BVM Kingcat - still good??
02-13-2017, 07:18 PM
#101
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I think maybe this is a different airframe than he bought from me. I know he had an incident in the 2006 timeframe with the one he bought from me but not sure if replaced or repaired/repainted.
On knife edge ... just mix out the roll or pitch tendencies like you would with an aerobatic prop plane and you'll be able to hold knife edge using just rudder.
I call the Kingcat the SUV of jets ... can fly it most anywhere and it does everything quite well.
JS
On knife edge ... just mix out the roll or pitch tendencies like you would with an aerobatic prop plane and you'll be able to hold knife edge using just rudder.
I call the Kingcat the SUV of jets ... can fly it most anywhere and it does everything quite well.
JS
02-13-2017, 07:32 PM
#102
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I think maybe this is a different airframe than he bought from me. I know he had an incident in the 2006 timeframe with the one he bought from me but not sure if replaced or repaired/repainted.
On knife edge ... just mix out the roll or pitch tendencies like you would with an aerobatic prop plane and you'll be able to hold knife edge using just rudder.
I call the Kingcat the SUV of jets ... can fly it most anywhere and it does everything quite well.
JS
On knife edge ... just mix out the roll or pitch tendencies like you would with an aerobatic prop plane and you'll be able to hold knife edge using just rudder.
I call the Kingcat the SUV of jets ... can fly it most anywhere and it does everything quite well.
JS
06-01-2017, 03:24 AM
#110
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Here's a mod that I made on two KingCats so far...the one I rebuilt in post #50, and my own, show in this photo tutorial. I have a small lathe/mill combination machine, and am learning to use it, so I was able to make the necessary parts at home. The nose cone attachment method as designed, retains the nose cone very securely, but is not that easy to remove or re-install. I have tried many methods to retain the four Allen head cap screws over the years, like "o" dings around the screw shanks during assembly, etc., but finally decided to make a change.
The bracket on the bottom of the battery box is 6061 T-6 aluminum, and is attached to the battery box with four 4-40 screws and blind nuts. The carbon fiber shaft is a piece of a Central Hobbies pushrod, with the 4-40 titanium ends at both ends. I used Loctite on the aft end, and a set screw for safety (belt and suspenders approach) to hold the shaft in place. The nose cone registers to the forward fuselage frame on MS20426AD4-5 rivets, glued to the aft side of the frame with Aeropoxy. They replace the 4-40 screws...the aft nose cone frame has the blind nuts removed, and a #4 flat washer Zapped in place on the aft side.
The nose cone contains a 1" thick Flox/epoxy mixture at the forward end. The nose cone also has an aluminum bushing at the end to form the flat for the pitot tube (also turned from 6061T-6, and threaded 4-40 to match the CF retention shaft end. The inside of the flox mixture is countersunk to make it easier to insert the retention shaft through the nose cone. Slip the cone into position, screw the pitot tube on, and fly!
I can go into further detail if requested. The height of the nose cone tip and the bottom of the battery box from the bench is something you must measure accurately in order to position the retention shaft so it is not deflected (bent) during assembly.
The bracket on the bottom of the battery box is 6061 T-6 aluminum, and is attached to the battery box with four 4-40 screws and blind nuts. The carbon fiber shaft is a piece of a Central Hobbies pushrod, with the 4-40 titanium ends at both ends. I used Loctite on the aft end, and a set screw for safety (belt and suspenders approach) to hold the shaft in place. The nose cone registers to the forward fuselage frame on MS20426AD4-5 rivets, glued to the aft side of the frame with Aeropoxy. They replace the 4-40 screws...the aft nose cone frame has the blind nuts removed, and a #4 flat washer Zapped in place on the aft side.
The nose cone contains a 1" thick Flox/epoxy mixture at the forward end. The nose cone also has an aluminum bushing at the end to form the flat for the pitot tube (also turned from 6061T-6, and threaded 4-40 to match the CF retention shaft end. The inside of the flox mixture is countersunk to make it easier to insert the retention shaft through the nose cone. Slip the cone into position, screw the pitot tube on, and fly!
I can go into further detail if requested. The height of the nose cone tip and the bottom of the battery box from the bench is something you must measure accurately in order to position the retention shaft so it is not deflected (bent) during assembly.
Last edited by Harley Condra; 06-01-2017 at 03:27 AM.
06-01-2017, 06:20 AM
#111
Here's a mod that I made on two KingCats so far...the one I rebuilt in post #50, and my own, show in this photo tutorial. I have a small lathe/mill combination machine, and am learning to use it, so I was able to make the necessary parts at home. The nose cone attachment method as designed, retains the nose cone very securely, but is not that easy to remove or re-install. I have tried many methods to retain the four Allen head cap screws over the years, like "o" dings around the screw shanks during assembly, etc., but finally decided to make a change.
The bracket on the bottom of the battery box is 6061 T-6 aluminum, and is attached to the battery box with four 4-40 screws and blind nuts. The carbon fiber shaft is a piece of a Central Hobbies pushrod, with the 4-40 titanium ends at both ends. I used Loctite on the aft end, and a set screw for safety (belt and suspenders approach) to hold the shaft in place. The nose cone registers to the forward fuselage frame on MS20426AD4-5 rivets, glued to the aft side of the frame with Aeropoxy. They replace the 4-40 screws...the aft nose cone frame has the blind nuts removed, and a #4 flat washer Zapped in place on the aft side.
