bipeguy03

Well after bouncing around the idea of scratch building a starduster too this winter I decided against buying $200 worth of wood when I already had this cap kit in the shop starring me in the face. So I cleaned up the shop broke out the glue and started cutting sticks.

If had a couple of people tell me to get this bird light, and I can see why just by lookin at it, the airfoil at the tip is veary small. so as of now I am aiming for no more than 14lbs with a zenoha G-45 wich I plan on purchasing next month.

I got started last night and have worked on it most of the day today while takin a few short breaks to watch the Buckeyes play, but I do Have a few pics to get started.

and I could'nt help myself I had to clamp the gear and the cowl in place set the canopy on it and get an idea of of how bigger it is than my suk!

bipeguy03

sorry guys for som reason RCU is'nt letting me get my pictures up loaded I'll have to try again later

planebuilder66

My Feedback: (8)

Make sure your using Jpeg images, if not then it will reject most other formats. I have a stupid question?!, is lanair still around, I'd love to have the 1/4 scale extra kit they made, had one, sold the kit for cash.

Campgems

Tower had a fire sale on the Lanier big kits a few months back. I picked up a 1/4 scale Laser 200 for under $100 including shipping. I just checked Tower and the only Lanier kit they have now is the Cap 232. http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXSVC3&P=SM If you wan't one, now is the time.

One kit, one ARF and that's all folks.

Don

bipeguy03

well my other camera just is screwy I guess, cause it just will not let me get my pix up here so I got my other one and took pix. so I don't have any of the fuse side going together.[:@] but here are a few of how far I've come in the last 3 days

bipeguy03

and some more.

bipeguy03

well finished the canopy frame tonight, got it mounted and started test fitting the canopy. also started sheeting the bottom of the fuse. I plan on cutting large lighting holes in the bottom sheeting aft of the wing, to try to get as much weight out as possable.

Got some more pix for ya!

sscherin

My Feedback: (1)

Ready for a blast of random questions?

Where is the glass cowl from?

Are those the Great Planes CAP 21 wheel pants?

Are you doing anything to lighten up the frame other than holes in the bottom sheeting?

I know of another build that was done here.. He swapped the stock wing skins for contest grade balsa..
He saved about 2lbs with the contest grade balsa.

I have one of these kits on the bench waiting to go.. We just got our vacuum pump for bagging the wings so I might get started soon.

bipeguy03

The Glass Cowl is from Fiberglass specialties, it is absoluty B-E-A-U-tifull! Really worth the 40 bucks, not to mention the great customer service.

The wheel pants are from the Great Planes 27% arf of their preformace series line, I think they're like 20 bucks or so from tower.

As for lighting it up I've been cutting holes anywhere I can find that I feel it's safe to do so, I'm just going to stick with the wood that came with the kit, its nice wood and has a good grain structure, so I'll just take a risk I guess!

My Engine will be here monday, was hopin it would come today but I missed horizon's shipping cut off buy about 20 min![:@] brand new Zenoah G-45.

When ya get started post your updates on here, so we can bounce Ideas back and forth be aware the fuse frames up extreamly FAST, Got up to sheeting decks in only 3 days workin about 5 hours a day over the weekend.

I'm going to start sheeting wings tommarrow, so I'll post more pics soon!

James

bipeguy03

P.S

I've found the fuse to be quite light to this point for as big as it is, I starting to think most of the weight is going to be in the wings and all the running gear so Bare essentials for me! Maybe smoke though!

pmw

My Feedback: (1)

Bipeguy,

I built the original kit several years ago. There are two areas in the structure that I had problems with in flight. Looking at your pics I see there have been no changes from the earlier kit.

First, you wil need to build up the joint between C4 and C5 on you canopy mount. I had the canopy come off on the first flight because these two parts separated at the glue joint. I never got it to stay together well, so I ended up using an aluminum L bracket to replace those parts.

Second. The horizontal stab glue joint is very weak. In fact, when the canopy came off, it hit the vertical and broke the glue joint for the horizontal. How I got it back on the ground is a miracle. I ended up using tail bracing wires from the tip of the stab to the bottom of the fuselage.

The plane flies well, but it is VERY pitch sensitive in the landing flair. Mine tended to be tail heavy even though I balanced exactly on the referenced CG. Almost impossible to land until I moved the CG about 1/2 in forward.

Good luck,
Paul

bipeguy03

well did'nt accomplish as much as I wanted this weekend but did some progress here are some pics of the stab.

bipeguy03

and some more

bipeguy03

and more

bipeguy03

Hey Guys, more pics of the tail goin together and a couple of what the man that drives the brown truck brougt me on Monday. MY BRAND NEW ZENOAH G-45


PMW, Thanks for the tip about the tail and the CG, I've got a couple Ideas on how to make the tail stronger and look much, MUCH better than the way the plans describe it.

James

smkrcflyer

I have one of these kits also so I’m very interested in your build and modifications you making.

bipeguy03

sorry for it being so long in between post, I've been goin at a rather slow pace the last few days but I have been workin! I've been workin on the wing skins latey so I post more pics soon!

bipeguy03

hey guys sorry its been so long! I kinda got myself in a groove, go to work at 6 am get off at 4 work on the planes till 9:30 or 10 then go to bed, not really any time to take pics or play on the computer! But things have been pluggin along, all the controll surfaces are cut out blocks glued on and carved, tail is glued on, with my major change from the plans (see the pics of the Fairing I carved) and got my engine mounted with 41-30 chromolly standoffs my dad and I made.

Well finally some new pics for ya!

bipeguy03

and some more

dragnbye

how did you mount the stab to the fuse??

bipeguy03

I added some 1/4 x 1/2 Balsa to the inside of the fuse to add some glue surface. Then just epoxied the stab in position, followed by 3/32 sheet cross grained behind the stab for fin glue surface, and then the tailpost. After all that I the glued layers of 1/2 sheet around the fin and on top of the stab up to the rear bulkhead, and then carved it to shape, The block is a bit more work than the way the plans depict it but I think its worth it!

Hope this helps!
James

dragnbye

thats kind what i was thinking to but also adding another dowel to the LE of the stab and drilling a hole on the to back of the deck. kind of like wings but have a perament attachment

dragnbye

by the way how is your progress??

sscherin

My Feedback: (1)

Nice.. I was wondering if you would ditch the ABS tail cover..
I have not started my kit yet.. It's up on the shelf next to the Byrons P-51 kit waiting for a rainy day..

dragnbye

now is the time to start that cap and hide form all that snow