It wasn't that bad..I used microbaloons and slow set epoxy with the wing covered with waxed paper..and lightly bolted the wing down..
Also don't use the plastic bolts for the front of the wing use steel..
Blue Jay Models are now handling his planes..Joe retired a few years ago..
http://www.bridiairplanes.com/hangar/index.html

Have fun,
BB1

badg , it looks good, the problem I had with both a dyna flight and a wing kit , was
that the wing would hit on the leading and trailing edges and just air in the middle, as you say arround 1/4 inch. THIS can be solved .

Don't worry so much about a forward CG right now--there will be a lot more weight in covering behind the CG than in front of it. Don't worry yourself at all with Fore/Aft CG until after everything but the battery and rx is installed--and it is all covered up.
Right now, just get the lateral balance right before covering those great looking wings up!
I hope my frame looks that good! The lightening holes you cut in the rear may be throwing the CG forward a bit too--but again, don't worry about it much yet. It actually sounds like you are right on course!

The wing to fuse fit is fine around top of the wing. Some small gaps just forward of spar. Probably about 1/16". This was easily overcome with the microballon-epoxy filler. The trailing edge of the wing fits with just a small gap at the fuse. But plans are for a straight section across the fuse at the trailing edge but the wing is tapered so a gap exists. This is really just preference for me to have this filled in. BUT, it should be a smooth transition from bottom of the wing at the trailing edge to the bottom of fuse. I had to add about 3/16" of balsa to the fuse to get it smooth from bottom of wing to bottom of fuse. It is like the entire wing should move up 3/16" towards top of fuse. Remember the Robart incidence meter showed on spec incidence all round.

Here is a couple pictures to show the problem.

Ok, looking back at your pic from post 24, I now see what the lines on the ribs are for. I'm used to a laser or crunch cut kit that has alignment tabs. now I see what you are talking about. Very nice!

A productive weekend. Covered the wing and added the ailerons too!

I used Robart large hinge points. First time with this product. They are easy to get aligned and drilled correctly using the Robart drill jig. They are more work then CA hinges but have a better feel and action. The holes for the joint in the aileron are slightly distracting. They would have been smaller had I chosen a wedge type leading edge for the aileron rather than a rounded form. I did not think I would use them again. However when the product was finished I like the feel and action better than CA or pin type hinges. I think the hinge points are more difficult to install (not much) than either of these methods. One plus is the ease of alignment, I think it best over CA or Pin. I will use the hinge points again, especially where enough stock exists to hold the hinge point. I had to add some scrap to the inside of the trailing edge to have enough meat.

First time with Ultracote and I prefer it over Monokote. I see alot of debate over monokote quality dropping over time. I beleive it so. I covered a hog bipe nearly three years ago and it is still tight, I believe I only reshrank it once. However a Contender covered just a year ago needs constant reshrink. Looking this evening it is due again. Arrgh!!

That was the bottom here is the top.

Hey Badger! Great work with the wing! I prefer to use the hinge points on my large aircraft to. They do work great and I have never had any problems with them. The Ultracote is awsome also! I really like the scheme on th KB's wing, and can't wait to see the fuse. Keep the photos coming as you make more progress. Cya later, Ben

very nice badger! How many hinge points did you use? You shouldn't have a problem at all with that many hinges! I like the robart hinges too. On my kadet, I used them on the ailerons, but used CA hinges on the tail feathers. I've used them in the past on other projects as well. There is a definite difference in feel. Plus, you can orient them differently and make true fowler type flaps --that's something you can't do with the other type of hinges. Keep the pictures coming! I'm probably a month away from putting mine on the board, but you are inspiring me to hurry up and get it pinned down!

I used seven hinge points on each aileron. One could have gotten away withn 6 or maybe five. Seven locations where shown on the plans.

Well this should be it for progress for about 3 weeks. I've got other committments the next three weekends. This will give you some time to catch up!

Thanks.

