Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

After some research (SigMfg's page didn't have any info) I ordered my Herr Pitts Special Kit and supporting hardware from Tower tonight.

Going with:
O.S. .15 LA Engine
Dave Brown Mount .15-.19
Hitec Mini 6s Rx
Hydrimax AAA 4-Cell 4.8V 750mAh AAA NiMH Rx pack
Hitec HS-81s for the ailerons(one on each wing) and for the rudder and elevator
Hitec HS-55 for the throttle
Hayes Regular Fuel Tank - 3oz
Dubro Super Lite Wheels 2-1/2"
Dubro Tailwheel Bracket .40 Size
Sullivan T-1 Tailwheel 3/4"

Also ordered APC 7x4, 7x5 & 8x4 props.

Just have to get my build space setup and wait for the order to arrive...

somegeek

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

I'll be watching this one.

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

Me to.

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

Woohoo! The big brown truck stopped by today to drop off my Tower order.

http://somegeek.home.comcast.net/som...rr_pitts_2.jpg

I get amped posting a pic of loot like this because I know what's next - build time! Time to get my build area setup and to spend some time reading the build manual and staring at the plans a bit.

Also, Sig doesn't have the below list available anywhere online so I gathered what I could with some guess work and ordered it. Woulda been nice to have this ahead of time so I could make sure I had all I needed and the proper sizes in a single order. Biggest gripe really was just trying to figure out the tank compartment size to know what tanks I could fit. I guesstimated from looking at someone's photo which had the plans below the plane. Hope I am close with this 3oz tank.

http://somegeek.home.comcast.net/som...rr_pitts_1.jpg

Hope this scan helps someone else pondering this build.

somegeek

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

This OS .15 LA is a neat little engine! I've only got .46s and a .32 in my hangar. This is like the little brother of those. Can't wait to fire it up. Can't get my build going tonight but I am fiddling with the parts.

http://somegeek.home.comcast.net/som...rr_pitts_3.jpg

This engine fits very snugly in the Dave Brown Mount(.15-.19 - '1519' is molded into the mount for easy ID). Gonna take that inner upper edge which is resting on the crank case off just a touch so this sits in the mount without putting pressure on the arms.

Looking forward to breaking out the Titebond II and wax paper.

somegeek

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

Nice pile of goodies!

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

The os .15LA is a sweet engine...plenty 'o'power...takes a few tanks to break in...runs like any other os, just smaller,,I break in my engines in the air, I dont try to get every rpm out of an engine that I can,, so just a little bigger one than a model calls for...I have a .10 for a .049 stick too, havent gotten around to starting it yet, but one of my .15's is for the Herr Extra and all that stuff is still in boxes....Rog

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

looks good SG, check out the SSC combnat guys info on OS 15s they are tough little buggers! you can fix almost every single part of that motor including the plastic needle valve and the plastic fuel inlet on the carb if need be. looks like fun:D

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

I am going to have to build one of these too. My new Pitts needs a little brother:D I love the picture of all the goodies laid out. I think we all do that because it makes us feel like a nine year old on Christmas morning:D

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

somegeek ,
I see you went with the .15 Should have plenty of power.. Thanks for including the list of additional
items..It bites if ya gotta order a kit before you find out what you need. Tower usually has a good list on it's web page but it isn't always accurate. I see that the kit specifies for up to a .15 size engine. but tower calls for up to .074 Thats a few ounces diff. on a small plane. Let me know how the three oz. tank fits. Also if the larger wheels fit in the pants. I got a rough flying field and the bigger the better on the wheels.

I'm still looking for a new plane for my .10la. keep the picts coming if you can.

Thanks and good luck

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

At Tower, check out the house of balsa planes, they have a lot of kits for 1/2a you can squeeze an .10 into...Rog
I bought a skywalker to put my .10 in...

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

BW,

I'm not sure I will go with the wheel pants since I have the larger wheels. I wanted them so I could attempt taking off and landing on grass... 'attempt'. :) Also, with the .15 over the plans, I can see I will be cutting a hole in the firewall for the tank to accommodate for the longer engine to fit in the cowl. If I don't move the tank and firewall back, my cowl won't reach the fuselage and my weight will be too far forward. I'll take some pics of what I am talking about with pieces on the plans to give an idea. I will be mounting the rudder and elevator servos in the tail towards the back for sure to compensate for the larger engine up front.

The pics will be coming for sure. I like using a lot of pics in my build threads cause I know I enjoy reading other folk's build threads with lots of pics to see what's happening.

somegeek

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

Got the elevator, stab and rudder edges rounded and the hinge slots cut...

http://somegeek.home.comcast.net/som...rr_pitts_7.jpg

That sanding block in the image makes the job of rounding edges very easy. It's an older block so the sponge is a bit softer and it works great since it can apply relatively even sanding pressure to the curve your sanding. No flat spots.

Got the elevator halves joined with the dowel and drying...

http://somegeek.home.comcast.net/som...rr_pitts_6.jpg

somegeek

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

To cut my hinge slots, I started with a razor and then it hit me to break out the dremel and modify the blades on my slot cutter. Much quicker hinge slot cutting. Cutting slots with a razor is for the birds. :D

http://somegeek.home.comcast.net/som...rr_pitts_4.jpg

If you do this, make sure you cut the correct sides of the blade so they match up when installed. Also allow to keep a slight overlap so they can function properly. When these blades run they maintain a 1/8" overlap with this width. If the blades were cut too narrow, they would not have an overlap and would bind.

http://somegeek.home.comcast.net/som...rr_pitts_5.jpg

Replacement blades are $4 so this is worth it. Have a 1/2A blade set and then a normal set when I pick it up.

