How to Build a B-29
 

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2130390Dwayne Fosseen is the Big Cahuna of the Bomber Boys here in central Iowa. This is his 3rd B-29, one might say his FIFTH, and he has built at least that many B-17's and mentored several more. His planes have won and placed at Bomber Field and many other events. His birds have proven their air-worthiness and longevity: I personally own and fly a 120" B-17 he built 29 YEARS ago and a 141" B-29 he built 9 years ago.

If you look carefully in this impromptu photo from his private field, you can see 5 of his planes

NOT man known for being an extrovert or an Internet chatter, he would never post his own build thread, but he has agreed to let me chronicle his most recent project: his third Don Smith B-29. This will be a reversion to his first: a 1/10 scale (the one I now own) the second a 14 ft-er he still flies. Bomber builds usually take him 2 winters, the first mostly devoted to planning and construction, the second mechanical out-fitting and finishing

Hang on to your hats!

Mark Taylor (aka Ambrose Bierce)

Dwayne's Comments:

Kit cutter did a pretty good job and the wood is perfect; PRECISION CUT KITS

I plan to do the hardest part first (the wing) and the rest will be less of a problem

I plan to put a servo in each engine and use the new Futaba 4-engine control program

(previous Dwayne bombers have a single giant servo in center wing driving 4 cables to the throttles)

Glue wing to table with scrap wood scraps with main bottom spar straight and hold washout exact with wing glued to table.

Glue enough scrap pieces to hold solid.

Sanding, TE, aileron and some flap area work will be completed with wing glued to table

WASHOUT:

Center of wing Zero degrees

Plug-in wing joint 1.75 degrees

Wing tip 3.0 degrees washout

Now I will be working the left wing TE: has to come out straight from tip to root with 3.0 deg washout

Flap and aileron have to twist with the washout while being built

Sheeting has to lie flat on a frame that is sanded and positioned with the washout

Top sheeting will somewhat hold the twist and the bottom sheeting locks the washout solid

Mark's Notes:

Pay VERY close attention to Dwayne's washout and wing-building notes. They are why his planes fly well at low speed and win awards and last many years

Gotta love bombers !:)
I see you mentioned using a new 4 engine control system. I also have mine set up to use a separate servo for each engine. Are you talking about Futabas MSA -10 synchronizer or is this a program in the radio TX?

Futaba 14MZ transmitterhttp://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2130446

Dwayne still uses 72 MHz. Pretty safe these days, I reckon!

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2130563http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2130564http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2130565

TE string system

I increased the total washout to 3 degrees after measuring the 1/48 Monogram model as 4 degrees (+4 at the root, 0 at the tip)

Stab and top of fuse are the "Zero Reference Points"

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2130566http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2130567http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2130568

2-3/8" holes cut for air tanks on both sides

1" holes cut for servo wires, tubes, etc

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2130569http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2130570

Thin Ca 1/8 strip to hold upper flap/wing pocket

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2130729
Supports are added until top wing sheeting is glued

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2130815http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2130816http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2130817

Made a couple new spar braces with a little less dihedral than scale

Wing joiners test fit

Bottom dihedral brace needed replacement with less dihedral brace (top)

Kram. Sent you a pm.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2131004http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2131005http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2131006http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2131007http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2131008

Made spar bridge using two 1/4" aircraft ply on each side of the top and bottom spar

This spar bridge is a critical support for the wing where the wheel wells have to be cut out

Between upper and lower spars, install 3/8" balsa sandwiched between 1/4" ply spar bridges

Exact position to be determined by main wheel size and retracted position. I am building mine for 4.5" wheels

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2131145


What I like about this system is it makes the wing tips rock-solid with the center section

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132383http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132384http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132385

Inboard aileron hinge

Push bushing through hinge bracket, then use thin CA to secure bushing

Be sure piano wire will go through straight before CA

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132386http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132387

Use sharp blade to cut bushing flush with lite ply

Add 1/64" spacer, then aileron end cap to give clearance after 1/64" spacer is removed

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132388

GoldNRod #517 yellow makes great bushing

Piano wire .092 fits ID inside yellow. Drill bit .232 makes good fit OD of yellow bushing

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132389http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132390

Inboard aileron hinge sandwich with light ply and 1/4" balsa between light ply caps with bushings

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132391http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132392

Hinge will look like scale 1/48 Monogram when completed with 3/32" balsa sheeting

Second is a photograph from a previous finished model

So is this online reporter thing going to lead to a youtube channel and film contract? ;)

Haven't seen you online in awhile kram... Your profile says you haven't posted since 2013? technology at its best.

