70 ragtop

My Feedback: (24)

Very nice, looking good!

Eldher

Adding doors to the nose wheel well. I made the fiberglass doors a year or more ago when the fuse had just been sheeted. Now adding stiffeners and mounts for the hinges.
Some picts and video.

Eldher

Here's the door operating mechanism. It's an old style set up. My Yellow Aircraft P-40 gear doors work the same way. Even my new Motion RC F7F uses a set up very much like this. But maybe it's new to some.

Both in photo and video.

Eldher

Making solid progress getting the Flight Metal on the fuse. It has definitely been a learning exercise. Also, the access hatch has been permanently mounted as well, magnets hold it closed. Will provide access to switches, charging jacks, and air fill. I also use this opening to get at the head end of the nose retract, flight batteries, and bomb bay air tank. The plate that holds the switches, etc. will be held in with 4 screws allowing removal and access to the fuse.

bigstew60

My Feedback: (35)

Great job on the flite metal. those compound curve are a real pain to get done. You are making me want to do flite metal on my A-26 when I get to that stage. Keep up the good work.

Eldher

Yah, the flite metal has been a learning experience! At some point I will need to post my "ah-ha" moments that have really helped me improve my technique.

Maschar

Nice work!

Eldher

Got the flight metal on all around the bomb bay and covered the bomb bay doors. Installed same. Covered nose gear doors, so the entire bottom of the fuse is covered. Installed all major radio components in the fuse.

Crossed fingers and tested the bomb bay doors and nose gear for proper operation.

It worked!

Eldher

Not had time to make progress, but set her up for a show and tell. took a couple picts. trying to get the picts uploaded.

Ichy

Looking great! Getting back to doing mine now.

Just saw this:

Edwin

My Feedback: (2)

Do you think the Flite metal will hold up when sitting in a cradle? How durable do you think it is?
Edwin

Eldher

I was pulled into another activity for the past 4 months, but I am back working on the A-26.

I've been getting the Flite Metal laid down along the aft fuse. Also, painted the rudder and elevators.

Eldher

Applied over wood, it is easily dented. The cradle needs to be lined with foam or similar protective material.

Eldher

Progress on the aluminum covering of the fuse continues. I've completed putting the aluminum on. Now I am doing the sanding, buffing, and rivets.
I'm posting pictures of the process steps.

The server is giving me grief about pictures. So I'll post them when I can.

Here's what I'm doing:
- first off, all sanding is in ONE direction, along the length of the fuse
- wet sand with 320 grit
- clean with paper towels
- wet sand with 3M brown sanding pad (very fine)
- clean with paper towels
- wet sand with 3M grey sanding pad (ultra fine)
- clean with paper towels
- DRY sand with 3M grey sanding pad (ultra fine) just to touch up areas that need it
- clean with paper towels
- apply rivets

Eldher

Here's the pics of work in progress ...

Eldher

And here's the finished product.

Edwin

My Feedback: (2)

How are you doing the rivets? On my DS B-17 there are field repair spots for bullet holes that were done with aluminum tape. The rivets were done with a brass tube. I made a little tool to do it.
Edwin

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

Looks great Chris!! I like to use a nail set with the dimple head to do rivets in flitemetal. Works great, and there are all those sizes.

Eldher

I use a Sewing Tracing Tool for most of the panel rivets. For larger ones, I use a nail set like Vertical Grimace suggests.
Here's the tool I use.

Eldher

Wired up the systems to control the engines. This includes servos, ignition BEC/optical kill, twin sync. All has been wired and tested. Here's the mess of wires to test it before running all the wires in the wings. You can also see the engine ignition setup and inside the nacelle the servo and IBEC.

Eldher

Here's how the system is wired to support the twin engines, IBEC, servos, and twin sync.

Eldher

Cowls have been painted. Typical approach of sand, fill, sand, ...

Eldher

Aluminum is beginning to flow down the bottom of the right nacelle.

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

Are you still on schedule for a spring maiden? I am looking at getting mine in 3 weeks. Focusing hard now! Looking forward to seeing yours at the field.

Eldher

Yes, still trying for a spring maiden. This center section is the last major part to complete. Then I need to go through all the systems to make sure all is working as I want it. Given that I've been testing all the systems along the way, should not be major. I am targeting to have the aluminum covering done in 2 weeks. Unfortunately, I have 2 weeks of business travel right after that. So right now I am thinking that I'll have engine starts, tuning, taxi tests in April. If all goes well, maiden in May. ... Oh My! Getting real!!!