vtol_guy

i've started building my own version of the vertigo so i'm doing a daily calender kinda thing to show my build progression just for everyones amusement lol

Project starts today on December 20th 2003. Differences from the original are:

smaller engine
overall smaller size
no duct on the engine
minor airframe tweaks

Day 1:

Nacelle has been made from a flat piece of 1/4 ply wood. dimensions are 3 inches x 6.5 inches, spray painted matt black. Several openings in the wood were made to house the engine, and 4 other servos and also hold a 6oz fuel tank. These have already been put into the engine mount/ servo mount thing

Wing plan has also been drawn up and the 2 tail booms, tail, 2 rudders and control surfaces cut out.

So ive got a lot of it made today including one of the hardest parts which is the nacelle itself

I'll post some more of the build tommorow evening time. If this project works then i'm going to make a plan up and a set of instructions too. I've spent £30 on balsa wood so its quite cheap! [8D]

vtol_guy

Day 2:

fuselage tail booms, rudders and tail have all been glued together and control surfaces have been hinged to rudder and tail areas. Both tail boom are now connected together and the inner wing has begun to take shape

Outer wing panels (nicked from an old slope soarer) have been recovered with solarfilm and had micro servos put in each one for the ailerons

More build progress tommorow!

vtol_guy

Day 3:

Both outer wing panels have been glued to inner wing panels, nose is starting to take shape but more work strengthening both sides of wings in centre has to be done. Hover vanes have also been attached and hinged to the nacelle

tommorow i'm hopefully doing a little test glide to make sure the c of g is right, if not then its back to the drawing board!

Rotcivv17

Sounds great man!
Victor

vtol_guy

oops! missed yesterdays post, sorry anyone whos bothered lol

anyways i'll post today instead

Day 4:

Linked up all servos to hover vanes and got the whole nacelle balanced and rounded off the rotation arm, nacelle is now 98% complete

vtol_guy

Day 5:

Fuselage/wing area has been strengthened and inner wing panel and outer wing panels are being propely stuck together so the whole thing is nice and smooth. Used up about half a tub of lightweight filler lol. Also covered all tail areas and the 2 tail booms. I'm taking a break from it tommorow and maybe boxing day so i'll update you again when i start building again.

Not much left to go now either, just need to sand down one wing panel, cover both inner wing panel areas, mount the nacelle in, bit more final covering, make the nose and put in the retract servo!

vtol_guy

heres a pic i had taken today, its not as bad as it looks, the nacelle was just rested on but it didn't work out as well as i planned

anyway enjoy!

vtol_guy

Day 6:

Spent all day covering the whole of it, neatening sections up and finding out the CG point, too far forward unfortunatly so i'm gonna have to a mess around modifying it

vtol_guy

Day 7/8:

Making the nacelle mount, cutting out the bearings for the nacelle and all sorts.

vtol_guy

Day 9:

Strengthing the leading edge

vtol_guy

Day 10/11:

Fantastic day, everything is coming together now, undercarraige is connected, nacelle has been mounted, nose has been made. Just awaiting a retract servo to come through the post now, and also awaiting 3 gyros to link to the radio gear. Also need some fibreglass cloth to cover the area that the pivot will be drilled into the rotation arm so i can tilt the nacelle back and forth.