zonker123

My Feedback: (21)

Ok heres the start of the build thread.

Skymaster Extreme Dragon. this is the PRO Version. It came with the gear installed and the nose gear door/cylinder. Included two fuel tanks I think about 145 oz or so combined.
The gear are trailing link similar to the PRO LINK available from Dreamworks. I know that Dreamworks makes a gear set specifically for the Dragon. Hope I don't need them but is nice to have a back up. Tires are inflatable and the mains roll on bearings while the nose wheel is bushed. Haven't looked at the brakes yet but will and and post pics. Robart pin hinges preinstalled on the control surfaces (except flaps) and holes are already matched up in the wing, rudder and ailerons.

The Rudder stab is mounted with two posts that are drilled and tapped for securing bolt from the inside of the fuse. Elevator stabs mount on a carbon rod at the back with an alignment pin at the front that is also drilled and tapped for a securing bolt similar to the rudder. Each elevator is also secured with a self tapping screw though the stab and into the carbon rod. Servos mount inside the the elevators/rudder stabs at the root so the only access to the servos requires that you remove the stabs from the fuse. I have already mounted mine with JR 8411's for the elevators and a Hitec 7995 in the rudder. I know there was concern from some recent Dragon owners that was a former for the rudder mount in the fuse that had been left out. Mine appears to have the former but please take it upon yourselves to look at the pics and confirm that.

Finish looks great and the fits so far appear to be decent. Nothing bad yet has jumped out at me. The pipe length appears to be a bit on the short side but I am in conversation with some guys who have built a couple of recent Dragons and hope to know more soon so I will wait to comment till I am sure of what I am talking about. I have fitted the cockpit kit that I ordered with the plane but will not secure it till every thing else is done. I am installing a very low time Jet Central Cheetah (31# thrust) and will be running smoke tubes along the pipe and injecting the fluid at the rear of the pipe. Much safer. There is room beside the kero tanks for two 20oz dubros to hold the smoke fluid.

Will post some more as I come along.
Take care!
mike

PaulD

My Feedback: (39)

Should be fun! Looking forward to it Mike.

PaulD

mhadjiky

Could you attached pictures of servo installation on elevators?

Thx.

zonker123

My Feedback: (21)

Sure, but it will be the next couple of days before I get to it.

Little more done, Nose gear servo mount fabricated and mounted, Hitec 5645 used for the steering.

Fuel tanks mounted, there is a block underneath the bottom tank that its resting on, its not just sitting on the lip of the bulk head.

Not mounted yet but you can see how i will mount the two Dubro 20 oz tanks for the smoke.

More to come.

Mike

mhadjiky

Zonker123 can I attached pictures of my Dragon building progress?

hooker53

My Feedback: (106)

I really like how this jet is layed out. Sp with the tanks.

Gene Margiotti

My Feedback: (4)

Mike this is great!! I've been looking at this plane for 5 years now. The (possible??) issues with the canopy seem to have been fixed and the slow landing speed looks good. Thanks for posting your thread.

Gene

zonker123

My Feedback: (21)

Certainly. We can split the royalties.

mhadjiky

I need help for elevator servo installation.
Did you have pictures?

Thanks

Marios

mhadjiky

There is a hole on the former for servo inside elevetor and rudder fin.
The direction of that former is not correct. I am not sure about that, but I did not find the way to screw the servos.
If you screw the servo on the former the servo is not in the correct possision. Please try and let me know your findings.

Thanks

Marios

zonker123

My Feedback: (21)

Yep I came across the same thing. You will have to shim the leading edge of the servo up with about 1/4" /6MM block or spacer. The macro feature of my camera is not working as it should so the pics are blurry but you can make out the block. On the rudder I had to add the block and drop the trailing edge of the servo below the mounting plate to get a straight shot at the rudder. The mounting plate geometry is wrong as it stands. I know that what Ive done will work but I am going to contact Skymaster/Exreme and make them aware and see what happens. They have been pretty good so far.

