Levi Wags

Looking good Gary. I also have one of Wilsons pilots on the way.

Mine came with washers installed on all gear bolts so SM are listening to feedback.

Before I have a go at it, I was wondering how everyone ran there wingtip lights through the wing into the fuse?
Is there a void in the wing you can follow all the way, or do you need to create one?

Cheers
Levi

rbxbear44

My Feedback: (86)

Yes, you can get the wires from the wing tip to the root without a problem.

Rex

Levi Wags

Thanks Rex

Viper1GJ

My Feedback: (20)

I removed main landing gear assembly today so I could paint the engine compartment. It will also make it much easier to do the assembly work and fabricate the custom engine and pipe mounts required for the B300F and 300N pipe. Compared to the previous F-16 gear I have used this is a modeling work of art. Very well done. It is light and it looks strong.

However during the factory painting the air nipples were not covered. Most of the air nipples collected a good coat of paint that filled in behind the nipple barb. Below is an example.

With the paint on the nipple there was very little grip on the air tubing and I would think it might even blow off under 100 psi. I will clean off the paint with the gel paint stripper before reinstalling the gear.

jsnipes

My Feedback: (3)

Good to see you're started on it, Gary! Looking forward to following your build!

JS

bri6672

My Feedback: (6)

If you don't already know this, put a drop of 3n1 oil on the barb right before reinstalling the air line. This will create a better seal and prevents leaks. Thanks for posting the pick out side of the model, very cool!

Viper1GJ

My Feedback: (20)

Levi,

I am not installing lights but I do not see any holes from the factory in the wing root to do it. Also there is no hole in the wing root to run the LEF servo wire. While not a big problem I found it frustrating that there was no pre cut hole for this required servo wire.

Gary

rbxbear44

My Feedback: (86)

I was able to run both lighting and servo wire through the wing and out of the root with no problem. I just fished a wire through the inside of the slat servo box and it went straight out to the root. The wiring for the lights went through the entire wing with no problem either.

Rex

DiscoWings

My Feedback: (76)

same issue here, what are you going to do cut through the rib? looked all around the slat box I found no hole any where.

Viper1GJ

My Feedback: (20)

Stab servo install was a little time consuming. The first task is to get the right and left stabs selected. If I got it right the static dischargers are under the right stab and on top of the left.

The space between the fuse and stab is fixed based on the slot in the stab rod. I am using MKS 777 servos and SWB arms. The servo mounting hole was perfect in location. The servo arm was shallow and the servo had to be shimmed.

I had to shim the servo with two washers under the servo mounts. I did not use the rubber grommets. Any less shims and the SWB servo arm would not clear the fuse side. Any more the arm was too far out and hit the stab root. With two washers it still slightly rubbed the bottom of the fuse side so I removed the gel coat slightly with a Dremel tool below the servo arm and will touch up paint later.

The next issue was that the servo arm screw contacted the metal bearing slot inside the stab root and prevented the stab rod slot from locking in place with the little clip at the end. I had to recess the metal servo bearing slot about 1/32" to have the screw clear the metal bearing slot and have th stab lock in.

The last issue was that the servo arm screw made contact with the fiberglass stab root and would not allow the stab full deflection at the servo end limits. I removed part of the stab root to provide clearance for the servo arm screw but the screw head would hit the top of the stab at the servo end limits. I finally made a small relief cut on the top of the stab root to clear the servo arm screw.

This may be overkill for the final ATV settings for flight. If so it is an easy fix to fill in the notch and touch up paint.






Tail servos done, wings next.
Gary

Viper1GJ

My Feedback: (20)

There are no holes in mine either. Will start work on it this week. I have not done it yet. I will cut a hole in the root to match the one in the fuse root. After that I will have to figure out the best way to get to the LEF servo well from there. Not sure what to expect in the wing.

This should not be for an $8K ARF Plus Pro kit! Somebody programed the CNC router to cut lightening holes in the wing root, they should have done the servo wire hole also!

Gary

Viper1GJ

My Feedback: (20)

Rex,

Did you have a hole in the wing root for the servo wire?

Viper1GJ

My Feedback: (20)

For future ref:

How are you guys securing the aft intake tube to the front tube and still getting access to the lower center hopper tank and equipment under the aft intake tube?

