lkahn4

Chic,
Oh sure, now you tell us... fortunately for me our tail feathers aren't covered yet... alas poor Noah.... very nice work btw. I almost have the first flap ready for the bottom sheeting a few more braces and wahla

Larry

redtail

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I couldn't ask for better wingmen. Thanks to you both for the inspiration to continue on. You got me heading back out to the shop. Appreciate it guys. Chic

redtail

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Between requests from the wife to make the house say Xmas, I began the installation of the center flaps. I used the single 5/32 rod that Charlie suggested.

redtail

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Last set of photos.

redtail

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Sorry guys, not sure what happened to the very large photos. Not sure what I did wrong, any help out there. I sized the photos to 800 x 600. Hummmmmmm. Will reinforce the plywood bearings and replace the balsa piece that goes over the open bearing slots. Chic

lkahn4

Chic,
Very Impressive, I have to ask you, did yiu use full sheets of G-10 for the bottom of the flaps?

Larry

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Hey Larry, appreciate the comment. Yes I did use very thin full sheets of G10 for the bottom of the center flaps. I will do as Charlie did and use the G10 only on the trailing edges of the outter wing flaps to make sure I have a straight trailing edge. Now I am thinking about how I will make the inside of the flaps, both center and outter wings, (both the under wing portion and the flap top portion when lowered) scale looking since I want to compete with this huge beast. Chic

lkahn4

Hey Redtail,
Be sure to go back through the through the thread and see how they built the outboard flaps on the wing itself, I had the misfortune of of not comprhending this step and am now finishing up the 3rd set of out board flaps built with Charlie and Noahs input... if you do it that way it will match perfectly to the underside of the wing

Larry

redtail

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Larry thanks, I'm going to go to school with your advice and mistake and search the thread for the building by Noah of the flaps on the wing. I toooooo do not wish to make many more mistakes at this early stage. I've made enough myself. OK, lets see now ................... what page should I be looking at? Thanks again Larry, great advice. Chic

lkahn4

Hey Chic,
This is what Noah sent me, I think I found it on page 28 of the thread I will see if I can find Noahs pix and upload them


Hi, Larry.

I knew that the trailing edge (of the top wing sheeting) was not perfectly straight, so I built my flaps in place with the hope that they would match the slight variation/curvature of the upper wing surface. It actually worked out well and the flaps retained their contour and matched the wing surface very well.

I don't recall how much detail I included in my eariler posts, but basically I did the following:
1) glued the balsa leading edge to the plywood upper flap surface.
2) shaped, trimmed and fitted the leading edge surface of the flap and installed the hinges (I used flat hinges with cotter pins).
3) clamped the trailing edge of the flap plywood to the upper sheeting wing balsa (this is how you make sure they match).
4) Included between the clamps and the flap ply was a piece of 1/4 square strip of spruce (has to be a harder wood).
5) I wicked thin CA to glue the spruce to the flap plywood.

Doing it this way will "slide" the spruce and the ply along one another so that when they get glued together, they retain their shape/contour (which will then match any uneveness in the trailing edge of the wing).

6) The cotter pins were pulled form the hinges so that the flap could be removed from the wing.
7) I next shaped/planed/sanded the spruce at the trailing edge of the flap so that it would match the taper from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the flap.
8) The flap was then reinstalled on the wing (cotter pins in hinges) and the balsa brace-work was then added.
9) The balsa framework was sanded to match the contour of the flap.
10) last step (while the flap was still in place on the wing) was to sheet the lower surface of the flap with 3/32 (maybe 1/16th??) balsa.

Doing it this was should help get the flap to better match the wing. And it should not try to straighten out if you use the spruce trailing edge and build the flap in place on the wing.

If it does not, then I just got REALLY lucky!!

Let me know how it goes.

By the way, my inner flap sections were built off the plane... those were flat/straight, so there was no need to build them in place on the wing center section.

Noah

lkahn4

Chic It says the images uploaded but I dont see them....

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Larry, many thanks for bring this back up for me. I remember reading that post but for some reason, ignored it until you brought it to my attention. I remember you speaking about all your trouble and Noah gave you his method. Thank goodness for him. I'll get this aiframe finished with the help of all you guys. Thanks. Chic

Firebar

My Feedback: (3)

Chic
The center section is looking great. Seeing the work you have completed, this is going to be a beautiful model. I am looking forward to watching the build progress.

