BVM Composite Bandit Build Thread. Yes from 1998.
03-03-2018, 09:43 AM
#127
Quick update no pics.
Well the deed is done, the inlets are drying now. The left inlet didnt fit perfect like the right intake, so I know there is probably a little bit of crickedness to them. I spend hours trying to figure it out. But in the air it wont matter IMO. Ive been beating up arfs for a long time with much worse.
I sanded down the bypass extension 2", maybe that wasnt perfectly flush either. There is a lot of room for cumulative error in this process, some error cancels out others and some adds up. Not to mention that since the bypass just slips over the inlets, you can get a lot of play right there.
So it is what it is!
Now that the inlets are drying, things are getting real now. Ive got the wings completed sans gluing the aileron hinges. I did quite a bit of work on the tail as well including the vert fin. I got the rudder servo in route so that will be my next step.
My goal is at the end of this month, to have it into "Arf" status without paint. If I can do that, then it has a good chance being flown this summer.\
\
We'll be talking about paint shortly. Ill need some input.
Well the deed is done, the inlets are drying now. The left inlet didnt fit perfect like the right intake, so I know there is probably a little bit of crickedness to them. I spend hours trying to figure it out. But in the air it wont matter IMO. Ive been beating up arfs for a long time with much worse.
I sanded down the bypass extension 2", maybe that wasnt perfectly flush either. There is a lot of room for cumulative error in this process, some error cancels out others and some adds up. Not to mention that since the bypass just slips over the inlets, you can get a lot of play right there.
So it is what it is!
Now that the inlets are drying, things are getting real now. Ive got the wings completed sans gluing the aileron hinges. I did quite a bit of work on the tail as well including the vert fin. I got the rudder servo in route so that will be my next step.
My goal is at the end of this month, to have it into "Arf" status without paint. If I can do that, then it has a good chance being flown this summer.\
\
We'll be talking about paint shortly. Ill need some input.
03-04-2018, 08:53 PM
#128
Main formers are drying, got a strip of hysol on the ducting too. Once dry Ill remove wings and add some more hysol to the edge of the formers, was worried about gluing wings on.
I need to cut out the air brake next.
The fused on this sure has a lot of cutouts on it.
Someday Ill clean up my shop, but with the mess Im making building this Im not sure there would be a point!
I need to cut out the air brake next.
The fused on this sure has a lot of cutouts on it.
Someday Ill clean up my shop, but with the mess Im making building this Im not sure there would be a point!
03-06-2018, 02:51 PM
#129
Looking great..
*** My personal Opinion*** The Air-brake is kind of an option..
I did not install one on my Balsa Bandit which was very light and certainly did not need it.
I did go to the effort of installing the air-brake on my Super Bandit, however I rarely use it. The big Bandit flaps, (when set at 45deg) are very effective.
Fitting the air-brake is a lot of additional work.
The BARFs have never needed one.
*** My personal Opinion*** The Air-brake is kind of an option..
I did not install one on my Balsa Bandit which was very light and certainly did not need it.
I did go to the effort of installing the air-brake on my Super Bandit, however I rarely use it. The big Bandit flaps, (when set at 45deg) are very effective.
Fitting the air-brake is a lot of additional work.
The BARFs have never needed one.
03-07-2018, 11:16 AM
#131
I cant argue with the lack of an airbrake on the ARF.
In my experience it has a lot to do with the turbine you use. Anything over a P-120 (and more residual thrust), you can use the extra drag to slow down. Crow does not work as well on a heavy plane like this will be (it will be a few pounds heaver than a bandit ARF). And I think the ARF is rated to 90 newtons (!) anyway I know guys have put everything up to P-160s in ARFs, but beware you will have to slow them down somehow.
Have you fit the hatches yet?
In my experience it has a lot to do with the turbine you use. Anything over a P-120 (and more residual thrust), you can use the extra drag to slow down. Crow does not work as well on a heavy plane like this will be (it will be a few pounds heaver than a bandit ARF). And I think the ARF is rated to 90 newtons (!) anyway I know guys have put everything up to P-160s in ARFs, but beware you will have to slow them down somehow.
Have you fit the hatches yet?
03-07-2018, 11:31 AM
#132
I had the canopy fitted but didnt like it I am going to redo it. I decided to wait until I get the formers in place so I dont warp the fuse trying to the canopy and hatch to fit.
Is the same true about the NACA duct the have in front of the vert fin, is it really needed? I am not using the supplied pipe I had BVM make me a new one.
Is the same true about the NACA duct the have in front of the vert fin, is it really needed? I am not using the supplied pipe I had BVM make me a new one.
Last edited by essyou35; 03-08-2018 at 10:16 AM.
03-07-2018, 11:59 AM
#133
I put them in my classic bandits but not in the supers, but the supers have a different double walled pipe so maybe they dont need them, I dont know
IMHO, you have to be careful on the ground, that is where the tail gets to hottest. The proper geometry at the exhaust cause the suction that cools the plane on the ground. That is the most important this , get the double wall pipe right, and the relationship with the aft FG nozzle. None of this is like the old kit you have.
You can always add the vents later if it gets hot, I strongly advise flying it in primer (at least that is what I do) in order to get things like this figured out before paint.
IMHO, you have to be careful on the ground, that is where the tail gets to hottest. The proper geometry at the exhaust cause the suction that cools the plane on the ground. That is the most important this , get the double wall pipe right, and the relationship with the aft FG nozzle. None of this is like the old kit you have.
