ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

Here is a link for the torque drive control units. I had to go through a build thread of a Wingspan B-17 by Timothy Thomson. Very sad. I had remembered seeing him post about them.

http://www.irfmachineworks.com/rds/

JRMS

I was hoping that using the pitts type muffler would help. And thank you for that link.
A few months ago I didn't know they existed.

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

May I ask, why not just mount them inverted? They will fit in the cowl.

JRMS

Lack of confedence. I really don't have the experience with running engines inverted succesfuly. It may be with time I will, but for now I'd rather
run them on their side. I know you're doing well with yours. And four strokes toboot.[sm=thumbs_up.gif].
I have many other projects that will have an inverted engine.

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

We do well to work in our 'comfort zone' and I'm with ya on that. Personally, I have no issues running my Saitos inverted. A couple keys to reliable engines are, #1 the choice of engine, getting the tank at the correct height (outlet in line with the carb), and fine tuning the engine.

JRMS

Have you had trouble with other engines inverted?

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

I have also run YS, OS, ASP, and Enya 4-strokes inverted. None had issues if set up right. The ASP is a cheap engine and will start to leak in the front fairly soon no matter what you do, and then not run well, not because it is inverted, but because it is a cheap throw-away engine. I don't use anything but Saito 4-strokes these days. Totally reliable and will last for decades if cared for. 4- stroke is all they do, and they know their engines. OS would be my second choice. They draw well, make awesome power, and also last a long time.

JRMS

Sounds like I need to put some more effort into making them reliable.
I'll make up a mount to run one this winter.

As I stare at the canopy to figure out where the ladder release handle should be,[sm=spinnyeyes.gif]
I start to see where the lines are off. To bad the window lines are molded in.
At least I can #10 add some paint to the turtle deck for a more scale look.

Glacier Girl

My Feedback: (4)

Yep those are the direct drives I've seen. Call me hard headed, but I built my own on the P-40.
As for the hidden tail controls, well hard to take shots of them once they're in there. LOL I'll see if I can find some shots for you.

I'll try and explain them. Same technique, just modify it for each plane. On a split type elevator, I use the joiner wire and silver solder a metal tab to use as the tiller. Install either a control rod (if I'm going rod and tube or just go with a CF tube) and route it in thru an added hole in the fuselage , slip the stabilizer and elevator in place and attach it. Then just make the hook up at the servo. Servo end of the rod has the clevis for adjusting the elevator.

For the rudder, similar set up. I either split the covering at the LE of the rudder, notch it or I drill up through the LE from bottom to top. Either way, after that I install a small hardwood dowel into the notch/hole, epoxy it in place, leaving it long on the bottom. The dowel is then cut to length dependent on where I need it to exit inside the fuselage.

Whether above or below the horizontal stab. Again like the elevator, I install a tiller on the end of the dowel, hook up the control rod and slip it in the fuselage, often thru the horizontal stabilizer.

Oh and before you ask, the rod on the rudder gets slotted or drilled for hinges . So far I've done it to a pair of Hangar 9 P-40's, a NitroPlane 120 scale Corsair, and a Donut Models 90 scale Gee Bee R3's tail feathers all like this and not had one problem.

The Lightning will be a little harder due to the tail feather design, but I think it can be done. Going to be a little tight on the tail controls but I do think can sneak em in there.

JRMS

I think you did well explaining that. But I'm still going to beg for photos of them for this plane.

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

The canopy can be made to look more scale. See my thread.

JRMS

The progress on the ladder is slow. I still have not soldered the parts together yet.
Hind sight, [sm=confused_smile.gif] It would have been so much easier to cut the ladder from some good plywood.

Glacier Girl

My Feedback: (4)

Oh I don't know, I'm liking the brass version.

So far no joy on the pics of the internals. Worse comes to worse, I can draw it up for you.

