proline8000

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When do you think we will see more pictures?

Mark Basel

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Working on some things and will have updates this weekend. Had to work last weekend so progress has been slowed some.

Thanks!

Mark Basel

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Ok! Next up is work on the nose gear door opening. Fitting the molded gear doors to the fuse required a little trimming and fitting. drilled and tapped the fasteners. Each fastener has aluminum plate molded into the fusewhich is tapped. No where in Lincoln USA sells a 3-48 tap so I made a visit to Hobby Town USA and ordered a K&S brand tap. I could of ordered one from a hardware store but delivery could take up to 10 days and I got one in 2 from HT!!Support your Local Hobby Shop

Mark Basel

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After fitting the molding, hinges are glue to thepre formed pockets andthe doors have to be cut from the each other. I taped the scribe lines on both sides to give me a little protection and keep me from going crooked. It seems to work for some reason and I get a nice clean cut. I use a Dremel cutting wheel that is diamond coated and it really gives a nice line and doesnt jump around like the bigger fiber wheel. The fuse needs to be trimmed for the hinges and the doors trimmed to open once cut from each other.

Mark Basel

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Continuing with the NLG, the door pneumatic cylinders are mounted with standoffs with the fill valve mount plate. The retract is mounted to the rails with 6-32 screws and blind nuts. Just about had a senior moment and drilled the gear holes from thefront opening not the molded frame recess. measure twice drill once

Mark Basel

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Can't delay it any longer and got busy cutting out the MLG doors. Would rather do this outdoors but its colder than a well diggers @$$ Have I mentions I hate the cold

Taped off the scribe lines on both sides and proceeded to cut out doors trying not to get to much dust in the airI really am surprised how well taping off both sides helps keep me on the straight and narrow. Glad this step isdone!!!!!!!!!

Bob.R

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Great build thread - thanks for taking the time to post. The quality of that kit is amazing!

canenr

Excellent workmanship.

JoelP

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Awesome thread Mark! How long did it take to get the kit from the time you ordered it?

Mark Basel

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About 3 HoursI live about 3 hours or so from Belton Mo so I drove down and picked it up! Give Tom a calltofind out for sure,itdepends on what is in work now butI would guess it would take him a2-3 weeks to make one for you.

Mark Basel

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Ok! Thanks for the positive feedback!.... Why is it something that should take a short time to do ends up taking all flippin day! The innerMLG doors are supported by 1/16 inch ply door stops glued to the side edges. To offset them to give the correct depth for the molded doors another 1/16 inch piece is glue to the first one. It took me all afternoon to get them looking acceptable.I thinkI will watch some football now.

Mark Basel

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Ok! after a rather geriatric approach to model building yesterday I got busy today and got a couple things done. The MLG doorsare moldedthat gives a really nice inner door surface feature. The outer doors are pinned to the landing gear rails so the edge is reinforce with 3 layers of FG and finishing resin over a pre installed brass tube. I will finish up the doors during painting. The MLG are mounted to the rails 5/8 inches from the outer gear well opening and centered on the rails. No big deal except...the 6-32 blind nuts must pierce the carbon fiber that is laminated to the gear rails. So another visit to Menardslumber and hobby supply...39 cents each for four new blind nuts

Mark Basel

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Okay!!!?! finish up the install of the inner MLG doors. Fitting the doors takessome time, I think I got them pretty close. Fitted the offset hinges tothe fuse and the doors lining them up with the opening, installed the cylinders and mounted the standoffs and bushings. The doors are centered and taped then position the hinges into the pockets. Once satisfied witht the fit of the doors and hinges tack glue the hinges in place. I reinforced the joint with smallflat head screws counter sunk into the doors and fuse. Takes a litte time but the payoff is a nice looking gear setup.

Mark Basel

My Feedback: (24)

Drilled a small hole for the flat head screws on both the fuse and doors with a angle drill and a 1/16 wire amd counter sunk the screw. Glued the hinges in with zpoxy and fiberglass filler hoping the zpoxy wont sag to much, so far so good....All glued up and nowhere to go

Mark Basel

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I'm not sure why but I find hinging flight controls a pain.Maybe because they take time to do them right but really don't have that wow factor like a neat canopy or cockpit. But onces their done it is a sense of accompishment.... or maybe I'm just glad to be done


They FB instructions have you grind out thehinges pockets for the flaps 1/32" below the top surface layer. Getting a nice straight line with a straight edge is a chore....so I made a wood jig to place on the top surface, traced a line and dug out the pocket.