I could have sworn Dwayne was building a B17....

Foodstick!:

Well, there's an idea! A plane-building reality show!

Should get a minimum of 14 loyal viewers.

Naw, I don't think I'm doing the World a great service, but it seems a disservice to the Field of Human Knowledge that really skilled experienced pro's like Dwayne and Frank are out there building with no one learning from them

Leave it to you to be the only one who picked up on my oblique Bierce reference:rolleyes:

I have been lightly active on RCU the last 2-3 years, at least a dozen posts per year, so your electronic tally must be false, somehow

I'm documenting Frank's 1/6 Wingspan build on rcscalebuilder, so that may have diverted some of my attention.

Hope to get that running again soon. As you know, Frank doesn't do much building during flying weather, so this recent round of wintry mix should get him jump-started

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132674

Added 3/32 strip for more surface when wing-sheeting starts. You will see why when aileron is removed and leading edge of aileron is rounded

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132675http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132676

If ribs are undersized, add balsa caps and sand so all fit with straight edge across all ribs and spars

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132678http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132679

Main landing gear pocket gets a 1/4" balsa doubler with 1/64" ply lamination

Wheel well ready for retract mounting supports.

Will mount retract rails when top sheeting is done and wing is turned over

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132680

1/2" ply wedge joined glued to top spar and ply spar dihedral joiner in front

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132686http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132687

Rear spar joiner glued and capped with wedge ply

Balsa triangles added to end of rear spar ply former. Balsa triangles added to all ends

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132688http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132689

Time to work on right wing top

Right wing top building will be accelerated because I used left wing parts as patterns and made them while I was working on the left wing

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132690http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132691http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132692http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132693

Setting right wing washout:
Center is set at 0 degrees. Then glue to work bench. Bottom strap sets on wood strap glued to table and sanded perfectly straight.

Right wing glued to table and 3 degrees of washout from center to tip locked in place. Fish line attached center of TE and center-wing and wing tip

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132694http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132695

Bottom spar is removed for main wheel retract gap.

Use 1/4" and cover with thin CA for strength and fuel-proofing

Epoxy the 1/4" spar bridge with a 3/8" balsa sandwich filler between top and bottom spars

Bottom spar will have to be cut to fit dual main wheels into retract bay and wheels will then bump into (and stop) at top spar

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132698http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132699http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132700

Straight edge works great for keeping flap pocket REALLY straight during sanding. After top sheeting is glued on, it will become a core of strength due to triangular shape

Long level makes a great sanding tool. Use high-quality stick-on 120 sandpaper found at auto-body stores, not LHS

Works great for sanding long surfaces that have to turn out straight their entire length. I also used this tool to sand the support that the bottom spar is lying on

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132880http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132881http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2132882

If you look closely, the straight edge sitting on top of the spar shows no high or low spots.

If the ribs are not perfect, add wood to match airfoil, so sheeting will contact all surfaces perfectly

Beef up retract bay prior to top sheeting. Main gear mounts get strength from spars and this entire area of wing

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2133993

Wing glued to table with 3 degrees washout, then glue sheeting forward of main spar

Sand leading edge sheeting

Next, I will install leading edge 1/2" thick plank balsa while the wing washout is glued to the table

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2133994http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2133995

A 6 foot-long level sanding tool ensures a long straight sanded surface

3M sandpaper with 120 grit to do most of the shaping, then switch to 300 grit for finished surface

Several different sizes sanding blocks and some homemade sanding tools for stick-on sand paper. 3M sandpaper roll is 2.75" wide

Kram, I have to be honest..I did NOT get your Bierce reference....

I did however use the internet and find that not only was he a writer with somewhat of a bad attitude that DID try to mentor others...His rather OBLIQUE? social skills would in fact have made him one of the more cheerful people in my flying circle ;)

He even looks like a WW1 flier...

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2134011

Yessir! One of yer ilk, I would say.

"Bitter Bierce," as he was nicknamed, was probably best known for a short story about the Civil War titled "An Occurrence at Owl Creek," hailed by some as the best short story in all American literature.

Like many Americans, his soul was crushed by the Civil War, although he lived at least until 1914, when he disappeared while touring Pancho Villa's Mexican Revolution.

So, I suppose he might have had some contacts with early airplanes.

Wikipedia did a good summary

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2134646

Ribs will NEVER be an exactly perfect fit for simply laying down sheeting

Add balsa strips to build up the "short ribs", then sand them all down to exactly the same level with the 6-foot sanding level

I make sure the center-most rib and the mid-wing rib and the end rib are exactly in line, then use those 3 as a guide to building/sanding the rest of them.