I didn't bother to fill the side windows in I left the openings alone and covered over them. I used the "knock-out" pieces as patterns to cut pieces of contrasting covering to simulate windows on the fuse. I did fill in the windshield with balsa and the cover that. I think there is a pic on this thread a couple of pages back.


The pic is on page 3 post #64

I'm back agian... and started covering. Since it's been a little bit.. i realized I hadn't done much with the front windshield when I startd the fuse. I decieded to pass on the plastic windows and fill them in with some balsa and make a windscreen from balsa up front. I did run the two pushrods to the rear permanently and covered the top and bottom The tail and all pieces are covered and just need to be hinged permanently. I started covering the wing and since my building area is a bit small (on the honey do list to clean up!) I thought I would try something different. I tacked the covering in place and then hung the wing on end. This worked out pretty I thought as it was like having an extra hand. I was able to access any part i needed while sill having good control over the iron. The top is covered and needs the edges ironed down final shrinking. Well the glue should be dry on the formers for the windscreen so I'm going to see about some lite sheeting. I'll post some pics this evening.

Is there a problem with the plastic windows they supply or are you guy's just filling in the voids to make it stronger? I've had 3 eagleII's and none of them ever broke or failed because of the plastic windows in the side of the fuse.

A little bit of both.

Not so much due to a weak trainer design, just makes it easier to manhandle while working on it for me. Personally I think they should revise the plans and delete the pastic side windows and front screen, or maybe have a option, for those who would rather choose to have the see-thru's. Would make a nice new selling point for a already proven trainer.

I just felt that it was more trouble than it was worth to make them look right, so I did away with them.

I was having trouble getting them to fit nice. I may flll mine in with thin balsa. I don't think it's a strength issue. I had trouble getting the front window to fit nice which I was going to try and use so I'm making a balsa front for it.

I filled in the windows with some balsa and titebond II. I made up a front windshield from a balsa block. Pearl Crafts was going out of business in Tampa and all there wood was over 50% off. single and bags of blocks... bags of sticks, etc so i bought a few. The front window needs some final shaping / sanding but its smoother than the pic looks. You don't really feel where the diff pieces meet up. Need to cover the bottom of the wing, and add some color, stripes, etc, mount the motor and radio and it's done.

This wing has a farily sharp leading edge which I thought oes not do well in regard to stalls. The more blunt the more stall resistant. So it's odd that a thin leading edge would be on a trainer??
Mike

That is pretty much the way I filled in the windshield. Except, I think you rounded yours a little more. The leading edge is one thing about the eagle that I have thought could be improved upon as well.

I've been covering away and will post some pics this evening. I didn't have as much white as I thought so I changed the design a bit. This weekened is supposed to be nasty so I'm looking at a maiden the weekend of the 13th!

Here is some progress on the covering. it's not my strong suit but it's coming out ok. I need to put the stripes on the elevator and do the bottom of the wing. I think I'm going to bring down the red on the front window so it better lines up with the side windows. Rudder and elevator need permanent hinging still. If the weather cooperates, I'm hoping to take it up next weekend. It's been very very windy or rainy here.. much more so than usual.

I ended up doing something diff on the color scheme as I thought this was easier for me to do.

I was reading some hints and tips from my 95 RCM. What someone did was cover the fuser in white monokote as well as the window openings. They then took some acetone on the paper towel and wiped off the color and andhesive on the back side of the windo cutout. They were left with a clear "window" of monokote. They outlined the window with some black pin striping. Has anyone tried this as a way to make clean / neat windows.

Looks good, Mike!

I recall hearing the acetone suggestion sone time back, I don't remember where. Just remember, if you make the windows clear, you need something in there besides the servos and the Rx to look at.

right.. I'm past it now.. but may try next time when the opp presents itself.

Here's some pics of all the covering. I ran out of red and just left the top center sort of the way it is. I was hoping to fill in the center with a radius at the leading edge like the tips. Need to permanently install hinges, servos, etc,motor and get all the throws correct. I don't have EPA so it's a bit of work especially on the throtle to get it "just" right. I am hoping for a first flight on Sunday afternoon but still lots to do. It always seems like the final pieces and getting everything in working order are as much work as building the kit.

Looks great, very visible. It's the little things that cut ya down on time, that's a given. lol


A wingtip photo of my target drone. Had to make room for the 11" prop and MAX55 with the funky wheel combo. that's the full trainer wing. The next wing will be clipped and flat (almost). sorry for the fuzzy pic,and I hope I didn't exceed the pixel count.

Nice Plane, Mike. Looks like a winner.

It always seems at the end that those "last little things" take a lot more time than we plan.

Halvey... when you say full trainer wing... and next one will be clipped... Is this something your doing on your own? I've got an 11x6 on the front of mine at the moment but didn't go with the bigger wheel... I have about an 1inch of clearance. With that Pos incicdencd does she want to lift off prematurely?

Well today (Sunday) is the day for the maiden and the weatherman says it's going to be a nice day. A friend came over Sat and I showed him my inept covering skills on the ailerons and we hinged them up, mounted the horns and hooked up the rods. He's an ARF guy at the moment (we can't all be perfect , though I'm holding out hope).

I'll double check everthing this morning and we'll be at the field early afternoon. I assume there will be a crowd as this is the first nice day (no wind or rain) we've had in some time. Notihng like a crowd watching an unproven plane. I'll take a few pics of her at the field before takeoff because you just never know!?

I have a local buddy who has been flying since before I walked and he is going to give me some help on clipping the wing and setting the incidence with the new wing.

