lkahn4

Chic,
Just make sure that if they publish the article in the mag that you get enough copies to sign for the WHOLE group..

Larry

Firebar

My Feedback: (3)

Peter, You are amazing! Thanks for posting the progress photos of you Avenger. The plane looks great but you are making the rest of us look bad having accomplished so much in four months. I love the functional trim tabs. I never even considered making them functional.

Charlie

lkahn4

Peter,
It wasn't bad enough it was taking my cohort and I sooooo long to get where we are and now you throw functional trim tabs...yikes
It is a really perplexing problem, nah not going there though the temptation is great. Now besides Noah, Charlie and the rest of the crew I have another idol to measure up to.. You are truly an amazing craftsman and should be patting yourself on the back for the what you have accomplished.
On another note I will hopefully be posting pix of our build by Thursday, progress has been slow but we finally got the ailerons and flaps attached (happily).
With luck we should be able to go to paint by the middle / end of February.

Larry

lkahn4

Hi Gang,
So here is the latest update, the holidays wreaked havoc on our build schedule but we did manage to get 3 hours in last week.
All flaps and ailerons attached, servos mounted control arms set up.
Next build nite we will try and set up the throws and get the finishing touches done to be ready for paint by mid Feb.
Here are a few shots to show our progress, as I mentioned in earlier posts, the Sierra tailwheel is 2nd to none but the engineering to get the retract working as well as the tail wheel to turn was to say the least daunting for us neophytes.

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Nice work, Larry.

I used pull-pull cables to steer the tail wheel, and it's operated via the central pneumatic system. As I recall, you guys went with a servo to retract the wheel... is that correct? SHould work out fine!

Can't wait to see her in paint! Keep up the excellent work.

Noah

lkahn4

Noah
Thanks for the nice words, we are using a pull system tied to the rudder, that's what the green angle is for. We have the rudder servo attached on one side and the pull pull on the other.. We'll see how it works when we get the servos setup.
Angeles on the new job?
Larry

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Yep, sounds like it should work well!

Regarding the job, I go back to Oklahoma for a second visit at the end of this month, and then I have interviews at Penn State and Emory in February... Still a long way to go before I know where I'll land!

Keep up the fine work on your Avenger!

Noah

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Noah, no matter where you land, you'll certainly be an asset. Looking real good Larry, really good. Wish I could make your photos larger, really interested in seeing the engine front photo. Me, well, I just finished up the left landing gear strut cover which now sits neatly flush with the wing skin when it retracts. It sits nicely on a ledge in the strut tunnel. On to the right wing now to set up the ailerons, flaps, sheeting, etc. Keep up the great work Larry. Like Noah, I'm learning much from you also. Still can not believe what a clean build Peter is having. I want to be just like him when I grow up. Chic

lkahn4

Chic
If you send me your email address I will send you the raw pix that u will be able to enlarge. As for Peter what can I say, I feel like such a slob when I compare his pix to mine

Larry

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Larry and all the Avenger builders, my email address is: [email protected] Thanks for the photo, I want to of course go to school on what you have already accomplished. Thanks. Chic

peter w h

Hey guys your going to give me a complex, ok ,ok , I will slow down, may be a touch of OCD but it will pass.
As for the clean workshop trust me it only looks that way for the pictures.
Hey Ikahn4, can you send me some pics too, it's looking fantastic, love to see some larger pics of the fuse.
Hey Redtail, if we ever grow up we probably wouldn't be here.
[email protected]

