly/disassembly everytime you go out to fly. Some of the guys leave the booms attached to the wings and the stab attached to one of the booms to simplify the setup.

My thoughts were to do that plus I am planning on mounting two thin wing servos in the stab with linkages to the elevator. The servos will be Y-ed together to an extension running down one of the booms. That way the only electrical connections I'll have to make are where each wing meets the fuse and there will be no elevator linkage to connect/disconnect each time. There will be 4 wires exiting one wing and 3 exiting the other.

I am concerned about the wing/boom assemblies being a bit difficult to handle and transport conveniently. I have thoughts of carving some stryofoam blocks to minimize potential damage during transportation and handling. The other option is to unbolt the booms from the wings each time and lay the boom on top of the wing leaving the wires between them connected. I'd put some padding between the wing and boom and secure them with velcro straps. Guess I'll see how it works out.

Joe

erazz

Yeah I've read that... I'm not sure I even need to take it apart at all. It just might fit with the rear seats folded.

Still, what I wanted from the electrical system is reliability and simplicity. You'll see once I'm done how simple it actually is. It is a bit more work but it's work I enjoy ... always a good cause .

I just wish you gave that "don't cut the covering" tip one day earlier [:@].

Erez

erazz

Here's a picture of the mount I intend to do... Though I have no idea on how to bend it yet.

It's made of 2mm aluminum and it is supposed to weigh 75 grams... Maybe I'll drop down to 1.5mm to make it easier to bend.

joeflyer

My Feedback: (48)

Due to a couple of requests I am posting drawing of my mount. It is made of .045" aluminum. I think it would need to be at least .040" (or 1 mm.) as a minimum. If you are using an engine of larger diameter than an Artes Bee then you may need to make some adjustments. Also some adjustment may be required to accomodate your engine mounting straps.

My suggestion is to make a template out of heavy paper first, then make appropriate adjustments before cutting any aluminum. It is attached to the plane with four screws into blind nuts (T-nuts) on the bottom of the fuse.

The lightening holes look neater but they are not worth the effort from a weight standpoint. It saved me only 0.3 oz.

Joe

jedijingle

My Feedback: (45)

Thanks for that post on the template Joe. Cheers from me and likely many others. John

PREACHHAMES

My Feedback: (58)

Hey Guys,

If you want to protect the inner portions of the verticles and horizontal stab from the possibility of flames during start-up, give this idea a try. Go to your local hardware and purchase some 6" diameter aluminum ducting (around $7 dollars).

Greg Hames

fw190pilot

A piece of 4 inch elcheapo stove pipe works very well. Just have to make something to hold it at the right height. I would think that the flex hose wouldn't take any serious heat and or flame and burn through too quick.

erazz

I like the way you set up your rudder linkage... I think I'll copy!

TUMBLER

My Feedback: (13)

The real bobcat does not have a problem burning the stab, so why does this plane......especially wih 5 degrees of downthrust in the engine?

NM_Mark

My Feedback: (8)

Obviously you don't have a Ram

Darn thing is a bit flamy on every other start []

Mark

TUMBLER

My Feedback: (13)

Ironically I do have a Ram 750. If I don't keep the rpms high at start up, es it flames. so you are saying under normal conditions, the stab does not get with the exhaust?

i3dm

My Feedback: (51)

You can always make a protector tube against hot starts.. but it doesnt have to takeoff with the plane it can stay on the ground !

meps

My Feedback: (10)

Greg, I see you got your Falcon. It's a neat airplane isn't it? Hopefully I can get back on mine soon but not before finishing my T-45.
Steve

preston_brown

UltraCoat from Hangar 9 / Horizon Hobbies is a perfect match, at least for the orange.

-- Preston

TUMBLER

My Feedback: (13)

Yep, I have the .25 size one. Covering sucked so I re-covered the whole thing and added retracts. Dark Yellow Ultracote matched the covering and paint exactly!!!

Tumbler

meps

My Feedback: (10)

Preston, where do you fly?
Steve

preston_brown

TCRC up in Hurdle Mills, and a local field where I know the owner. I PM'ed you my e-mail, we should fly together some time.

-- Preston