timrob

Hi,

I have asked these questions on other posts before, but I didn't get an answer, so I will take a crack at them again. The first is related to the Trim Sabre's front nose leg door. I have the larger part with the off set hinges worked out, but was wondering about the mechanism for the front folding section. I am assuming the two parts are joined by 2 dubro hinges, but how are they attached to the fuse and strut?? Any photos??

The second question is about the aerial. I was told that the carbon fiber reinforcement running down the length of the fuse and other areas in the fuse, causes too much interference with the aerial which also runs down the length of the fuse. I was also told to put the aerial out the top of the fuse to the tail. I was wondering firstly if this is true, and secondly if a whip antenna would be a better solution and where to place this whip antenna??

I would appreciate any input.

Tim.

TommyWatson

My Feedback: (1)

Tim,

Use one offset door hinge like the ones you have for the main gear doors (cut off the unwanted parts), to hinge the top part of the nose leg door. Then use the dubro hinge in the middle break. Thats how the BVM sabre is done.


Regards

HarryC

My Feedback: (1)

I haven't completed mine yet so I can't guarantee it works, but i have installed a whip aerial a little ahead of the cockpit so all the aerial will be kept far away from c/f, ECU, pumps etc.

Harry

timrob

Hi Harry,

I have a DF model, so the ECU, pumps etc. aren't a concern, but the carbon fiber is. Have you done any range testing between inside and outside the model.

I think it was you that had all that trouble trying to get your kit a few months back. Obviously it came at last?? How are you finding the kit building? Nice kit, a bit lax on the instructions, plans etc. It wouldn't hurt to do a comprehensive instruction book similar to BVM. 4 pages on building the whole plane is not much. Hence all the questions, as this is my first build of a jet. I have only build 3 or 4 other models including a ARF trainer, so that hardly counts.

Have you had any trouble installing the inlet lip and duct?? My nose retract didn't clear the lip, and was worse when the gear was down. I had to put a dimple in the duct to clear. I checked everything, and it didn't seem to fit. Also the lip isn't a perfect fit, I have to force it a bit to go on, it doesn't look as neat as other TRIM sabre's I have seen.

Where are you up to in the build?? What color scheme are you doing? I am doing El Diablo/Liza Gal. I love that devil on the side.

Tim.

timrob

Hi again Harry,

With the whip antenna, it seems to be quite a bit shorter than the aerial, what do you do with the extra length? I know you aren't supposed to cut them short.

Tim.

HarryC

My Feedback: (1)

With a whip aerial you cut that exact length off the rx wire so that the total length of wire and whip equals what was the length of the wire. To the aerial, it's all just a length of conducting metal, it doesn't recognise flexible multi strand wire or solid rod.

I never got an original Trim kit, even despite phoning the factory and speaking to a lady there who assured me that mine was actually being parcelled up at that very moment. More months went by and in the end I had to buy a second hand kit that someone else had started and given up part way through. God help us if we ever want small spare parts, if that's how Trim dumps on customers trying to buy entire expensive kits.

Overall it does seem good quality - the major parts are seriously good quality but in other areas it has some bad let downs. Yes the instructions are inadequate, the fit of the inlet to the main fuz is poor, as is the cockpit hatch to the fuz. The canopy is very poor, it has orange peel surface on the inside so it badly breaks up the view of the otherwise nice cockpit kit, it is so bad I am investigating getting a local plastics firm to make me a custom canopy. No servos that I have fit the wing bays and their odd mounting system. I haven't encountered a conflict with the duct but I mounted the nosewheel ram in the correct place and when I retracted the noseleg the wheel fouls on the ram when it is only half way in, so that had to be cut out and repositioned miles away from where the plan shows. The fg covers for the wheel wells are too small so I had to lay up my own. I may be wrong, but I have measured the dimensions of those fuel tanks and they are not 1 litre each, more like 3/4 litre, so in total it is only carrying 1.5 litres, not 2 litres of fuel.

Since the tray carrying the fuel pump etc sits in the gap between the wings where the servo leads and airlines come out, how on earth do you get in to connect anything up?

I didn't like the fin being butt joined to the fuz so I made a giant control horn from cf and glasscloth laminate. I cut a slot in the fuz mount and epoxied the horn up through it so the base of the horn is inside the fuz, then cut a slot in the foam of the fin and slid it over the horn with plenty epoxy in there. It is never ever going to come away!

Trying to get the rudder onto its hinges that are at right angles to the fin while sliding the horn balance into the slot at an angle to the fin was, erm, frustrating.

I am martyring myself by trying to do an original Korean war metal finish. This is my first attempt at using BVM Metal kote, and getting a smooth gloss black for the metal kote to go on is causing nightmare work. Once all the painting and marking is done and lacquered I have the final fit of the radio and all the plumbing for the engine and retracts and brakes. I have a sequencing valve for the gear and doors but am so keen to fly this thing that I might leave the doors off initially. I know the front leg split door is going to be a pain.

I will be using 10 channels, I have my 12 channel Rx ready and flight tested in another model, it has twin battery sockets with diode protection already built in so I will carry two 1700 5 cell nicads for the radio.

Harry