Peter

lkahn4

Hey guys
Pix on the way

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Larry, again great photos and thanks. Just wanted to tell you that your method of pulling plastic for the wing tip light enclosures worked great. I screwed up one but as you said, a little practice is necessary. Welllllllll, with my wife flailing about pointing the hot air gun everywhere but where I wanted it, I managed to get two rather clean clear plastic light enclosures. I curved, marked off and cut off a piece of the wing tip that would become the light enclosure. I used that balsa tip for a mold. I glued it to a dowel which I clamped in a vice. I had an old canopy laying around and with a few snipes I had three plastic pieces to experiment with. The wife turned on the gun, I put on some gloves to keep her from burning me and of course, together we melted the first piece of plastic. Of course, I blamed her and she told me I wasn't doing it right. How the %$#@ does she know what to do. Anyway, on our next attempts, together, we did a fairly good job pulling the other two plastic pieces around and across the balsa mold. I'm happy, she is happy that she told me how to do it. I let her comments go and dismissed her from my shop to attend to her dryer duties in the house. [>:] Chic

peter w h

Ahhhh Redtail, you paint a picture all too familiar, I can see it now, "hold it closer, no not that close, move back, ouch you burnt me, move back" (and on and on and on) and all the while Mr. Tyler from Aerosmith wailing in the back ground, but hey you made it through with out using 911 sojudjing fromthe pictures and no ambulance visit I would say it was a success.
The only thing you have to worry about now is if she ever reads this forum your screwed.

Fleet

Good my wife's name is not Jeanie. I'll keep the heat gun far from her as she is very capable with nickle plated guns.



Years ago, I saw some neat tricks with the big 1 litre soda bottles being pulled about wood plugs to produce canopys and the like. Heat gun or oven and about 4 pairs of hands.

Ray W

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Hello Fellows, this is Shirley, I am Chic's wife. Do I have to describe how badly I hit him about the head and shoulders after seeing his reply after all of my help? I don't think so. By the way Ray, I also have a couple of those nickle plated toys. Chic even showed me how to use them. Keep the gloves handy fellows, we will always help you guys out, but it will certainly "ALWAYS" cost you boys in some way or another. Stay well boys, by the way, I have the heat gun handy, anyone need any help? Smile. Shirley

lkahn4

Hi all especially Chic and Shirley
Chic, I think you missed the part about holding the plastic with pliers and to LEAVE plenty of extra plastic, even with that we came especially close to getting burned. Shirley you did a great job on the lenses Chic should be showering you with kudos, I on the other hand try never to ask the wife for help. If I did she would A) know that I can do more than I allude too and B) she might just figure out how much $$$$ I spend on the hobby.
As a wise old hobbyist once stated about wives Ignorance is bliss ... LMAO
Chic/Shirley keep up the great work

Larry

peter w h

Avenger short kit 350.00,,,, landing gear 900.00,,,,Shirley's responce,,,,pricless.

Ranger1-00

Chic, Looks great! Please tell Shirley that I am happy to come over there and lend you a hand if she would rather hit the Mall! You guys did a great job. Can't wait to come by and see it. Barrett

lkahn4

Peter,
Did I read that right $900.00 for the gear? At those prices I'd be building those balsa rubber band powered profile planes. And as for Shirley, Chic better watch out that she doesn't take over the build and show him where the washer and dryer is. LOL
Larry

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Hey Boys', you hobby guys are alright. Thanks guys for backing me and supporting my efforts to help. $900 for "WHAT", Chic come here, I have a couple of questions. Smile. Bye guys, Shirley

Firebar

My Feedback: (3)

Larry
I was puttering around the shop today and remembered that you are installing a DA-85 in your Avenger. Before you fly it, take the screws that hold the ignition pickup out one at a time and put some locktite on the threads. DA doesn't locktite them and they will vibrate out causing a sudden stoppage of noise. Don't ask me how I know.

It is great to see all of the progress on the Avenger builds here.
Charlie

lkahn4

Charlie,
Thanks for the heads up, I can always count on you for help.
As for the build, it's not going as fast as we would like due to life getting in the way but we are making progress.

Shirley, if you want to try scratch building the gun turret for hubby let me know and I'll repost the pix

Larry

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Hi guys, not on vacation, just finishing up the wing tip light and flap assembly on the left wing then on to doing the same projects on the other wing. Thanks. Chic

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Several photos. System is extremely slow this morning. Chic