Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

Well here we go on a start to finish build of the Wedell Williams Racer. This is my first Byron kit and all I can say is WOW. The glass work is stunning, all parts bagged and inventoried. Source material will come from several websites that discuss the Wedell brothers and the book "Wedell-Williams Air Service" By Robert Hirsch and Barbara Schultz. I have the decal set for the Red Lion #121 but the #44 scheme looks really good too.

Power will be a G62. Probably Duralite lithium batteries at 6volts. Servos not chosen yet.

Any comments, suggestions, improvements are welcome. Not much on the boards about this plane with no prior build thread so I'm hoping to get a lot of info in here.

Pete

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

Hey Rocketman612,

This is going to be a very interesting build to follow, and follow I will.

I was thinking about building the Red Lion using Wendell Hostetler's plans sometime in the distant future but maybe this build will change my mind. Those fiberglass parts look so great!

What does the finished model measure and how much do you expect it to weigh?

Well, good luck and I'll be watching.

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

Aerojunkie,

Weight should be 23 to 25 lbs. Wingspan 84in, Length about 65in.

Pete

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

Pete
Good luck with your build. I am also building my first byron kit (Corsair), and I will be following your thread to see how you do things.

Craig.

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

Rocketman, I have built over 20 Byron models as a professional builder and can tell you that you have a gem in your hands. Make sure to sand the inside of the fuse where you install the formere with 80 grit sandpaper to rough up the surface. Then clean with vinagar. Yes I said vinagar. Make sure you use only polester resin to attach formers to the glass parts. Epoxy will not bond well with the polester resin of the fuse. Also if you are going to glass the (highly reccomended) foam wings and tail feathers use 1 1/2 oz. cloth. Do not use 1/2 or 3/4 oz. cloth. This will not have enough strength to keep your fingers from punching holes or dents in the foam while handling the model atfer it is finished. Byron used to supply a glassing kit that contained this weight of cloth. I am presently finishing up a Byron Staggerwing for myself. The 5th one I have built. Just love the looks of these classics. I want to make clear DO NOT USE polester resin to glass the foam parts though! The resin would melt the foam. Use Epoxy type resin for the foam parts. I use Bondo Brand polester resin bought at local Walmarts, K Mart etc. I used to use K&B's , but there no longer in business. Also the Bondo brand is less expensive than going to the LHS and buying Sigs. They both work the same. I normally use about twice as much catalist hardner than called for to make it set up quicker. Instead of 8 drops per ounce I use 12-16 drops.
I also use a hot melt glue gun with Stanley brand glue sticks to tac the formers in place. I also use the glue to fill in the voids between the former and the fuse skin. Go easy on this. This holds the former in place while you glass it in. It also absorbs vibration by being some what flexable I've found. I normally also make a cowl ring in the back of the cowl to attach the cowling so I do not have those big cowl screws showing that they use. If you have any question along the way , please feel free to give me a shout. I just realalized this kit has built up wings so you won't have to worry about glassing them. You are really going to love flying this bird.
Look forward to your build.
Gary Webb

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

Gary,
Thanks for the tips on building a Byron kit. I'm planning on using BVM Aeropoxy to set the formers to the fiberglass. Here are a couple of links to this product

http://bvmprops.com/Tools/aeropoxy.htm

http://www.bvmjets.com/Pages/glue.htm

Pete

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

Here is my G-62 powered from the last of the Byron kits. Good flyer but can be squirrley on take off until the rudder becomes effective.
Good honest airplane that won't be confused with anyrhing else at the field.;)

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

I have not tried his product. I see that it will adhere to polyester resin which is great. I am from the old school and think glassing the formers in on both sides give a better mechanical connection and spreads the load over a larger area on the Byron glass fuse.
The BVM fuse my be stronger and can stand the stress better. Do not know. I have never built one of his kits.
I will keep my eye on your project for updates as to how the adhesive holds up.
Gary

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

NICE!

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

Here is a picture of mine that I fly regularly

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

Gremlin Castle,

Thanks for posting those great motivational photo's:D

Derjager,

No photo's in your post??

Progress so far. Made the spars and W-1 ribs fro both wing halves. I used socket head servo screws instead of the 1/2 in #2 screws to anchor the rods. The #2 screws are not long enough when you add the 1/8 in washout spacer.

Pete

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

Pictures

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

That is a sweet looking aircraft.

