RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

Yay! Get some pics of the full scale Eindekker to figure out how landing gear made. Fiddly- but not difficult. Find alum cowl- that will look better but it's 'yore' plane! If you laminate 4 long strips of 1/16 balsa around pins that are set around you fin and stab you can make very lightweight and strong tailfeathers. Once laminates are dry (use Elmer's wood glue or similar- not CA) build inner structure, sand, flip it over and sand other side. I've enclosed a pic of a Piper PA-12 rudder but I have done others, even Fokker DrI and EIII. This is good to make wingtips, too!

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

Not with the actual cowl, but I played around a little bit today with my brass and solder idea.

Note: Nothing is to scale and this is my first try. So far I don't like it but, I can see potential with this idea.

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

I just ran into my first problem. The instructions are not clear on building the ailerons. They call for installing five W-6 ribs and there is a total of ten W-6 ribs, the problem is that two of them are much thicker than the others, so I assume one per side, but they don't fit anywhere. Not without a slot in the die cut trailing edge and 1/16th" away from the last main rib. So I tossed the dice and hand cut a slot in the inboard TE thinking that the thicker rib belongs inboard. (Or possibly outboard, 50/50 chance on that guess) The manual does not say either way and I hope I guessed correctly.

A couple of the W-6 ribs came up a tad short on the LE and with everything looking straight, I decided to leave them be and fill the gap with Elmers wood glue. Ill be spending the next hour scaping the glue upwards due to gravity. lol

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

I belive I got it right. The instructions are very vague when it comes to building the ailerons.

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

It makes no mention of it in the instructions but shows it on the drawing, don't leave out these 1/4" stiffeners at the inboard end of the aileron and against the last outboard main rib.

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

If your squeamish about carving, planing, sanding and making a mess, this kit isn't for you. [X(]

I am done with the right wing and will do the final finish and shaping of it after I build the left wing so I don't remove too much material and make sure both sides match.


It's allways easier to remove material than add it!

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

Looking good Gary.

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

Gary,
That Eindecker is looking good, I can tell by the photos that the plans are very detailed and the wood is of good quality. Either the Eindecker 40 or the Taube 40 will be my next project I've always wanted to build a WWI plane and either one looks they would be an enjoyable build. I am leaning towards the Eindecker however, since it comes standard with ailerons and the Taube although gorgeous looks like it would fly like a kite with wings. I've got to get my current King Kobra (which I am currently covering) project wrapped up.

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

Thanks Ted.

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

I'm impressed with this kit Daryl. The die cuts are as a good as any laser I have seen and the wood is excellent. Ive allways beed a die hard Sig fan and now I am die hard BUSA fan also. I'm thinking of getting their Pup next.

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

Got the left wing half framed up and the rough shaping done today. So far I have about 30 hours labor into this build and am pretty happy with the results so far. Allthough, I may take the next couple of days off. lol

After that I will be joining the wing halves.

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

I mentioned that I may take a rest and not work on the Eindecker for the next couple of days, I lied. [&:] I took a vacation day from work and have been at it all morning. Allthough I still have alot of work to do on the wing, I did get the halves joined and was very pleased how straight it came out. I lined up the LE along my hollow core doors edge and using a square from the edge of the door to the LE, the LE came out perfect over it's 80 inches.

I used the suggested dihedral of 2" and of course there was a slight gap in the top spars but I decided to leave it at that. The last time I tried to make a perfect gap in the wings joint I ended up sanding most of the inner ribs away. Sometimes it's best not to fix something that's not broken.

And now comes the trusted Great Planes sanding bar and the thing I dislike the most about building kits. Sanding!

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

Nice! Keep up the great work. Remember, it takes you to be part of the dreaded.... Fokker Scourge! Fokker fodder beckons!

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

I'm down! :)

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

Well, I haven't done much in the last couple of weeks. I got to the point of having to do alot of sanding on the wing and since I live in a small 3rd floor apartment, that much sanding indoors is not an option and the walkway is too small to be working with a 80" wing. Ill either have to take it to work, or work on it on the tailgate of my pick-em-up truck.

So I jumped forward to the tail feathers.

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

Well, It's my Birthday today and spent some time nailing down the wing. I would of rather been sheet deep with Jennifer Aniston, but!!!

I went against the intructions on using a tape measure to square up the wing and went with 12 lb. Trilene XL. Still working on the gaps between the wing and the saddle and will have that done before the weekend is over.

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

How's the build coming?

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

Gary,

More more... I have one NIB that I'll be starting in the fall/Thanks/cp

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

I took a break and my hands are full with other projects guys. It might be a few months before I get back on this kit.

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

Ok guys I pulled the Eindecker out from the back corner and spent the last two days trying to remember where I left off and why I jumped forward in the build to begin with. I don't have the camera handy but for those who might build this kit, the forward sheeting on the top of the wing, (page 18, photos 90, 91 and 92) is somewhat confusing. Especially photo 92. It shows the sheeting going over the top of the firewall and thats not how it goes. Argggh!

Ill have more later.

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

I'm at the point of covering the wing with Solartex and I have to say, this stuff is awesome!

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

For me, using an aluminum colored metal on a WW1 plane isn't very "scale like". Of course, this kit is not true to scale to begin with so what I'm thinking of is building the plane as if a civilian bought it "post war" and restored it just for Sunday Dawn Patrols in the 1920s and 30s.

I'm going to try using brass instead and allow it to weather and tarnish for an old look.

This piece is just for reference and not the actual piece I plan on using.

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

Interesting... Thinking outside the box, the weathered brass should look great! Mine is still in the box. I have an XYZ 26 for it. I also have NIB OS and Thunder Tiger 91 four strokes. I really believe the the TT91 is the perfect engine, a little heavier and powerful, just not sure what I'd to the the 26.

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

I think the 4 stroke would be much better. ;)

RE: Balsa USA Eindecker 90 build.
 

I worked a little bit today on the brass front end idea and at this point, I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet. I could squeeze and flatten it down and use contact cement to attach it, but I'm leaning towards leaving it ragged and using contrasting colored machine screws. I'm thinking copper or steel since they would tarnish/rust and give me that old school look I'm looking for.