With the full reccomended trainer incidence it will lift off pretty quick, that and the fact that the OS-55 hase MORE than enough power. I think I might have went a bit overkill on the motor,,lol. it will pull unlimited vertical,,it just keeps going.


I am not going to wish you a good maiden, because I know it will be just fine. you built a really nice plane.

Went out Sunday afternoon and wind was up a bit with mother nature not listening to the weatherman calling for 5 to 10. Proved to not be a problem as she flew great. Somehow I had the elevator not set at level and first flight needed a few clicks of down trim. When I landed I discovered the down trim had brought the elevator to nuetral so she eneded up not needing any tirm at all which was nice, I uusually need a click here or there but I think it's more a testament to this proven design than my skill with the xacto!

When building I thought the ailerons were a bit thin in width and the eagle makes some pretty ugly rolls but it will do them. I think wider aileron stock would help with that. Inverted flight needed a lot of down to stay level but again it is a trainer with a flat bottom wing. With the 11x6 aprop and the supertiger 40 she cruised nicely once up at approx 35-40% throttle. Opened up she really took off. The mod of the bolt on wing with with the "Funky" dowel protrudiing from the bottom worked very well as in no sign of weakeningk etc from tugging on it when I got home. Seems very very solid but this was not area I skimped on with bracing ,extra glass and carbon ribbin to tie it into the leading edge.

Well it's a nice stable plane to take along if you want to introduce someone to RC. I hope the thread was interesting and any one with an interest in building will give a kit a try.. I will say it's better to build from a kit when you already have something to fly because it does take some time.

A friend had brought along his recording device so I'll see if I can get a short movie up of the maiden. Rummaging through the kit box I noticed there were some stickers included so I added the block lettered white "EAGLE 2" stickers on the blue stripe in the aft fuselage and it really pops out.

Well back to my Craftair Firebird. I'm trying the hingpoints on this one having never used them before. I made a test piece the other day and gluded them in. After they dried I tried pulling them out with pliers and the hinge area actually broked before it pulled out of the wood. A little more work than the CA hinges but I think worth it. I'm going to use these on future builds as they move so much more freely. Following the test I hinged up the rudder and it came turned out nice with virtually no gap as you get the piece up close the way the hinges are designed.

That's all for now... check back if you see this thread in the main list as I'll have the video up.

Thanks again for following.

Another thing that I had already added to the upgrade list,,,a bit wider ailerons. I also didn't like the way it rolled, but again, it is a trainer wing, but I know it can do better with a little kitbash.

A excellent thread and build Mike, will definitely be back here for tips and tricks.

This is a good thread about a great trainer, this eagle II has been around for a long time and it's nice to see you fellas still building it. I built mine 9mo. ago, it is the first kit in over 55 yr's I built and I didn't even know what ultracoat was. anyway I pretty much stuck with the instructions on the build except I made the stab. and rudder a bolt on which turned out real nice and will make an easy fix if I whack it. What is said about the main gear being flimsey is sure true. Get some nice one piece gear strut for yours if you haven't yet and you won't be cussing it later. By the way, that plane makes a nice tail dragger too, just mount it right under the leading edge of wing and put on a tail wheel. A wing strut is a nice added feature. You guys have shown several ways to change the apperance of this neet little plane. For you new builders thinking about building something the Eagle II is a fun and easy build and it flies great. Now let's go flying and have a fun and safe year, Leroy[8D][8D]

i haven't had any issues with the gear but did make the change during the build to lock the vertical pieces in a bit. Here's a coupole pics.. hope to have some video in a bit. One on the runway at the moment of truth.. the other turning away from pits. Flies real nice.

Hello
I have built many models when I was young but it has been forty five years since I was concidered young, but now I have two twelve year old grandsons and they think I know everything right now and I sure hate to disappoint them for a couple of years. We are going to start a scale model J3 cub and it is larger than anything I have ever tried before. I looked everywhere for some Ambroid Glue(showing my age) but I cant find it. I guess it went out of buisness. Anyway can someone tell me what glue to use on large plywood and balsa parts. I dont want the thing to fall apart the first time we try to fly it. </p>

Thanks Dan</p>

Hey 79Trapper65, you sound alot like me, age wise. Yes, glues have changed alot over the years as many of the old products are no longer available, anyway the new glues are much better. Your instructions book should have a list of glues and epoxy needed to build your plane and where to use them. Generally CA's medium & thin is used for most construction steps. Epoxy 6 & 30 minute set times are used at high stress areas like wing joiners & mounts, landing gear, engine & fire wall bulk heads and so on. If your kit doesn't have those instructions with it than go to a web site that has a simular plane and size and down load it's assembly manual to use for referance to build your's. Hope this helps, Leroy

Well Leroy if your kids think you are as old as dirt, then we are about the same age. I do thank you for the information about the glue. I was at my local hobby shop and believe it or not they actually had Ambroid glue in stock. I didnt buy it but it did make me feel a little more at home. Brings back all those memories of sitting in school trying to chew the glue off my fingers. Maybe thats why all the girls avoided me. Ha Ha.
Regards
Dan

Yea Dan'I have kids 45 yr's old, well not quite as old as dirt but starting to feel like it at times. I must have chewed some of that crap off myself but mostly I remember Testors with a pin in it. I just recently got back in this hobby after a 55 yr. hiatus. I'm about 90 percent complete on a T.F. 1/5 scale P-51 gold kit. It's been quiet the project. There some pics. of it posted in kits thread AW P-51 build if intrested page 2. Enjoj yours. Leroy[&:]