125% (1/4 scale) Anderson TA-152H
#78
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (23)
I extended the rear fuselage stringers forward one bulkhead and glue those in place. I also test fit the canopy base plate as well.
The horizontal stab was then test fit in place as it appears i need to get install that soon, so tomorrow i need to install the LE snd shape it.
Then an overall shot of it so far.
The horizontal stab was then test fit in place as it appears i need to get install that soon, so tomorrow i need to install the LE snd shape it.
Then an overall shot of it so far.
#82
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (23)
Now that the stab is all dry, i cut the stab into three sections. since this is getting molded, i have chosen to make the stabs removable while the stab root fillet is molded into the fuselage. The stab socket in the fuselage will also be installed when when the mold halves are closed.
For those wondering, this seam line is EXACTLY on the edge of the fillet panel line so the seam wont be noticeable.
The stab halves removed. I was unsure if the servos would be mounted in the stabs or not, so i left that option open to me and predrilled holes for servo routing. Now that some time has passed, the servos wont be mounted in the stab. I'll be using a hexagonal rod and some CNC cut G10 parts that will fit fiberglass sockets in the elevators. This is much more work initially, but it'll provide a very strong linkage option.
then the stabs were placed on their tube and reinstalled. So far so good!
For those wondering, this seam line is EXACTLY on the edge of the fillet panel line so the seam wont be noticeable.
The stab halves removed. I was unsure if the servos would be mounted in the stabs or not, so i left that option open to me and predrilled holes for servo routing. Now that some time has passed, the servos wont be mounted in the stab. I'll be using a hexagonal rod and some CNC cut G10 parts that will fit fiberglass sockets in the elevators. This is much more work initially, but it'll provide a very strong linkage option.
then the stabs were placed on their tube and reinstalled. So far so good!
#83
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (23)
Well, taking Evans advice on the stringers, i added a few, not many though.
Where i did add them were at the corners of the cockpit where the slider rails would be.
After sanding the entire fuse to bring all the stringers and block balsa parts even with each other, I began sheeting the fuse.
First up was the fuse under the stab. Then the fuse extension.
Then I used a 48" piece of sheeting to go from the fuse extension to just forward of the cockpit. Normally i dont place sheet joints at the same location as I believe it builds in a weak spot. BUT since the forward end of this fuselage has Many more stringers than the rear and this isnt a flying model, i didnt follow my normal rule for ease of sheeting this monster.
The remainder of the front of the fuse was then sheeted. I then trimmed the sheeting and sanded it down flush to the stringers around the cockpit opening and gun hood.
As far as what is left on the top of the fuse is:
1. Carving the gun hood
2. Sheeting the area around the cockpit glare shield
3. Installing the ply base plate for the canopy on the fuse
4. Figuring out how to shape the spin of this thing (suggestions?)
5. Build the vertical stab.
Once that is done I can remove it from the table and flip it over and start on the bottom.
Where i did add them were at the corners of the cockpit where the slider rails would be.
After sanding the entire fuse to bring all the stringers and block balsa parts even with each other, I began sheeting the fuse.
First up was the fuse under the stab. Then the fuse extension.
Then I used a 48" piece of sheeting to go from the fuse extension to just forward of the cockpit. Normally i dont place sheet joints at the same location as I believe it builds in a weak spot. BUT since the forward end of this fuselage has Many more stringers than the rear and this isnt a flying model, i didnt follow my normal rule for ease of sheeting this monster.
The remainder of the front of the fuse was then sheeted. I then trimmed the sheeting and sanded it down flush to the stringers around the cockpit opening and gun hood.
As far as what is left on the top of the fuse is:
1. Carving the gun hood
2. Sheeting the area around the cockpit glare shield
3. Installing the ply base plate for the canopy on the fuse
4. Figuring out how to shape the spin of this thing (suggestions?)
5. Build the vertical stab.
Once that is done I can remove it from the table and flip it over and start on the bottom.
#88
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (23)
I blocked in the top of the fuse at the aft edge of the canopy to F-13 and cut and shaped it. Its only rough shaped right now, but from my fading memory, it looks pretty close to what i remember a 190 looking like.
Later I'll block in between F13 and F14 and shape that. Then will be from F14 to the vertical stab Le.
For those interested in purchasing one of these, i want to get some opinions on a few things.
1. Should I mold the gun hood separately. If so, would you prefer the area under the gun hood to be the same shape as the fuselage, or a flat "shelf" so as to make it a big hatch to get to stuff for maintenance and switch's?
