suhakkogi

I'm still making my FEJ F16 jet kit one by one but I'm in trouble for attaching ventral fin on the fuselage.
I need removable fin but this kit is supposed to be glued like the pictures.
I don't want to attach it permanently for easy transportation.
Can anyone suggest me how to make removable fin? I couldn't find any reference pictures how other f16 kits are in this forum.
Thank you

raron455

My Feedback: (38)

my 1/6 Skymaster the ventrils are glued on, I also had a 1/8 FEJ f 16 and they were glued on as well the problem would be if you use any kind of nut you won't be able to reach in under the pipe to tighten it.

Ruizmilton

My Feedback: (29)

I built a JL 1/6 scale a couple of years ago with removable ventrals, do you want to make them removable for ease of transport or for storage? This is important, if it is for ease of transport, where you need an inmediate way of installing or removing them from outside the fuselage, I have not come up with a practical way to do it, but if it is for semi-permanent installation you can do what I did, the reason it does not work for ease of transport is that turbine and pipe have to be removed to remove he fins, try this; if the brass studs that are visible on the fin are tubes, just aeropoxy on the tubes some threaded rods, on the inside of the fuse, glue ply or hardwood supports where the studs will insert and that will hold the fin's position, the supports have to be a single piece of wood that will cover both studs per fin and has to be wide enough to stiffen the fuselage on the area where the fins will be installed, the supports also have to be thick enough and properly drilled so that they will allow the fins to be inserted and not wobble on the mounts, the stud holes on the supoorts will go all the way thru so that on the protuding threaded rods you can place washers and a locknut to tighten the fins to the fuse from the inside. Hope this helps!

siclick33

I thought about this for my little Cermark F-16.

One idea I came up with is to make keyhole slots on the fuselage and then screw a suitable size nut onto the rods that stick out of the fins. You can then glue a hatch catch onto the inside of the fin to secure them in place.

To fit them, push them in position, slide them back until the nuts engage in the 'keyhole' and the catch will lock in the hole drilled in the fuselage. To remove, open the hatch catch and slide the fins forward.

Whilst I think that this would work ok, in the end I just glued them in place.

lookilook

Also mine are fixed but when i was building it i came across an idea which i cannot find at the moment and i can only describe it but maybe someone will pop in later with drawings or pictures to explain.
The idea was based on the picture frames we hang on the wall where the frame has a metal piece at the back that is cut narrow at one end and then gets wider where the frame will slide in and rest on the screw head in such a way that if you pull it it wont come off......same way with ventral fin...you put 2 flat head screws and from inside of the model you glue the metal piece as described on the frame ,you insert the ventral fin in the body and push it backwards so that the head of the screw is resting on the metal piece. the airflow will keep it in place. i hope you understand the idea the way i described it.

Found a picture to help conceive the idea.

suhakkogi

Thank you for the advice all.
I think key-hole is worth to try. if not working, no choice to glue them all.

Rider-60

My Feedback: (17)

Mines are just tack glued so they will pop off if they hit the runway.

if I were to have them removable I would put two tubes in the fuselage with Wood support to be able to slide the fins in place. Lock them with magnets glued in the fins and in the fuse. Very strong and easy

Rider-60

My Feedback: (17)

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schroedm

My Feedback: (1)

Bullet connectors? Male in the ventral fin protruding and the female in a block hysoled in the fuse. Removable in seconds and firm enough never to detach mid flight.

suhakkogi

Thank you for your advice. now I'm clear and I know what I need to do.
combination bullet connector and magnet would be the best easy and robust I think.

FalconWings

My Feedback: (57)

here's a shot at it. Add threaded pushrod ends to the ventrals, glue with hysol. Leave 1-1.5" of protrusion. Find a good size of air lines that will wrap around the threaded ends, with enough friction to retain them, but loose enough to allow disconnection. Install hardwood blocks inside the fuselage, drill holes just large enough to attach the air line, and hysol the air line in.

You should be able to pop the ventrals in and out.

FalconWings

My Feedback: (57)

Picture's worth a 100 views :-)

Note, if threaded end is too much firction, consider just plain "piano" wire.

FalconWings

My Feedback: (57)

actually going to do this on a Viper Im finishing. I'll post some pics after Im done.

suhakkogi

Many thanks for detail information with diagram, FalconWings. I hope to see your Viper soon.

FalconWings

My Feedback: (57)

Sure no problem. if it wasn't 22F in my garage right now I'd finish it tonight!

AndyAndrews

Just use strong rare earth magnets. I have a buddy that did that and it works perfect.