RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

I started to mount the the horizontal and vertical. It does not show on the manual if they recommend to glue the horizontal in place or just hold on with screws.. First it requires you to open the holes in the horizontal. I di that with the end of a pencil . I found that the holes were off center ever so slightly. But it would not make much difference. I got two 5/32" drill bits. I held the horizontal in place and drilled the first hole. I left the drill in the hole and then drilled the second one. I then trial fit the vertical. I found that the screw for the horizontal/ vertical was too long to be able to get it in place from the tail Wheel hatch. I had to drill a hole behind the the tail wheel hatch to get the screw in place. Once the horizontal were in place with the screws I found that the horizontal was more than a 1/4 low on the right side comapred to the wing.

Then looking at the vertical i found that it leaned to the left. If you look at the bottom of the vertical you could see that ribs 1 was not built straight . The rest of the vertical looked fine. To fix the horizontal it took one piece of 1/64" ply applied to the right side of the wing saddle. To fix the vertical it took a strip of 1/32" and 1/64" ply applied to the left bottom of vertical to get the vertical straight.

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

Ok alot of you know this but I wil post this for those who don't. It says remove the covering on top where the vertical is glued to the horizontal. You should trace off the vertical once screwed in place. Remove the screws. When you are ready to remove the covering take a nice sharp new blade. barely score the covering not going through into the wood. Then take the blade going at a angle pic up the covering and it should pull up where it was scored. I have seen horizontal failures in the past where the wood was barley scored itsself. If you do have a failure of the horizontal they will look for that is you take it up with the customer service...

Ty

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

Heres hopeing my stab isnt that far out.

By the way TBM customer service finally got back to me. New guy, first day on the job. Other guy left for greener pasture Ii guess.
Anyway we settled on instore credit if I repair damage my self. I am ok with that since i always need more stuff!

I am in a holding pattern with my build right now, waiting for cockpit kit to arrive. Seems better to have as little on the plane as possible for the install.

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

The manual does not say glue the horizontal but I just perfer it that way.So I marked across the bottom where it touches the fuse. I placed blue tape on the bottom of the horizontal and also on the fuse sides. I then use one of my favorite glues. I used GOOP to glue the horizontal to the fuse. I have not glued the vertical in place yet I just used the vertical to help glue the horizontal on. I ended up using 2 strips of 1/64" ply to make the horizontal squared to the wing and fuse...

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

While the glue is drying on the horizontal I decided to fix the elevator. I Installed the the elevator joiner first. The elevators have 4 CA hinges the most inside one is suposed to the the location for the tabs of the joiner. I had to move the slots a little inward to make it work for me. After installing the joiner. I marked the location for the joiner to be inserted in the elevator. When drilling those holes Its alot easier if you use a small drill bit and work you way to about 1/8 bit. I then made a channel in the leadingn edge of the elevator to allow the joiner to recess into the elevator. I made a V first and then moved to a round dremel to make the slot...I then used pins to cneter the hinges and installed the elevator. I did this to both sides. You should do both sides before glueing anything,,,

ty

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

Ok I have gotten alot of work done lately just no post.. So here goes
Next I moved to installing the vertical. Since I added the Pieces of ply to the bottom to make it square there was a minor gap . So I decided to fill the whole area.
I covered the enitre area with wax paper. I then taped around the base of the vertical. I then mixed up some 2 part glazing putty. I spread it around the edges of the vertical. Then working quickly I placed it over the screws and screwd the vertical in place. once it was tight it push out the excess putty. I just let it dry. Once it was dry i took the screws out and sanded all the excess away. I then removed the tape and painted the putty to match the vertical. I then screwed and glued the vertical in place

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

I then moved to the tail wheel. I did not like the one supplied. I bought one of the Dubro 60-90 tail wheel sets. The post that comes out of the tail wheel yoke is too short for me. It is a etal post in a hard plastic yoke. To remove it i just slowly heated the metal end (slowly) I then took a set of vise grip and easily turned the post out. I replaced it with a piece of 1/8 Music wire. I drilled and taped the plastic yoke to accept a 4-40 set screw and I put a flat spot on the new post. I believe the new postr will work fine once I locktite everything.
The way the instructions show the tail wheel setup there is no way to steer the tail wheel. there is not enought clearance for it to move. So I decided to use 2 poieces of 1/4" a/c ply. I glued 2 pieces together to give me a 1/2" thick piece. I cut it to the size of the supplied mount. I then screwed the mount to the former in the fuse. I had to make clearance for the pull =pull cables. So I cut away a little of the bottm of the former using a dremel tool...

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

I then moved to making the the new servo tray that will allow me to clear the installed cockpit. The new tray was really easy to make. I took a piece of 1/4" liteply. and ripped it to 1.5 " wide and 3" long. I then glued the two pices to the pieces that were left of the old servo tray. This ended up being about 6" apart I cut a piece of 1/8 ply
3" wide and 6" long. I fugured where I need the servos . I marked the location and cut out for the servos. .I then took 2 pieces of 1/4" ply cut to 3/4" wide and made doublers for the tray. I glued the doublers in and installed the servos. . I then glued the servos tray in place....

ty

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

I next moved to the rudder. I drill the hole that was required for the bottm hinge. You need to add a piece of wood insdie the fuse to give the bottom hinge to bite into. I used a scrap piece of balsa. I marked the center so I could see it through the hole I drilled in the back of the fuse. I just epoxied it into place then drilled the hole again for the hinge.. I then glued the hinges into the rudder. I don't know if any of you do this but I take a scrap piece of plastic and cut it into small pieces. I poke a small hole with a toothpick and then insert the hinge into it. I move the plastic up to the pivot poiint. This protects the hinge from glue. once the glue is dry the plastic will easily pull out ....

