Clean

You know for the 2005 contest, you will be required to build your radio equipment as well don't you?

Incredible work.

ajcoholic

My Feedback: (10)

I am still working on the covering. I have the fuse and wing done, and the flaps/ailerons and rudder and stab are also done. Just hinging the surfaces and putting on the windows now.

I will try and cover the nacelles tomorrow, and get back to the engine install this weekend.

I have primed/filled/reprimed the cowls and am just about to paint them, after I get the final cutpouts finished up.

Here are a few shots I just took now. I am taking a break from covering to go walk my dog and get a bite to eat. I missed supper - two hours ago! This is fun stuff!

Starting to look like a plane....

AJC

Bipe Flyer

INDIRTYWORDCREDIBLE!

captnhowdy

WOW![sm=thumbup.gif]

Rendegade

That's gorgeous AJ....

Should be a sweet little airplane. and it matches my C152!!!! I'll find a pic of it over the weekend, same colours.

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

AJC! Lookin' good! That doesn't look like an easy plane to cover, with all the windows. It's just a matter of time now, and you'll be getting oil all over it![]

MR Flyer57

Man OH man!!

DICKEYBIRD

Nope, no oily slime on this bird. Recent tests have shown that the turbochargers will burn all the excess oil from the engines. What, Andrew didn't tell you about the turbochargers? [X(]

(Bee-you-tee-full Andrew!)

Digger-RCU

My feelings can best be summed up with a line for the movie "Aliens"



"Oh thats it! Game over man! "





Too nice for words AJ!



Randy (Digger) Birt

newtech

Some airplanes "just look right" AJC, you have achieved the ultimate. Everything not airplane was removed and all that was, was left. When I am carving a plug I always joke about removing everything that isn't airplane to find the airplane that is hidden inside the plank of wood. You have got the touch, great job.

Steve Eberhart

ajcoholic

My Feedback: (10)

Ok guys, stop it... My head is big enough allready! Seriously, I appreciate the kind words, it makes me feel very proud to know you, my peers, approve

The pics show the colour to be more red, but it is really monokote maroon. I finished covering the nacelles last evening, and will start assembling the engines, plumbing and wiring (I am going to put a harness on the twin plugs to light off from one glow ignitor) and the dreded windows. I dont know how I will finish up the trim around them, it is hard for me to get the trim to look nice.

I am on my coffee break at work this morning, and just threw everything on the scale. Here are the final tallys:

all up weight: 850 grams = 1.87 pounds = 30 ounces

wing area: 300 square inches = 2.085 square feet

wing loading = 14.4 ounces per sqaure foot. That is bang on, I was hoping for 12 to 14 and I usually estimate low... I think the engines will put out somewhere between 9 to 10 ounces thrust each, for a power to weight of 2/3 : 1 - that shoudl definitely fly the plane.

I have a curling tournament this weekend, and dont know how much I will be able to work on the plane tomorrow, but Sunday I will try and finish up the windows and start installing the engines, glue on the nacelles etc..

My radio is sent out for a yearly checkup, and I wont be about to set up the servos untill I get it back anyhow, but I have LOTS of nice fluffy snow to do my glide tests in.... maybe next week!

AJC

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

AJC! GLIDE TESTS[X(]!?!! It's only 9 o'clock, but I need a drink now! To do the window trim where you need a flexible covering, the low temp iron ons work.

ajcoholic

My Feedback: (10)

I glide test all planes that weigh less than a 3 or 4 pounds...

It makes me secure to know if it will glide in a smooth, constant descent - it is balanced correctly and I can allmost guarantee the powered first flight will go fine.

As for oily mess, well, with all 4 exhausts being collected and exhausted downward, under the nacelle, the plane shoulc stay relatively mess free. I think!

AJC

Tim Wiltse-RCU

Gees.... AJC I'm packing my stuff up and going home!!!!


Later,
Tim

cortacesped

Andrew:

Man, You build beautiful airplanes one behind the other and I hardly can make the repairs to mine . Excellent work !!. Regards.

Claudio

ajcoholic

My Feedback: (10)

OK, I had just enough time after work to install the nacelles, and place the cowls loosely on them to see how they were going to look... the engines are mounted but the throttle pushrods are not yet made up.

