ncs/caf

OK guys, I need some help/guidance.

How do I transition the sheeting from F-13 to F-14. (F-13 is the stinger gun port)

Any photos would help.

Not sure if the curved sheeting over F-14/15 is carried forward to F-13 and then blended in with the fuselage sides with F-11/12/13.

Thanks,
Grover

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Grover,

Check post 278 on page 12 of this thread... I have some photos that reveal how I strip-planked this area (I think this is the area to which you refer).

The compund curves make "sheeting" very hard, but it can be done with smaller, narrower strips of 1/8 balsa.

Do you have some photos of your build we can see?

Good luck!

Noah

ncs/caf

Great...thanks Noah...just what I needed.

Trying to attach a photo, but no luck.

Any ideas as to how I can attach a photo?

Grover

wingspar

My Feedback: (3)

Make sure you use the replay button in one of the previous post. You should then get a message below about adding photos. Photos should be located on your computer. They can be downloaded directly.

aghost

My Feedback: (13)

Wingspar probably means "reply button" or use the "Post Reply" button on the left a few lines above the "Fast Reply" box.

ncs/caf

Should be some photos somewhere.

Remember that I am building a static model to be mounted on a pole in the hangar/museum to mimic the actual TBM we are restoring. The other two CAF planes are the BT (in markings of the Tuskagee trainers) and the L-5 (painted as one that operated in the South Pacific in WWII)

jdeluyck

My Feedback: (6)

Hey Noah,

Do you know why your plane came in so heavy? Is this due to the radial engine?

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Ha!

I'm a terrible builder who gives little regard to keeping things light, Jerry!

Joking aside, the motor certainly contributed (it's about 10.5 lbs, as I recall), as well as the many layers of heavy latex paint, not to mention the loads of spot-putty and heavy primer build-up required to smooth out the finish prior to paint.

These Avengers can come in at less than 28 lbs... but I bet a million I could never get close to that with my approaches!

Anyway, despite my 49.5 lb weight, it still flies great. So these can handle some extra poundage!

Noah

jdeluyck

My Feedback: (6)

Must be all the weight of the decals

Firebar

My Feedback: (3)

Grover, your Avenger is coming along well. Thanks for posting the photos.

Both of my Avengers came in at about 38 pounds. Twenty eight would be a little optimistic. Both Noah's and Brian's Avengers came in around 50 pounds and they both claim they fly well at that weight. I think the extra weight is a result of the large engines they both used. It is a good thing they both used the Sierra Giant Scale landing gear.

Charlie

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

That's right.... all that heavy vinyl!!

Thanks again to you and Vicki for supplying the excellent dry transfers and PAINT stencils!

Get it right, fellas... GETSTENCILS.COM!!!

lkahn4

Hey guys
I'm figuring ours will come in around 50lbs also, like Noah we also have alot of putty and since it's our first scale build we are learning as we go... And what a learning experience it has been.
Tomorrow night we are finishing attaching the aileron and flap servos and I will try and finish covering the elevator halves.
We are anxious to get it ready for paint and I am hoping for warm day in the near future so we can finally start the DA-85.
Noah glad to hear about the heaviness of the vinyl transfers, but hey when you come in at 48 lbs waht's another 2lbs of vinyl. LOL

Larry

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Hey, Larry... that was sort of an inside joke about the vinyl (with Jerry). I have no idea how heavy vinyl decals are... There are no decals on my model... it's all paint that I did with the stencils that Jerry provided! I highly recommend getstencils.com

Anyway, I thought Charlie's prototype came in at about 28lbs... but it's been a long while since I looks at those numbers.

50 lbs is on the higher end, but I can say for sure that this model will still fly great.

EDIT: yeah I looked back through my notes and saw that Charlie's prototype weighed 38 lbs, not 28 lbs. That certainly makes more sense.

peter w h

Hi guys, thought I would post a few.

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Peter W H, what a clean build. Your work is extremely neat. Wish I could build like that. I sometimes have more wood putty on my balsa then balsa itself. Chic

peter w h

Thanks redtail,
I have been following the thread for quite sometime now picking up all sorts of info.

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

VERY NICE!!!!

Welcome to the discussion, Peter!

Looking forward to seeing more!

Regards,

Noah

lkahn4

Noah
I got it about the vinyl, but I figured I would go along with it. We worked on the plane tonight, I only got half of each elevator covered, amazing how fast the time goes.
Next week finish covering the elevators and get the horns installed so we can at least get the throws setup so we will be totally ready for paint.