Hello,

Been a month since last post. Worked this weekend and tonite on cowl and wheel pants. They are both ABS plastic. The cowl I cut and fit using a lap joint for the halves. I reinforced the seam on the inside with 1.5 oz fiberglass, two layers of it on the top and bottom sides that will bolt to the cowl blocks. The odd shaped cowl fits the side mounted ST nicely. Only a small cutout for the the can on the pitts muffler. Other cutouts for the glowplug, needle and exhaust pipe. I used rubber grommets from some futaba servos in the cowl where the mounting screws go. I understand ABS cowl often fail from vibration and perhaps this will lengthen the life.

Here are some pics

View of inside showing reinforcement with glass.

And a side view

Wow just looked at last few posts of mine and my progress is really slow. Well here is the sum of my efforts for the last month.

Badger,
Looking good! Mine is still in the box, so you are lightyears ahead of me!!!
I'll probably start mine within the next month or two. It's more than likely going to be a summer project now!

Just as well to quote my last post:

A couple pictures. Over the last two weekends a mounted the elevator and rudder servos, Futaba 9206. On both, I soldered extra wire onto the existing lead to eliminate any possibility of a separated extension connection.

Covered the tail peices and installed CA hinges. Not enough meat to mount the Robart Hinge Points that I used and like very much on the ailerons.

Managed to make another birthday so the loving wife purchased a Perry carb for the ST 3250 as a gift, so I'll install the Perry pump, Perry carb and place the tank on the CG.

Made a stand way back scale dashboard. Cut 11/16" and 3/8" holes with a wood bore bit in 1/32" ply. Painted with a sharpie the inside wall of hole black and covered with pearl white ultracote. Then took one peice of clear plastic and glued to rear of ply. I used JTec scale instrument panel sheet and taped to plastic at appropriate location. The hole on the artificial horizon wallowed out a little.

Long ago I planned the tail wheel hardware and mount location. Now that it is installed I really do not know what I was thinking when planned that design. I can't think of a way to actuate the tailwheel with the rudder. Perhaps some springs from the tailwheel arms to a point on the bottom of the rudder. Any helpful tips on this would be appreciated.


Take a look

I better shot to show what I need to link together.

Badger , the killer B Looks great. one way would be to epoxy a brass tube on the end of the Tail. i cant really explain it without a picture. one 90 degree end goes into the rudder about an inch , then the wire goes , down through the brass tube and down to the gear, the brass tube with the wire is in between the tail end and the rudder bottom.
I think i've used 1/8 th wire with a brass tube over it.

Hello,

Did some work over the last couple weeks. Mounted the tailwheel and flying wires for the tail surfaces.

Mounted the smoke oil system. I'm using a TME smart smoker on a 4.8V 500 mah nicad. I mixed the radio by retract channel to channel #6. With 5 to 6 mix at 100% the retract switch on the transmitter turns the pump on/off and flow can be adjusted by the flap knob. This control works very well. The pump seems reluctant to prime, small pockets or bubbles of air are passed through but a 2-4 inch pocket of air does not clear. I did make this pocket intentionally to check prime ability. The loop I rolled into the tubing does not exist in the plane. I choose the TME because Sullivan and Slimline both recommend 6V and I have several 4.8V nicads but zero 6V. The pitts muffler is a Slimline with their smoke heater. Oil flows in machined spiral passage that sits in the exhaust discharge. Should pick up alot of heat there plus the muffler volume is large. If smoke is not acceptable I could wrap copper tube around the exhaust stacks. Picked this up at [link]http://www.rcdon.coom[/link].

Tank in picture is fuel mounted on CG. I mounted a Perry carb and pump on the ST 3250.