I sat there staring at it from different angles.... proud as a new daddy!

Yes, quite a bit more work to do, but its all piddly stuff, the major work is done.... whew...

AJC

PS in the last photo, you see the engine and the NV... it was too short to exit the cowling, so I soldered a 1/16" wheel collar to the end, and will use a 1" piece of 1/16" wire to act as an extension.

ajcoholic

My Feedback: (10)

When I built this plane, I tried to add a few neat little things. One is the nose wheel - its is made from a unused 40 size tailwheel assembly, and when I made it I rigged up a working spring shock. It has about 1/2" of travel, and it works great. For the steering arm, I used a wheel collar, which I attached a 4-40 bolt to for the arm. But I also put a spring in the center of the bolt, and its purpose is to act as a "servo saver" when I have a hard nose wheel first landing in the tall grass. Its a lot if little things that you dont see, that only I know about...

Here are a photo of the strut up and down...

AJC

ChuckAuger

My Feedback: (12)

Say, is that an ARF ?? WHere can I buy one?? <<<<<<DUCKS>>>>>>

Great looking, been a few days since I checked in. Man, I'd be puckered right up doing a glide test.

Great job, just neat as a pin. [sm=thumbup.gif][sm=thumbup.gif]

matchlessaero

Good golly miss Molly!!!!!!!!!

I am just about speechless.................. That is georgeous............[X(]

Jaw on floor, drool running from left side of mouth, have not blinked in two minutes.......

ajcoholic

My Feedback: (10)

Chuck,
Its an ARF if I sell it when its done..... But a one of ARF!

I did manage to hook up the throttle linkages this morning, glue on the stabilator and set up the aileron and flap horns. I mounted one cowl and am going to do the other tomorrow. Then just have the side windows to install... I am for some reason not looking forward to that job..

I should have my transmitter back from its checkup at Horizon Hobby this week, and can set up/program the model and that should be it!

Whew, its allmost done...

AJC

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

HI AJC! I don't see any place to tie on a streamer! I'm drooling[like MATCHLESS], but for a different reason Imagine showing up at a combat contest with about 8 of those RTF! It's still not too late to "do it up" with military markings, you know. You know what the next step is, don't you? Now you have to paint the whole thing with mold release and make some PLASTER CASTS of it! Maybe the MONOKOTE will work as the mold release? Just make sure the windows are in before submerging in the plaster[tech tip]. I'll bet the servo saver idea works well, you didn't wind and heat treat the spring wire in your coal fired forge, did you? Where did you mine the coal? Well I don't want to over load you with questions, so I'll let you get back to putting in your windows [made out of local sand?] You are "putting us on" about glide tests, aren't you?

ajcoholic

My Feedback: (10)

dont worry CP, I will just punch a hole in the rudder to tie my streamer to...

Why dont you believe me that I glide test my planes?? Its not crazy.... its smart! Why risk a powered crash if everything isnt set up properly, rather than a nice soft glide into the snow? I start low (on my knees) and work my way up untill I am standing and giveing a good level throw. Like I said, if it glides nice, it should fly nice under power...

AJC

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

AJC, I just don't know if my pitching arm can get a plane up above stall speed anymore[&o] ! Try to make a neat hole in your rudder, OK? A sharp pencil works [tech tip #2].

ajcoholic

My Feedback: (10)

Well, I decided to give it some hell and get this plane done, so I can go on to other concerns...

I put in the windows, battery pack and switch, etc and did the wiring harnesses for the plugs. I used a wheel collar soldered to a wire to run juice to both plugs, and have a modified glowplug mounted on each naqcelle cover that I can plug my glow ignitor on, thereby energising both heads at once. Clean and simple.

I decided after I put the windows in, that the plastic 1 1/2" goldberg spinners were too big, and since the real bird has polished aluminum spinners, I made up a set after work today. They added the last touch and make the plane look better I think.

So, thats it - just have to program my radio and wait for some better weather.

Oh yes! I did a few test glides (about 10 feet, into the fluffy snow) and it glides awesome! I was very, very pleased, it didnt have any tendancy to drop a wing or pitch up/down at all.

So, this will be it untill I have some flight tests to report later on...

AJC

ajcoholic

My Feedback: (10)

a few more...