usc1990

Hi,

I have been "learning" to fly for 2-3 years. I have been flying a Sig LT40 and it is turning into one big glob of epoxy and Monokote patches - but it was flying pretty well this weekend. I have a Sig 4*40 on the building board but it is a slow process on my first build and need to get the Kadet ready to go again. I was having a very good Labor Day at the club by myself but I need some opions on what to do about two things.

First, in a crash last year the plane got stuck in a large tree about 30' in the air. It came down hard on the nose. I fabricated a new firewall which is not quite right. The fuselage cheeks were reinforced but still cracked. Would it be ok to cut off the cheeks so there is nothing to the left and right of the engine? Won't be pretty but I'm afraid they are going to vibrate off in flight. I did not line up the engine mount with the steerable nose gear assembly. I can not tighten the screw that holds the nose gear aligned enough to keep it from coming loose every landing. Is there anything I can do improve the nose gear?

The main problem....I was picking up the plane to load back in the car and "kicked" the rudder/fin assembly. Can I just glue to fin back in place with CA or Epoxy? I have attached pictures of both problems below.

Thanks,
Jim

DMcQuinn

My Feedback: (13)

I think you can just glue the verticlal-stabilizer/rudder assembly right back on. Use epoxy. After it has cured, make sure it is reasonable attached and don;t kick it off again.

As far as the "fuselage cheeks", if I understand you right, these are just the pieces of the fuselage sides that extend in front of the firewall. These can be removed and thrown away as they are there only for cosmetics.

I can't really tell what is wrong with the steerable nose wheel. In your picture it looks pretty good.

TedMo

Since you already have satisfactory reply on fin and cheeks I will only comment on the nose wheel problem. First you MUST file a flat on the gear where the set screw contacts it. This will prevent gear from rotating. Only other thing is to put a drop of thread lock on set screw then tighten very well. I see no reason why you're not able to get allen wrench on it to tighten.

Charlie P.

I would add three toothpicks or bamboo "skewer" dowels into the repair to give rigidity to the stab. The epoxy alone will probably work, but you've split all the grain that gives the balsa strength and toothpicks will add immensely to the strength. Put a round head pin on the seam, align the pieces and press down hard. The pin head leaves a mark on both halves that you can then use as index marks to drill into the wood. Once ypu have it dry fit well spread on the epoxy with a paper match spreader and put Scotch (transparent) tape over the seam overnight. The tape will peel off leaving a smooth and shiny seam. If you're careful it can be done pretty near undetectably. Well, almost.

Charlie P.

Yes. Take a flat file or Dremel and grind a flat spot in the strut where the set screw contacts. Then add some lock-tite and tighten it down.

hungryandbroke

I'd turn it into a tail dragger!

OzMo

My Feedback: (3)

good advice so far BUT

be very SURE to glue the tail acurately. A level on the wing seat and a level on the tail works for one of the three planes to be alined. the other two are to be sure the vertical fin is 90 degrees to the horiz fin AND straight with the mid line of the fuse. learning to make this repair corectly now will lead to many "good" repairs in the future. Remember CRAFTSMANSHIP COUNTS[8D]

Masonhornet

Me too..!

usc1990

Thanks all for the feedback. I'm going to try and do a great job (I have to work on my craftsmanship) on the repair of the vertical fin. I'll also file the strut for the nose gear. I'm surprised the Kadet has held up as well as it has and still flies great.

I could see the transition to a tail dragger as being very interesting. Mounting the main gear I guess a bit farther forward would be easy enough. I would have to research how to put a steerable tail wheel on I'll do a seach on the forums to see if there is a thread on that.

My next projects are all tail draggers, The Sig 4* on the building board and a GP Super Sportster ARF in the box. Had both since the beginning of the year but I want to get every ounce of skill developed from the Kadet first.

Thanks!
Jim

hungryandbroke

Actually you could just mount a small swivel wheel to the bottom rear of the fusalage and it would work. You will have to pick up a little ground speed for the rudder to come into play for the steering though. I've broken off a few tailwheels in my day but that didn't make me call it a day.

I'd just take off down the runway without one and let my rudder do the work.

OzMo

My Feedback: (3)

I was told to build my first trainer (Goldberg Eagle) with a tail skid and was taught to turn it with a little blast of throttle and a release of the elevator and its tail would raise a little blip right around.G round handling has never been a problem since. I was taught to fly by David McDonald up in Eldon. Mo almost 25 years ago. Another flyer at our club learned from that club also. It is rather amazing that we both teach very similarly even today. A big part of teaching someone to fly is teaching them to teach. We always say you pay it back by teaching someone else. Instructing really improved my own flying skills. Now I have a couple of busted up planes in the shop....Guess I better teach more!