For hinges, I am just cutting regular GP CA hinges in half.

somegeek

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

Glued braces to formers 6 & 7. The instructions list to glue these to formers 7 & 8 but this is incorrect as 8 is the base of the fuselage tail.

http://somegeek.home.comcast.net/som...rr_pitts_9.jpg

Glued the fuse doublers in place...

http://somegeek.home.comcast.net/som...rr_pitts_8.jpg

Front fuselage former where the engine box will connect. I'll be needing to cut a hole in this to accomodate my fuel tank.

http://somegeek.home.comcast.net/som...r_pitts_10.jpg

Formers 3 and 4 on the fuselage top piece. This is out of order compared to what the build manual recommends, however, once these set, I can get the sides on and tape it all up and then weigh it in place.

http://somegeek.home.comcast.net/som...r_pitts_11.jpg

The weight on the formers and the tape wrapped around hold things tight and square. Going to let this sit overnight so it's fully cured. Used a toothpick and q-tip to assure complete and clean fillets of glue inside. Gonna drop CA in a few places that didn't get a decent amount of glue. Mainly the former tabs. Hard to get glue inside there.

http://somegeek.home.comcast.net/som...r_pitts_12.jpg

Where the sides were not held tight by the tape alone, I added pieces of foam to help get pressure where needed to get a good bond with the formers.

somegeek

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

Got the rest of the tail formers installed. Placed masking tape about every 1-1/2" to get everything tight in place. Used a pin across the bottom of the tail as that joint wandered one way or another. the top of the sides has the fuselage bottom to hold it. I put the pin through after taping the tail together and then used it like a lever to get the tail lined up and then taped in place.

http://somegeek.home.comcast.net/som...r_pitts_13.jpg

Going to install my servos inverted to get them on the right line of where the regular tubes would run. Will use 2-56 rods for the control connections I think. Installed the mounting blocks.

http://somegeek.home.comcast.net/som...r_pitts_14.jpg

Building with Titebond II takes a while longer but fall weather is here in the NW and I have other birds to fly on the good days so no worries.

somegeek

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

I'm thinking about buying one of the Herr Pitts kits.
How does the quality of the cut parts stand compared to the Sig SE??

Cheers

Sean

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

It's right on par in my opinion. All laser cut parts. The balsa in the kit also came sealed in plastic bags so they don't absorb moisture and warp while on the shelf.

somegeek

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

This is one of the most informative build threads I have followed. Great attention to details and pictures. I will use this when I build mine so, Thank you. Not to rush you but do you think you will have a flight report by January? That's when I will be able to get back to building:D

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

Thanks for the kind words.

I might just have a report by then! I think I'll have this wrapped up by the end of November.

somegeek

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

Well based on your description of the Herr parts I ordered my Pitts today, was the last one they had on the shelf too!!!
I also ordered 2 of the Herr P-51 kits, seeing as they are gonna be hard to get in Oz, might as well have a spare or two, and they look pretty cool.

I'll be following this build for sure, as it was your SSE build thread (as well as a couple of others[8D]) that made up my mind to get the SSE which is almost finished.

Keep the pics coming mate, and don't leave anything out!!!!;)

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

Krener - you built the SSE - nice! That plane is much fun to fly and a fun build. :) I really enjoy mine.

------------------------

Got the servo holes drilled, tapped with the servo screws and added a drop of CA to each hole to harden the threads. More difficult to strip the holes when you do this.

http://somegeek.home.comcast.net/som...r_pitts_15.jpg

When installing the fuselage bottom (F8), perform a dry fitting. I ended up having to remove roughly 1/16" of material so F8 would seat properly. Would suck to figure this out when you have placed Titebond II in place. Dry fitting is a good thing to do.

http://somegeek.home.comcast.net/som...r_pitts_16.jpg

Fuselage bottom taped in place. Used a q-tip and toothpick to place a few more drops of Titebond II to get some clean fillets inside.

http://somegeek.home.comcast.net/som...r_pitts_18.jpg

Since the tip of the tail doesn't allow you to use a q-tip on this step to fillet the inner edge, I dropped a few drops of CA on each edge of this space through the control arm holes while holding the fuselage at an angle. The CA hits the inner seam and then runs down absorbing along the way.

To figure out where the tank needs to sit and how much the engine box needs to be modified, you start with the prop hub, everything gets installed and modified based on this.

http://somegeek.home.comcast.net/som...r_pitts_19.jpg

Notch cut for tank. Going to use a thin layer of foam for the box which will hold the tank.

http://somegeek.home.comcast.net/som...r_pitts_20.jpg

Weights in place with MDF and wax paper to laminate the cabane struts. I got the pieces put together and then held them tight for a few minutes before placing under the weight. Sometimes pieces can shift when they are being laminated like this. Want to make sure this won't happen before you weight it in place and leave it overnight.

http://somegeek.home.comcast.net/som...r_pitts_21.jpg

I needed some scrap to build the tank box which will sit behind the firewall so I dug out my Sig Somethin' Extra leftover box. I was blown away. Lotta big chunks in there... though when I was building my SSE it didn't seem like much but for this small Pitts, the pieces are big.

I'd like to have more building time, but today is my son's four week old birthday. :) Other priorities occupying most of my time at this time. Luckily I have an awesome wife that doesn't mind me building while Jr is occupied. :) Little bit of balsa dust is always good for the soul.

somegeek

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

Cant see your pics SG[:o]

I just ordered the ASP 15 for my Pitts, just to be different, but I want to do the fuel tank mod like your doing, when I can see it;)

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

Hmm - strange I can't see a few of them them either but when I Edit and Preview I can see them and can now see them after this save. Can you see them now?

RE: Herr Pitts Special Kit Build Thread
 

[:o]
Nup, still no pics.

They were showing up when you first started this thread, but now, nuttin'[&o]