butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Not sure about the other builds. I have only seen two: one on RCSB that was aborted and another on the British site (cannot remember the site name). The British thread never really even got off the ground. Last I checked they were trying to make their own landing gear. I suscribed bu there have been no updates since I originally subscribed (about 3 months ago).

If there are others I would love to know about them, too.

Noah

butlern

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Chic, I've been trying to call you... is the line always busy because you're on the computer? Using a dial-up connection? Say it isn't so, Chic!!

redtail

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Noah, it isn't so, its my wife, her sister, her mother, and her daughter, and back to my wife again. Call now, she is in the bathroom. Chic

dhal22

noah is correct on the build threads. i, too, searched for a long time to find any other info on this kit. there's not much out there. there are some skyshark? avenger build threads out there but a much smaller plane. there is a photo of a kellog avenger (or used to be) on precision cut kits website and there is also a few photos somewhere of an actual avenger built by the designer.

david

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Well dog-gon-it, Frank, Noah, Gibb, and I will just have to change all of that and have about four (4) Avengers flying within the next year or so. This build thread will not be abandoned, this build thread will not be short changed, this build thread will be completed and with the help of my three friends and Charlie Kellogg, this build thread will be the one those interested in the TBM Avenger will come to first and foremost. Well guys, "Let's Roll" Chic

gibb

My Feedback: (7)

Hello fellas, I hope you don't mind me posting a few pics of my progress as well. If you would prefer that I start a separate thread, then please let me know.

I few posts back there was discussion about the rudder control. I am mounting a servo in the tail wheel area and using a torque rod on the rudder. I havent really finalized the rod/horn, but it will most likely be a single pushrod for simplicity.

I started on the side door. I need to mount the internal support and I think that I'll use magnets. I mounted the hinges onto the side of the former using screws so I can fix it when it gets knocked off (always seems to happen).

Happy Thanksgiving.

Jim (Gibb)

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Jim,

Your airframe looks great!

We're happy to have you participate... it would never be considered hijacking. This thread is all about the Kellogg Avenger (no matter what the stage of construction). In fact, I sincerely hope that you pop in now and then because you're so much further along than Frank, Chic and me... I'm sure we'll have questions and we'd love to hear your perspective.

I've got the left wing panel layed out and ready for gluing. Just need a little more time to devote to the project. Hopefully Sat or Sun I can finish framing the wing panels and start fitting them to the center section.

Hope your holiday was pleasant.

Regards,

Noah

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

As Noah said, the guys on this build are all extremely happy to have you on board as a contributor. As Noah said, this is not about any of us but rather about building the Charles Kellogg Avenger. Good idea with the door hinges, don't mine if I do copy that idea. Now, where are the other photos [>:] You probably have a hundred photos that could help all of us with this build. I am still waiting for my landing gear so I started on the engine box because I'm sending my engine off to "BOLD Muffler" to get a muffler made for the twin that will allow the exhaust to exit at the scale location. Will post a photo this afternoon of the firewall/engine box. Jim, please show us a series of photos if you could to show how you started and layed up the fuse, secured the wing center section, etc. Now for another turkey sandwich for breakfast, lunch, and surely dinner. Speaking of turkey, can anyone tell me why they nicknamed our Avenger - The Turkey. Chic

redtail

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As noted before, I completed the motor box and installed it onto F-1, the firewall. The engine and firewall are off to Port St Lucie for a muffler. I increased the size of the firewall to 1/4" to further support the twin and made the side and down thrust alignment. If I went toooooo far, a washer or two will pull me back into aerodynamic standards for proper flight. Well its off to the UPS store. Hope everyone's turkey was not tooo dry. Photos are in two parts. Chic

redtail

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Photos, part 2.

gibb

My Feedback: (7)

Chic, Keep in mind that the cowl does not line up with the firewall. It lines up with the 1" spacer on the end of the firewall.

