My SM F-14 Tomcat
09-09-2014, 08:29 PM
#151
My F-14 arrived last week. Tonight was the first time I've had a few hours to open everything and look at it. First off, the packaging is night and day better than my last sky master kit. There wasn't a single thing damaged. Kudos to whoever changed their packaging, very professional.
I dry fit the big parts, no time to try all the ordinance. There is a lot of stuff to hang on this plane!
This is a completely different animal from my Mig-29. Zero soft spots or places where I am afraid I'm gonna crack the glass. I cycled the nose gear and the canopy, love that little valve, accomplishes a lot of tasks in one. I cycled the nose gear, did not try the mains.
This plane dwarfs my ultra bandit. However, there is not a lot of room inside. It would have been nice if the rear hatches came off completely for construction, maybe they do? Looked like it was live hinged.
The cockpit could get dressed up a bit.
Wim, a few questions:
Is that little wire in the leading edge of the rear hatches hard to put back in?
Did your tail hook come with the cylinder and cutouts in the fuse?
It doesn't look like there is an inboard rail to mount the turbines?
Is that ducting that is loose in front of the pipes necessary to mount to the inlet? Doesn't look like there is room for the turbine with them in there. I do not know how far back the bell mouth should go, honestly looked inside and wondered how the hell I was going to get two turbines and those two tanks in that space.
I can't remember who posted the pics of one dirtied up, but this plane is going to look amazing with some weathering. The surface detail is great, it just looks too clean.
Very impressed with everything I saw. Didn't have time to really tear it apart, just wanted to see it put together and make sure nothing was damaged. Its all back in the boxes and headed to my storage unit this weekend. I have quite a few projects ahead of this one.
I was in the Navy, didn't know we had Canadian pilots ;-)
I dry fit the big parts, no time to try all the ordinance. There is a lot of stuff to hang on this plane!
This is a completely different animal from my Mig-29. Zero soft spots or places where I am afraid I'm gonna crack the glass. I cycled the nose gear and the canopy, love that little valve, accomplishes a lot of tasks in one. I cycled the nose gear, did not try the mains.
This plane dwarfs my ultra bandit. However, there is not a lot of room inside. It would have been nice if the rear hatches came off completely for construction, maybe they do? Looked like it was live hinged.
The cockpit could get dressed up a bit.
Wim, a few questions:
Is that little wire in the leading edge of the rear hatches hard to put back in?
Did your tail hook come with the cylinder and cutouts in the fuse?
It doesn't look like there is an inboard rail to mount the turbines?
Is that ducting that is loose in front of the pipes necessary to mount to the inlet? Doesn't look like there is room for the turbine with them in there. I do not know how far back the bell mouth should go, honestly looked inside and wondered how the hell I was going to get two turbines and those two tanks in that space.
I can't remember who posted the pics of one dirtied up, but this plane is going to look amazing with some weathering. The surface detail is great, it just looks too clean.
Very impressed with everything I saw. Didn't have time to really tear it apart, just wanted to see it put together and make sure nothing was damaged. Its all back in the boxes and headed to my storage unit this weekend. I have quite a few projects ahead of this one.
I was in the Navy, didn't know we had Canadian pilots ;-)
09-09-2014, 11:32 PM
#154
Hey Mike, congrats!!! didn't know you got the same version as mine!! super!
on your questions:
no, the wire goes in quite easily.... the large hatches do indeed flip open, don't forget to release the inner locks (move the inner strakes forward to unlock)
the inner turbine support comes separately, is packaged with the inner nose structure i believe.
On the inlet: I will use it, but it will have to be shortened. I won't glue it in however, I'll have to find a way to make them removeable. they need to come out to be able to remove the wing pivots and landing gear. and we all know, landing gear will need to come out sooner or later for service.... ;-)
another reason for installing them, I know there's someone working on a nice set of freewheeling fans...(aka A-10).
Actually, I think there's a lot of space in this plane.... heck, mine won't have any equipment below the cockpits..........
tailhook came without anything....
wim
on your questions:
no, the wire goes in quite easily.... the large hatches do indeed flip open, don't forget to release the inner locks (move the inner strakes forward to unlock)
the inner turbine support comes separately, is packaged with the inner nose structure i believe.
On the inlet: I will use it, but it will have to be shortened. I won't glue it in however, I'll have to find a way to make them removeable. they need to come out to be able to remove the wing pivots and landing gear. and we all know, landing gear will need to come out sooner or later for service.... ;-)
another reason for installing them, I know there's someone working on a nice set of freewheeling fans...(aka A-10).
