hercibird

Hey guys. I'm re-posting my build here. I had been updating my build on another site but decided to re-post here. Summer is coming to an end so I'll be back down in my shop working on my T-34. Enjoy!

In the meantime, check out these other T-34 posts for the Torres Turbo Mentor and the Top Flite T-34B:

[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_6337288/anchors_6337288/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#6337288]RT Aerospace 1/5th T-34C Build[/link]

[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_419865/anchors_419865/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#419865]Top-Flite T-34[/link]

hercibird

So here is a quick synopsis of my build. I have a Top Flite kit that I am combining with a RT/Aerospace fiberglass fuselage semi-kit. My original intent was to convert the Top Flite "B" model kit into a "C" model turbo prop and then I came across the Raymond's fiberglass product. They are both 1/5 scale and so far are going together fairly well.

I flew the T-34C in Navy flight school with the VT-6 training squadron at NAS Whiting Field. Once complete, my model will be a replica of the very T-34 I soloed in.

hercibird

Here are the main areas of concern when comparing the T-34 A/B models with the Turbo Mentor.

As you can see, the "C" model incorporates a longer nose to fit the Pratt&Whitney PT6 turbine. In addition, the Nose Gear is located farther forward and it includes three doors instead of the two doors the nose gear has on the A/B version ( the forward door on the nose gear is referred to as the Gladiator Shield). The main gear remains the same.

The "C" model also has some variations in the tail including a squared off Vertical Stab which is swept back to 107 degrees, a larger dorsal fin and additional ventral fins and strakes. (These features give the "C" model docile spin characteristics)

On the wing, the Wing Tips are squared off at the TE and include the NAV and ANTI-Collision lights. The Landing lights were moved from the left wing and are now located on the Main Landing Gear mounts.

hercibird

Here's a look at the RT/Aerospace Semi-Kit. It comes with the fiberglass fues, cowl and air intake duct as well as vacuum formed spinner, exhaust ducts, gear doors, canopy, wingtips, ventral fins, dorsal fin, and strakes.

hercibird

Working on the Vertical Stab:

The leading edge on the C model is swept back a bit further than the A/B variants. The Tip cap is also squared off and not rounded.
Working with the Top Flite kit, I extended the length of ribs 1-4. Rib # 5 remains unchanged, and Rib# 6 was shortened. The hinged blocks remain in their original location. I just added some Robart hinge points to the scale locations. After glassing, the Rudder and Stab will get corrugations cut in to their scale locations later.

hercibird

The horizontal stab and elevator are pretty straight forward. No changes here. As with the the Stab and rudder, I used hinge points in the scale locations. I made an error on the outboard hinge but it was easily corrected and moved farther outboard.

hercibird

Starting to experiment with some of the finer details. Here you can see the doubler plates that are located on the full-scale plane.

hercibird

A test fit with the Top Flite tail feathers on the fiberglass fuselage. Pretty nice fit. I decided to cut out the aft portion in order to fit a couple of mounting plates for the Horizontal Stab. The plates are from the Top Flite kit and will give a great base for the tail. I epoxied them to the inside of the fuse and reinforced the joint with heavy cloth tape soaked with resin. The horizontal stab will then be epoxied to this saddle.

hercibird

On to the forward fuselage. I wanted to make a set of fiberglass gear doors that were a bit stiffer than that of the fuselage. To do that, I made a "cast" of the underside. I covered the fiberglass with some scrap monocote. I then greased the monocote with some petroleum jelly and then laid up several layers of resin soaked glass cloth. I was then able to cut out the three doors for the nose gear.

hercibird

Here is the box used for mounting the nose gear. I'm using the Bonanza/T-34 set of retracts from Robart. The side doors will be spring loaded open when the gear is down. When the nose wheel comes up, it will push on the metal bar inside and pull the doors closed. More on that later.....

hercibird

Now to the cowling. I made the cowl ring from ply and epoxied it flush to the inside. The firewall fits the contours of the cowl ring and is epoxied to the front of the fuse.

hercibird

I cut the cowl in two using my Dremel. The bottom half of the cowl is removable for access to the engine section (just like the full-scale). The mounting screws for the bottom half are accessible through the air inlets in the front. The top half of the cowl is permanently mated to the fuselage.

hercibird

More cowling. I am also playing around with colors and finishes for the exhaust ducts.

hercibird

Here is the inner Firewall mocked up with the air duct and nose gear box in place. On the last pic you can see the blind nuts used for attaching the Lower cowl and the cutout for the air duct. This duct routs air from the main air intake on the RH side to a small outlet door called the Air Bypass Door.

hercibird

This is the bypass door on the full-scale airplane. Inside is a door that is controlled by the pilot. It is normally closed. The pilot can open the door to allow some air to 'bypass' the engine intake and flow back to the outside. It would mainly be used when flying through heavy precipitation, hail or icing where these heavier particles would flow back out the door and no into the turbine.

On the model, it makes a convenient cooling duct for the engine.

bgfireman

My Feedback: (13)

Cool, I have not built many kits. All of them were balsa. So how does a fiberglass fuse work?
Thanks ALan

hercibird

Alan,
The best thing about fiberglass is that you can keep construction light and it also provides for a lot of detail in your subject. Most of the panel lines are molded into the fuse. The T-34C has a lot of contours and complex curves up front witch can be hard to replicate in balsa. The hardest thing so far is figuring out how to tie everything together, wood to fiberglass ect.