Also, instead of using the tabs to retain the wings, I supported W7 and will retain the wings through the gear opening. I used the tab method on a Ziroli B25 before and I was always concerned about it breaking off. Attached are a couple pics.
Sorry, they are not very good.

My plane has been in this stage for many months. I wished that I had taken more pics of the construction, but sorry to say that I did'nt.

ONe of the other challenges was the tail wheel mount. That was quite a bit of fun. I'll take some pics later.

Jim

tccjfk

My Feedback: (6)

Jim
Welcome, Its nice to see an Avenger almost complete in gives you hope..
Chic what motor do you have
Frank

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Hey there Frank great hearing from ya, my engine is a BME 116 twin, I thought it was a 115 but BME straightened me out when I had them refresh it for me. Jim, could you detail how you will retain the wings thru the gear opening? I want to do the same or do as Frank may do from the top of the wing. Jim, your airframe really, really looks good. I am going to install the 1 & 1/4" balsa blocks around and in front of the firewall, then at the three points where the cowl will attach to the balsa blocks, I will remove balsa and install hardwood blocks with blind nuts. I'll dowel the hardwood blocks to the firewall. I will attach three hardwood blocks in the cowl at coordinating points with holes for the 4/40 attachment bolts. May sure you guys either dowel the motor box and triangular pieces to the firewall and the motor box itself or do as Charlie indicated in the directions and on the plan and install threaded rod in each corner to ensure the box is securely attached to the firewall. Since I was fooling around with the motor, I followed Charlie's lead and ordered the dummy engine from Frank Tiano, 1/5 scale, 8.75 diameter. The landing gear did not arrive today as I had hoped. Looks like no work on wing until next week. I will cut out support blocks for constructing the fuse while I wait. Chic

gibb

My Feedback: (7)

I hope that the wing retainment is shown. It counts on W7 being supported by the Diagonal supports. Since this only "retains the panel"and does not provide the actual support that the tube provides, I think it should be good.

The Tail gear mount is a sandwich of the gear former and another aircraft ply former with hardwood blocks angled to support the correct position to allow the wheel to fully retract and approximately to right retracted position.

Jim

gibb

My Feedback: (7)

More pics

gibb

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One more

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Thanks Jim for the photos, together you and the photos have helped me understand what you did. I have not looked that far ahead, so can you tell me about where on w-6 and w-7 you mounted your wing holding bolts, such as to the rear of the front spar, to the rear of the wing tube, etc.? Thanks again. I just cut the 5 pieces of 2 x 3 at 9" each for whenever I get started on the fuse. I just set them aside. I keep playing around and dry fitting my center section ribs, awaiting my L/G. If I keep this up, the spar notches in the ribs will be worn loose. Chic

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Well while I am putcing around the workshop, I decided to support the elevator hinges by gluing the G-10 material to the plywood hinges as Charlie suggested. Will do the same with the ailerons and rudder. You can also see I have the center section ribs all layed out awaiting the L/G, I caught myself playing around with them abit. Chic

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Back at it this past week and weekend, although with the holiday and the cold I caught at the end of last week, I didn;t get as far as the right wing panel. But, with most of the tricks figured out on the left, the right panel whould go much faster.

Anyway, check parts against the plans (you can see those marked as "off" or "ok" with the purple marker), adjusted them as required and started dry-fitting.

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Once all was checked and re-checked, the ribs W-8 through W-19 were glued over the plans with the washout jig in place, and 3/32 balsa was added for shear webbing in front of both main and rear spars.

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Next I taped the outer and center section plans together, using the wing tube, leading edge lines drawn on plans, wheel axle and 54" half-span as references.

Once that was done, I pinned and weighted the center section over its plan, inserted the wing tube in order to ready it for mating to the outer panel. Then I added a scrap balsa for a dihedral jig (glued under W-19) to the outer panel.

With the center in place, I could get a good measurement on trimming the outer panel main bottom spar. Once that was trimmed, I used the 62 degree template to rough-trim the upper main spar. The front 1/4 spar and the rear balsa spars were cut as I slowly and carefully mated the outer panel with the center section. In parallel to the spars, I was adjusting the holes in W-8 and W-9 to accommodate the wing tube.

