Hello Builders!

I recently purchased an AT-6 Texan kit from Scale Dynamics. It has not arrived yet, but I'm getting pretty excited about it. It's something I've been drooling over for years and years. I finally decided to bite the bullet and order one. I'll post pictures and details during the build. Any (constructive) comments are welcome. If you have a special technique or want to add any advice, please do so.

Here are some details of the airframe.

The fuse is fiberglass and the wings and tail are foam. The kit includes some scale appointments, but does not include sheeting and capping. It has a 3 part split flap system that looks really cool. It has an 81ā€ wingspan and should weigh about 8-10lbs when finished. The kit specifies a .90 to 1.20 nitro 4 stroke, but Iā€™m leaning towards going electric. I could really use help picking out the right motor/ESC/and Battery combo for the conversion.
I think this will be a fun and fast (more or less) build.

What you will need will be an ADF for those two pilots

I know someone who can make you one....

Jerry

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!

The Scale Dynamics kit is... in a word... AWESOME! You wouldn't beleive the amount of detail right out of the box!

Here are some pictures and discriptions of the work I've done so far. It goes so fast, and is so easy, that I've done everything I can do, in just 2 days. I'll explain later.

The kit arrived many weeks ago, but was put on hold until I could clear the workbench by finishing other projects.

The first thing I did (after wiping the drool off my lip) was to unroll the plans. This kit is NOT and ARF by any means, but most of the hard work is already done for you. I poured over the plans for a couple of hours so I could get a better idea of what needs to be done. During that time I took a list of the sheeting and capping that I need to purchase. (it's not included). I got almost everything I need from Balsa USA in one order. http://www.balsausa.com . The total came to about $80.00, but I ordered at least 1 extra of everything I though needed.

The first step is to locate the center line of the center section and the main spar. Once you've done that, you mark and cut the notches in the foam for the gear mounting blocks.

While I had the hotknife out I recessed two basswood servo mounting sticks for the flap servo. They will be under the sheeting so they are flush with the top of the foam core.

I took the opportunity to recess the two wing bolt blocks in the proper location too.

The next step is to join the outer panels to the center section. This is a no-brainer process of epoxying the panels on and proping the tip up with a 3" block. I added incidence meters to both tips and they were exactly the same... -2 degrees. Perfect! I had to use the concrete floor because the wing is 84" long and my work bench is 80" long. Good thing the floor is perfectly flat!

Now for the fun part... I squared up and epoxied the inner and outer gear mounting blocks in place along with all the pads and supports. This is one BEEFY gear setup!

Once everything had cured I installed the gear and checked for interference and smooth operation. I had to do a little work with the dremmel to make the gear fit all the way up to the locks. The instructions say to install the center rib at this time, but I don't see any reason it cant be done after the wing is sheeted. I'll do it later so it won't get broken off during the sheeting process. Now I just need the sheeting.....

That's all I can do with the wing until my wood order arrives from Balsa USA. So I might as well get started on the fuse...

The fuse is a one piece design and weighs less than a double cheeseburger! It has tons of detail molded right in. Panel lines, rivets, dzus faseners, hatches, hinges..... The manufacturer even offers a 3 piece sliding canopy kit and a full tubular cockpit kit. I think I'll pass on the canopy kit but I definatly plan to build and install the cockpit.

Here is a look down the fuse from where the firewall will go.

Do you have a contact or web site link for the kit company? I didn't find anything with a search.

The plans call for a split elevator setup with external control horns. I decided early that I want to use an internal torque rod setup. I had an extra elevator torque rod in inventory. I just had to cut an opening for clearance in the former that goes behind the stab, but infront of the elevator hinge-line. It looks like it will fit perfectly according to the plans.

Well I'm down to the last two things I can do without the wood order in my hands. One is to install the nose ring stiffiner and the firewall.

