cwrr5

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Merry Christmas or happy holidays or whatever all!

cwrr5

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More progress on the covering tonight....

Same sequence as the right fuselage side, cut the window holes first, removed the covering, added the clear "window" piece and cut to size. Re-tacked the side covering in place, attached to the fuselage by gently pulling and ironing away from the windows in all directions.

Extra piece of white covering between the windows is to cover up a tear in the covering when I was cutting the window holes. ooops!

cwrr5

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Trimmed the excess covering as I worked around the corners, adding lots of heat to seal the seam. Wing saddle area covered all the way to the inside. Both sides finished, will cover the top, and windshield area tomorrow.

More better pictures on the way - santa was nice to me this year. Now I can take pics at 8 megapixel resolution! (huge! )

Got a tripod too. [sm=thumbup.gif]

cwrr5

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[:@] Sorry, if anyone's been watching my progress on this plane - Been having real bad computer problems and haven't been able to post. Update will be posted soon, Scout still hasn't flown - ain't gonna happen this weekend. [&o]

cwrr5

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Here's the update from the last two weeks...

Added the covering on the top of the fuselage, and the top of the windshield triangle piece.

cwrr5

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Also covered the area behind the fuel tank hatch, where the windshield will go.

cwrr5

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Covered the bottom of the horizontal stab next with metallic green. The key to getting rounded edges covered neatly is to cut the covering oversize, and pull it around the edges while heating the covering to stretch it and pull the wrinkles out. This is one spot where a heat gun is required. Gloves too. ouch.

cwrr5

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Covered the top of the horizontal stab next, didn't take pictures of the actual covering process for some reason, but it's the same as everything else. Also covered the elevator halves, cut the hinge slots in the elevator and stab, and temporarily installed the hinges for the rudder and elevator.

cwrr5

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Here's a couple more shots of the tail... Note the slots cut for the hinge pins, makes the gap between the surfaces smaller, reduces the likelyhood of flutter and makes the control surface more efficient (in theory).

Started covering the wing, center section first with white covering extending about 1/4" past the sides of the fuselage, top and bottom.

cwrr5

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I installed most of the hardware at this point, including the landing gear, fuel tank and engine. Covered the bottom of each side of the wing with green, starting in the middle, and working out to each tip. Same trick on the wingtips, heat & stretch to go around the curves.

cwrr5

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Covered both sides of the top of the wing, with the wing attached to the fuselage for alignment. Heat gun used at the wingtips to keep everything wrinkle-free.

The covering is done!!!! - Except for whatever trim I add. Still trying to decide.

flybug

Looking very good, nice to see this thread back in the mix

cwrr5

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Thanks, it's good to finally get back on here. darn 'puter.

Here's a small bit of progress tonight, and kind of a test post of pictures from my new camera.

Added foam around the fuel tank, and installed the prop and spinner. Prop is a MA 9x4, I'll break in the engine with this one and fly it, but I might change it later depending on performance. Also gotta get a new spinner - I overtightened one of the screws (got distracted by what my "helper" was doing) and cracked it. [:'(]

shd3920

HELLO AGAIN . . .

I have pulled my Air Scout out of storage and began working on it again.

I have to put my LT-40 on hold for a short while until I get the finances to get some covering material for the wing.

Since my last post here I have ironed out the bubbles, permanently installed the landing gear, did some more painting, permanently installed the control horns, and build a pilot deck for my pilot (Pooh) and passenger (Tigger). Hope to do more tonight.

Will post some pics tomorrow, I did not bring my camera with me during this post.

P.S: cwrr5, that Air Scout of yours is looking gorgeous. A heck of a lot better than mine. You did a beauty of a job on it.


Bye for now

shd3920

PHOTOS 1 - 4: How my Air Scout still looks today. Except for the bubbles in the back end of the fuselage, elevator and fin have been ironed out and more painting has been done and landing gear has been permanently attached.

