Ok, I finally got some pics...........This is how I connected the throttle. I've been flying the BigStk for two years now. The hog should be ready this spring.

I had not even thought of doing the throttle like that.

It does make less parts to fail, oh well, lets see how mine works. It should be ok as long as I put thread lock on the bell crank nut.

Is that a green HOG?

I took pictures of my Hog assembled w/o the wheel pants and the headrest, but forgot the camera at home. Oh well, guess I will have to upload the pictures latter.

Yes it is green!

Some updated pictures of my Hog Bipe.

I need to hinge the control surfaces, then start filling and sanding smooth in prep for the Koverall.

Nice job - I wish my Hog was this far done - I just started on the fuse - both wings, stab and fin are done.

Yours is looking good too, I have hit the wall, and have not made much progress on it recently. I am to the smoothing and sanding phase. It is not hard work, but I just don't like doing it. I have been finding all kinds of other honney-dos to keep me away from the plane.

One thing I did that is not shown in the plans was to add some balsa to "fair" in the cabines at the fuse. I did not like the huge holes that are there. I also plane to make it permanent so i can use it as a good carrying handle when it needs to be moved and that way I won't have the screw heads on the outside of the fuse.

One thing I wish I had done was drill hole in the formers for the antena to run in a pushrod tube. I had not thought of that, and now I would like to do it, but it will just have to be glued to the formers as best I can. I might try to get in there with a pin vice, but I doubt I will be able to.

I also put my last former in backwards, the plans are really confusing on this, but I don't think it will be a big issue, as the elevator can be controled from either side and I plan to run pul-pull cables for the rudder.

I know what you mean - I don't care for sanding myself either...... but it needs to be done.... I now have the fuse glued together and.... I also forgot to drill holes for the antenna tube....... oh well, I guess I will be doing it the hard way, just like you.... lol...

What wood filler do you use? I have been using the Micro Fill and find it very annoying as it does not want to stick to balsa very well, so it makes it hard to work with.... Also, can you post some more detailed pictures of the hatch you made to access the fuel tank? Thanks.

I have used the lightweight spackling material in the past, but I am open to different methods. I just want it really light.

For the hatch, I added a balsa former to the front and rear, then used some balsa stick to reinforce it. The balas sticks sit on more balas sticks glued to the kit's plywood formers. I have not decided on how I am going to secure it, but right now I might use music wire pushed thru holes drilled in the firewall thru the hatch and then into the next bulkhead or I might add a couple dowels that go into the fire wall with a hatch release similar to what the jet guys are using.

I will try to get some more pictures of it for you.

The hardest part was finding where to cut the hatch out, as I had sheeted the entire area after adding the extra support material, then carefully probed for the corners, then used the exacto to connect the dots.

I forgot to mention that I amusing a huge 16 oz tank, and if I used a reasonable size tank this would not be an issue.

I am going to use a larger tank too, 16 or 18 oz. as I am going to use Saito 125 instead of 100.....

FYI, I've got the saito 100 on mine with the stock (12 oz i think) tank. that engine is pretty stingy on fuel, and I get 10 minute flights with plenty to spare.

So if you had to guess, how much flight time would I get from a 12 oz tank with Saito 125?

Here are some pictures of the hatch. On the fuse, I added a couple sister balsa sticks on the outside of the most outside balsa sicks forming the deck. These were spaced one push-pin width away from the existing balsa sticks. For the hatch, I cut out some additional formers and glued them in one push-pin width away from the fuse formers. I also glued the balsa sticks to the fuse formers butting up against the hatch formers. Then I sheeted the entire top, and after the glue was dried i carefull probed the area until I felt where the corners of the balsa sticks and hatch former were. Then after they were marked, I inserted the razor knife starting at the corner marks and carefully slidding it to the middle. The two balsa sticks helped guide the knife and made it fairly easy to cut. Then with a little pursuasion, the hatch popped out. There is some patching that needs to be done to clean it up, but all-in-all, I am happy with it.

I just have to decide on how I want to fix the hatch in place. I don't really want any holes in the firewall where oil or fuel can get in, so I don't like the piano wire idea, but I don't really want any latches on the top, so I don't like the jet hatch method either. I am trying to think a way to run the wire from the open cockpit up to the hatch and have the removal method in the cockpit some how.

Right now, with a 16 oz tank and 1/4" foam the tank is nearly hitting the hatch, so a smaller tank might still be in order. The floor is in the perfect location height wise for the carb alignment with 1/4" foam.