2. Would you prefer the windscreen frame molded into the fuselage or the glare shield?
If I mold the glare shield into the fuselage, i can include a set of CNC cut G10 parts for the windscreen frame.
3. Full detailing or only panel lines? Im tempted to do full detailing so its just done and over with. If you want full detailing do you want it in the primer or (i cant believe I am saying this) Litho-plated?
Later I'll block in between F13 and F14 and shape that. Then will be from F14 to the vertical stab Le.
For those interested in purchasing one of these, i want to get some opinions on a few things.
1. Should I mold the gun hood separately. If so, would you prefer the area under the gun hood to be the same shape as the fuselage, or a flat "shelf" so as to make it a big hatch to get to stuff for maintenance and switch's?
2. Would you prefer the windscreen frame molded into the fuselage or the glare shield?
If I mold the glare shield into the fuselage, i can include a set of CNC cut G10 parts for the windscreen frame.
3. Full detailing or only panel lines? Im tempted to do full detailing so its just done and over with. If you want full detailing do you want it in the primer or (i cant believe I am saying this) Litho-plated?
#89
My Feedback: (157)
1. Open it up. Unless you're making the hatch form fitting exactly. I've always had to add supports to the gun hood to get them to sit correctly to the fuse.
2. Mold into the fuse
3. All I'd care about if you wanted to do the work would be the addition of panel lines.
JMO
2. Mold into the fuse
3. All I'd care about if you wanted to do the work would be the addition of panel lines.
JMO
Last edited by Ramstein44; 12-04-2014 at 03:47 PM.
#90
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (23)
1. Open it up. Unless you're making the hatch form fitting exactly. I've always had to add supports to the gun hood to get them to sit correctly to the fuse.
2. Mold into the fuse
3. All I'd care about if you wanted to do the work would be the addition of panel lines.
JMO
2. Mold into the fuse
3. All I'd care about if you wanted to do the work would be the addition of panel lines.
JMO
Panel lines would Definitely be on the plug one way or another, same goes for hatch's... Rivets arent really that big of a problem either. Lithoplate takes up time, but its not out of the question.
#92
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (23)
Alrighty, kiddos in bed, so it was building time.
Next up was spine block #2. This one i made up and then glued in place and shaped. In hindsight, i wish i would have only tack glued this block in place as it was very difficult not banging into it during shaping the block just aft of it.
Then it was time for the block after that one. The plans show this as a single block all the way to the Vertical stab LE. I was looking at some photos of the last remaining Ta, and this area of the fuselage from F14 to F15 pretty much keeps the same shape. So i cut out a 1/8" ply bulkhead the same size and shape has the top of F14 to act as a hard edge to sand to for the block.
Them the block was made up as one piece, then cut into two where the new ply bulkhead was.
Then it was rough shaped with the razor plane:
And then sanded smooth to its final shape.
Next up was working out how to cut the big chunk of balsa, also known as VS1, the vertical stan LE to shape so it would sit flush at the fuse side and the angled end for the tip rib.
I drew the centerline down the Le and then used a piece of scrap balsa to prop up the tip end so the centerline was level. The aligning VS1 over the side view, the cut lines were transfered and then cut.
I then started mocking up the vertical fin by pinning VS1 onto the fuse and the tip rib to the tail post and VS1.
The remainder of the vertical stab parts were then cut and pinned in place. At this point i decided to call it a night. Tomorrow i will rough shape the leading edge and glue everything together. Then I'll sheet it and finish up the fuselage sheeting around the windscreen frame. Then the fun of the gun hood hatch carving begins.
Next up was spine block #2. This one i made up and then glued in place and shaped. In hindsight, i wish i would have only tack glued this block in place as it was very difficult not banging into it during shaping the block just aft of it.
Then it was time for the block after that one. The plans show this as a single block all the way to the Vertical stab LE. I was looking at some photos of the last remaining Ta, and this area of the fuselage from F14 to F15 pretty much keeps the same shape. So i cut out a 1/8" ply bulkhead the same size and shape has the top of F14 to act as a hard edge to sand to for the block.
Them the block was made up as one piece, then cut into two where the new ply bulkhead was.
Then it was rough shaped with the razor plane:
And then sanded smooth to its final shape.
Next up was working out how to cut the big chunk of balsa, also known as VS1, the vertical stan LE to shape so it would sit flush at the fuse side and the angled end for the tip rib.