PHOTOS 5 - 11: Tailwheel and control surfaces permanently installed. Don't know if I will use the wheel-collar that is on, I think I may weld something on instead, wheel-collar looks kinda big on the smaller tailwheel, maybe something welded will look better. Control horns are reinforced with thin CA for added security.

shd3920

PHOTOS 1 - 3: Inside radio compartment.

PHOTOS 4 & 5: My pilot and passenger on their pilot deck.

PHOTOS 6 - 9: Pooh and Tigger ready to fly. (or crash rather seeing as though the wing isn't covered yet and there is no engine either).

PHOTOS 10 & 11: The almost completed airframe. Gonna attempt at covering the wing next, I think, then add the black tiger-stripes later. Or maybe I will do the stripes first - What do you think???

See yah soon.

cwrr5

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Thanks tigerdude!

Still a bit more to do... details, details...

I used a piece of paper to make a pattern for the windshield, and cut up a 2-liter soda bottle to use as the window. The stuff in the kit is pretty flimsy. (good for other things - I'll save it) Marked the windshield outline on the plastic with a pen, and cut it out with scissors. I made a tab at the bottom edge of the windshield to fit into a slot cut into the area behind the tank hatch, and glued it in place once I was happy with the fit. Used 4 small button head screws to attach the sides of the windshield.

cwrr5

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Once the glue had dried, I added a piece of white trim sheet around the front of the windshield to keep fuel and dirt out of the fuselage, and hooked up all the servos and battery/switch/charge harness to the appropriate spots on the receiver, and put it on a slow charge overnight.

Also added small pieces of fuel tubing on each clevis for the throttle, elevator, and rudder and at each servo to keep them closed, kinda like insurance. A small needle-nose plier makes this job pretty easy. Once the charge was done, I removed the arm from each servo, turned on the radio(and set up this model in the radio) and made sure all the servos were centered, then reattached the servo arms while keeping the control surfaces at neutral (flat).

cwrr5

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I ran the antenna wire between and under the servos, then up to the fuselage top just behind the wing, and ran it through a piece of fuel tubing CA'ed through a hole in the top sheeting to protect it from rubbing. At the tail, I installed a small screw-eye and tied a rubber band through it to hold the antenna up, added another small piece of fuel tubing over the antenna wire, ran the wire through the rubber band, then back through the fuel tubing. It's a really easy way to add some protection and strain relief for the antenna wire, and doesn't affect range much if any at all.

(I'll upload pictures later)

cwrr5

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Wrapped the receiver and battery in foam rubber to protect against vibration, and to keep them from moving around in flight. The battery is stuffed up under the tank for now, I may move it after I fly the plane a few times and get it trimmed out. Pilot is just kinda wedged in the fuselage, his arms are kinda springy and press tight against the sides of the fuselage, keeping him firmly in place.

I printed out a couple of stickers for the trim on the fuselage until I make up my mind what the final scheme will be, then I'll add the permanent trim scheme with monokote.

(I'll upload pictures later)

shd3920

I really do love your Air Scout, cwrr5. It came out very nice, wish mine came out as nicely as yours - but I guess mine came out OK considering it was my 1st model I covered to completion (minus the wing not being done yet).

I have completed the stripes on the left front fuselage side and am now working on the lettering for the left rear fuselage side - I am cutting the lettering out by hand with Monokote scraps I have laying around. I will post pics of the finished left side after the lettering is on.

Then its on to shaping and gluing the windshield and windows on.
cwrr5, what glue did you use to put yours on with?
[X(] I have printed out your steps above for attaching the windshield and I will be stealing your ideas of using the 2 liter soda bottle instead of the included stock in the kit [X(] - sorry!!!

I have decided to cover the wing last, I am still trying to configure a color scheme for it.

Still awhile yet before I can get the covering to complete my LT-40 wing.