Craig

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

Progress tonight. Finished the shear webs. The plans had you stop one bay in from the end and I extended them out between ribs 6 and 7. Care was needed to get the rear spar down in the rib as you worked out past rib 4. I was checking for squareness and ribs perpendicular to the board as I went along.

The aluminum spars were filed, straightened and cut per plans then test fitted and epoxied in place after the shear webs were done.

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

Rocketman

I too will be watching this thread. I just got a Byron Glasair NIB that I will be building and converting to electric. I also have a Byron F-86 that I bought used and converted to electric. Great flying aircraft!

Sean

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

The laser cut parts make for a nice build on the wing. When I finish my Hostetler Stinson SR-10 I might roll out the plans for the Red Lion and pick up a laser short kit. The glass work is available so little time would be lost on the cowl or wheel pants. The older I get the less I am inclined to continue building aircraft with "systems" in them. Fixed gear and fairly fast works for me.
Keep the pictures coming.

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

Drying glue gives me a chance to post...

I purchased a set of Permagrit sanding tools in both coarse and fine for this project. I got tried of taping sandpaper to dowels :eek: They work great. Sanded the webs then before sheeting I made a paper tube for the aileron servo lead and glued it in place. On with the 1/8 sheeting and TE balsa. I tack glued a 1/32 shim to W-3A and pinned it per plans. Sheeted the aileron and placed all the cap strips. Then more sanding...

The wing was removed from the board and all joints were glued. The wing was placed on blocks again on their taller side with 1/8 shims except the outer TE to keep the washout in the wing. Sanded the webs then sheeted the bottom. The spruce rails were added and the cap strips placed. At this point I noticed the 1/16 ply servo hatch would be about 1/16 deeper than the cap strips so a took some of the 1/16 ply scrap and placed it on the spruce rails. The servo hatch now sits flush with the cap strips. Yes I was very careful with final sanding to be sure I didn't make the strips to thin around the hatch.

I chose to do the LE and TE sanding with the wing on the board. It''s secure and safe. Measured the LE and TE balsa. Glued the LE on and am making the wing tips.

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

More photo's. I use one of those mirrors on an extension wand from Harbor freight to check glue joints it tight areas. This is one of the easiest wings I've built with the laser cutting and jig.

Pete

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

Work and some good flying weather got in the way of building [8D]

Got the leading and trailing edges on then on to the wing tips. The tips and doublers went together fast and I did both at the same time. Gluing the tip on took some care to be sure it was perpendicular to rib 7. Filler blocks added and ribs on the top and bottom.

Sanding everything to shape took some time. I use the masking tape to protect the cap strips while forming the new areas. A razor plane and sanding have the leading edge looking good.

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

Outboard rib W-7A was glued in and the aileron cut free. The 1/32 clearance gap is not enough for the aileron after covering and painting so I sanded the sides of the aileron and the gap is now about 1/16 which should be ok. Hate to have a finished aileron bind [&o]

Balsa blocks for the hinges were set then the leading and trailing edge balsa applied. Using the Robart hinge centering guide I drilled 3/16 holes for the hinged then marked the centerline of the aileron. planed and sanded the aileron was shimmed to center and the holes for the hinges were marked and drilled. Some "squaring" of the holes to set the hinged deep so there is no gap. The finished aileron looks good with plenty of throw and good clearance on the sides.

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

The flying wire mounts left a lot to be desired as I want to use Proctor Flying Wires on this build. The anchor is only 1/4 in spruce and I didn't think that would hold up to the vibration of a G62 over time. I used 1/2 in hardwood instead. Also I added a balsa doubler at the mounting site so the block is glued along it's whole length. The blocks were sanded to the level of the cap strips.

Have decided on Futaba S9001 servos http://www.servocity.com/html/s9001_...l_bearing.html for the Ailerons and likely for the Rudder and Elevator halves as well based on Gremlin Castle and derjager's recommendations.

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

a couple at are club.

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

Mike,
Thanks for sharing. Both planes look very sharp.

Pete

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

Finished up the Lt wing by drilling the servo hatch and attaching the servo mounting blocks. Then the aileron control horn was placed per plans. I'll do the rods for both ailerons later. Will do the final sanding later as well.


Building the Right wing half starts with setting the blocks on the plans as before but the ribs are placed on the rods UPSIDE DOWN from the Lt wing build. The spars are mounted.

Pete

RE: Byron Wedell Williams Racer Build
 

Work progressing on the rt wing. Same as before only I used a 1/16 spacer for the aileron gap. The tip gap will also be adjusted.


Pete