JohnF

Will start the build of my new project soon but here is a peak at what I will be doing. In 1/3 scale the w/s will be 96" and the length 69.5". Total weight should be around 35lbs. Power will be G62 with Mick Reeves, Torque Master, reduction unit. My subject is ser.# A 5231 which served with 111 Sqn. in the Middle East. Colors were pc12 upper and and CDL undersides. All metal parts and wheel covers were gray. It will look a lot like this Bristol M1c that served in the Middle East. The basis for my building plan is this 3-view from a J.M. Bruce book. Sorry I can't share more photo's at this time but what I have is unpublished and I have been trusted not to show it for now. There will be a new Datafile published next year on this aircraft. Here are a couple of published photo's. Thanks to Seth Hunter for doing the wing rib CAD drawing. Bob Holman is cutting the wing ribs.

BobH

My Feedback: (2)

John buddy, you are the WWI man

eagledancer

i cant wait to see this one take shape!! i will be watching

ARUP

Are you sure you wouldn't rather build a Lloyd 40.15?[sm=lol.gif] I'm subscribing!

Lucky Dog

My Feedback: (1)

Looks like a little brute John. Subscribed.

JohnF

Okay guy's stay tuned!

cocobear

My Feedback: (2)

John, you are truly the king of obscure aircraft:-) How is the Loening?

JohnF

Hey DJ, funny you should ask about the Loening. Ron Prestin will be flying it at the Scale Masters qualifer in Long Island in August. I have been going over a few things in preperation. Hope it all goes well.

JohnF

Just an update on the progress of this build. Many hours have been spent correcting errors on the 3 view. Ron Prestin is working on a mock up of the wings and making temp-lets of the fuselage formers. I received my 15" Aluminum cowl from LV who is very kind to have sold his spare cowl to me. Really hope more will become available. Bob Holman has provided the RAF14 wing ribs from CAD drawings provided by Seth Hunter. Henri Kaper (RCSB) has again provided his Photoshop expertise and enlarged the 3-view drawing. I will soon be cutting the fuselage parts. Here are a couple of pic's.

JohnF

Really wanted to show what a great looking little fighter the Vickers F.B.19 MKII was so here is a photo of my subject. I don't think Colin Owers will kill me for posting this (cropped) photo of my subject. It will be the only photo I will show. There are some 57 photo's that will be used in the new Datafile. Many are pretty high resolution and really show the details.

Nieuport nut

My Feedback: (10)

You're moving right along now, John. How about some description of the construction - wood sizes, CF dia. and why you are building the way you are, (design process)? Enquiring minds want to know!

It's nice to hear there will be a "model-able" Datafile coming out soon. So many of them are impractical as models. I bought the first 50 or so, but fewer of the later ones.

Martin

JohnF

Okay Martin, we are using 1/2" round fiberglass spars. The wall thickness is approx. 3/64 or .046. The ribs are cut from 1/8" balsa. The wings in the photo are being built by Ron Prestin who has been working this project with me. I may do some things a little different so when i start my actual build I'll post more on wood sizes etc. The reason we chose this construction method is because it is light, strong and easy to do. Stay tuned!

JohnF

Drove out to Long Island yesterday and picked up the temp-lets from Ron. We had a good day discussing the design and finalizing some ideas. Also got to see Ron's basement hobby shop!
Anyway, Here are some pic's of what I have done so far using the temp-lets. I will be using heavy wood in the nose from the balance point forward so I will add less lead later. The G62 with the Mick Reeves Torqmaster will site pretty far back in the nose. The photo shows the fire wall approx. where it will end up. Once I have the TM and can fit it to the G62 I'll glue the firewall in place. The nose box wood size's are; 3/8, 7ply, a/c grade for the firewall and cowl ring. Box sides and rear bulkhead are 1/4" lite Ply. The rest of the bulkheads (3) before the cockpit will be 1/4" lite ply. All stringers are 3/16x1/4" bass wood and the longerons are 3/8x3/8" bass. The ply side's of the box will be notched to accept the longerons.