Back to the ladder, you were going to use it to act as a release for the nose hatch right? Just looking at the pivot point, how were you planning on making it work a release?

billhass

My Feedback: (1)

Murray!
I finely found your thread.
Very interesting, will keep watching.

Bill H.

JRMS

Welcome Bill,
I've just been grouping some pictures of my ladder so I can anwser Glacier Girl.

JRMS

Well, the soldering went a lot better that I expected.
My experiments with cardboard showed there has to be a third pivote piont.
I'm incorporating a internal slide on the handle for a lock to hold the ladder open.
The access door on the pod will be held closed with a magnet. I think I can incorporate a push rod to open the door.
Here are the latest photos.

JRMS

The handle is 80% done. My next step will be to mount and cut the wing to accomodate the ladder.
Then I'll need to make a brace for the handle to pivote in. The pod will have the ladder/brace/handle as one unit.
It is amazing how many times I have measured and filed and tried a piece, to only have filed one time too many.
Then there are two little brass H parts that my dremel didn't like, and threw some where in my kitchen.
Is there a proper amount of time to search for a part before you make a new one. How long should you look?
And is mourning ok for a lost part?

JRMS

I have to give credit to Rory, at our local hobby shop for recommending this solder pack.
It was three years ago for a landing gear upgrade that still has not been started.
I dripped the acid onto an acid brush and then applyed it to the parts.
I also used a butane pencil torch. I used a least favorite kitchen plate to solder on.
One spot was being stubborn. A small ball of solder sat at the heated joint. I removed the flame
and dripped a drop of the acid onto the joint and it sizzled from the residual heat and the solder
flowed and wicked into place. The metal must have been pretty hot.

After I notch the wing, I will have to trim and position the canopy. I haven't decided on screw placement or type.
Then the positioning of the ladder handle. And measuring, making of the bracing, plus linkage. More to come.[sm=bananahead.gif]

JRMS

I intended to include this photo in the previous post.

willey

My Feedback: (32)

lookin good Murry, I see you have been having some fun, keep up the good work, I'll be checkin in on your progress

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

I saw the same thing and address this in my thread. Although it is not easily made exact scale (this plane was always intended to be stand-off scale at best), it can be made to look better without much trouble.

JRMS

Thank you Hun Hunter, I'll probably be asking you for assistance with adding some of the details that Ram3500 is referring to.
Like window lines, panel lines, painted rivet and bolts, weathering. Ram3500 also added the window bracing and upgraded windsheild lines.
Adding the pilot helps a lot in this area too. I plan to search the forums to see how others have painted/tricks for this rubbery guy.

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

Willey, that 38 looks great. I love the prop detail. they look sweet.

Glacier Girl

My Feedback: (4)

Murry it's Murphys law at work. When you drop a small part on the floor, the time to find it will always be related to the cost or amount of work involved in building it.

And as soon as you get another one, the first will show up in a spot where you go to yourself "How the heck did I miss that?"

Here's a little tip I finally came up with after way too many searches for that tiny part I manage to drop. Instead of looking at the spot I think the part fell to, I just open my eyes wide and watch for movement in my field of vison. Way too many time where I thought a part was going to go when it hit the floor turned out to be no where near where it ended up. Keeping my eyes not focused on a spot catches the movement a lot faster. 99.9 times out of 100, peripheral vison catches a movement that staring at a spot misses.

Anyhow, yeah StayBrite is the cat's meow for silver soldering. Makes a really strong bond. I use it for making up landing gear on smaller stuff. If it can stand up to that, it will just about hold anything. Wrap a bunch of turns of wire around the wire joint, hit it with solder and it's darn strong.

And just to keep mama happy, I've fixed some jewelry with it too. Gotta work in those brownie points when ever you can.

willey

My Feedback: (32)

Ram, wish I could take the credit for the 38 but they are pics I took of the net[X(][X(] I just like artwork/painted stuff, when I'm building a scale project I get more info at looking at a scale plastic model then anything else, these guys have already done the homework, makes it much easier to complete, just scale the paint job up.