Finally,
Off of on-call again, and back to work. Picked up some more air line for the retracts, and a Robart tank, quick disconnects so I can put it together easily. and a servo to operate the air valve. Got a couple of switches, one for the radio, and one for the ignition. I still have the canopy to install, and a crap load of stickers to put on.....I figure another month or two at my speed...

Time to go out and mow the runway again. Even without rain this stuff seems to keep growing...

pics.......

Robart air line is quite a bit smaller in diameter than the stuff from Black Horse, however with some ceramic grease from Traxxas, I was able to get it on the barb for the spool valve. Mounted the servo, and put it on Ch 7 so I could run it with a switch on the tx. Set the end point adjustment to about 30 each way to make the total throw about 1/4 inch. Mounted the schraeder valve and tank, and got ready to run some more air line, and found I need 1 more Tee fitting.

Looked at the decals, one thing just jumped out at me - I only have 3 stars and bars. I thought you need 4. There are some spelling mistakes also, but I guess it's no big deal, you can't read them at 20 feet anyway (least not with my vision).

No working on it tomorrow, the Genneseo Airshow is on. The AT-6's were flying over my house for half the day.

http://www.1941hag.org/

http://www.1941hag.org/files_airshow...craft2010.html

Finally getting a chance to work on this again. The Black Horse retracts are a little leaky with air, I can't seem to get around it. I emailed Hobby People, to see if they would replace the spool valve. I worked on isolating where the leak was from, the spool valve leaks in both directions, worse in one than the other. For the time being, I pumped them to the retract position to balance the plane. I shot a few pictures on the Vanessa Rig - as a bonus, see if you can find the Cox .049 free flight helicopter somewhere in a couple of the pictures. The last time I flew that, it took 6 months for me to find it in the brush where it landed.

When I mentioned that the construction was the same as the Black Horse, I meant that the technique, wood cutting, hardware, were the same. The exact dimensions, and the differences regarding the Seagull not having the flaps, or the retracts, were to me, minor. I bought the Black Horse retracts as the construction was very similar to the Seagull fixed gear. There are some differences, but nothing that I couldn't fix with some common tools to adjust the two together.

I was using a 3600mah battery for the ignition, and I wanted to make sure I wasn't far off the recommended CG. I measured the root and tips, and the final CG for mine I settled at 92.5 from the leading edge, not the 130 called for. It should survive this if it isn't good.

What else is remaining ?

When will you maiden her ? [8D]

Let me introduce Daryl and Daryl. One of them is the pilot.

Here are a couple of shots of the runway, it's finally starting to fill in nicely.

I think I will put most of the stickers on this one, I don't usually put them on. I hope to fly it this week. Hobby people said that if I send back the spool valve, they will look at it for me, so for now, the flights will all be done with the gear down.

Very nice !

Kepp us posted ![8D]

I put the stickers on. Everything but the #44, I got it half way on, and it just pulled itself on to itself, the sticky stuff just would not let go. Charged up the batteries, and now I have to find the loose end of the fuel line in the gas can. It has the filter on the end of it, and it came loose from the brass tube going through the cap, to the pump. I may fire it up tomorrow.

Bingo field in what order did you install the stickers ?

Randomly ?

I just started with the easiest to ID from the pictures in the manual. I went and did one side, then the other with the same sticker to try and maintain a little symmetry. I feel I have to something with the bottom of the wing, however....

I took the last numbers from the set, and scanned them in to my computer, printed them out at different sizes, and made a set on some red Ultracote for the fuse, and some in black, 25% larger, for the bottom of the wing. I had to add racing stripes, I will get pictures out maybe tomorrow, as it is raining and windy out right this minute...

Close now, but too much wind for a maiden. Left gear collapsed during several taxi laps around the runway. The G26 may be too much for this airframe. I got it airborne a couple of times, but kept it an inch off the runway. This was at about 4 or 5 clicks of throttle. I only have a 16x8 MAS on it.
I might try to add expo to the throttle to keep it from jumping off the ground.

Bingo ,

what a nice AT-6 you got ?

I'm jealous in a good manner

When you say the left gear collapsed you mean it bent ?

Also,

i guess,

generally it's a nice airframe and well built also , isn't it ?

The gear didn't bend, which was what I thought when I saw it flop on it's side, the retract unlocked, and the gear collapsed / folded the direction it should if it were retracting. That makes the prop a little too low to the ground, and it quits spinning.

Other than a couple glue joints missing glue, it was ok. You have to be somewhat careful handling it as the balsa used seems to me to be very soft. I guess the true test will come when I bank 90 at full throttle and yank back the stick. If the 2 halves don't separate, it will be ok!

If you look at the right side view, you can see the 3 hatches I made for the air fill, receiver switch, ignition switch.

Where do you locate the soft balsa ?

I did encounter the same problem on my BH P-36A Hawk arround

the aileron servos on the wing
and arround the wing area where it meets the fuse and 2in on the inside...[]

But on the maiden IT DID HOLD UP [X(]


You'd make it just fine , just keep your airspeed high enough !!!!