Larry

lkahn4

Peter,
Really nice work on the wing. Really impressed. You will find the guys here extremely helpful and their insight is invaluable. Your wing looks 10 times better than ours did at this stage.
Keep up the great work

Larry

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Peter,

I just looked back at the image of your fuse... looks like you're also using a false/detachable firewall to mount the radial, just as I did.

I'll be very interested to see how you improve on the installation and positioning of the motor. I could not come up with a better method than to mount the servos for choke and throttle and ignition all on the back of the firewall, and have it come out as a single unit to simplify linkage hook-ups... but you may have worked through this in a better way.

Also, given all the accessories that need to be shoe-horned into the front of the model when using this engine, I'll be especially interested in seeing your fuel tank installation. Mine, as you may recall, sits partially within the cockpit, and I am still looking for and considering using a different tank (or two smaller 'saddle' tanks) to free-up some space and get the cockpit detailed properly.

As I said, Looking forward to seeing more!

Kinds regards,

Noah

peter w h

Hi Noah,

Good eyes, hope I have not infringed on any copyrights but I have used your works in a drawermethod of mounting the power plant.
I think your method of tacking everything on the back of "F-O" can not be improved upon so I will be guilty of some form of plagiarism in this respect.
I will (after all other engine ancillaries are installed) fabricate an aluminum fuel tank to fit the leftover space that will not encroch into the cockpit, perhaps I make two If you like.
One of the reasons I picked this project is all the wonderfull unselfish flow of ideas in this thread , I know I would of had to reinvent the wheel with respect to the engine installation so thanks Noah for that one and to all the rest of you I also say thankyou for all the wonderfull pictures and tidbits of ideas.

Hey and by the way what's the scoop about vinyl decals you guys got to get me up to speed on all the inside gossip.

Almost forgot to thank Charlie, I guessnone of us would be here if it were not for him, thanks Mr.C

Peter

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Peter,

Yes, mounting everything to the back of 'F-0' makes installation and removal of the engine very easy. No copyright worries here... as I'm quite certain that I got the idea from someone else in another thread in one of the RCU forums. That is the beauty of this community: sharing ideas (and showing pictures!).

I'm excited to learn more about your custom fuel tank... when you get to that stage. I would be very interested in buying one from you when you get the design finalized. That mid-wing placement of the centersection really makes it hard to get a suitably-sized "off-the-shelf" tank in there!

As I said earlier, I can't wait to see more!

Regarding the vinyl decals, there's no major inside scoop. Jerry DeLuyck and his wife Vicki own and operate a graphics company that makes custom paint masks and dry transfers for modelers (GetStencils). They have provided the stencils, masks and transfers for every model that I've built, and they do a great job and they go way out of their way to satisfy the customer. Anyway, Jerry was joking around with me when he suggested that my model was over-weight because I used vinyl graphics! Of course he knows that he and Vicki did all the hard work to help me get my Avenger looking good... all with paint and dry transfers (NO VINYL... EVER!).

So, that's the silly story and joke.

Yes, Charlie has done a beautiful job with his Avenger, and it's great that he, too, goes out of his way to make himself available to guide his customers through the construction of his kits/designs.

Keep up the great work here, everyone!

Noah

hrrcflyer

Hey Redtail, Noah, Larry

I'have finally read through the entire thread and I have to say that I am in awe of your building skills any everyones willingness to help each other out which is one of the best things I like about RCUniverse. The Avenger is one of my favorite planes...... Charlie does put out an awesome kit, but it is WAY WAY above my building skill level.

Hey Redtail, a few pages back, you mentioned you came down to Virginia Beach and visited the Naval Base. Did you have a chance to visit the Military Aviation Museum in Pungo while you were down here? If you did, you would have probably never left. That place is incredible. If I could live there, I would..........LOL The museum has a TBM Avenger among many other WW2 and WW1 planes and the best part is that 95% of them are in flying condition. When I get to work tomorrow, I'll post a little "Encouragement" for you to continue the awesome work you are doing on your plane.

Keep up the great work everybody.

David

hrrcflyer

Good afternoon Fella's,

As promised, Here is a little Eye Candy / Motivation for you guys building your Avengers. Luckily this one is located about 45 minute from where I live and I'm going to the museum on Saturday for a visit. Everyone keep up the great work and enjoy the pics.

Happy Holidays, fellow Avenger lovers.
David

peter w h

Hi guys, A few more pics of the Avenger.

Peter