Something interesting about the firewall... It's set back into the nose of the fuse 2" on the left and 2 1/8" on the right. By doing the setback it makes room for a nitro engine, (due to the short nose moment on the Texan) by tilting it to the right automatically gives 3 deg. of right thrust. Cool! I don't want to guess on the down-thrust, so I'll shim the engine mount once everything else is done.

No there is no website. He makes them by hand, one at a time, on a per order basis only. I hope to have this one ready for Joe Nall this year. Maybe I can talk him into making a couple for the show. He did tell me he would step up production if there was an interest, but as it is now.. one at a time.

So who is he? What is his address? Phone number? I also did not get anything from a Google search.
John

You can find him here on RCU. He makes alot of fiberglass parts and hard to find window sets.
http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemId=695495
His name is Dave.

I've decided to go electric with the Texan. It's a PREFECT platform for electric conversion.

This has some potential...

This has even more potential....

Done... The batteries lock in at the top and are held in with a velcro strap near the bottom. The are easily removed from the bottom the scale split cowl. I think there will be room to mount the ESC on the firewall too. This project beats the heck out of a 30lb box of sheets and sticks...

I have a photopack to the AT-6.

Hey Guys,

Sorry for the delay and thanks for sticking around.

I'm back from a long trip to CA. It's time to get going on the Texan build again.

My wood order arrived from Balsa USA in great shape. Nothing missing , broken or damaged.

I started by sorting the sheeting into hard and soft groups. Both ends of the 48" x 3" x 3/32" sheets get an angle cut by measuring 1" from the end on the bottom up to the corner. Then the 36" x 3" x 3/32" gets cut in half to make 2 each 18" pieces. Those also get an angle cut to mate up on each end of the 48" piece. The result is one long sheet measuring 82" long by 3" wide.

I made up 4 (2 for the top and 2 for the bottom) of these sheets before proceeding to the next step.

Then I used a dozen t-pins to pin a sheet into its location 1/8" back from the front of main spar. I used masking tape to outline the sheet on the foam. It's important to have the tape flush with the edge of the sheet. If it gets under you wont be able to remove it, if it's too far away, the glue will stick to the foam where it's not supposed to.

Once the sheet is outlined with tape, you remove the sheet and pour on the Gorilla Glue. I used an old credit card to spread a generous but even layer on the foam and a thin layer on the backside of the sheet. You don't need to worry about one kicking off before you do the other, but don't take a lunch break in between. When you're ready place the sheet on the foam and be sure you have it lined up within the tape line.

Start pinning! I started in the middle and worked my way towards the tips. Pin down both edges of the sheet and both ends of the sheet evenly. 4 pins on this edge-4pins on that edge, 4 pins on one and then the other, and so on. Insert the pins at a 45 deg angle. I did one pin 45 degrees to the front and the next 45 degrees to the rear. To prevent the sheet from riding up the pin when the glue starts to expand. When the sheet has been pinned, stand the wing up on it's leading edge so not to distort the -2 deg washout or accidently build in a twist. That's it... wait 5 hours to the glue to cure and do another sheet on the other side of the wing. Once you have the 4 main sheets installed, the wing becomes incredibly strong.

The next step is to install the trailing edge...
More to come soon.

I guess RCU had a problem with their picture server or something. I can't seem to replace the damaged photos with the originals, so I'm going to re-add them to this post. It'll be your job to figure out which picture goes with which post. Sorry about that. Hopefully, the pictures will match the post from here on out.

Mike,
Thanks for posting more pics. I ordered one today from Dave. Going to go Electric as well. Likely the Hacker A50 series. I have one in my 14.5lb P47 and it's great.
Keep posting! [8D]

Great Sean... I know you'll love it.

I blew the dust off of my camera and started to take more pictures of the built. I mounted the ESC and RX battery on the firewall between the Lipos. You'll also see the cowl ring bolted on the fuse. The top section will stay bolted on to the fuse, while the lower section (pencil marks) will be removable for access to change out the lipos.