All the airlines are run. DreamWorks vent system in place. Cockpit fitted but not secured yet. The pipe in the pictures is from another plane. Waiting on the longer pipe from Extreme. My JetCentral Cheetah installed (very nice motor by the way), You can see I widened the motor mount to fit. Working on the RX/ECU/Headertank/VALVEs/BALL VALVE/PUMP/ SMOKE PUMP/install over the next couple of evenings then on to the wings.

wfield0455

My Feedback: (7)

Interesting... It looks like the former for the elevator servo mount is perpendicular to the hinge line as opposed to
parallel to the root rib. I had assumed that I would need to install the elevator servos "face first" and have the mounting
screws installed from the bottom of the servo. I haven't done any detailed measurements yet but it looks like doing
so will allow the servo linkage and control horn to be perpendicular to the hinge line. Would that not work?

john josey

Is the slot for the elevator servo arm cut at the factory ?

john josey

Sorry double post.

wfield0455

My Feedback: (7)

Nope, that would be too easy.

john josey

That may actually help you with your idea of mounting the servo the other way ?

wfield0455

My Feedback: (7)

Yes, being able to position the servo arm slots where ever I like does give me the option of installing the servo output shaft first. After playing with it a bit more, that appears to be the only way I can get the linkage geometry that I'm after.

mhadjiky

Zonker 123 you have done big progress. I also contacted xtream about the problem of servo installation inside rudder and elevators.
The problem was the the former direction.
Anyway... I have finished the wings and all servos installed. Also fuel tanks installed.
I work now on power and air distribution. I will also reinforce with carbon cloth center to the nose section of the plane.
Pictures later tonight...

Marios

mhadjiky

Please find attached pictures that I have promised to post.

wfield0455

My Feedback: (7)

Ok, so now that you have your elevator servos installed, and the former direction was the problem, how did you solve it?
Did you completely remove the rib that the servo would attach to and use some other type of mounting?

Also, what did you use for elevator servos?

zonker123

My Feedback: (21)

I have JR 8411's on mine. if i didn't have those already available i would have gone with hitec 7955s
Spent this evening laying out pumps and valves , maybe a pic tommorow.

john josey

ORIGINAL: wfield0455



Ok, so now that you have your elevator servos installed, and the former direction was the problem, how did you solve it?
Did you completely remove the rib that the servo would attach to and use some other type of mounting?


[/quote]

He must have used a doubler on one side of the former, but what thickness to give the new/correct angle for the linkage, and is there enough gluing surface for the doubler as this is what will be holding the servo in place.

I should say here that i dont own this jet, but i have been looking at this one for a new jet for next season.

wfield0455

My Feedback: (7)

I purchased the Savox 1256 servo package that they offer and I'm not certain that I'll be able to fit them on the horizontal stabilizer due to their thickness.
I also have a pair of Hitec 7985 which have similar torques spec and dimensions to your 8411s and they look like they will be easier to install..

wfield0455

My Feedback: (7)

I haven't completed any work on my Dragon yet as I like to be certain I have everything sorted out in my mind before I start. Today I was looking through
the hardware package and it appears that X-Treme Jets provided enough aluminum brackets to mount 7 servos. I'm curious if Marios ended up using the
supplied aluminum brackets to mount his rudder and elevator servos or if he found a different solution.

mhadjiky

I was so excited that I managed to install properly the servos and I forgot to take same pictures. The attached picture shows my solution.
First I have cut a 2,5mm plywood slightly bigger than servo and then I have screwed the servo on it using supplied aluminum supports. I also applied some Hysol around aluminum supports. Then I have installed the servo arm. Take care, you have to put everything in the correct direction (center the servo, servo reverse, etc). Then I made the servo slot on the former bigger , I have applied Hysol on the plywood and installed the servo in the desired position. Next day when the hysol was dry I made all needed measurements and I opened the slot for the servo arm. To get out the servo arm you must open a little longer slot. With that solution you can put the servo in the correct position and if you need to replace it you can do it.