Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

I'm kicking off a build of a Sig Mid Star 40. I'll be building this plane for a new friend and I want him to be able to view the process. My first impressions of this kit are very good, everything is packaged in good order. The laser cutting and quality of wood is excellent. The plans come folded, which is a bit of a pain but a few minutes with an iron flattened them out pretty well.

The first order of business is to pin the main spar, rear trailing edge sheeting and rear sub-spar over the plan, we then begin gluing the laser cut "W2" ribs onto the spars and TE sheeting working from the wing tip in. I use a couple triangles to ensure the ribs are 90 degrees in relation to the building board. After all the "W2" ribs are in place, I use the included dihedral gauge to set the proper angle of the root "W1" rib. The remaining two "W1" ribs are then installed.

After all the ribs are glued down, I added the 1/4 inch trailing edge and re-pinned the TE to the board. The top rear TE sheeting is then added

RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

The majority of construction is done with Tite-Bond, CA is used sparingly for certain jobs, but I like working with slower drying glues better (re: mistakes are easier to get out of:D). This kit is extremely similar to a 4 star 40 in relation to construction, which is to be expected as they were both designed by Bruce Tharpe. So far I have about 1 hour invested in the construction without using a lot of CA. I've been given free reign of the covering design so I'll need some inspiration, if anyone has pics of their Mid Star, feel free to share.

RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

Doug

This looks "GREAT" Thank You So Much, for taking on this build and helping me out !! I would like to have done it my self, but I need to learn and work on some easy stuff first !! I am new at all of this, and this will help me out a great deal !! If you need anything, just send me a line and I will get back with you as soon as possible.

Thanks Again !!

Mark
[email protected]

RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

this is the color's, BLUE & White !! Also I like how the covering goes on it ! But I am up to anything you think looks cool !!

RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

The blue and white looks great!

Matt

RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

Looking good! You might want to think about shorting the wing so you can get a better roll rate, and increase the size of the rudder. It is a popular mod with the 4 star and if I were to do it over, thats what I would do. I do not like the single servo for the ailerons. They are long so you do not get good deflection at the tips. I got 1.25 aileron stock and changed them out, and it helps, but a dual servo set up would be best. Here are some pics of mine. This was the first time using a neon color and I would not recommend them. I found that the neon did not shrink as much as the blue. This made the compound corners very difficult.

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RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

Here's mine after removing a bay from each end of the wing. I replaced the stock ailerons with 2" ones. I also built it with dual ailerons servos mounted in hatches.

The best advice I think for this build, would be to reinforce the vertical stabilizer with tri-stock. It's stock configuration is a bit weak.

RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

I got some more work done on the right wing tonight. The 3/16 shear webs were added to the wing. The integrity of the wing is dependent on the installation of the shear webs so I am careful to ensure good glue joints. After the shear webs had dried, I added the top main spar making sure it was fully seated in the wing ribs. I then added the 3/16 square top turbulator spar and the leading edge material, which is a 5/16 square stick that will need to be shaped later on.

RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

My final bit of work tonight was to add the 1/16 wing center sheeting. I like to take my time to make sure the sheeting is a good fit to minimize the need for wood filler later on in the build.


Bruno, the vert stab will definately get tri-stock reinforcement, I've ran into that weak spot on 4 stars in the past and the tri-stock really helps out.

Tequesta, I'm with you. I've used neons one time and will NEVER do it again!

RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

It's all Looking Good !!

Mark

RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

More work on the wing tonight. I added the bottom turbulator spar along with the bottom wing sheeting. The middle bay is left off until the wing dowell and canopy hold down block are added. After that job was completed I shaped the leading edge and trailing edge. I also cut off the spar, L/E, T/E and sheeting overhang at the wing root.

RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

The wing tips are next. I assembled the lite-ply wing tips and then attached them to the wing root. Scrap pieces of balsa were used to blend the TE into the wing tips

RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

Kit-supplied templates were used to make cut-outs for the canopy hold down block, wing dowel and aileron servo. The aileron servo cut-out also serves as an opening to attach the dihedral brace later

RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

And that completes the right wing!

RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

I'll be starting on the left wing panel tomorrow, I should have that done by Sunday and the two wing panels should be joined by Monday evening, we'll pick it back up there!

RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

Is this going to be a trike or tail dragger? Maybe Bruno will post the ground characteristic of the TD configuration, I like the looks better. Crashed mine so I am going to convert it.

John

RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

Mark, its up to you...trike or taildragger

RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

Mark, if you feel comfortable with trying a trike, I'd go for it. It does look nicer, and will spare you the headaches of repairing the nose wheel. You'll just need to tweak in some right rudder occasionally to compensate for a tendency of the plane to pull left during take off. Dbruening80 might be able to add some right thrust to the engine mounting to correct that. But the Midstar really isn't difficult to to take off as a tail dragger. It's a very easy mod to perform. And is shown very clearly in the plans and instructions.

RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

Here's a picture of one I did.

RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

looks good radioflyer!

RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

I agree. Radioflyer and Tequesta, nice Midstars. Tequesta I think the neon covering looks great.

dbruening80, great thread. I've always wanted to see a good Midstar build thread. And we have the added bonus of a pretty young lady holding the parts for photos! Great thread.

RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

Hey, I'm building one of these too! Great to see this thread. I'll be finishing up soon, hopefully, then I will post some pictures. I opted for the tail dragger config. I'm using the Sullivan tailwheel bracket, on the advice of some posters here, since the kit tailwheel setup is said to be very tough on the rudder.
Andy

P.S. If anyone has scanned in the covering scheme templates from the back page of the manual, it would be great if you could post them here or PM me. (I'm without a scanner right now....) TIA

RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

I better stay with the trike, I am new at all of this and just learning, also I picked up a new O.S. 50 SX that just came out!! I am thinking about putting that bad boy, in the Mid Star !! What do you all think !! It's a 40, all bored and stroked out, and its suppose to be really fast !!



spiritstlflyer !!

RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

as long as you can keep that throttle stick in check it would be ok. I'm glad I checked in because I was going to start the firewall layout today. Give me a call and let me know what engine you want to use. Ifyou want to use the 50, you'll need to get it to me

RE: Mid Star 40 Build Thread
 

I'm a bit ahead of schedule. The first pic shows the two completed wing panels. The next step is to join them together, I then used 30 minute epoxy to glue the diehedral brace into the left side of the wing. After that was dry I joined the two wing halves together, again using 30 minute epoxy, I clamped the righ wing tip at 1 inch off the board and let it dry