Bel Air 40 - DONE!!!!
 

This was supposed to be my winter project. I'll either have to slow down, or get another one...

This is the progress I have made on my Northeast Aerodynamics Bel Air 40 kit. It was made in 1981, and I got it off a fellow club member at a recent swap & sell. This is the first time it's looked like an airplane, so I shot some pictures. I bought a Super Tigre 45 for it.

If anybody has built this kit and has advice, please pass it along. It has been a fun build so far. They leave you a few things to figure out for yourself. Definitely more involved than my Four Star, but a lot more fun to build.

RE: Bel Air 40
 

My friend it looks pretty damn good to me. Its going to fly great!

RE: Bel Air 40
 

Hi Mclina,
I have a NIB of that plane but haven't started it yet. The guy that kitted that used to work for Lew Andrews of the Aeromaster fame. so it is practically a 40 size version of the .60 Aeromaster and a real find. the Company has been sold a couple of times but you can still get canopies. Mine got zapped in shipping so I got a new one. This will be a real "wing flyer" and should be a fine flying model ENJOY:D look at the Aeromasters in the antique / vintage forums.
P. S. That barbell might be a little much tail weight;);)

RE: Bel Air 40
 

Thanks. I'll try to keep posting pictures as I get more done. Today I fitted the two aileron servos and started the front fuselage cowling.

I didn't know too much about the kit when I bought it. I got it for $50 at a swap. It was after that that I found out it was a discontinued 1981 model, and that the company still exists nearby in New Hampshire. I also found out that my LHS still has some of these kits on it's shelf (I have a GREAT local hobby shop!!)). They are selling the Bel Air 40 kit for $89. They also have the Bel Air 60 kit, and I am tempted to squirrel one away.

When I first got it, I thought about how to modify it to bring it up-to date, like adding ailerons to the top wings, putting in extra wing struts, and ditching the wire landing gear, but I later decided to build it per the kit, and even cover it in a similar scheme. I bought the Super Tigre engine because I felt it looked more "retro". The only modification I have made is adding an extra aileron servo, but they will be concealed within the fuselage.

Thanks for the encouraging words.

RE: Bel Air 40
 

Some years ago I had a Bel Air 60 with a ST 61.

It was awful fast. It didn't fly like the Andrews Aeromaster at all.

It was one neat looking plane though.

RE: Bel Air 40
 

I have built the Bel Air 40 and it has been flying for about 4 years. I have a Saito 56 on it. I wish I had a little more grunt. I also used two aileron servos both inside the fuselage. I found a carbon fiber landing gear for it. However, the gear was straight and it moved the wheels rearward from the plan. That makes the plane very susceptible to tipping forward on a rough grass field. So what ever gear you use make sure the wheels end up far enough forward. When I get around to it I will place an angle shim under my gear.

I have a Bel Air 40 and a Bel Air 60 waiting for another rainy day build.

When I build my next Bel Air 40 I will shorten the nose by an inch and install a YS 63.

The airplane is a great flyer and I still get good comments on it. Have fun with yours.

RE: Bel Air 40
 

Here's what I got done today. I still need to shape the front a bit to get it a little more round.

RE: Bel Air 40
 

mclina,

What's the name of your LHS and where is it located? I'm always looking for hobby shops to visit. Thanks!

FB

RE: Bel Air 40
 

It is called RC Buyers Warehouse, in Nashua, NH. I really didn't appreciate it until I visited some other hobby shops. This place has everything I need. If you're ever near Nashua, check them out.

www.rcbuyers.com

RE: Bel Air 40
 

I made a little more progress this weekend. I sheeted the fuse bottom and sanded a little bit. I also soldered the landing gear - my first ever attempt at this type of soldering. I'll have to get a little neater for the cabanes. The only "wood working" left to do is the bottom of the cowl. Then it's on to finish sanding, covering, and installing the electronics and engine.

RE: Bel Air 40
 

Here's a close up of my landing gear soldering job, as well as a couple of other random shots.

RE: Bel Air 40
 

Looks as though you did the soldering with a torch? I can see a bluish tinge on the edges? While the soldering itself looks great. Higher carbon steels like piano wire will sometimes get brittle if they are heated red and then cooled quickly. You can correct this by warming it back up but not enough to melt the solder and let it cool slowly.

You may have already done it this way? And also they may have just supplied mild steel wire?

RE: Bel Air 40
 

I did solder with a torch. I didn't see this discoloration until I looked at the pictures. I don't know what kind of wire it is, but it never got red hot while I was soldering. Do you think I need to re-heat it?

Thanks

RE: Bel Air 40
 

Here is a picture of mine. I built some custom interplane struts.

RE: Bel Air 40
 

That looks great.

RE: Bel Air 40
 

Being as you say it never got red hot, it shouldn't need normalizing.

RE: Bel Air 40
 

Hey Bipeaddict,

Did you build your nose per the plans? I just started looking to fit the 3/8" cheek doublers and 3/4" tri stock into the front cowl, and man, that is a lot of wood to jam in there. It will just barely clear the engine mount as set up for my Super Tigre 45. I am worried that if I ever decide to go bigger, or 4-stroke, it just won't fit.

I am thinking of maybe thinning down the 3/8" doublers to provide more clearance. I should still be able to get the correct rounded shape for the nose.

Do you have a close-up pic of your (your plane's...) nose?

Thanks

RE: Bel Air 40
 

I kind of built to plans. No top. I wanted that left open. Used the doublers. Didn't use the tri-stock. But without the tri-stock you can't round the bottom without sanding away the joint.

RE: Bel Air 40
 

A couple of more pictures.

RE: Bel Air 40
 

Thanks. That helps a lot. I think I will change the doublers to 1/4" and use some smaller tri stock.

RE: Bel Air 40
 

I ended up using 3/16" cheek doublers instead of the 3/8" ones that came with the kit, and I used 3/8" (I think) tri-stock. I took the fuse along to my daughter's softball practice tonight and sanded for an hour in the parking lot. Here it is before and after sanding, and with the engine mounted.

I still have some more shaping to do, but it's close.

RE: Bel Air 40
 

Looking good. How did you get away with creating balsa dust pollution in a public place? Do you have a permit for such a flagrant activity? :-)

RE: Bel Air 40
 

Luckily, fall softball is not too popular, so very few people saw me creating a balsa cloud.

What I was more afraid of, is that from a distance, it may have looked like I was doing something naughty[X(]

RE: Bel Air 40
 

I made a little progress today. I painted the main gear and mounted the wheels. I hinged the rudder and elevator. I screwed in the servo tray, and I am tinting the canopy as we speak. I also bought a spinner and some props.

Here are a couple of shots:

RE: Bel Air 40
 

You may notice that my plans look pretty shredded. I actually made two copies of the plans before I started. The original 1981 plans are safely rolled up in the box. I have a spare set of fresh copies, and the plan that I used to pin up and build the wing has become a desk blotter. The fuselage plan that I am building to has stayed pretty clean, and will end up as wall art when I am done.

When I built my Four Star, I used the plans from the box for everything, including cutting them up for the wing assembly. I stongly recommend making copies ahead of time. I think I paid about $15 for two copies (4 sheets total).