Actually, I think there's a lot of space in this plane.... heck, mine won't have any equipment below the cockpits..........
tailhook came without anything....
wim
09-10-2014, 06:11 AM
#157
Alex is using two jets munt 140 X... I'm planning on two jets munt 200X (de tuned using switch on TX). Gaspar will have a couple of the M200X at jet power next week. Hopefully should be ready for delivery early October 
If you notice the tail pipes have a slight bend towards the end and I hope in case of one engine flame out the other should be strong enough to bring the jet home.
David
If you notice the tail pipes have a slight bend towards the end and I hope in case of one engine flame out the other should be strong enough to bring the jet home. David
09-10-2014, 06:31 AM
#158
Alex is using two jets munt 140 X... I'm planning on two jets munt 200X (de tuned using switch on TX). Gaspar will have a couple of the M200X at jet power next week. Hopefully should be ready for delivery early October If you notice the tail pipes have a slight bend towards the end and I hope in case of one engine flame out the other should be strong enough to bring the jet home.
David
If you notice the tail pipes have a slight bend towards the end and I hope in case of one engine flame out the other should be strong enough to bring the jet home. David
09-10-2014, 07:55 AM
#159
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Anyone else having the same problem as my 14. The pipes are way too long for the aircraft when using the supplied turbine mounts, with one of the pipes also having been cut off at the end flush, ie. no venturi outer pipe beyond the end of the inner pipe. May have to ask Skymaster for new pipes, rather than cutting and shutting these ones.
09-10-2014, 08:19 AM
#162
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09-21-2014, 10:16 AM
#168
Progress...
been a while since I posted my progress, had a problem with my pc, hard disc crashed....lost a lot of data..... :-(
I did do a lot of work: finally got myself to install the cockpit, and believe me, it is a royal pain in the *******..... I'll post info on that later.
I also installed the CAT's and pumps. thesa are installed between the aft cockpit and central tank.
Spent a lot of time on trying to figure out the layout of the front "tray". I decided to buil a "removable" unit holding all the major components in the nose, an this is how it turned out... holds all valves, the 5-in-1, the powerbox, switch and display, all fill valves and batteries. weighs 1.8 kg, and she'll probably need some more weight in the nose....not finished yet, but it shows what I mean:
I did do a lot of work: finally got myself to install the cockpit, and believe me, it is a royal pain in the *******..... I'll post info on that later.
I also installed the CAT's and pumps. thesa are installed between the aft cockpit and central tank.
Spent a lot of time on trying to figure out the layout of the front "tray". I decided to buil a "removable" unit holding all the major components in the nose, an this is how it turned out... holds all valves, the 5-in-1, the powerbox, switch and display, all fill valves and batteries. weighs 1.8 kg, and she'll probably need some more weight in the nose....not finished yet, but it shows what I mean:
09-21-2014, 12:08 PM
#170
Great pics Wim! Love the silver carbon. It looks like a sandwich, I'm assuming its the fake plastic stuff? I use the dream works stuff, but have to glue it to plywood. Does yours come like that? Love to know where you got it.
Did you pull off all of the gear and door sequencing with just the EV5U, or did you need an additional valve?
For anyone who is building one of these or has the desire to do so in the future, you need to subscribe to Alex's photo stream page. Between he and Wim, a ton of great install ideas!
Thanks to both of you for leading the way on this build.
Did you pull off all of the gear and door sequencing with just the EV5U, or did you need an additional valve?
For anyone who is building one of these or has the desire to do so in the future, you need to subscribe to Alex's photo stream page. Between he and Wim, a ton of great install ideas!
Thanks to both of you for leading the way on this build.
09-21-2014, 12:32 PM
#172
Hey DrScoles,
thx on the compliment, I'm just using my experience to make this plane as reliable and easy to maintain as possible...
the silver sandwich panels I use come from my local supply, www.aerobertics.be, and if I am not mistaken, it is made by Krill models, here's a link to the probuct page: http://www.aerobertics.be/productDet...at=10&brand=50
this is a genuine sandwich panel, glass on one side, and the silver colored stuff on the other... love the way it looks, and it doesn't interfere with the receiver (as proven in my Scorpion...)
Wim
thx on the compliment, I'm just using my experience to make this plane as reliable and easy to maintain as possible...
the silver sandwich panels I use come from my local supply, www.aerobertics.be, and if I am not mistaken, it is made by Krill models, here's a link to the probuct page: http://www.aerobertics.be/productDet...at=10&brand=50
this is a genuine sandwich panel, glass on one side, and the silver colored stuff on the other... love the way it looks, and it doesn't interfere with the receiver (as proven in my Scorpion...)
Wim
09-21-2014, 12:43 PM
#174
Hey Alex I posted on your Facebook page about my f-14 antenna set.
Hows the nose section secured Wim? is it bolted onto the front former?
Cheers, Alex