The nose cone contains a 1" thick Flox/epoxy mixture at the forward end. The nose cone also has an aluminum bushing at the end to form the flat for the pitot tube (also turned from 6061T-6, and threaded 4-40 to match the CF retention shaft end. The inside of the flox mixture is countersunk to make it easier to insert the retention shaft through the nose cone. Slip the cone into position, screw the pitot tube on, and fly!
I can go into further detail if requested. The height of the nose cone tip and the bottom of the battery box from the bench is something you must measure accurately in order to position the retention shaft so it is not deflected (bent) during assembly.
The bracket on the bottom of the battery box is 6061 T-6 aluminum, and is attached to the battery box with four 4-40 screws and blind nuts. The carbon fiber shaft is a piece of a Central Hobbies pushrod, with the 4-40 titanium ends at both ends. I used Loctite on the aft end, and a set screw for safety (belt and suspenders approach) to hold the shaft in place. The nose cone registers to the forward fuselage frame on MS20426AD4-5 rivets, glued to the aft side of the frame with Aeropoxy. They replace the 4-40 screws...the aft nose cone frame has the blind nuts removed, and a #4 flat washer Zapped in place on the aft side.
The nose cone contains a 1" thick Flox/epoxy mixture at the forward end. The nose cone also has an aluminum bushing at the end to form the flat for the pitot tube (also turned from 6061T-6, and threaded 4-40 to match the CF retention shaft end. The inside of the flox mixture is countersunk to make it easier to insert the retention shaft through the nose cone. Slip the cone into position, screw the pitot tube on, and fly!
I can go into further detail if requested. The height of the nose cone tip and the bottom of the battery box from the bench is something you must measure accurately in order to position the retention shaft so it is not deflected (bent) during assembly.
CP
06-01-2017, 07:50 AM
#113
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Harley
06-01-2017, 03:26 PM
#116
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Nose cone bolts
In order to remove the nose cone 4-40 Allen head capscrews, a long Allen wrench is almost a neccessity. I always used a long Allen ball driver from Micro Fasteners.
Standard - Micro Fasteners
I have a full set of standard .sizes, metric and "Pro Hold" ball drivers. You can't have too many tools.These ball drivers are from Bondhus, and are very high quality, and the prices are right.
When removing the screws, Murphy's Law prevails. One or more of them always drop into the nose compartment, requiring a magnet to retrieve them. I found that It can be somewhat difficult to reinstall them. They do a great job of holding the nose cone on, but if frequent removal is required, they can be a real pain in the you-know-what. Until I made this mod, I used 1" long 4-40 screws so that I had a little room between the nose cone and the fuselage to guide the bolts into the blind nuts. It's dark in there after you stick your hand into the fuselage, so a small flashlight helps.
So, the mod eliminates the screws, washers and their associated hassle.
Standard - Micro Fasteners
I have a full set of standard .sizes, metric and "Pro Hold" ball drivers. You can't have too many tools.These ball drivers are from Bondhus, and are very high quality, and the prices are right.
When removing the screws, Murphy's Law prevails. One or more of them always drop into the nose compartment, requiring a magnet to retrieve them. I found that It can be somewhat difficult to reinstall them. They do a great job of holding the nose cone on, but if frequent removal is required, they can be a real pain in the you-know-what. Until I made this mod, I used 1" long 4-40 screws so that I had a little room between the nose cone and the fuselage to guide the bolts into the blind nuts. It's dark in there after you stick your hand into the fuselage, so a small flashlight helps.
So, the mod eliminates the screws, washers and their associated hassle.
06-01-2017, 06:49 PM
#120
Doesn't seem to matter how often you clean it, I still get black hands. If anyone has a solution to that I'm all ears.... lol
06-02-2017, 03:37 AM
#122
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Tight wing tube
The wing tubes are centerless ground at BVM. I had a very tight tube, and Don Smith and I put it back on the machine and removed a couple of thousands from it. It worked just fine after that.I only live 8 miles from BVM, so that was possible. Lacking the machine, you can remove the tube, and wet sand it with 400 sandpaper until it fits better. It's a tedious job, but worth the effort. Also, a brake cylinder hone can be used to enlarge the I.D.of the phenolic ftubes better fit. I have used both methods.
For transport, if extra space is required, I remove the tubes and replace them with slugs of the correct sized wooden dowels (Home Depot) allowing them to extend beyond the booms by about an inch, making the airframe much narrower than with the tubes installed. A couple of wraps of masking tape around one end of the wooden slugs will prevent them from being inserted beyond the booms.......the slugs I made are only about 6 to 8 inches long.
For transport, if extra space is required, I remove the tubes and replace them with slugs of the correct sized wooden dowels (Home Depot) allowing them to extend beyond the booms by about an inch, making the airframe much narrower than with the tubes installed. A couple of wraps of masking tape around one end of the wooden slugs will prevent them from being inserted beyond the booms.......the slugs I made are only about 6 to 8 inches long.
Last edited by Harley Condra; 06-02-2017 at 03:39 AM.
06-02-2017, 05:30 AM
#123
I have found this helps, take a carboard tube sleightly smaller than the phenolic tubes, cut a slot in the cardboard tube, insert a small section of sand paper in to the slot, then work it back and forth through the phenolic tubes, rotating it as you go.( Tape over the slot to prevent the sandpaper coming out)
Check the fit regularly, you do not want to remove to much material.
Check the fit regularly, you do not want to remove to much material.
06-03-2017, 03:26 AM
#124
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Instead of a cardboard tube, I have used a slotted wooden dowel (shown in the photo) with a strip of 80 grit cloth abrasive. I spin it in a drill motor and it removes the material very well. My brake hone is too large for the aft phenolic tubes.