- steve

bgfireman

My Feedback: (13)

Steve,
Is there any laser cut formers to go with the fiberglass fuses or are they all hand made? Or does it depend on the kit?
Thanks Alan

hercibird

There are no formers that come with the Ray's semi-kit. I do have the plans/drawings to make some. There are two plywood formers and two foam bulkheads that will end up inside the fuse. I believe you get everything if you buy Ray's full-kit.

DLEVETT

My Feedback: (13)

Nice build! Consider me subscribed.
What engine do you plan on using?
I have seen a couple of these R.T. Mentors use Moki 180 powerplants in the past with the engine slightly canted to one side to rest within one of the lower cooling ducts.
I,m just wondering if a Saito 220 would also fit within that space, therefore giving a nice sclae like sound on fly bys.

Dave

hercibird

Thanks Dave!

Not sure about power yet. I think I'm leaning towards an electric setup. Varioprop makes a nice scale three bladed prop that would look great on this plane. I can also go with a planetary geared system to give it that "turbine" wine. I'm still floating some ideas around. Ray's original T-34C had a Moki 1.8 in it. The head was canted down towards the ram scoop and the exhaust came out the left hand exhaust duct. V35BFLYER on the other RT T-34 thread is going with a Moki 2.10 in his.

-steve

here are some pics of Ray's setup.

V35BFLYER

Steve,

Wondered what the heck happened to you!

Been having a frustrating time with the fitment of my firewall and cowl as I came to realize that the firewall parts were not only mislabeled, but that they were also less than an 1/8" in thickness and the cowl is too large! Had to re-do all the plywood up front in 1/4". The cowl is another story.

The really frustrating things were the parts incorrectly labeled, as I mentioned, but the worst part is the cowl.....in some areas it is bigger by almost a 1/4" wider than the fuselage about half of the way around! Looks like I'll be body finishing the front of the fuselage using liberal amounts of Micro Lite body filler from NAPA!

If you've been watching my progress, I recessed the cowl ring in the cowl, and just yesterday, fitted my MOKI 2.10 to the firewall. Everything lines up perfectly including backplate to cowl with perfect spacing. I have not yet cut the cowl in two pieces but will be doing so shortly.

Some of the guys following your thread have asked about a fiberglass fusleage. HATE IT!!! I was in the manufacturing business for over 15 years making all kinds of things outta fiberglass. I forgot how much I DO NOT miss it. We "chopped," "hand-laid", etc. and it isn't the resin or fumes or other odors. It's the cutting, sanding, grinding........ITCHING! Nope, this is my first and LAST fiberglass RC project and I've been building on and off for 30 years! All airplanes and all outta balsa.

I can't give Ray good grades on his kit, though. In my opinion, the manual should be TOTALLY redone to include waaaaaaaaaaaaaay more detail and waaaaaaaaaaaaaay better and clearer pictures! This kit, in my opinion, is NOT for beginner builders. It is for those with several kits under their belts and lots of experience. One of my "things" is that I tend to FOLLOW DIRECTIONS and then get frustrated when simple and obvious details are left out when they could easily have been added. Anytime you build ANYTHING, there is always a certain amount of "engineering" that goes into a project as you go along. I just feel that this one has an inordinate amount of clarity left out. But, please don't let my rantings dissuade anyone from buying or building ones of these bad boys. Hack, half the fun has been figuring out how to make this or that better and I decided a loooooong time ago to go the full-detail route on this plane. It's just that I've always been "detail-oriented" and like to do things RIGHT the first time.

One other thing..........What thickness styrene did you use on your doubler plates?

And lastly, over at the "RT Aerospace 1/5th T-34C Build" thread here on the RCU, where I'm still posting my progress, I may cool it for awhile as responses/views have been few and far between. I'll keep checking back to see how you're progressing.

Ben
PS. Nice job on the nose gear doors! You've given me some ideas........

hercibird

Ben, thanks man. I'm still around. It's been a busy summer here at the CG Air Station. Things are beginning to settle down though. I'm looking forward to getting back in my shop this fall and working on the T-34.

As for yours, great job! I've been following along on the thread and you're doing awesome so keep it coming. I've gotten some great ideas from your stuff as well.

I agree that Ray's kit can be a bit confusing in most areas. You did a nice job figuring out the engine mounts though. I'll be watching to see how your Moki 2.1 works out. If I do end up going with an electric set-up, I'll probably make a motor mounting box with all the geometry built in for the offset thrust angles. It looks like you have had a harder time with the honeycomb fuselage than the straight up glass one. As for the styrene bulkheads, I have not put anything into the fuselage yet other than the firewall. I was hoping to get some info from you. I was wondering if you had some full size patterns for the plywood bulkhead P3 and the two foam formers P4 and P5. Ray doesn't show a full size drawing for these on his plans, just a side view. If not, maybe TLH101 does?

-steve

bgfireman

My Feedback: (13)

Steve
Where do you find these fiberglass kits at?
Alan

hercibird

[link]http://www.rtaerospace.com/Beechcraft_A36_kit.htm[/link]

The best way is to e-mail Ray. His contact info is on the link above.