ram3500-RCU

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Gave some attention to some surface detail. Although CARF molds many details into the glass, they need work. The panel line are very close, but some of the hatches are missing, and of the ones that are there, most are the wrong size and shape. They all have the wrong fastener pattern as well. This is true of every inspection disk as well. They all have 4 instead of 3 screws.

I'm sanding all the disks to remove the molded fasteners so I can change them. The hatches will all be fixed as well. The ones that are missing are easy to add. I'm going to use Meister micro piano hinges to simulate the full scale ones. I'll cut a slot and slip them in, but most will not operate.

I made patterns for the hatches I'll cut from aluminum. The lines show how far off the factory CARF mold is.

ram3500-RCU

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Finished the tabs up, including the fabric fairings. I started installing the aluminum foil with the stabs.

ram3500-RCU

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The incorrect access panels and hatches can be sanded off. So far, I have been able to do this without going through the gel coat. The inspection disks are easier. Just the screws need to be removed on most of these.

saramos

Hi Gary,

Here's a couple of photos of the tail hatches.

Scott

ram3500-RCU

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Thanks Scott. Good pictures.

ram3500-RCU

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All the inspection disks are sanded down, and a new correct pattern of three screws have been used. #1 X 7/32 screws proved to be a realistic size. This is the left stab.

I made a pattern for the screw holes.

ram3500-RCU

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Here is the hatch on the bottom of the wing. Inside will be the air valve for the main gear doors (the only air on the plane), the arming switch form the wing fold, charging jacks, the equalizers for the aileron and flap servos, and a disconnect so that one wing can be shut off for display purposes (one wing up and one down).

ram3500-RCU

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All the hinging is done. The hinge covers are being installed.

ram3500-RCU

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Got the CD of pictures today Scott. They will be very helpful. Thank you so much.

jmohn

Have you all seen the new folding wings for Comp ARF that the guys at Down and Locked did?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj2GG...ature=youtu.be

They did this for my freinds plane. He just got it back from them last week. Pretty cool!!


Jeff

ram3500-RCU

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I appreciate the post Jeff. It is gratifying to see others benefit from our creativity here at Prince Aviation.

I'm sure many conversions for Down & Locked will follow, and we could not be happier for Mitch and has team. I believe this mod will eventually become factory standard. I see no reason for it not to be at some point.

The discussion between Brian, myself, and our team owner the other evening, at plant 1, was whether we feel confident enough to fly the Corsair with just the electric system holding the lock in place. We would never have flown #1 with the factory hydraulic system alone. As most of you know, we employed a mechanical locking bolt on that system when flying. We installed the same system on this plane, even with the electric mod. We feel that it would be virtually impossible for the electric wings to come unlocked in flight. However, bumping the switch would cause instant unlock, bending of the jack screw, folded wings, and likely a total loss of the airframe. Ultimately, the decision whether to unfold and go or not will be with the owner. We have the ability to lock them for flight. If the switch would be accidentally flipped with the locks in place, the control box will instantaneously 'see' the load and shut down the motors right away, with no damage.

jmohn

Yeap, it works great and is much more reliable than the standard setup.

Great job!


Jeff

ram3500-RCU

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Is he using 7.4 volt LiPos? It looks slightly slower than ours.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOnX7Xbit4A

ram3500-RCU

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I'd like to share these micro hinges from Meister. They are dead ringers for the ones used on many full scale aircraft, and just the right size for this scale.

I slotted the fuselage and inserted them in the closed position. They are not operational, but could very well be used that way.

Then I made the hatches from Flight Metal. Flight metal is good for this because it is thicker than most other brands, and makes nice hatches. This is the only thing I use Flight Metal for now. If you don't want to wait the weeks and weeks it can take to get Flight Metal, go to one of the big box stores and get good old HVAC tape. It is also a good thickness. Some brands have their company logo inked on the tape, but the brand 'Surtape' does not. It is clean aluminum foil tape.

I then used a ball cutter in my Dremel to counter sink the #1 screws and installed them in scale locations.

I also covered the tail gear doors with Aerofoil.

glazier808

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Looks great Gary!

Casey

ram3500-RCU

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Thanks Casey.

Should be getting the Down & Locked canopy motor Tomorrow. I'm looking forward to that part of the build. Another new system to engineer.

ram3500-RCU

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Here are the starboard side hatches.

First, the slots cut for the piano hinges.

Interesting, but one of my most liked resources, Bert Kinzey's 'F4U Corsair in detail and scale' has the hatch for the tail wheel arresting gear oleo (the one in the lower middle) on the wrong side, in the 3-views.

ram3500-RCU

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Here is the inspection disk on the vertical stab, and the aluminum leading edge.

Pictures we have show this tail part was very chipped up on BIG HOG. It is easy to chip thye paint off of the aluminum foil to simulate this.

saramos

Hi Gary
Here's how it appears on the PoF Corsair.
There are no inspection covers on the other side


Scott

ram3500-RCU

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Thanks for the picture Scott. Are those covers original? I see more like this.

guille2006

Gary; the work you're doing is OUTSTANDING!!! I'm following it from the first day and I can say that every day's post is really inspiring!!!!
Thaks for sharing!!!

Guille

wayne d

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Post 894
round covers are on the vertical stab
post 895
round covers with screws are on rudder. There also appears to be some sort of round covers on the vertical stab also where the X is painted.

jmohn

Ram, yes I think he is using a 7.4 volt system on his.


Jeff

ram3500-RCU

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Thank you Jeff. Has he flown the plane yet?

ram3500-RCU

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Yes. The round inspection covers, I am finding in my research, have 3 retaining screws, the reason I changed the ones on the CARF, which have 4.

I wish CARF had concentrated on getting the panel lines right, with the proper spot weld and rivet detail (something then did fairly well), and left the hatches and covers off for the builder to add in the correct size, location and shape, depending on the model.

They did a good job on the round covers on the tail with respects size and location. Most of the other hatches and covers are not correct.