RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Hello Everyone

Finaly some progress on the Beetle. I had been putting off adjusting the saddle for ages. It was just something I didn't really want to do - but it had to be done. I measured the amount i had to take off by adding a shim to the other side. It looked like about 1mm so I marked a new contour and attacked it with a new sanding drum on the dremel.

The wing is now sitting all square to the fin and horizontal tailplane. I have glued on the front wing hold down former as well as the rear hold down and trailing edge doubler.

I will post some pics when I get a chance but I am off to Oz for a couple of days.

Cheers
Tarquin

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Say 'Hi' to Dorothy and Toto... :D

Nice work, by the way!!

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Yes good one Flywilly. They had gone back to Kansas but I had a chat with the tin man.

As promised a couple of pics of the alignment. Probably not perfect but a heck of a lot better than what I had.

Cheers
Tarquin

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

I have opened the wheel wheels roughly - they are far too tight for operation but do allow the wheels up and down. There are no liners in there yet.

How much down incidence can I get away with when on the ground? I bent the nose leg a little bit short. I can twist up another leg if I have to but would prefer not to. Also the wheel in the pic is a fraction small so it will get better but not a lot.

I was really strugling with the steering geometry getting too close to the header pipe. After staring at the plan cross sections I realised the steering arm was on the other size to the way the MK nose retract arrived. I had a look at the back of the steering arm and noticed another tapped hole. All I had to do was remove the arm and put it on the other side - easy. You can see how much clearance there is now and you can guess how bad it was.

Cheers
Tarquin

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

If anyone was thinking that the legs looked a bit dorky here is a sneak peek of what they have to keep off the ground. The belly pan is just sitting on there and has not been trimmed to fit over the cylinder head.

Cheers
Tarquin

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

there's a lot going on under the hood! looking good.

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Fantastic Tarquin!! Thanks for the updated photos!! Looking Great!!

I would think that if you have prop clearance the negligible nose down attitude while on the wheels would not be a big issue...Some may disagree but I personally wouldn't worry about it and it doesn't appear to be extreme (I can't even tell in the photos to be honest with you)...

I personally hold some up elevator during the takeoff roll and allow the plane to rotate a little early then relax the stick as necessary to hold the nose wheel off and maintain that attitude...If I do it right the plane will roll on the mains for a bit after rotation and then when it's ready to fly it will...When I do it correctly it makes for a nice smooth takeoff...I like it allot better than screaming down the runway and yanking the plane off the ground which I see most folks do these days... :D

Basically it's the same technique as taking off a Cessna 172 which I learned during my private pilot lessons (never got the license...ran out of money..waaa)...If I remember correctly you would lift the nose wheel around 55kts and the plane would fly around 70kts...It's really smooth... [8D]

Anyhow..Your plane is looking great and keep up the good work!! I love this plane and am looking forward to the finishing stages... ;)

Have Fun...

Chuck

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Tarquin,

She looks like she's been yearning for this stage of the build and she's finally there. Congrats on a job well done! She looks as straight as an arrow... but she is a Beetle :)

Make sure you take some outdoor snaps once your build is complete before the finish. It's always nice to remember how they looked like at that stage. Months of work turning into thorough satisfaction.

You're in the home stretch!

David.

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Great looking workmanship - glad you figured out the options with the nose (before you started cutting up the steering arm[X(]). As for being on the home stretch.... I always figure on spending as much or more time finishing and installing gear than framing up the airframe. Of course, once the plans is framed up you can start imagining the final product!! We're all enjoying your progress. Give us some warning before the maiden flight... it's a long flight to New Zealand;)
-Will

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Aint that true, ey!

...just trying to propel Tarquin onward.

David.

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

i saw a breakdown somewhere of percentages of time spent on a build. finishing was approximately 50% of build time.

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Hello Guys. Thank you for the encouragement. It does help.

I have glassed the centre section with a 2 inch wide tape of 6 oz glass and covered with a layer of lighter cloth. I am using the method 8178 described in his blue angle build. Glass over an edge of masking tape then once cured sand the glass to a nice feathered edge then seal with more resin up to a further out tape line.

Cheers
Tarquin

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Hello Everyone

I have done a bit more over the past couple of days.

The centre FG was sanded to remove the excess cloth. The wing was then re-taped a bit further out and then sealed with resin.

While that was happening I roughly trimed the belly pan to fit over the cylinder head and needle valve. I had to open the pan around the low end needle and carb body since it was fouling.

Cheers
Tarquin

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Tarquin,

nice work! I have an MK flyer with a beautiful picture of a Beetle in Naruke's colors. I'll take snap of it and post it when I get a chance.

David.

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

please do David.

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Hello David

I would love to see any pictures you have of the beetle, I have found very few images on the internet. All of the box art shows only the top. I am starting to think about finish methods and colour schemes.

Does anyone have any suggestions for colours on the underside especially what was the norm when these designs were new?

Cheers
Tarquin

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Tarquin,

here's the photo I promised. Unfortunately it doesn't show what the underside looks like.

David.

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Thanks David

I am thinking of doing the same scheme but leaving off the light blue and pink from the middle to trailing edge part of the wing and tail. I don't want to have too many different colours to deal with. Cost obviously becomes a factor as well as clutter.

I have been a little distracted from the Beetle by cleaning two OS 61 VF's that haven't been run for close to 15 years. They were both run on castor and not cleaned before being put away. They were well and truly gummed solid. I have a technique that works well for me to unglue them and is not too harsh on the material. The good thing is that the thick coating of castor preserves what is underneath.

Cheers
Tarquin

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Tarquin,

sounds good to me. The scheme strikes me as somewhat overdone too.

Glad to hear that your VF's are back in shape.

David.

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Well this is embarrasing - it has been 1 year since I last updated this thread ... and no there has been stuff all progress over that time.

Recently I fitted the under wing in fills and fitted the belly pan retaining edges.

I have also sanded the sides to fit the pan and roughly cut the nose wheel opening.

As you can see the nose wheel will not retract completly inside the pan. Right now the wheel is against the floor and still sticking out. It shows on the plan that the wheel sticks out a fraction so I am not too worried about it.

Cheers
Tarquin

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

tarquin, good to see an update. i would say send it to me to finish but i'm not any faster. the plane and your work are a beauty, please keep going.

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Do designs like this have fuel siphon problems. Seems as though the carb is quite a bit lower than the tank will be. I guess if your using a YS or pumped engine of some kind maybe not??

Tim

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Glad I found this thread again, nice work!

My Aurora 60 project was put aside due to other things going on for about one year, but since 4 weeks I am back to it. I will follow your progress now curiously, as there are indeed lots of similarities between Aurora and Beetle. Just found that pipe header offset and nose landing gear are just opposite as compared to the Aurora. In first moment I thought your photos were mirrored, but they sure are not...

Just now, all R/C gear mounting provisions are done, and pipe installation is under consideration.

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Hello Tim

Yeah some of the designs would have caused siphon problems. I am using a OS61RFP so shouldn't have too many worries.

I think if one sticks to designs and engines of the period then it should be OK. For example the Curare was suited to the non-pumped screamers like the webra and OS 61VF. As the noise requirements came in the engines changed to the long stroke engines like the Hanno and the plane designs moved to match.

Cheers
Tarquin

RE: MK Beetle Build
 

Hello Speed-Panzer

Thats pretty cool. It does make it difficult to find the right header when different designers made their offsets opposite.

There arent too many parts left in the box so I must be close to starting the finishing (or finishing the starting) 90% done 90% to go. With the finishing I am getting into new teritory for me so all encouragement is appreciated David.