I drew the centerline down the Le and then used a piece of scrap balsa to prop up the tip end so the centerline was level. The aligning VS1 over the side view, the cut lines were transfered and then cut.
I then started mocking up the vertical fin by pinning VS1 onto the fuse and the tip rib to the tail post and VS1.
The remainder of the vertical stab parts were then cut and pinned in place. At this point i decided to call it a night. Tomorrow i will rough shape the leading edge and glue everything together. Then I'll sheet it and finish up the fuselage sheeting around the windscreen frame. Then the fun of the gun hood hatch carving begins.
#95
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (23)
All of the vertical stab stuff was glued in place after sanding the leading edge to a slight taper and double checking everything another 1/2 dozen times to make sure it was square. The entire surface was then blocked to bring level (which was fun!). The sheeting aft of the diagonal square spar was then glued in place. After both of those cured the leading edge sheeting was installed.
when you gluing that leading edge sheeting on, here is a tip. Spray the glue side of the sheeting wih accelerator and let dry for a few minutes. Then go around all of the structure on the vertical stab and put you glue down.
When you place the sheeting on, do the edge along the diangonal spar first, then the top rib, then the leading edge, then the base of the sheeting. You will have to score the sheeting slightly to get it to "crack" and lay flush to the top stab saddle surface.
Now to ensure i have the same airfoil shape on the other side, i sanded a piece of 1/8" sheet balsa so it would fit along the diagonal rib and sit tight against the leading edge sheeting. This was then aligned to the opposite diagonal rib and glued in place.
Then the block between the fuse extension and the vertical stab was shaped and glued into position.
after lunch ive got to go through my jet and get it back to flying condition, then ill finish the stab transition, tip block and leading edge shaping.
when you gluing that leading edge sheeting on, here is a tip. Spray the glue side of the sheeting wih accelerator and let dry for a few minutes. Then go around all of the structure on the vertical stab and put you glue down.
When you place the sheeting on, do the edge along the diangonal spar first, then the top rib, then the leading edge, then the base of the sheeting. You will have to score the sheeting slightly to get it to "crack" and lay flush to the top stab saddle surface.
Now to ensure i have the same airfoil shape on the other side, i sanded a piece of 1/8" sheet balsa so it would fit along the diagonal rib and sit tight against the leading edge sheeting. This was then aligned to the opposite diagonal rib and glued in place.
Then the block between the fuse extension and the vertical stab was shaped and glued into position.
after lunch ive got to go through my jet and get it back to flying condition, then ill finish the stab transition, tip block and leading edge shaping.
#96
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (23)
The vertical stab tip block and LE transition blocks were made. For these i put a 1/32" piece of ply down the centerline for a hard point and for some ding resistance. These were then glued into position.
Then usinga razor plane and 40 grit paper wrapped around a 1" cylinder, the transition and fin leading edge was rough shaped as well as the tip. These were them shaped a little more closely with 80grit on a sanding block, followed with a fine grit sanding sponge to bring everything smooth.
The rear fuse and vertical stab then had some filler placed where needed:
while the filler was drying, I started finishing the area around the windscreen frame. First up was modifying F8 to the correct height and getting it into the proper position.
Then the fuse sheeting was put in place and the glare shield built up. Filler was then applied where needed.
the first application of filler was sanded down and then a little bit more added to the vertical stab transition. Im very happy with how this area turned out, it was much leas of a headache than i expected.
At this point, the top of the fuselage is 90% complete. Ive got the gunhood block to carve and then that will need cut free and the baseplate for that hatch area cut out and installed. After that, its blocking off the open area of the glare shield to in prep for molding.
Overall frontal view:
Side view of the glareshield.
frontal shot with the stab in place.
Then usinga razor plane and 40 grit paper wrapped around a 1" cylinder, the transition and fin leading edge was rough shaped as well as the tip. These were them shaped a little more closely with 80grit on a sanding block, followed with a fine grit sanding sponge to bring everything smooth.
The rear fuse and vertical stab then had some filler placed where needed:
while the filler was drying, I started finishing the area around the windscreen frame. First up was modifying F8 to the correct height and getting it into the proper position.
Then the fuse sheeting was put in place and the glare shield built up. Filler was then applied where needed.
the first application of filler was sanded down and then a little bit more added to the vertical stab transition. Im very happy with how this area turned out, it was much leas of a headache than i expected.