Levi Wags

Yes Gary I just lined up the wing with the servo hole in the fuse as you did, then had to also drill my own hole for servo.
Running the wing tip lights was a little harder. I had to drill three holes in the wingtip before I found a clean run through to the fuse.
No great drama but I agree Gary for the price you pay you would think it would be made easier.
Im lucky that my F16 is in white so I can patch and paint.

Levi Wags

I had to cut straight through the timber support between the lightening holes as my SBUS plug wouldn't fit. I've got the slat and wing lights wired onto the SBUS plug.
I had to re strengthen both sides with hysol and ply after the cut.

rbxbear44

My Feedback: (86)

Here are some pics of the exits holes for the Slat Servo wire and the lights.

rbxbear44

My Feedback: (86)

The way I set mine up...keeping in mind my center tank under the intake is for smoke, my ByPass holds the intake extension in place with forward pressure. So, to take that section out, I would need to unscrew the bypass from the turbine rails, slide it back an inch and then the intake extension can slide out. BUT, I do have a center hopper tank and a ECU deck above the intake extension. So, it's some surgery...not much but will take removing a few things to get to it.

Viper1GJ

My Feedback: (20)

Thanks Rex.

Cut hole on wing roots to match hole in fuse side root for the LEF servo. I did find a path to the LEF servo mount after cutting the hole by snaking a piece of safety wire into the wing.




Working flaperon and LEF servo install now. Tolerances are very tight. Did anybody put the backing nut on when mounting the ball pin on the flaperon servo arm. It is very close to the fuse side and the nut will not fit. Not sure I trust just tapping the servos arm and screwing the ball post in even with red Loctite.


Here are my tanks.

Is the hole in the wrong place on the center hopper tank? Its in the bottom half.

I have seen other photos with the hole in the upper half of the tank. Mine is in the lower half. The stopper will butt directly against the nose gear well aft former.




Thanks
Gary

rbxbear44

My Feedback: (86)

Gary,

Here are some pics of my slat servo install. I was able to put a locknut on the end of the bearing screw after cleaning out the box area. Even after final positioning of the arm and throws for the slats once I got everything together, I was able to adjust the arms up and lock nuts still cleared the servo box.

These might not be too good of pics for you, but maybe they will help.



And yes, your tank was drilled wrong. Just drill the correct placement in the top half of the tank and use that hole to help access a piece of G-10 and Hysol onto the inside of the tank to patch the error. This seems to happen from time to time.

Rex

Viper1GJ

My Feedback: (20)

Yep, I thought the hopper tank hole was wrong. Will have to patch it.

I was specifically asking about the flaperon servo arm backing nut behind the ball pin.



Did you have room to put the ball pin backing nut on behind the servo arm and clear the fuse side? If not how did you fasten the ball pin to the servo arm?

Thanks,
Gary

rbxbear44

My Feedback: (86)

Oops, sorry. Thought you were talking about the Slats. No, no room to put a nut on the back of the Flaperon arm. Yes, I drilled the correct distance for the ball on the arm, threaded the hole with a die and used red loctite.

Levi Wags

Just wondering who has worked out the SM lighting system? Instructions are Chinese. Is there an English version?
Also I was thinking of mounting the nose gear steering servo and ram under the forward intake in the wheel well. If anyone has pics of their install of this it would be much appreciated. Also my steering ram is locked up. Do you need to pressurise the system?
Sorry if this has been covered, if so please direct me to the page.

Thanks
Levi

rbxbear44

My Feedback: (86)

Levi,

As far as the nose steering setup, there really sin't any other place you put it, except under the forward intake. You need to cycle the gear and make sure you allow for the clearance of the wheel when retracted.

Pics of mine:



Also, if you notice, I created a "cradle" for the cylinder to make it removable.

bri6672

My Feedback: (6)

Levi,

i have it it worked out. Just be sure not to turn it on with less than 3 lights per channel! It uses a stacked bulb scenario to reduce the voltage! I burned some bulbs up figuring it out! I have a translated English version of the instructions, I will find it and get it to you!

Brian

Levi Wags

Thanks for the pics Rex. Very helpful.

Thanks Brian. Glad you told me about the stacked bulb set up. I was going to hook up one light at a time to start working them out. All or nothing hey.

My Aussie SM dealer just emailed me a set of English instructions.

Thanks again
Levi