gabriel voisin

Don,....I hope I understand this correct, but you can't do it so.
It is clearly that you can see always the pipes.
Normally you can't see the colored pipes, because they have already been wrapped with fabric.

Matz

abufletcher

But can you see the steel tubes THROUGH the fabric? I think my covering is too transparent (not just where it's attached to the tubes).

*****

I know what you mean about the tubes being wrapped in fabric. Was that just on the edges or also the tubes in the middle?

gabriel voisin

Don, the German linen has a different color as your tissue.
The linen is extremely opaque and covers the color completely.

abufletcher

I think I'll just need to paint the covering. []

gabriel voisin

I will show you.
By the way, you can wrap also yourtissue about the tubes.

Chad Veich

My Feedback: (60)

You guys who build really scale WW1 stuff have my utmost respect!

TFF

Paint the polyspan off white and then put on the silk

abufletcher

We're just trying to compete with you WWII guys with your 20,000 hand-applied rivets, panels line, scale retract systems, fowler flaps, etc.

abufletcher

I've added the extensions to both the stab TE and the elevator LE. The 5mm CF tube extension on Stab TE now plugs into the fuselage and makes the stab very stable. This is really a required functional "upgrade" to the design. The extension to the elevator LE consists of a 3mm CF rod epoxied into the previous 5mm CF tube of the previous LE. This passes through a section of 5mm CF tube and into the LE tube of the other elevator half. The other side is not epoxied. As you can see I still need to add some short "spacers" of 5mm CF tube to replace the area where I had to remove part of the aluminum tubing.

The important thing is for the elevator halves to rotate easily but also to be easily removable for repair. Same with the stab halves. They will not need to be glued in place because the braces hold them on (as well as a scale nut on the forward tip). This is now more scale and considerably stronger. I also added a flat strip of CF to the rear face of the stab TE. Next will be to make a (semi-) scale bracket out of light lithoplate the held the tubes on the original.

gabriel voisin

Don, good job.

abufletcher

Here's the first side of the tail bracket. As I've said, it's not completely scale because the stab is not in a completely scale location. But I think it will look the part once painted. And probably no one will know except for me and Matz!

abufletcher

If I do say so myself, the tail feathers are looking FINE!

abufletcher

I suppose if I had been really clever I might have figured out a way for the elevator halves to "dock" with each other so that once they were in position, they would move together. Ah, well, there's a reason I'm an English teacher.

Mein Duff

Maybe you should try teaching German ..

this place looks familiar somehow...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtcdC...eature=related

abufletcher

[X(][X(][X(][X(][X(][X(][X(] Wow! How did I miss that event! That is indeed my flying field (in 2009) and I know many of those people!!! But I don't think any of the Zero owners are our club members. The strange thing is that I've WATCHED this video before and it never occurred to me that this is HERE! [X(]

abufletcher

Actually, I did teach beginning German...while working at Kuwait University way back in 1984! Most of my students were Palestinian.

Teus

It's a shame to cover that tail Don,

Flying Fox

Way to go Don! You sure know how to 'fix' a problem.
I've been away for a while. Looks like you've had some unfortunate challenges (CA glue not co-operating) but The fixes you've come up with are simply superb.
Tail feathers are looking great! Yes it's too bad you have to cover them up.
Bri

abufletcher

After sleeping on this, I'm beginning to think this should be very doable with what I've already done. I could just add some 5mm brass ends to the elevator leading edges and have those "mate" inside a 6mm tube through the tail. It wouldn't have to be super strong as it would only be a back up in case one set of control wires failed in flight. As they say, one functioning elevator half is better than none. And one functional and one "coming along for the ride" has got to be better than that, right?

*****

I've now got a workable solution. But I'm wondering if I should continue or not. Did the original's elevator halves connect?

valleyk

Excellent work Don. I’m sure the progress of the build is now starting to go from brut force to enjoyment. You may have answered this before but because the string is so long I did not want to go back page by page to find it. I was wondering if you could me more about the model, wingspan projected weight and engine selection etc. Also tell us a little history of this plane and what is was used for. Thanks

abufletcher

That's the danger of these extensive build threads. Even I can't remember what I posted before! But the basic facts are as follows:

Prototype kit from CDScaleDesigns: 1/6 scale Albatros CI
Wingspan: 2.15m
Engine: RCV91cd
Weight: ???

The outlines are 100% scale (based on the DF drawings). I communicated frequently with Chris while he was developing his design and suggest several changes which he adopted. For example, he went with a slightly thinner, almost scale, airfoil and we were able to massage the positioning of the stab and elevator to provide the decalage he wanted yet still have a good scale appearance. I suggest the RCV91cd mounted sideways (with the cylinder on the right) and he designed the engine compartment accordingly. In fact, he designed the engine compartment twice, the second time after I suggested that it might be advisably to build in 2 degrees or right thrust. The reason I recommended the RCV91cd and the sideways mounting was two-fold. First, by mounting the engine sideways we would have at least one completely clean side view (from the left) and the dummy engine could be completely intact. Typically builders have to sacrifice the first two cylinders of the dummy with an upright engine on models of this type. Second, the RCV has an unusual look that doesn't scream out "model airplane" to the extent of the more readily recognizable OS and Saito engines. And while one of the RCVsp engines fits almost perfectly in the nose of the CI, we were just too concerned with not being able to cool it properly in an almost fully enclosed area.

As far as history of the type, the CI was a true workhorse of the war serving in almost every capacity from observation to artillery spotting to communication to training from 1914 all the way through to the armistice. It's crews considered it a good solid aircraft that could take a lot of battle damage and still get them back home. The CI represented a significant step forward from the BII with the most obvious difference being that the observer was now in the much more practical rear position.

abufletcher

So here's what I came up with to allow me to "plug in" the stab/elevator halves and yet still have the elevator halves linked to each other...in the event that a set of control cables are "damaged in combat." The two brass parts would be glued to a 3mm CF rod which in turn is glued inside the elevator LE tube. The brass ends would dovetail together inside of a short length of brass tube when mounted.

But I'm holding off actually gluing them in until I give the whole idea a bit more thought. I enjoy knowing I found a suitable engineering solution, but I'm not sure it's what I really want to do.

abufletcher

Thanks, and a lot of credit goes to Chris for his commitment to put all the structure in the scale location. Of course, it's still not scale construction but with the sun shinning though as it flies overhead it'll look great!

ulpilotrmh

My Feedback: (2)

[Quote}

I suggest the RCV91cd mounted sideways (with the cylinder on the right) and he designed the engine compartment accordingly. In fact, he designed the engine compartment twice, the second time after I suggested that it might be advisably to build in 2 degrees or right thrust. The reason I recommended the RCV91cd and the sideways mounting was two-fold. First, by mounting the engine sideways we would have at least one completely clean side view (from the left) and the dummy engine could be completely intact. Typically builders have to sacrifice the first two cylinders of the dummy with an upright engine on models of this type. Second, the RCV has an unusual look that doesn't scream out "model airplane" to the extent of the more readily recognizable OS and Saito engines. And while one of the RCVsp engines fits almost perfectly in the nose of the CI, we were just too concerned with not being able to cool it properly in an almost fully enclosed area.

Don,

Did youand Chris ever consider going with an electric motor?

Russ

abufletcher

Well, I can tell you that >>>I