Charlie

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

I agree with Charlie... Keep up the excellent work, Chic! Yours will be stellar when finished.

You, too, Larry... too bad you don't get to spend as much time on the Avenger as you might hope, but stay with it as often as possible.

Both of you, keep those photos and updates coming!

Noah

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Thanks Noah, Larry, and Charlie, those comments from you guys are all very motivating and greatly appreciated. OK, back to the shop as soon as I read Larry's (Noah's) post on making the flaps. Chic

maser

Redtail,

I've been watching this post, and have gotten some good ideas from you guys builiding my Dave Platt T-28. Larry is building one also.

Where did you get the tubing to run the wireing?

Boyd.

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Hey Boyd, if I remember correctly, I picked up the tubing at a trade show I visited, not sure if it was Toledo or White Plains, NY. JUst purchased a handful to support future builds. Would send you a couple of tubes but not sure how to box them up, I believe they come 36" long. Send me your snail mail address and I'll see what I can do. Keep your eye on Larry, when you are not looking, he is liable to get old Dave Platt himself to take over the build on that 28. Thanks to Larry and Noah, I think I will get my flaps done right the first time. Chic

Tango Juliet

I would suggest using Estes Rocket Body Tubes. The smallest is about .5" in diameter and they grow from there. They are only 18" in length though if I recall correctly.

maser

Thanks Redtail. Keep what you have. Since they are hard to come by you will need what you have for other projects. I could make them from rolled up thick paper or something along those lines. The place I used to get them burnt down so no longer in business.

Tango Juliet, that could be another good source.

Thanks again guys.

Boyd.

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Now look here Boyd, you are going to get my wife into this matter and that will be bad for both of us. She found a box to ship the tubes in and "SHE" is waiting for you to PM me with your snail mail address. Trust me, you do not want her tracking you down. Been there, done that, not a day in the amusement park. I have more then enough to share with ya. [>:] That is what her face looks like while I am typing this to ya. Chic

maser

redtail,

I don't want your wife mad.  I know how they can get.

Here it is:

Boyd A. Maser
3308 Horseshoe Bend NW
Piedmont OK 73078

Thanks so much.

Boyd.

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Boyd, the check is in the mail, oooops, I mean the tubes are in the mail. Shirley said there is only one stipulation, that you must agree too. That is "You Pay It Forward". What she means is you yourself, do another modeler here on the WarBirds thread, that you don't know, a favor with no strings attached. According to her, it will make your heart feel better. Isn't that just nice. I told her that you would agree to do that. OK, OK, back to the workshop. I just layed up 16 3/32 sheets for covering the top and bottom of the center section. Hey guys, what lines did you run through the center prior to closing? Noah, did you mount the retract air tank in the fuse behind the trailing edge like shown on the plans? Where did you mount the air tank for the bomb bay doors? OK, enough questions for now. Chic

lkahn4

Hey Gang,
So here's the latest update... SUCCESS on finally getting the left wing flap done and ready for horn and covering...YIPPEE
I have attached 2 pix of the windows and crew door just to show you that we are making progress albeit slowly, we lso started on the port and starboard hatches last night and next week I will start on the other out board flap...My undying thanks again to Noah and Charlie for without them I would probably be on the 4th set of outboard flaps by now. We had finished installing the engine box 2 weeks ago and did a temporary mount of the engine what a beautiful sight of the DA-85 mounted to the plane.
We are hoping to get the 2 hatches done next Wed with what we think is a really great idea, we purchased small magnets and put 1 in each top corner of the hatch with a tongue at the bottom, what a beautiful thing, didn't have to hinge them and they are strong enough to stay closed while in the air and easy enough to open.. love it when a plan comes together... pix of how we did it in the next week.
Chic, as for the tank for the bomb bay doors, we are planning on making a dummy torpedo and hiding a small air tank inside it.. give it a think it might be an alternative to finding a spot for it

Happy building guys

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Larry, that would be a great suggestion but to compete, I need to drop that torpedo so I will need to hear from Noah and or Charlie to know where they mounted the air tanks. I also want to mount extended fuel tanks to drop. Good looking windows and crew door. My windows will need to be bubble types. Those Brits could not leave well enough alone, flat windows were not good enough for them. Chic

maser

redtail,

Tell Shirley, that I love doing things like that. Thanks again.

Boyd.