bigphil

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Progress slowed this weekend due to a trip to Toledo, so I'm celebrating small steps in progress. I cut a couple of blocks to support the bolt tubes to hold them perpendicular to the root rib. The tubes have been mounted here.

BR1

Interesting wing attachment simple but effective. Please show us more and keep up the good work.

bigphil

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Thanks BR, can you please respond to my questions from post 97? I'd like to know what to expect.

BR1

Ok Bigphil
I will describe the flight from and observers point of view along with the gentlemen who flew it for me.
1) Take off early rudder required
2) Flight rudder and elevator very effective ailerons sluggish ( recommend coupled rudder ailerons)
3) Power off glide very good
4) Landing (off field) to be determined later

Surface deflections:
Rudder 3/4 left 3/4 right
Elevator 3/4 up 3/4 down
Ailerons 1 up 3/4 down

Hope this helps

bigphil

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Thanks BR that does help. While you didn't provide it, I'm hoping I don't have to find out about the "off field" landing characteristics any time soon.

bigphil

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The build is languishing a bit this week while I entertain my wife for a week in Phoenix... [8D]

butlern

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Excellent subject and a great build, Phil! Looking forward to seeing it in person.

Related to that, when will the Davenport scale meet take place this year?

Regards,

Noah
(IC Aerohawks)

bigphil

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Hi Noah,
Thanks for your comments, the Scale Meet is June 25th this year. See you then but not likely with the Bulldog.

BR1

Morning Bigphil I haven't seen any updates of late on your Bulldog now that you got me hooked. I am enjoying your build please don't give up. Thanks

bigphil

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Hi BR
I'm not giving up don't worry about that. I've been on vacation for a week and also have a few other projects ongoing. I do have one of the wing horns planked so I'll get a couple pics of that posted soon. We're also getting closer to flying season so progress will likely slow down a bit. I'm not giving up on it though, stay tuned for updates.

bigphil

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I finally have some progress to report. This may not look like I've gotten far but it was quite an effort to complete the planking of the first wing horn. Those who have been following along know that I reduced the plans a bit to accomodate my engine. I also reduced the thickness of the planking from 3/16 to 1/8, to save some weight and since I think the plane is over built anyway... Well I didn't see all the potential impacts of this. When I planked the top of the wing horn the planking didn't come up flush with the outline of the root rib. So I had to add a second layer and gradually thin it down to nothing where it met the fuselage. Since I also changed the wing mount to have bolts which now exit through this planking, I had to work around the two bolt tubes, twice! Also, since the curve of the planking changes with the rib profile, the tubes exit at different levels in the planking which complicates things.

Anyway, enough excuses. Here are a couple pics showing the progress. The fuse planking is now completed on this side and next time you see it, it will be facing west to get the opposite side up to this same point. Still a long ways to go on the bottom too.

Planking... Wheeee!

bigphil

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Been a while since my last post but there is more flying than building going on this time of year. The weather was crappy today though so I got the fuse turned around and fastened back down to the bench.

bigphil

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Here I am getting on with planking the right side. All the easy pieces are done here. It will take a good deal longer to plank between the stringers. Here are a few pics.

bigphil

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The weather continues to stink around here which restricts flying but enhances building. I got the tail portion of the right fuse side finished.

bigphil

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Here I'm starting to work down between all those stringers...

bigphil

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The weather is still stinking pretty bad around here, either raining or 30 mph winds. Neither are my favorite flying conditions, so I'm still plugging away at the Bulldog (and 2 other projects). I've got the top portion of the fuse planking completed. I still have to finish up the wing attachment and plank the horn before taking it off the board.

Here are the latest pics.

BR1

Hello Bigphil
Just wondering if you have made any progress on your Bulldog. I've missed reading about your project and how it is developing.

bigphil

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Hi BR,
Not much happening on the Bulldog lately. I've been finishing up a couple different Gee Bee's one of which I just started flying and the other about done. Probably won't see much happening on the Bulldog until it starts cooling off again and I spend more time in the shop. Don't worry though I have not abandoned the project. As a matter of fact, the fuse is still on my bench.

Stay tuned...

bigphil

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The weather has been crappy, with 30-40 mph winds the last few days here. So I spent a little time cleaning up my shop today and getting the other projects wrapped up and out of the way. There was still some time before the football game started so I spent a little time today finally on the Bulldog. I've got the other root rib mounted to the wing horns and the gussets epoxyed on. Sorry no pictures yet but I'll get some soon and hopefully there will be fairly regular progress to report. I'm still expecting some flying weather yet this season so I'm not back at it full time yet. Just a head's up to the thread subscribers.

The Adrian Page Gee Bee that has been occupying most of my non flying time this summer is virtually done. Just a few finishing touches to put on that too. I'll throw up a picture or two if that too in the next day or so.

So many projects, so little room! I may need to sell something to make room for my new projects...

bigphil

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Here are a couple pics of yesterday's progress...

bigphil

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Since the weather didn't improve today with showers this morning and persisting winds throughout the day, I kept going on the Bulldog today.

The tubes for wing attachment bolts were added, then finishing up the planking of the remaining wing horn. I'm going to have to start thinking about radio installation. There aren't many holes left in this fuse after all the planking has been added. I do plan to cut the canopy area loose and make it detachable to provide some interior access but still, most of the radio installation is going to have to be done early. Stay tuned...

bigphil

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Before removing the fuse from the building board I marked both sides for the horizontal stab location. Much easier while there was still a flat side. [8D]

The fuse is shown inverted here and also pictured are the remaining parts of the formers which will be added as soon as I make mounting provisions for the servos.

bigphil

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And here's a shot of the Gee Bee that has been consuming a lot of my non-flying time. Came out pretty good. Only very minor details to take care of and then it's all ready for it's maiden crash, er flight!

roaddog2

Big Phil, THAT's a fine lookin' b1rd! Best o' luck on 'er maiden flt.
RD

bigphil

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Thanks Roaddog!