I know that after a 10 min flight with my 100, i've still got close to a 1/4 tank left. You'd probably get 10 min. without too much trouble.

Looks good, I think I am going to make a hatch for the tank too... How did you do you sheeting? This is my first build, and I have yet yo figure out how to sheet the fuse.... did you make a paper template and than cut out the sheeting? And how do you prepare balsa for sheeting, so it will not brake when you bent it around the fuse? As to mounting the hatch, have you considered magnetic strips, or velcro?
Thanks.

The front sheeting is very straight forward, just wet the outside of the sheeting and it will naturally bend over the fuse. I started by glueing the edge to the fuse at the bottom while everything is dry. once the edge is firmly glued to the fuse, I wet the outside of the balsa sheet untill it about layed flat on its own. Then I gently lifted it up and painted the formers and balsa sticks with my yellow wood glue using a small artist paint brush. Then I layed some dive weights (lead shot in small bags weighing between 1 pound an 5 pounds) on the top. I also used tape to wrap around the entire fuse to help hold it in place. For the rear, I just layed the sheet on the botom of the fuse and then rolled it up to the top. Then I marked wher the sheet should be cut to align with the top of the fuse and after it was cut, I rolled it on the fuse again to see where it should be cut for the front edge. I used a fairly straight cut at the front, but I think it started about 1/2" from the bottom edge. Paper templets might be easier, but I just kept cutting a bit at a time until I liked the fit. The bends on the Hog are so gentle, you really don't need anything but water to soften the balsa, and if you only wet the outside it will naturally curl in the direction of the bend.

I don't really trust magnets to hold the hatch as well as I want it to be held. I was thinking on the way home from work, that if I could find tape that matches the color of paint I will use, I could just tape it on there. I have even thought about using some sealant to glue it in place, but still have the ability to slice the sealant and remove the hatch if it ever needs removing. I don't plan to get in there much, but I don't want to tear the entire airframe apart to be able to get in there.

i have a small question: how wide and how high is the firewall on this plane?

Thanks for the info... I will be ready to start sheeting the fuse in a few days.... taking a brake from the build....

Outside fuse dimensions at the firewall are approximatly 5.25" tall by 4" wide.

Inside dimensions are approximatly 5" tall by 3.5" wide.

It's done!!
Yep, another lime green hog bipe..... This one on floats with a saito 100. HS-635's all around, dual aileron servos, Koverall, latex, automotive clear. moved gear mount forward in case it ever sees wheels, and beefed up the tailwheel area for a sullivan unit instead of the stock wire. Also added a hatch for the fuel tank. The throttle linkage is a new one for me, it uses an aileron connector attached to the threaded end of the solid-wire threaded pushrod, and a very short connecting link with a clevis on one end and a ball link connected to the throttle arm. no binding. Will maiden this week!

Beautiful build! Thanks for sharing the pics.

Good luck on the maiden. [8D]

somegeek

Looks very sharp.... good luck with the maiden flight...

Alpinestar, Great looking bird! My bipe didn't live long enough to try it on floats. Where did you place the step, right on or in front of the cg? I plan to put float attach points on my second one and have them on my just completed astro hog. I like your attachment on the front of the float, how did you do that or can you do some closeups of it by chance. And what gauge wire did you use for the cross bracing on the float gear? Sorry for all the questions but your plane looks great and I live on a lake and want most planes water capable. I want to hear how well it does. Good luck on the maiden.

Jim in NC

ooh, that's pretty! i'll remember that color...

That's the right engine for sure!


That is one of the most elegant solutions i've seen so far for a 4-stroke throttle! no binding either, i'll bet. another one to put into the brain bucket!

Best of luck with the maiden. Maybe give us some VIDEO!!

hi guys:
just thought i'd chime in with a picture or two of our hog bipe. my son, the graphic artist says "if you're going to have a hog, have a hog !" note modified tail and turtle deck, done primarily because we thught the design was neither here nor there on modern vs. ol-timey. pait is sig koverall, and stits, bottom is faded flame job.. all graphics includig logo are done by #1 son on the 'puter, as were the masking overlays. the plane has been finished for two years now, has had 2 engines on and taken back off (saito .90, o.s. pumped .90, and currently just sits. i guess we've sorta moved on to bigger stuff. i tell you this- -if this had a pair of 72" wings, you couldn't get my hands off of it.