JohnF

While I am waiting for the Torque Master to arrive from Mick Reeves I am cutting and fitting parts. Once I have mounted the engine and TM and know where the firewall/engine mount will need to be I'll start gluing. I have determined (incidence) the lower wing mounting points (plugs) and once I get the fuselage framed I'll fit the wings to determine the dihedral. I'll then epoxy the plugs into hard wood blocks on the inside of the ply box leaving enough to slide the spars onto.

JohnF

Moving along, I have cut out all the turtle deck formers and finished the longerons. Next to glue in all the stringers and figure out how I want to build and attach the tail fin.

JohnF

I received the Mick Reeves TorqueMaster so I have finished the firewall. It is glued in using Loctite, Hysol, 9462 which is more heat resistant than other adhesives. I have included mounting holes for the G62 without the TorqueMaster also in case I decide not to use it or someone else wants to build a Vickers without the TM. The firewall is 3/8" 7ply as well as the bottom of the nose. I used triangle bass wood sticks to reinforce everything. Cooling holes have been drilled in the firewall to let hot air escape via the cockpit opening. I am using the Horizon Hobbies G62 engine mount. The firewall is 4 1/4" behind the cowl ring which will allow room for a dummy engine also from Mick Reeves.

JohnF

Today is stringer day. I don't like this part much. It is a slow process and they never seem to all line up right without tweaking. Stringers are 3/16x1/4 bass wood.

Nieuport nut

My Feedback: (10)

John, I notice that you are completing the turtle deck with no uprights or diagonals. As this is quite uusual in my experience, could you give your reasoning?

Thanks,

Martin

JohnF

Martin, You are not the first one to ask me that. It just makes it easier for me to work on the inside with my big hands. I have to make the linkage for the rudder and elevators which will go in at the back of the ply box. I am not running the cables straight from the servo's which will be way forward behind the firewall. Once I am done with that I'll lay the fuselage on it's side and put in the uprights and cross bracing.

ARUP

Hi John F- a method I use to lay stringers is to form a 'T' using two pieces of stringer material. Let's say the upright portion of the 'T' is 1/8 x 1/4 stock. If it goes into the slots to accept it a little 'off' or wavy it will be no big deal because the top part of the 'T' will be a straight run and is the part to which you will adhere the covering. The composite 'T' is lighter than square stock but seems to be a little more rigid and, thusly, you can have little worry about the 'starved horse' syndrome after covering. Your airplane will certainly be an unusual one!

JohnF

ARUP, I would like to see you illustrate that technique here. Sounds interesting. The Vickers fuselage has a significant curve to it so making all the stringers uniform is a bit difficult but It has worked out fine. Still have to decide how to do the tail fin before I glue them in. Maybe I will eventually have the formers drawn as CAD files and laser cut which will make all of this a lot easier and quicker.

ARUP

Here's a crude hand drawing showing a fuse former with cross sections of a stringer set. I have done the 'inverted 'T' on some CL airplanes, like the Brown B-1 in my Gallery. This allows a 'crisper' stringer to show thru covering but is more difficult to keep the base stringer in proper curvature, i.e. flat spots develop between fuse formers if not careful. The regular 'T' method is better because the stringer resists bending along its wider dimension so long as the wood stock is uniform (bass is great stringer material) and a smoother curve ensues.

JohnF

Moving along. Here I have fit the formers and stringers to the side of the nose. There is a transition from round to flat. The tail fin is being made from 1/4" aluminum rod and carbon arrow shaft. I'll be using Mick Reeve's hinges for the rudder.

Nieuport nut

My Feedback: (10)

It's starting to really look like something now.

I am unfamiliar with Mick Reeves hinges - I can't recall seeing them on his website. Do you have a photo?

Thanks,
Martin

JohnF

Martin, The hinges are part of the stainless fittings set. I'll show them when I get to building the rudder. Stay tuned.