The soft balsa is on the skin. I can feel it give just picking the plane up, and I am a fairly careful person. I want to maiden it soon, but between weather and commitments, I can't do it yet. My boss just called me in 3 days early from vacation because they need extra help, and since he flies at my field, he knows how to get a hold of me....[&:].
I see Pennbrit had a problem with his retracts folding up on him, I plan on locking the plunger for the retract in place by jamming some foam in there. I sent my leaky spool valve in, but haven't received one back yet. I had put pressure directly to the valve, using the center port, and both sides leaked. I may have to buy robart or century jet parts to fix it. Maybe I should have stuck with the electric retracts that weren't going to be delivered until the end of July. I didn't realize I was going to take so much time on this, I could have built the kit.

Got the spool valve back, no explanation of what was wrong, not much to it, but it would have been nice to know. They just sent me a new one. Hope to have it installed by this weekend, pressure test, then, maiden. Weekend looks OK at this point, possibility of rain, but low / moderate winds. Finally, a "20 hour" ARF that only takes 60 to assemble.....

Before I went and stuck the replacement BH spool valve in, I just hooked it up to air, and jumpered the two other outlets to each other. The valve leaks from the hole at the end, air gets by the valve O rings. I put a wrap of teflon thread sealing tape in the groove that the O rings sit in, and trimmed off the excess, still leaks.
Spent $46 on a Robart adjustable valve. It operates very smoothly, and passed my leak test. Minor problem, the adjustment screw on the one end leaked if I opened it up a little, trying to keep the retracts from "slamming" shut. I found that if I just remove the adjusting screw, there is no leak. I can put in 80 psi, and an hour later, I have only lost a couple of pounds of pressure. The retracts operate rather quickly like this, though. I am tired of messin' with this, I just want to fly it.
Finally just came in from sitting down, and adjusting the throws, added expo to the throttle, it will go airborne just a couple of seconds at about 3 or 4 clicks. I hope the weather changes tomorrow, I am going on call again, so it will be 10 days of work in a row again....

Let us know how she goes,weather permitting!.

It flies well. I had to input a few clicks of left aileron, and a couple of clicks of up elevator. I had a 10 - 14 mph crosswind, and while it didn't affect the plane by grabbing a wing, it did push the tail with some authority. Although the wind did affect the flight, it seems like the plane is too light, and it gets blown around in the air similar to a lighter weight 60 size plane. About halfway through the first flight, I switched to high rates on elevator and aileron and was much happier with the control authority. I made a poor choice on the retracts, now one of the 3 set screws on each retract stripped when I had to stop while taxiing due to the landing gear twisting. They make it a little tough when I have nearly 1 inch of play from side to side, and about 3/4 inch from front to rear. And, although even when I had straightened out the twisted gear, and stripped the 2 screws, I decided to launch anyway if I could find a lull in the wind. Landing it without flaps, no big deal, it does take a little longer to bleed off speed, so after 2 go arounds, I got it to touch down a little over half way down the field. The G26 isn't overkill, but I wouldn't go any bigger either, as the airframe just seems light. Seems like a 120 4 stroke would work, but I may tend to go a little larger than that. Once I get a chance to fly it a little more, I will see what handles like with some basic aerobatics.
By the way, I managed to lose 3 of 4 cowl screws ......

Thanks, Bingo. And congratulations on your maiden.
I'm about to start on mine and here's what I'm planning. OS120AX, or maybe even an OS108AX, depending on whether I think it'll handle power needs adequately, JR Sport 126MG servos on all control surfaces placed in the designed-in positions. Somewhere around a 2000mAh NIMH battery that I'll mount on the front of the firewall if there's room . Thinking of the large size Horizon elecrtic retracts. (Your thoughts on those?) If I don't think they'll work I'll see what Robart has available and if I feel up to it I'll have them converted by Down and Locked. And I agree w/ you that it's an awfully light airframe with a good-sized wing. So I'm not gonna go to the trouble of trying to engineer and install flaps. I just don't think they're going to be needed.
Again, congrats on your maiden.
Al

In all respect it's OS 108 FSR

OK. I think I'll be able to figure it out if I want to buy one.

The Horizon retracts were what I had on order, but cancelled the order as I wanted to get this to fly earlier than the retracts were going to ship. The BH retracts were so much trouble that I could have gotten the Horizon ones in and installed before the BH became " functional ". Make sure to remember to test your CG with the gear up, though I couldn't see a difference.
Good luck!

Bingo i'm so happy that evrything went allright!

Thumbs UP !

Tell me,

did you capture any pics on the field?

Maybe I can tape the video camera to my hat before I begin next time.... I may get some (video) once I get off on-call. I will be putting on the E-Flight retracts, as the appropriate size robarts are going to cost more, a lot more. The E-Flight retracts are rated to 15lbs, so they will handle the weight. I can't fly when the plane taxis sideways due to the struts flopping around. Like a picture of your mother naked, it just ain't right!