Importantly, the whole time I was slowly trimming the spars I was ensuring that the outer panel was always over the plans (by using a carpenter's square), thus maintaining the "sweep" relative to the leading edge of the center section.

So, that was my basic approach: I carefully trimmed the spars, and the wing tube holes, as I carefully slid the outer panel up to the center section while maintaining the dihedral with a jig and ensuring the panel was over the plans with a square.

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

So I still have to make some fine adjustments to the spars and the wing tube holes, but I'm very nearly there. Once I'm happy with the fit, I'll tack W-7 in place, recheck fit, then lock the wing tubes in place with W-8 and W-9 wing tube doublers. If all still fits well, I'll lock W-7 to the spars (while clamped to W-6), sand it to match the contour of W-6, then sheet the bottom of the outer panel. After sheeting, I'll go back and make sure nothing has been distorted. I'm confident that the outer panel has not twisted after removing it from the building board, as I have gone back several times and checked it after laying it over the plan with the washout jig in place. It is still straight.

We'll see.

I'll try to get the rest of the left panel finished this week (short of finishing the flaps and ailerons). Hopefully now that I've come up with a method, the right panel will go 10x faster.

Chic, your work is looking good! Let me know if you have questions about the center section when you get started.

Regards,

Noah

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Thank you Dennis (Glennis Wheels) for sending me a box full of Avenger Landing Gear, Avenger Wheels, and now, a set of brakes for the main gear wheels. Dennis, how large of an air tank do I need to operate the brakes? Look on the left hand side of the wheel hub and you'll see a cooper nipple that is the brake air line fixture. Dennis, again, great wheels and brakes.

Now, I will go to the shop and dry fit everything as Noah, Frank, and Jim have done before me. I will be patient as they have all directed me to do so. I'll glue it all together this weekend. I have after school tutoring duties for the next three days and I certainly do not wish to put the center section together, tired, beat, and not clearly thinking. But it will be cool [8D] to begin to play with all the stuff. Noah, your last set of posts really made alot, and I mean alot of things clear. Many thanks. Chic

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Wow, Chic. Those wheels look incredible! I've always wondered about R/C tail-draggers with brakes on the mains... how do you keep from locking those boys up? Must be some way to regulate air pressure, huh? I could see brakes on the mains rather quickly becoming a distaster for me!

And speaking of disasters, I got home tonight to find one of my Kellogg Avenger PCK parts-bags chewed to bits by my dogs (along with a cockpit kit for my Meister 109)... This is a first. These dogs have never expressed any interest in balsa, let alone the plastic bag the balsa was wrapped in. Maybe they were frustrated that I was moving so slowly and had not yet begun work on the tail feathers. I'd better get going on this build before it all ends up in little piles in my backyard.

While not clear from the first picture, only 4 parts were left intact. Second picture reveals the partners in crime: "Rita" the Redbone Coonhound and "Ringo" the ex-racer.

So, looks like I'll be cutting all new parts for the Avenger's horizontal stab (and moving all other wood supplies to higher ground).

Alright, back downstairs to play with W-7.

Noah

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Hey Noah, just because of that potential danger, I made sure that Dennis (Glennis Wheels) provided me with a proportional air valve to let me apply only the amount of pressure needed to slow and then stop the aircraft and not have the gear simply lock up when the brakes are applied. Hope the elevator is still somewhat effective to keep the tail down. [] I have tacked the rear spar shim down over the plans. I sit several ribs over the plans and looked to see how the l/g fits up in the W-2, W-3, and W-4 sections. Looked at everyones work to see how to further secure the gear and that rear arm. Wow, can't wait till Saturday. Noah, Frank, and Jim, I'm studying all of your photos and emails now on placement, order of constructing, and techniques. Thanks for all the help and photos guys. Chic