I am awaiting to receive my tax refunds [sm=greedy.gif] so that I can purchase the covering needed for the LT-40 and the supplies needed to start my Mini Telemaster this Spring. I am wondering: with the Mini Telemaster being an electric plane can I use the radio system I already have, Futaba T4EXA, with the recommended S3004 servos???? Sorry for asking that question in this forum but the electric forum is not answering my questions.
If the answer is yes then I have to buy two Futaba flight packs as well. I am also going to start supplying my field box as well and I will need help on what supplies I should have in said box. I am also getting a CG stand for checking the balance of my models cause it's a pain in the butt to do that in the air with fingertips. I am also getting some building tools to help make my builds easier and I was wondering: Tower Hobbies has this tool that cuts out grooves for aileron torque rods and such (don't know the product name for it is exactly) but is that purchase worth the cash or, like others have told me, just use a sharpened piece of scrap brass rod.

Will post pics soon, see yah!!!

~Steve~

cwrr5

My Feedback: (32)

Thanks again. Don't worry, yours looks fine so far, keep it up!

Don't worry about using ideas I put on here - that's the whole idea behind my posts. For the windshield, the only part I glued was the little tab I made that fits into the slot in the fuselage behind the hatch. I used Pacer canopy glue(which is basically white glue - like elmers), but wood glue or epoxy works just as well. DON'T use CA, it will fog the windshield. The windows on mine are just clear monokote, see back where I covered the fuselage.

As for the radio, yes, it will work just fine for electric too - BUT - there's a few more things you'll need for flying electric. You will need a speed control for the motor, battery (I suggest several packs, so you can "refuel" quicker), and a good charger. Depending on the size of the (electric) plane, you may want to use a smaller, lighter receiver and micro servos instead of standard.
I'm partial to the Hitec Electron 6 and HS-55 servos myself for most 400-size electrics.

CG stand is a good idea, mine is just a frame built from 1"x6" boards, and wood dowels. Wouldn't bother spending the money on the special tool for the torque rod groover thingy, like everyone else said, just use a piece of brass tube, sharpened at one end. You can get small wooden handles for files, chisels, etc for cheap, and add that to keep from punching a hole in your fingers. Even cheaper, use a piece of 1" dowel with a hole of the right size drilled into it.

shd3920

Firstly: thank you for your compliment about my Air Scout, it does look OK for my first cub-style covering job. I have never covered a cub-style with windows before.

Secondly: I am glad I saw your post first before doing my windows using the cheapo stock the kit supplied, probably messing up the model while doing it. And thank you so much for the post of NOT using CA, that is what I was going to use, thin CA - caught that in time

Thirdly: The radio will work huh? But what about the micro servos and receiver you mentioned (". . . you may want to use a smaller, lighter receiver and micro servos instead of standard. I'm partial to the Hitec Electron 6 and HS-55 servos myself for most 400-size electrics")? What can I use that is equivalent to those but will still work with my radio? Can someone send me a detailed link showing this request?

Lastly: Thank you for your imput. I hate holding the model by fingertip to test for CG, that can not be very accurate either? I know the CG stand will come in handy. And I will save the money and not get the groove tool, money is too hard to come by

bruce88123

The electron 6 model 25272 will work with Futaba TX.
http://www.hitecrcd.com/homepage/product_fs.htm
0.6 ounces with case.

The HS-55 servos at 0.28 ouces each
item 31055S plugs into their Receiver

shd3920

UPDATE > > >

I have tried and FAILED [:@] at my attempt to cut out my own letters with Monokote so I will be seeking the finances to buy the precut letter sheets. This will be a fascinating TIGERplane when it is complete. My screen name "Tigerdude426" will be on both sides of the fuselage and right side of wing.

With that in mind, and having to wait for the lettering, here is my updated post of the tiger-stripes that is presently ironed on.

I haven't found any tiger graphics yet, and I don't know if I should put tigerstripes on the fin/rudder right away OR wait to see if I can get graphics in place of that. Or maybe someone can think of a easy design (either origami or calligraphy kind of thing) for me that can be made with scraps of Monokote or Coverite laid out to resemble a tiger's face or something.