Posts: 46
Joined: 10/13/2007 From: Birmingham, AL, USA Status: offline
Does anyone think that the attachment point between the stabilzer & fuselage seems weak and might need to be beefed up. I know the problems with this plane being tailheavy so I don't want to add any more structure if no one has had a problem with the tail feathers.
Posts: 2338
Joined: 5/31/2004 From: san francisco,
CA, USA Status: offline
it really is stronger than you think since your glueing to the crutch as well as the sheeting its quite stable,I mixed epoxy and micro balloon filler to keep the weight down at the attatchment points after I fliped the fuse over,really just enough to make sure there was a fillet where the fuse and elevator meet plenty of strength there.
Posts: 46
Joined: 10/13/2007 From: Birmingham, AL, USA Status: offline
Thanks,
Just needed some confirmation from someone who has been there. That's the point I'm at now. Should be flipping the fuselage over tomorrow and starting on the bottom.
Posts: 163
Joined: 9/20/2003 From: Rawlins,
WY, USA Status: offline
I'm just ahead of you in this build, sylvaner! Bigtim and camdyson have done nice jobs on their planes. I'm glad to see bigtims tw setup because that is right where I'm at. Keep us posted on your build!
Posts: 46
Joined: 10/13/2007 From: Birmingham, AL, USA Status: offline
hy flyer, Let's see some pictures of your build. I haven't had a lot of time to work in the shop since the first of the year. This is suppose to be the slow time at work, but it looks like it's going to be a great year.
Posts: 163
Joined: 9/20/2003 From: Rawlins,
WY, USA Status: offline
I'll get some pics up soon. I went with CJM retracts, put nav. lights in, full cockpit.. mostly standard stuff. As of right now, I'm pretty much finished with the wing. Need to get the retract tw installed and cockpit finished, then I'll finish sheeting the bottom of the fuse. What I'm looking forward to is doing the panel lines and rivets! Still thinking about a Saito 100 for power. I also went with 3/32 sheeting for the top of the wing.
Posts: 46
Joined: 10/13/2007 From: Birmingham, AL, USA Status: offline
I'd like to see some pictures of the TW retract installation. That will soon be at the top of my To Do list and I haven't really studied the plans to see how it will fit. I putting the cocpit kit in and scale hinge lines. I'm not going to do a lot of extra's since I'm building to fly and have fun with. I am going to play around with panel lines and rivets for practice for when I build a larger version next fall or winter.
Posts: 2338
Joined: 5/31/2004 From: san francisco,
CA, USA Status: offline
tell ya what this little project turned out to be more than I thought it would be, when I realized the Tail wheel doesn't have a former in the right position for the scale retract,I had to make a former/bulkhead to mount the retract mech.to,as well as mounting the air piston far enough to the center of the fuse, so if anything did go bad I could get to it. for the gear,the pull/pull for the stearing wasn't so bad,ball links at the servo and EZ connectors at the retract helps with the minor adjustments that go with all the added plumbing,I did have to make a little key piece so the EZ connector would clamp down on the pull/pull wires. I also had to use flexable pushrods for the rudder to get the crossing I needed for smooth stearing, it ended up being a little lighter than the metal supplied ones which helped out with tail weight. my biggest mistake was thinking I was done,when I wasn't even close, and sheeting the fuse before I had all the little kinks worked out, the access is a pain when its all closed up,I ended up using the springs that come in a ball point pen for my gear doors because the idea I had started with just didn't get the job done, they ended up working quite well in the end, there stiff enough to open the doors to the scale look,there was alot of experimenting I had to do to get the wheel to clear the doors and not hang up just a small amount of rubbing and they don't open or close properly,and I had to bend the strut just slightly to get this done. another thing is I had to build up the tail end of the fuselage because the solid wood block that TF has doesn't allow any access and I wanted to lighten the area with less wood. I turned out having to build up that area and made some more minor tweeks before I glassed the fuse. overall I am happy with the end results but when I build my FW,and my P-51C I will make sure I am completely finished with the install before any bottom sheeting gets done. another thing when I made the doors I just placed plastic over the area and wetted some balsa sheeting with H2O and alcohol, taped it down to the fuse, and left it overnight when it was dry there was a nice curved door ready to cut out.
< Message edited by bigtim -- 2/16/2008 10:37:50 PM >
Posts: 46
Joined: 10/13/2007 From: Birmingham, AL, USA Status: offline
That's what I thought. I will have to make another former to attach the retract to. Thanks for the heads up on making sure everything works right before sheeting the bottom. I can see me making the same mistake and buildin myself into a corner. How far forward did you put the air cylinder? I'm slowly getting some work done on the plane. I've made a promise to myself to finish this project in at less time than Pete from the land of Oz. But in fairness he's doing one heck of a job.
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Joined: 5/31/2004 From: san francisco,
CA, USA Status: offline
I am planning to mount the air tank in the location it was built for, but it blocks any access to the rear of the fuse, so when I get all the plumbing set I will glue it in place,I have had good luck with using adhesive calk on the tank mounting crutches, it holds it in place well, and doesn't seem to mind the vibration. I made sure the pushrods and cable tubes are low enough to allow the tank to be mounted in its planned location being so light weight its a good spot for it. I will take some more shots tomorrow on my servo tray installation(I finally got a new digital camera) since I am using a OS120 Pumped engine the tank will be mounted near the CG,so I made a removable servo tray instead of the plan designed,glued in version,for tank access, and so I can adjust my battery,and have access to the fill locations,fuel and air for the gear, I am trying to avoid any extra dead weight if at all possable. LOL Petes on the slow boat to the USA with his build but I think he's got a few iorns in the fire I have been working slowly myself but the weather is getting better so I got to get going on this one so I can start my next build
Posts: 187
Joined: 11/12/2002 From: Harlem,
GA, USA Status: offline
quote:
ORIGINAL: hy flyr
I'll get some pics up soon. I went with CJM retracts, put nav. lights in, full cockpit.. mostly standard stuff. As of right now, I'm pretty much finished with the wing. Need to get the retract tw installed and cockpit finished, then I'll finish sheeting the bottom of the fuse. What I'm looking forward to is doing the panel lines and rivets! Still thinking about a Saito 100 for power. I also went with 3/32 sheeting for the top of the wing.
I flew my TF GE Thunderbolt with a Saito 100.Flew it scale like with a 14x6 prop but I had to add a lot of lead weight up front due to the Saito 100 being so lite.A Saito 125 would be a better choice with more weight and some more power in reserve if needed.My Tbolt is glassed with 3/4 oz cloth and Z-Poxy finishing resin.Has CJ retracts,full cockpit with pilot,fiberglass cowl with a resin dummy radial engine. I used the top flite plastic dummy radial as a mold.Sprayed it with cooking oil and filled it with 2 part epoxy mixed with microballoons.Came out fairly good.I am taking my P47 to the Perry,GA swap meet on 2-29/3-01.Selling just the plane and retracts.Engine is in another plane now.Also moving up to bigger planes is why I am selling it. here is a link to a pic of it.
Posts: 163
Joined: 9/20/2003 From: Rawlins,
WY, USA Status: offline
I really don't think I could sell any plane that nice. tbolt! How long did it take you to build it? Actually I was wondering about going with a Saito 125. I've also been thinking about an OS120 pumped, it weighs much more than the Saito 125 does...Hey Bigtim, what muffler did you use on yours, I can't tell in your pics.
< Message edited by hy flyr -- 2/21/2008 3:06:54 AM >
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RE: TF P-47 60" Sheeting - 