You can always add the vents later if it gets hot, I strongly advise flying it in primer (at least that is what I do) in order to get things like this figured out before paint.
03-07-2018, 02:22 PM
#135
I have a new double walled pipe, I wasnt going to mess with what came with the kit. None of my other jets have a vent like that but they also dont have a bypass. Ill add it in.
I used some bvm pinhole filler for the first time today, man that stuff stinks bad. Even after dry and I wipe it off the part is still spittin out fumes. I cut out the splitter plates and glassed them, thought Id give it a try for weave filling. Jury still out, it leaves a rubbery feeling on the part and once again IT STINKS!
I used some bvm pinhole filler for the first time today, man that stuff stinks bad. Even after dry and I wipe it off the part is still spittin out fumes. I cut out the splitter plates and glassed them, thought Id give it a try for weave filling. Jury still out, it leaves a rubbery feeling on the part and once again IT STINKS!
03-07-2018, 02:30 PM
#136
I'm pretty sure the NASA duct is not needed, especially if you are using a double wall pipe. Again it s a lot of work to install especially if you wan to make a really neat job of it. Some Bandits don't even have the thermal blankets installed in the tail section.
Early turbines had a lot of residue thrust, which is probably why BV designed the air -brake..
I do not use Crow.. Flaps @ 45 deg works for me. Ravill knows Bandits though, so I wont get into this argument with him.
Early turbines had a lot of residue thrust, which is probably why BV designed the air -brake..
I do not use Crow.. Flaps @ 45 deg works for me. Ravill knows Bandits though, so I wont get into this argument with him.
03-08-2018, 06:26 AM
#137
These are the formers for the horizontal stabs, these brackets attach to them, and there is a ply doubler that joins them together. Are these good to go? I noticed on some of the newer models these are carbon fiber, should I do anything to them such as cut new ones and double them up or make them from thicker ply? The tail section they glue into has CF reinforcement, but strange these formers take all the force of the tail, I figured they would be thicker all across. At the joint they will be 1/4" thick but the brackes still only hold onto 1/16" wood.
I think this is my next step but will check in the manual, still need to install vert fin former and the former that the bypass goes through, so Ill check I wont make one part harder then it needs to be by doing them out of order.
I think this is my next step but will check in the manual, still need to install vert fin former and the former that the bypass goes through, so Ill check I wont make one part harder then it needs to be by doing them out of order.
03-08-2018, 09:38 PM
#141
I am not 100% sure, but if the super bandit aluminum fittings will fit here I would swap over to them. Unless you don't ever plan to take the stabs off, this early bandit attachment method is a real b**** to use.
I can't comment on the plywood, I think the stock system was strong enough. The super bandit just simplified the whole thing
I can't comment on the plywood, I think the stock system was strong enough. The super bandit just simplified the whole thing
03-15-2018, 08:26 PM
#142
I am very frusterated with the horiz. stab former halfs. The rear fuse is so weak that it deforms very easily and I have no idea how they expected it to hold shape while trying to get this mess to fit. If it had a former to hold the shape, then I can mess with the stabs that would be much better.
Its just impossible to keep the fuse from deforming. I need 7 hands for this part. Any tips?
I tried this: I put tape on the stabs and the fuse, ligned them up against the molding (not space) and put ca on the tape effectivly taking them to the fuse.
However in this case, the formers do not want to lign up to eachother to be glued together with the doubler. If I force them with a clamp, the fuse deforms.
Edit: Even the weight of the clamp is enough to deform the rear!
Bed time.
Without the tape, with the formers lined up against the doubler, the left stab gets a nasty gap up front.
Its just impossible to keep the fuse from deforming. I need 7 hands for this part. Any tips?
I tried this: I put tape on the stabs and the fuse, ligned them up against the molding (not space) and put ca on the tape effectivly taking them to the fuse.
However in this case, the formers do not want to lign up to eachother to be glued together with the doubler. If I force them with a clamp, the fuse deforms.
Edit: Even the weight of the clamp is enough to deform the rear!
Bed time.
Without the tape, with the formers lined up against the doubler, the left stab gets a nasty gap up front.
11-13-2018, 11:06 AM
#143
IF anyone is wondering, I started working on this again, may have a couple more questions. I installed my own sprinkler system, rebuilt my old motorcycle, bought a new motorcycle, wife learned to ride, etc.. So didn't touch this thing for like 7 months!
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patf (05-04-2021)
05-04-2021, 05:13 PM
#146
Your bike looks awesome. Now get back on that Bandit and lets see some pics. I just got done with an overhaul on my old Composite Bandit myself. I "remaidened" it at Tucson jets this year. It flew great, I kind of forgot how small it is by todays standards.
02-12-2022, 06:59 PM
#150
I cant believe I owned this kit for 6 years now. Ive had several false starts but this year Ive been pretty steady on it and am nearly to the arf status.
Is it ok to cover hinge lines with some thing fiberglass even though it wont be flush with the wing (it will be glued to top of wing and cover the line).
I had a yellow aircraft f-18 single that flies like garbage and been trying to figure out wth. I did cover all the hinge lines so Im worried. More than likely its the futaba servos I used in the tail are strong enough.
Is it ok to cover hinge lines with some thing fiberglass even though it wont be flush with the wing (it will be glued to top of wing and cover the line).
I had a yellow aircraft f-18 single that flies like garbage and been trying to figure out wth. I did cover all the hinge lines so Im worried. More than likely its the futaba servos I used in the tail are strong enough.