RE: 1/5 Pepsi Chipmunk - Build
This weekend, I figured it wasn't flying weather, so I spent it building the Pepsi Chipmunk.
Since the last posting, a lot has been done and she is now starting to look like a plane. (well, remotely, at least)
Top of the fuse has been sheeted and the fuel tank is fitted. Since I'm using a gas engine, a 16oz tank should suffice.
I also fitted a second 16oz tank for smoke fuel and ran the plumbing out through the firewall. There is a one-way valve in the pressure line to prevent back pressure from the muffler driving the smoke fuel back into the tank.
Early on in the piece, I decided not to fit the elevator and rudder servos exposed in the tail but inside the fuselage. The servo tray has a couple of cutouts which I decided to use. Therefore, I glued on the horizontal stabiliser, the elevator spanning platform and the vertical stab.
I then shaped and glued in the filler pieces that continue the turtle deck past the rudder and drilled holes for rudder pull-pull cables.
Because the rudder is fully above the horizontal stab, these cables will have to be visible above the stab. This should not look too bad though if I use thin kevlar cables or one of the Dubro pull-pull kits. I ran some ny-rod outer tube as guides for the pull-pull cables into the servo compartment. I don't like having the cables un-guides, as it's not a straight run.
I then cut slots for elevator pushrods and made up the pushrod. I made it from a hardwood dowel with 4-40 wires in a fork configuration for the elevators and a single rod for the servo.
I rough shaped the lower corner of the aft fuselage. This will need further sanding.
Initially, I had been planning to make up my own wing fairings from 1/32 ply and some balsa scrap but when I had played with the ABS fairings a bit, I decided to fit them now. Once they were glued on, I used some light filler and filled in along them to blend them into the fuselage sides. It will be hard to cover the fairings, due to the curve but we will cross that bridge when we come to it.
I also rough cut the cowl for the G38 and was pleasantly surprised with how little will protrude. The G38 looks like an excellent choice for this plane.
I have not weighed the plane with the engine but I suspect it will come close to 13 or 14 pounds.
I am posting a few photos of the progress so far.
Ari