Paint for pants and cowl has been a problem. A couple weeks ago decided to try and cover the pants with Ultracote. This did not work. Broke the pants trying to remove the Ultracote. I ordered another pair from Fiberglass Specialties. Very nice. Using the old pant for experiments, I worked out the follwing scheme to give an acceptable match to Ultracote Pearl White. Prime using Lusterkote, two coats of Lusterkote white to provide coverage and hiding, two coats of Pactra Pearl White polycarbonate paint then several coats of Lusterkote clear for gloss. The Pactra is meant to be applied on the inside of clear lexan car body. Here the lexan provides the gloss but the paint surface dries to a dull finish. The paints appear compatible, I applied several coats in one night. Now that I got the technique the next few days will be painting the cowl and pants

A couple more pictures

And the last one

With the end in sight worked late last nite on the Killer Bee and put it all together this afternoon.

Next step is to break in the engine, tune and adjust the smoke before maiden flight. I leave for the beach next week so it will likely be after the 4th before I maiden her.

BADG, it looks super, the tailwheel setup is better than what i came up with, because
it takes the stress off the rudder. Alot of the spring type setups have a real cheesy
arm that the springs go on , doesn't look rugged. did that come with the kit?

Thanks,

Tailwheel was an extra. Ohio Superstar assembly. Comes with springs etc. I had to stretch the spring to get them to "balance"

I mounted the ABS cowl with (4) #4 screws. I oversized the holes in the cowl and inserted some left over round rubber servo grommets. I heard ABS cowls crack from vibration and even though I reinforced the cowl edges with fiberglass this looked to be a slick trick to help. I slao tied down the canopy with #2 button head screws.

Killer Bee Maiden Today!

At the field today was beautiful, high 80's and some clouds. Wind was good to nearly down the runway about 5-8 mph.

I choose to break in the ST 3250 at the feild bringing along an extra gallon of fuel. I have used a perry carb on a 46 Fox and liked it, but the ST has a perry pump and carb. Following instruction from Perry I set to recommendation. The Hanger 9 starter I have just barely turns over the ST. I could only get it to start at full throttle and then it was super rich, would not even run with glow ignitor removed. Turned in the needle to just 1 turn out before it would go. Adjusted idle, pump pressure and high speed over the course of two tanks before I could get it to run with good transition, idle and rich on the top. Took a little fiddling but it happened. The third tank was to further breakin and fine tune the throttle. Top end is still rich, like I want it, so transition to top end was a little sloppy, but acceptable.

As the battery wore down I had to resort to a flip with a chicken stick. I was suprised when about the sixth flip it took off. This will likely become the preferred method assuming as the engine breaks in, tunes in and I get some experience with a hand start. However I will rig a 6V sealed lead acid battery in series to provide some extra volts. The Hanger 9 starter should turn it over with some authority with that setup.

Take off was uneventful. However plane did require alot of left trim. I feel half of the trim is from the right wheel pant that refuses to stay in place. The air flow twists it on the gear wire perhaps causing drag to the right, made up with left trim. A few clicks of up and she was good. Minimal down while inverted and wonderful rolls, loops, etc. Not a 3D machine, nor was this the design intent.

The ST 3250 is plenty of power even running sloppy rich. Pulls good through verticals but not unlimited. Could get there when the ST gets leaned out. But the smoke tank, pump and battery add probably 8 oz to the total. Feels like 12-14lbs.

Landings are wonderful. Steady, good control to the very end. One touch and go stalled about 12" off runway. Nose dropped without any snap or other unpleasant behavior. The plane bounced pretty hard but without damage then accelerated to takeoff.

Only two flights today. I did not try alot of serious stuff, but that will come. Mess is not bad at all on the plane, I had expected alot of oil and gunk from the ST. This will get even better as it leans out and the break in finishes and I switch to a lower content oil.

In summary I really like the plane and its flight characteristics. It is going to offer some serious competion to my Hog Bipe for a favorite flier. Could be that it is just new and my first big plane.

I did not try the TME smoke system. I plan to finish the breakin and get completly comfortable with the Bridi Killer Bee before I bring that online. When I do I'll include some pictures.

Its been a long build (started in April 06?) but I'm gonna like this bird.

Scott