It's Alive!


Canards, wings, vertical fin, and nozzles attached. All lights working and surfaces moving in correct directions.


Canards have to be adjusted to neutral. They are programed to work in several modes. Off in a fixed neutral position, 3 positions operated like flaps with trailing edge down, operating in pitch only, and operating in pitch and roll.


Plenty of lights blinking


The pipe painting plan turned out ok. The pipe seems to blend in ok.


Back end looks ok.


Probably need to paint the white foam inside the nozzles with the dark oil rubbed bronze color to simulate the inside of the burner cans.


The foam plug under the rudder is a simulated ECM pod and is just stuck in place for the photo. It does not fit over the pipe correctly even after the foam cutting so I will have to sand off the BVM heat shield and shape it correctly before gluing it in.


I did a couple of finger tip CG checks and as expected it is tail heavy. I will have to move the battery to the nose cone and possibly add some additional weights.


View of the fuel tank from left side.


Fuel tank from right side. I think it came out pretty good.

CG is the next step along with some final finish items, and then fuel system testing, turbine starts, and test runs. I'm out of shop time for a few days for other "honey do" projects. Back when able.