Skymaster Avanti XXL Build Thread
 

After months of sitting and counting the days in Afghanistan and here at home the second of three new projects has arrived! Really excited about about this jet, I wanted one from the time I saw the Avanti small back when it released.
It took about 3 months once the order was placed and It was a little challenging getting an order placed in a combat zone but it all worked out. That being said I would like to thank Eric Clapp for his hard work to make these projects happen. We had lots of email action over the months and I can be a handful at times, but it was a straight forward dealings and always a professional! A++ guy to deal with, but most of you already know that.
Super excited to get back to some building and flying this year! Just like before I will be posting pictures and videos from the beginning to the end and for people that may like to follow youtube or facebook I have pages listed in my signature of my personal pages. I will being doing the Avanti here but will probably just post the F-14 to my youtube/facebook site once it gets here, but anyway I hope you guys enjoy it! Cheers!

Video#1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lV_j...BAxA8bHVCw3VQQ
Video#2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsFh...BAxA8bHVCw3VQQ
Video#3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0m_H...BAxA8bHVCw3VQQ
Video#4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYWc...BAxA8bHVCw3VQQ

Subscribed, thank you

Good stuff. It's a fairly simple build. Need to get back on mine to finish it off after a 2-3 week break.

Mine has arrived, hope the hardpoints are there...........;)

Also, don't throw away your radio trays. They used to attach them to the sides/lid of the cardboard box. Easy to forget/throw away.....

Yep will check that.......tks.

Not sure what your talking about? Mine didnt have any radio trays. I will check the box and I was wondering about this.

So you do know what I'm talking about LOL

Your talking about the equipment trays correct? Mine didnt come with them, im heading out to check the box again and make sure I didnt miss them.
Also a side not, i am seriously considering just going with air and not converting the gear to electric. The gear works sooooooooooo smooth as is, I understand why they charge so much for gear! Work of art!!!
What are you guys running for torq on your Flaps and Ailerons? I was thinking about using 9074s which are 277 oz of torq and BLS172s on the elevators and rudder. The thrust vectoring im using two BLS175s

Bam! Yelp have to be careful almost missed them, they were in the bottom. I dont normally use the equipment trays and if I do I make my own out of thinner ply to save weight. That being said these are so nice and with a UAT slot and stuff already cut I may just use them or at least use it for a pattern for my own. These are pretty light weight!


http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2045331

Cool. Told ya they'd likely be there! Only because I threw mine away!! :cool:

I'm using
8911s on all surfaces
8915 on vectored thrust
Powerbox Royal SRS with integrated iGyro
Powerbox 3200 LiFe packs
Behotec 220

No nose door cylinders??

I told them not to install them since I was going all electric.

Small problem on wheel shaft length and washer that holds the wheel on. Nothing major I just added a small spacer to prevent the locknut from bending the washer that holds the wheel on the shaft.
Video#5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AqP...ature=youtu.be
Video#6 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB00...ature=youtu.be
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2045348http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2045349http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2045350

Okay so slow going today, just when I got going I hit my first road block. Problem #2 hit me in the face, one of the Aileron servo boxes is glued in wrong. It is way off center so I have to reconstruct one side of the servo box, this has to be done or the servo arm is almost sitting on the edge of the opening at center :( So on that not I will be back at the build once I fix this problem.

Okay so the corrected servo box issue is curing and the servos are mounted via your typical "L" bracket with screws and washers.
I have to get longer servo Arms, looks like 1.5 inch arm will work for everything, the flaps and Rudder need the longest arms. You could even use a 2 inch on the flaps and rudder, but i going 1.5 if I have to cut more area for the arms I will.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2045385http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2045387http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2045386

Ugh I have to work on some lightening its making the picture process a pain. Anyway just a small update, things are slow going with life stuff.
Video#7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImpA...ature=youtu.be