Ty

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

YT in UK suggest a 36cc engine, when I get mine I will have a 36 Saito to trial but I am getting a 53 and a 45 just to be sure I have sufficient motive power if the 36 doesn't work out.
Mine is supposed to be in country mid may and then delivered ex Sydney to Cairns after that

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

Has any one gotten to the landing gear yet? I have installed mine per directions and everything is so tight that the struts will not move. Are they supposed to be functional?
Does it really make a difference?

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

I Installed mine last night. The blind nuts are CRAP. I stripped about 4 of them. I just used some better ones I had laying around. with 6-32 screws..

They are function but move very little. it takes alot of pressure to make them move...

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

Guys,
I have just heard about the delivery of my Swordfish should be in OZ about the 20th f this month.
Interestingly they concur with my findings re the engine size (from YT) that a 36 petrol should do, I asked about the 53 and they considered that it would be way to much power and in fact a 43cc would be at the top limit.
Keep up the good work I am watching with great interest and I figure with all your data my build should be that much easier.
For reference my first choice engine is a Saito 36cc petrol and I intend to use Hitec 645mg servos for all the controls and  "normal" serrvos for the throttle and choke control.  And any other add ons I might decide to use.

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

36 or a 43 would be better choice than my dl55. They advertise up to 50cc though, not sure why. I went with 50cc because thats my plane size of choice. So I will be able to use the motor in future planes.
Made all my repairs to the fuse and wings over the weekend, got the motor installed. Came home to today with a box awaiting me. Yaa, cockpit kit. Great work Ty. Now to the install....

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

Thanks Zoomer..
If you have any questions feel free to call me...
My number is on my website..

Thanks Ty

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

the US 41 is a perfect fit on this plane, we will see how she flies real soon. With the added bennet muffler which sticks out the bottom of the fuse and not at all out of place. I will post pics soon

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

Servo hook up for the ailerons. I will be using a Spectrum 2.4 gig set (7 channel) and I am looking at the 4 servo oprion for the alierons. My mate suggests using the digital servos that come with the set using an external device to set them up and hooking the whole process up through Y leads.
Any thoughts or suggestions please, likewise without the benefit of seeing the model in the flesh yet pull pull cable systems are my preferred method for elevator and rudder or I could use carbon fibre push rods
All suggestions and ideas greatfully received in my quest for info prior to starting my Swordfish project.

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

had to cut a access hole to the vert stab, as the blind nuts to mount the vert stab had come loose. Somehing else to think about on this is that to gain access to the radio compartment....it takes alot of effort, removing the landing gear struts, the outer wing panels, th estruts holding the lower center wing etc. Once it is put together, you dont want to go back in there.......

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

Ok, so what did you do set it all up and lock it away (the radio gear) what about the batteries, I intend to use 2 on the receiver plus one for the engine CDI all NiMH's of around 1000 to 1500mah capacity.

Don't like the idea of not being able to readily access the radio gear, yet another problem to be aware of and to figure a solution for

Thanks for the adivce, I think some hook up comment on the Spectrum thread might give me the answers I am looking for re the 4 aileron servos, I have to be careful with channel usage because currently I only have a 7 channel receiver which is allocated as follows, 1 channnel each for Throttle, Aileron, flaps, Rudder and elevator, 1 extra for the extra battery leaving one channel free, possibly for the extra aileron requirement or torpedo drop of engine choke (probably the later if I can get the ailerons to work satisfactorily of one channel, the only other way is to get a 9 channel receiver and that clears one channel for extra mixing as the extra battery only needs a point to plug into no swithching required. The Spectrum is a DSX 7 which while new might be replaced by a JR conversion to my 9X 11.

I will be using flex pipe with a compatible end for either the Saito or SPE to route the exhaust to the bottom of my cowl. The unit is made locally (in OZ) and should solve the engine exhaust and muffler positioning problem

Ain't modelling wonderful

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

yes, she will be all locked up. The wings of couse are removeable, but she will be balanced with all gear installed. The struts will be unbolted but attached along with the struts. Did nt say it would be fun or easy, just gotta do it once.lol The thought so far is that weight is needed up front....that is why I went with the heavier engine.....and just maybe I will get lucky

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

Im still hoping to fit my OS Sirius on the front and that thing weighs a ton.

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

FNQFLYER,

Why not use a JR Multibox (aka Matchbox) for the ailerons?

I am using this with an AR7000 for the flaps on my ESM FW190 and it works fine.

Terry

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

Okay Ty, time for an update. Please

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

Thats the name of the thing my flying buddy suggested, where can I buy one or more to the point do you have a part number etc
I am still waiting for mine but fortunately the price is locked in now (our bloody politicasl leaders are playing with investment and the OZ peso has dropped up to 7 cents against the Yank dollar over the last couple of days, not good.
But enough politics not good for digestion, thanks for that bit of info I'll have to track one down, BTB does it stay with a/c or is it only used for setting up the servos etc?

RE: ESM Fairey Swordfish
 

Hey Guy,
Sorry for the slow progress in posting. I have been trying to figure out my power set up. Actually trying to get the batteries placed.
Ok here are the pic's of the push rod installation . I use the Dave Brown fibergalss rods for the elevator. I used to a pull pull set up on both the rudder and the tail wheel. I use 20 lbs coated leader wire to one servo.