Thanks Sverrir!

My buddy Cliff's Viper cockpit installed into the canopy frame, he made it so it can be removed with screws

Using screws was my first thought. Going up through the bottom of canopy frame like in the pics was what I had in mind, but how to secure the screw into the flimsy plastic of the cockpit tubs has been the hold up.

Bond 1/8" plywood strips under the plastic of the cockpit, then the screws have something to bite into

Yes, that would work...thx!

I second Sverrir's recommendation of using the silicon sealer/glue:  I use GE Silicon II (clear).  Readily available in hardware stores or Home Depot.  The beauty of this product is you can remove an item that has been fixed if necessary.  A loop of safetey wire or razor knife easily cuts through the silicon.
Not for gluing critical structural components however.

I been experimenting with mounting of the batteries as far up front as possible, Skymaster does give some room in the front; however it allows the batteries to press against the fiberglass and will cause distortions over time on the outside skin.
So I designed a battery carrier, I need to add a holding mechanism for the tray, and some slots for the battery hold down straps... other than that it should work

RCISFUN,

Thanks for all the PDF files...big help. I may end up building the tray at some point. At the very least I'll pass it off to my buddy who's building one now.

I was racing to get mine done so I could fly it the weekend prior to CA jets. I ended up finding, even with the batts on either side of the nosegear, that I needed a full cockpit with two pilots (ok one pilot, and one Barbie liberated from my daughter's stash (which she asked to get it back after Barbie was a double-amputee by the way!)) to balance it. I flew it with a ~15mm forward of the center of the main spar CG (mains empty, UAT full) and have found that I'd like to move it back a bit. The elevators are deflected up a couple mm for straight and level, though the inverted down lines feel pretty solid.

All in all I was quite disgusted by the time I finished the build with SM/XJ, but flying it took most if not all of those feelings away. It really flies quite well.

One note after 22 flights, the sheer pin in the nosegear is more of a bend pin. I had a series of very nice, although a bit fast, landings and ended up bending the pin enough that I did a couple gear passes to make sure the nose gear was all the way forward and locked. I'd recommend changing that pin before even flying it (thanks for the help Henry at CA Jets). Food for thought.

Dave

McMaster Carr has a good selection of pins... and they ship out fast...

Thanks Dave,
On mine I am not using the stock SM gear.
I am using a 1/4" hardened shaft for my front pin... I have a good supply of them from old equipment

hi,
would someone please send a pic on where to cut and pass the extension wires and air lines out of the servo wing box. i checked for pics in this forum and others but couldn't find how and where to cut. the manual isn't indicating either. i don't want to do something wrong here. thanx KAON

Just cut a hole in the box section that faces the wing root
I do have to question why you are also mentioning the Air Lines, as these would not routed through the balsa servo box

One more thought fellas...hot glue for the cockpit. Easy to remove, easy to apply.

It also works well for UAT mounts, servo wire stays, and holding the universe together in general (like a plug-in version of duct tape!)
Dave

Thanks for the tips about the canopy/cockpit attaching. My only concern with silicone or hot glue is the goo itself and the risk of making a mess, which I am quite good at creating when dealing with those things. My first choice will be figuring out how to attach them with screws.

Well I have been busy for the past week fabricating the cockpit tubs for the viper, I was going to try to purchase them and even PM'd Anton asking for price and delivery...no reply[]

So I said the heck with it and borrowed my Buddies to copy, I started by drawing all of the part in Auto Cad, attached are 1:1 PDF files of all of the components.

It was better to do this anyhow in my mind as the Skymasters were too deep and didn't allow any clearance for the trays below.

Here is the beginning photo and the progress to date photo, my parts are Grey, I have not made the fine details of the instruments yet.
I will post more photos of the build later

hello Rich, thanx or the tip, for the air lines i want to re-route them through the front holes to avoid the landing gear during retract.

Your cockpit make up is AWSOME... now you need to do up one for the Viper MKII!! (the larger one)

:-)

It would be easy, All I should need is the inside dimensions of the canopy frame opening
For example the 2M Viper shown is 14 3/4" x 5"

The MKII dimension is 19.5"X6&5/8"

It looks like you already have a cockpit

The one you make is better!

It took me a long time to finish the cockpit, a lot of trimming and fitting.

From the scale pictures I noticed that the dash board was very far forward, something I tried to achieve.
It would have been easier to place the tubs where they naturally wanted to go.
I had to cut off the bottom front parts of the tubs, as well as the pilot's legs.
Painted the sills silk black, and used black silicone bath sealer to hide all my butchery.
I was inspired by Lozza's full size pictures where you sometimes see the passenger grabbing a handle as the pilot banks hard.
I will add some cockpit mirros made from old AOL CD's !

Turned out reasonable I think, but never again. I will either tint the canopy or just put a plate in the bottom of the canopy and use a "bust" of a pilot.

Pictures to follow as soon as I have cooked supper.

I cut out the 2 NACA cooling inlets, dorsal gills and engine vents too.
Here some pics.....

why?