jofunk

Between filling and sanding sessions on the fuse, I started laying out the control surfaces on the wings. There are 3 flap sections, and 3 spoilerons. I've seen video with the plane operating with only the inside two flap sections down and sometimes with all three. So my idea is to separate the outboard flap on its own servo. As far as the spoilers ,I am only going to make two operational. The third outboard spoileron worked opposite. Instead of rising and deflecting air, it raised into the airstream and scooped in air. I am not willing to try that one. The outlined bay will house the four servos. I also glued on some wing tips.

pilot43

My Feedback: (3)

Excellent work and a very beautiful plane!

jofunk

I made a simple tool out of two pieces of balsa glued together at one end. One edge is straight so when it is slipped on the T.E. I can transfer lines to the other side of the wing. I used it to figure out where the servo box is on the bottom of the wing. I glassed that area and over the wing plug ins to harden everything before I remove the sheeting and foam on the top of the wing to open the box. Vladimir made some aluminum flap hinges for me. They came out very nice and are very substantial. I will need 8 of them total.

jofunk

With the bottom sheeting stiffened, i cut the top sheeting and removed it to start forming the spoileron and flap servo bay. It was good to see how well the sheeting was bonded to the foam. I have been waiting to use this foam cutting tool I acquired. It is a hot knife good for cutting servo pocket bays. It seems to work best when I jigged it up and down like a coping saw. I could more easily tell where I was cutting the foam. The pockets will get cleaned and squared up and then lined with some plywood. The one piece of plywood will run into the spar.

jofunk

The servo pockets started getting lined with some lite ply. It got glued in with wood glue and a few kickers to hold everything in place. The nice thing about foam core wings is you can put things where you want them and then box it out.

turbofixer

It looks good Joe. Those must be huge wings..My little one the wings look big.

jofunk

Hi TF. each wing panel is a little over 41" The total wing span should be 106" for 1/6th scale. Im very close. Have you been flying yours?...... I finished boxing in the bay with a little tape, T pins and wood glue. The hole in the plywood is where the servo leads will come in. The servo wire tunnel is nice and short from the root to the bay. Once I get the servo locations figured out, the bay will get some webbing to stiffen the box.

turbofixer

No I wish, My A5 is back burner until I finish my Mystere jet project

jofunk

I marked out and cut off the flaps. I added 1/8" to the outline for the caps. I cut it with an Xacto knife. The secret is a sharp blade and a bunch of light pressure passes. Otherwise the blade will run into the wood grain and run away from the line. The TE got brushed lightly with a sanding block to square up the foam. Where there was some missing foam I skimmed in a little light filler. When that dries the caps will get glued onto the wing. The outboard flap servo fits exactly into the pocket with no room to spare. I may modify the servos by adding some flanges so they can be screwed down from the top.

jofunk

The reason why I don't throw anything out. I found this U channel in the scrap pile. I think it will work to help mount the servos in the wing. I may need to pay a visit to Vladimir to have him cut it.

jofunk

Vladimir found a better piece of black anodized aluminum to make what I needed. He cut the pieces I need. They will need to be glued to the servos so I can mount them from the top for the flaps.

jofunk

I got the flanges glued on the servos. They will get a pull test when cured. There is also a distinct body line (kink) that runs from under the cockpit window back under the rear window and then fades. It was in the bulkheads but got lost under the 1/8" sheeting. I was slowed down lately because a friend of mine needed me to help him with a Byron Zero.

turbofixer

That is a hard line to make correct. Its narrow at the front canopy then wider past the second canopy out to nothing. With a kink in the middle...

jofunk

I'm done filling low spots for now. I separated the nose and started cutting some glass to harden a few areas before I cut the two hatches out. I also cut a few pieces for the top of the wing to cap the spar.

jofunk

I glassed the top of the wing over the spars, and the bottom of the recon. canoe. I also glassed the rest of the nose so the canopy can now get cut away. The double hump feature got a 5" wide strip of glass to lock in that feature. It put up a pretty good fight not wanting to lay down over all the angles. The main access hatch can also be cut away once it is all cured.

jofunk

I cut the main hatch away and also the hatch for the cockpit. I had to refresh my memory about the structure I built in. I found the lines and worked the hacksaw blade in and gently sawed the perimeter. With the hatches out I started glassing things to harden them. I changed the angle on the front of the vert. stab to get it to fit down closer to the fuse. Initially everything was built with 90 degree angles but the back of the fuse has a slope to it.

jofunk

And the glass work.

jofunk

With a hole punch I made 4 scabs of thin ply with the hole centered on them to harden the area where the screws for the wing hold downs go through the fuse. I punched 2 extra so if anyone wants to start a 1/6 scale Vigilante I will gladly send them to you to get you going ......... I glassed over the top front of the fuse. The main hatch got glassed. I also laid 4 more layers of glass over the cockpit. I am hardening it because I am going to pull a canopy down over it. Once I have a canopy everything will get cut out for the glass. I want to suck down 2 canopies, to ensure I will never need the second one.

jofunk

The top of the fuse. got the rest of the glass it needed.

turbofixer

its looking great Joe..

jofunk

I filled some low spots on the canopy. Some extra filler went around the hold down screws. I also burned a hole for the servo leads in the wing. Amazingly I hit it on the first shot.

jofunk

I made some hinge pockets to give the hinges a little more to grab on to besides foam. The sides of the fuse. got some more glass along with the inside of the hatch area. I also glassed the lite ply cap on the wings. With the extra resin I also glassed the balsa wood doors.

jofunk

I shaped the wing tips and added some missing LE. I also cut the flap sections apart. The hinges got a little notching to give them a little added grip. And ground hog day on the filler. As I am doing work on the parts I circle areas that need filler. When I get enough spots I mix up a half oz. of so and skim them. I also started on a hatch cover for the rudder servo.

wichet

Looking good Jofunk very nice build.
Here is ours nearly finished not as big as yours but still a size.
Graphics starting to go on.

jofunk

That looks great Wichet. You should post some pix on how everything is installed in your Vigilante. It would be interesting to see. I hope you video the maiden. If you do post it here. I hope you have good luck with it.

Joe