Charts

Hi marc,

Apologies for the late reply, mad weekend!

The tam pipe ends are even on mine too, same as mowery1 indicates.

As for the brake kit, it's made by CARF. I got mine 4 months ago as soon as they were available - without instructions. Dave W. at M&R informed me that some instructions would be appearing on the CARF site soon, but still nothing.

Interesting nose mod. I hadn't thought about a 2 servo setup for the foreplane. I wasn't sure it needed that sort of power. Looking forward getting back to the euro build soon!

Watching with interest!!!

Chris

marc s

Spent almost all of today on the main gear doors and trying to work out how the speed brake kit is meant to go together!

With the ES came a SB kit which I showed the contents of earlier in this thread, loads of phenolic hinge looking things plus glassed balsa and some other items which I took little notice of - turned out to be replacement main and front door panels, which are made very nicely and finished in white gel coat. So having adjusted the originally fitted doors a few days ago, they came off and the new ones shaped and fitted. Result is a much nicer fit and worth the extra 3-4 hours.

Next came the speed brake. It turns out this accessory option is made by (or for) Comp-ARF, and although very nicely made, not a hint as to how the whole lot goes together [] A few emails later it turns out there are no planned instructions or pictures of the set-up, not even the drawings or CAD images of the original prototype to help things along - "its left up to the technical skills of the builder" was the general feedback.

So leaving aside the gear doors which used the existing hinges already fitted, some of the cnc'd parts on the phenolic board were I guess intended for use on the doors, but my focus is on the SB.

I took the two more complicated formers, which contained the highest profile and joined them together with a length of 3mm thread rod, using an aluminium spacer in between to keep the two parts at a set distance, in my case this is 48mm. Then using two of the low profile items with a slot cut in one end used these to spread the 'base' of the unit so the overall footprint was 80mm. Each of the four items used has a slot milled into the forward part of the base which I found fitted a 3mm aluminium tube - this helped keep everything together.

I then found that the round servo horns supplied with JR servos was just about the right diameter to fit inside the SB radiused hinge section. An 1/8th piece of wire fitted the servo screw hole nicely. I drilled out the holes in the phenolic former to take the 1/8th wire. To allow widthways adjustment of the SB I cut the 1/8th wire in half and removed 6mm (original length approx inside distance of the SB) then found a suitable piece of brass tube to accept the 1/8 wire (5/16 I believe) and assembled the unit - the result is a frame which I will mount to a plate that can be fitted to a suitable former mounted in the fuselage in an area below the SB opening.

To get the servo discs to locate square on the SB I marked up on each lug of the SB two holes which correspond to the servo wheel holes and drilled these holes, two each side in identical places. Then by sliding some suitable wire through these holes and sandwiching the two servo discs inside, you are able to get the servo discs into a position where they can be glued in using aeropoxy. I have not tackled this job yet and plan to mount the whole rig in place and aeropoxy the SB and mounting bracket together so the whole unit is 'one'. Once done I will be able to mount the plate containing the SB assembly to the former mounted in the fuselage via three M3 bolts into blind nuts on the hinge plate.

This is only an idea using parts supplied, so any comments or mods would really be appreciated before I take the next step

marc

schroedm

My Feedback: (1)

Marc, wow! Almost looks as complicated as the inside of my watch!

I am sure it'll work perfectly by the time you are finished but you don't have to use every piece in the SB kit!! I think 7 of the phenolic hinges are for the gear doors.

Very neat work again! Keen to see new doors and lopped off nose pics

Cheers,
Mark

marc s

Speed brake 90% complete and so far seems to be OK, moves smoothly in a complete arc and adjustable in height with shimming and in width with using sliding shaft, still need to fill behind servo discs with some additional Aeropoxy to finish level.

marc

marc s

Nose (for Mark!) and first vents.................

schroedm

My Feedback: (1)

Great stuff Marc. You're brave doing those vents! I wanted to do them coz i thought they'd look cool (they do!) but was sure I'd cock something up on them

marc s

Made the base plate for the SB mounting, which will also carry a servo tray to open/close the SB, having looked at some of the air ram options, using a servo and running a servo slow via the TX would make the overall deployment a little more 'relaxed'. If the idea goes belly up it is removable!

Taped the SB into the fuselage so it was all square and lined up and then tacked the plate in with cyano and then Aeropoxy.

Started on the two canard carbon fiber horns which will mount on a couple of 6mm clamping hubs.

schroedm

My Feedback: (1)

Marc, nice work as always.

Should have the turbine sorted pretty soon. Following all the hassle with that so-called 'special' and 'new' Booster 160, I'll be going JetCat 160SX!!

Thanks,
Mark

marc s

Re-plumbed the two main tanks and glass clothed the base of the fuselage in the tank and steering servo areas. Made the servo mount from the parts supplied and then re-made using a slightly different approach!