At this point, the top of the fuselage is 90% complete. Ive got the gunhood block to carve and then that will need cut free and the baseplate for that hatch area cut out and installed. After that, its blocking off the open area of the glare shield to in prep for molding.
Overall frontal view:
Side view of the glareshield.
frontal shot with the stab in place.
#97
My Feedback: (1)
Looks good.
I agree on the vertical stab/fuse transition area. Dave engineered that well, and it was really easy, even though I was dreading that area. Your build is gong very smooth.
One thing I recommend to anyone watching this that is planning to build one to fly. You really want to mount your engine, and the cowl mount dowels before you build the fuselage. It is just much easier. I changed my engine from a G62 to a DLE 55 RA after I built my fuse. I had not pre mounted my engine because I knew I may change my mind. The DLE 55 rear exhaust version was not available then. It sure makes a small footprint though, and is perfect for the 1/4 scale.
I agree on the vertical stab/fuse transition area. Dave engineered that well, and it was really easy, even though I was dreading that area. Your build is gong very smooth.
One thing I recommend to anyone watching this that is planning to build one to fly. You really want to mount your engine, and the cowl mount dowels before you build the fuselage. It is just much easier. I changed my engine from a G62 to a DLE 55 RA after I built my fuse. I had not pre mounted my engine because I knew I may change my mind. The DLE 55 rear exhaust version was not available then. It sure makes a small footprint though, and is perfect for the 1/4 scale.
Last edited by vertical grimmace; 12-05-2014 at 05:21 PM.
#98
Thread Starter
My Feedback: (23)
Thanks VG.
I like doing Fuselages and tails as I can knock the vast majority of them out very quickly, wings... Well i hate building wings, which is why I typically build them first.
Speaking of wings, once i get the new ribs (which i hope will show up next week), ill be getting started on those. I would like to have the majority of the airframe framed up before the new year.
I like doing Fuselages and tails as I can knock the vast majority of them out very quickly, wings... Well i hate building wings, which is why I typically build them first.
Speaking of wings, once i get the new ribs (which i hope will show up next week), ill be getting started on those. I would like to have the majority of the airframe framed up before the new year.
#99
My Feedback: (1)
So Invert, you are going to offer this as a kit, or just the fuselage, and possibly the more scale retracts? How about the wing? Will that need to be blown up and scratch built to plans per the interested party? I guess I do not understand exactly what is going on with this build now! lol
Well, maybe it will be a little easier being bigger, but I love building wings, and this one was by far the most difficult thing I have ever encountered. IMO, it really needs a trailing edge, added in front of the flaps. Just like a conventional wing build. It would just help to ensure that it stays straight. I drew a centerline on all of my ribs at the LE and then also on the leading edge stock to avoid twist.
I threw the incidence meter on last week, and I have exactly 2 degrees washout. So I am happy with how straight mine is, but it was a chore, and care must be taken.
Well, maybe it will be a little easier being bigger, but I love building wings, and this one was by far the most difficult thing I have ever encountered. IMO, it really needs a trailing edge, added in front of the flaps. Just like a conventional wing build. It would just help to ensure that it stays straight. I drew a centerline on all of my ribs at the LE and then also on the leading edge stock to avoid twist.
I threw the incidence meter on last week, and I have exactly 2 degrees washout. So I am happy with how straight mine is, but it was a chore, and care must be taken.
Last edited by vertical grimmace; 12-05-2014 at 05:38 PM.
#100
My Feedback: (157)
Looks good.
I agree on the vertical stab/fuse transition area. Dave engineered that well, and it was really easy, even though I was dreading that area. Your build is gong very smooth.
One thing I recommend to anyone watching this that is planning to build one to fly. You really want to mount your engine, and the cowl mount dowels before you build the fuselage. It is just much easier. I changed my engine from a G62 to a DLE 55 RA after I built my fuse. I had not pre mounted my engine because I knew I may change my mind. The DLE 55 rear exhaust version was not available then. It sure makes a small footprint though, and is perfect for the 1/4 scale.
I agree on the vertical stab/fuse transition area. Dave engineered that well, and it was really easy, even though I was dreading that area. Your build is gong very smooth.
One thing I recommend to anyone watching this that is planning to build one to fly. You really want to mount your engine, and the cowl mount dowels before you build the fuselage. It is just much easier. I changed my engine from a G62 to a DLE 55 RA after I built my fuse. I had not pre mounted my engine because I knew I may change my mind. The DLE 55 rear exhaust version was not available then. It sure makes a small footprint though, and is perfect for the 1/4 scale.