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2045599http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2045600http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2045601
I changed from the stock "L" brackets to a version that I like better.
Servo hatch is rough cut and the screws are installed. I didnt see any with the kit so I used some small screws I had
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2045612http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2045617http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2045613http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2045614http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2045615http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2045618http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2045616http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2045619

Okay a few more things done today, I wasnt able to build this weekend due to family stuff and im still waiting on my servo arms. I did however receive some stuff from BVM Monday and I put together a video with some info on their new Hi-flow items if anyone is curious like I was to the inner diameters. Which reminds me all future videos can be found on my Youtube page under theirs perspective playlist on the left side of the page.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE_...BAxA8bHVCw3VQQ
I will still post the pictures and things here its just easier to organize stuff there and jumping back and forth enough as it is.
As far as the build goes I worked on the Tanks today and the nose gear. I added the mod like my F-15 to the tanks and once the epoxy sets up I will plum them and finish it up. The nose steering arm supplied is to long for me and I had to cut some off each end since they drilled the arm in the wrong place.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2046732http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2046733http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2046734http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2046735http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2046736http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2046750http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2046751http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2046752http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2046756http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2046753http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2046754http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2046755

By the way my threads are for everyone, if you have an Avanti or just wondering about something feel free to post it.

My Avanti gear converted to Down and Locked electrics should be here later this week. I will post some pics of their work. BTW I have had 100 % success with their gear in both my Ultra Flash and Carf Tutor. Looking forward to the simple install!

D.W.

Yeah, I had great success with there conversion with my F-16, I also converted my F-15 and F-14. Its good stuff I just opted out at the moment due to budget and the air gear is so nice.

The nose gear is assembled and back in the jet. Im not a fan of the mounting of the retract on top of the mounts, not sure why the did that since its clear the retract is meant to be mounted the other way. The screw holes are even tapered on the other side to fit flush type screws, it is possible to mount it this way but would require some cutting of the bulkhead. I will leave it unless an issue develops down the road with a hard landing or something. The mounts for the screws could be a bit thicker or even some carbon like on the mains gear, its only 1/4in ply.
That being said I do think it will hold up to normal flying. :p
The tank mod is finished, the hysol setup and I to a dremel and cleaned up the inner lip where the stopper sits. I put the main tanks in there location and they do sit on the CG, it appears to be a little aft which would work out with the smoke tank installed but I will have to measure the CG location to confirm that. I will add some paint to make the aluminum look better tomorrow, im calling it for the night., 0530 comes pretty early. Cheers And Happy V day to all my fellow Vets!!!
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2046811http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2046814http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2046813http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2046812http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2046815http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2046816http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2046818http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2046819http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2046820http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2046821

Well after waiting a few extra days my package that I thought was sent back showed up, glad they actually forward stuff when you fill out the online forwarding address when you move!!!
So I can kick into high gear now!!! I finished up the tanks and the plumbing and getting back to installing the flap servos and cutting the servo arm holes. The 1.5in servo arm is perfect for the flaps and rudder, you can do a 1 in for ailerons and elevators no problem. Really like the high flow stuff BVM is making.
The latest video is up at my page showing the work so far and the goodies I got from Dreamworksrc.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE_rywpdgBAxA8bHVCw3VQQ

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2047233http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2047237http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2047234http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2047235http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2047236

Okay im starting to think this project is trying to tell me something. So after the delivery issues I get much servo horns and only one is for the futaba, the other 4 are JR so now I have to wait on more servo arms. Not a huge deal but i keep hitting all these little stoppages LOL so I have to switch gears again.

Hey guys I have a question about videos, would you guys prefer the live action or like im doing now just going over the work I have done as it progresses? This build has been bumpy with all the delays and jumping around due to waiting on items.

I have a question for current owners, could you measure your thrust pipes and post it here with your turbine size? Trying to verify pipe sizes to turbine sizes to help folks out. I should be able to build all weekend so hang in there more is on the way. Cheers!