One tank had already been fitted by Mark and in the process of working out where to fit the smoke tank, I was looking for some more room for equipment, so decided to make more room between the two main tanks by changing the tank mounting, and in the process making the tanks removable. Traced and made a former to support the front of the tank and added a panel to the main wing former to provide location for the cf fixing rod. The tank has an aluminium tube glued (still needs Aeropoxy) to the top of the tank and then a cf rod passed through the front former, through the tube and into the rear former providing a secure fixing, which will be locked into place later in the build. The base of the tanks will be secured to the planned base equipment tray with a couple of crew fixed brackets. The extra room should now allow a smoke tank and pumps to go below the ducting.

The formers are tacked in place for the layout pics and will naturally be Aeropoxied properly.

marc.

schroedm

My Feedback: (1)

Nice ideas Marc! Very very handy if the tanks are removable - will make servicing a LOT easier.

As for the smoke tank, there is always the option of 'Tee-ing' together 2 smaller (16-24oz) tanks if they will fit either side of the ducts?

Cheers,
Mark

mick15

Hi Mark,

How did you get on with the Powerbox Royal?

m

schroedm

My Feedback: (1)

Mick,

Great bit of kit. Got one in the Skygate Hawk with 2 6014 2.4ghz RXs and one in my XL with a single 6014 2.4ghz Rx.

Other option if you want to run dual RXs is the new PB Champion RRS.

Will be running a normal PowerBox Evolution in the Eurofighter tho as the royal is a bit overkill for 4 "main" servos!

Cheers,
Mark

marc s

Hooked up the servo to the speed brake to test for travel and general functionality, all seemed well, still need to chamfer the rear edges of the fuselage by the SB and glue in a former which 'squeezes' this area to allow the SB to slide over the top when being deployed.

After fitting the main tanks I looked for a suitable smoke tank but nothing fitted the bill, so its time to make one. Made up a balsa 'box' with rounded edges and covered in Profilm, then a couple of good coats of furniture wax. The covering is time consuming so wont bore everyone with the stages, will revisit when its time to crack it open.

marc.

schroedm

My Feedback: (1)

Hi Marc,

Looking good matey!!

I know how much you love making those tanks so thanks!!!! Worked out the capacity of it yet?

Cheers,
Mark

marc s

1.17 liltres ;-)

schroedm

My Feedback: (1)

Approximately



Don't shoot me but........the pic of the speedbrake from the front - is it straight?? [:-]

pdrlele

Your work is AWESOME !! [X(] [X(]

marc s

It's the stand thats pissed, what do you expect from B&Q!

Thank you, half Italian has something to do with it but not sure what! - grazie, vai anche tu al Jetpower in Germania fra tre settimane?

marc.

pdrlele

You're Italian is good !!

I'd like to go to Jet power, but I must work.....

schroedm

My Feedback: (1)

Marc, is that why you did nothing on it for the whole of August LMAO

marc s

Working on the equipment deck under the speed brake, following a chat with Mark the owner I opted to try to get the 'electrical' service items under the SB, and the fuel stuff elsewhere.

Looking to cut a hatch on the fuselage side for this job and have added some carbon cloth in the proposed area to stiffen up the area. The electrical stuff is to go on the deck under the SB but I did not fancy seeing all the switches etc when the SB was open, so have cut a hatch in the deck and will mount the equipment below this. The hatch is sprung loaded and will be secured with a latch of some description.

Mounted the front gear cylinder which will need to be adjusted and shimmed as its not sitting right just now.

marc.

schroedm

My Feedback: (1)

Marc,

Hatchylatchtastic!!

You never cease to amaze! Cracking work! I was getting excited about flying this but as this thread goes on and the pics keep coming I'm getting a little nervous!

If only you did painting too

Rgds,
Mark

Countryboy

My Feedback: (25)

schroedm,

I can't wait until Marc get's to the functional variable intake inlets. [sm=spinnyeyes.gif]

marc s

Cheers for the ideas on cutting a hatch, ended up using a steel rule stuck to the fuselage with some double-sided sponge tape, the sort used to stick rear view mirrors to windows, it sticks well and follows slight contours. Using a 1.5 inch diamond wheel, I rang along the rule cutting the four straight sides, the corners were finished off using a cut down junior hack saw blade - took a while but the result was pretty good, once tidied up a little should look pucker.

Worked on the fuselage strakes, enlarged the cuts already made and aligned things up. Used some glass board instead of the suggested ply and made two units with tabs on the inside to support an instrument tray, this too was made from some glass board for rigidity. I am considering mounting the Powerbox, Rx and other electrical (possibly door sequencer) as well - the equipment layout is only a test so any suggestions are welcome.

marc

schroedm

My Feedback: (1)

Hi Marc,

As usual, great stuff!

You got me - what are the little 45degree slots in the strakes?

With the access hatch and speedbrake there isn't much to go in the cockpit I guess!

IF possible, we could mount the equipment on a tray essentially on the fuse floor? That way it would maximise the space for a full depth cockpit?

See you tomorrow.

Cheers,
M