Mark Basel

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The jig worked pretty good on the wing pockets too. next I will get the control horns measured out, drilled and installed, then glue the flaps into position permenantly.

drdoom

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Nice Maybe we should all get together at Tecumseh for the maiden Ill bring Tom Cook...Or you could bring it down here...

Mark Basel

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Tecumseh for sure! Will have a jet flythe first weekendin June so hopefully before then.

ddennison

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Looks great Mark! Keep up the great work.

PS - I have a box arriving from FL Wed....hope to fly it that weekend too...

Dave

Mark Basel

My Feedback: (24)

Thanks Dave! Hows the UB?....


I bet you all thought this thread went the way of the Dodo? well it has been awhile. Reason being, for the last 7 days I have been learning how to load plan all AF cargo aircraft the lonnnnnnng way and WAM'IN them out It isnt terribly difficult, just completefor a C-5 letssay about 20 lines and Violayou've burned about 2 hours of time


ANYWAY Back to the Firebird!!!!

Finished up the Flaps the last couple of nights Drilled and installed the flap controlthreaded rods, putting them exactly 3/4 inch behind the front edge of the flap. Using the servomount plate to find the line for theclevis rod to the control rod then mark the point at 3/4 inch from the front of the flap,Easy cheezy... Excepttransferring the mark to both sides of the flap was a little challenging but it's done and looks pretty good. Make sure to counter sink the control rod on the inside surface of the flap not the bottom....dont laugh to hard

Mark Basel

My Feedback: (24)

Mounted the servos to the mounting plate and counter sunk the screws to the zero flex servo mounts. The plates come already counter sunk to mount to the wing so the holes for the screws need to be drilled and tapped for a 4-40 screw.Made up the clevis push rods securing the clevis to the threaded rod with Hysol and adding the heat shrink per the plans.One more step done and on to the hatch!!!

Mark Basel

My Feedback: (24)

Finished the hatch today for the FB. It's always nice to finish a part of the build and move on to a new challenge! The FB like any model takes time to fit the hatch correctly and make it look purdy.

The front of the hatch rather than dowels or pins uses a key made of ply and carbon fiber, basically taking an oversizes piece and marking it to the opening. Cuttingit to size and attaching it to the front of the hatch took a little thought on how to find the slip fit of the two surfaces. I experimented with some double sided tape to hold the key in place on the front of the hatch. It gives a little andactually moved into position basically on it's own!!! A shot it the dark but it worked

The key is also tailored for a slip fit by changing the angle. So using the disk sander on my belt sander I gradually changedthe angle to about 15 degrees, glued it in place before I thought about messing with it and applied two screws to hold it securely.

Mark Basel

My Feedback: (24)

The key on the front of the hatch is then tailored some. the Instructions say to use sanding ablock......But thanks to modern technology....a good old belt sander saved me about two hours of making saw dustAfterfitting the key it's time to move onto the hatch tabs, 6 on each side. Using a dremel tool and some files I got the slots cut and tabs installed in short order. Using a 1/4 square piece of plastic bar stock I fit the tabs to the hatch gluing in place with 5 minute epoxy then permanently in place with resin and 1 inch glass tape.

Mark Basel

My Feedback: (24)

Finished off the aft hatch hold down plates, gluing in the plate in the hatch and fitting the other plate on the fuse. Formed a filler on the plate to give the glue something to hold onto, glued it into place with epoxyand hysol and glass taped it. Only way its coming out is a hammer and chisel or a big pair of pliers. Counter sunk the fastener holeandthar it tis.

Mark Basel

My Feedback: (24)

Installed the tanks this weekend.... Thanks Jeremy for the Heads up to install the tanks before the intakes The tanks are situated to clear access holes in the main wing spar for the tank vent lines and held in place with silicone. The wing leadingedges is prepped nowfor the tank pitot tubes that are installed later.