I’m starting a new thread on this called “Insight Retro”. I have my foam model together and will post the info ASAP.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/Insi...2906006/tm.htm

Good News for me. Buddy is going to sell me the plane I flew at Waco for a really surprising price. I just need to dump my Edge and Im in business. Im practically going to give it away if anyones interested. Im excited.....

That's great news for you......bad news for the rest of us in 402....I gotta go practice.

I finished the side sheeting at the nose and then rough sanded everything around there, including the pipe tunnel. I also cut away the horizontal section that went across the base of F1-B. It is impossible to slip the motor in and out unless this is cut away. With the sheeting in place, the nose is plenty stiff without it. The entire pipe tunnel and bottom section of the engine compartment will need a coat of epoxy to seal the wood and fill gaps in the sheeting.

Canopy: I have the 3 front pins glued into the canopy and aligned, so the canopy only lacks a hatch latch at the rear.

I was curious at the weight. The scale said 39oz....seems heavy, although, the v.fin, stab, elev. pushrods, landing gear legs, mtr. mount, and canopy are in place....so I don't think it's really all that bad.

There is alot of work still ahead (details) for the fuse, but it's nice to see it basically built (structurally speaking).

It was time to make a nosering. The home made nosering in my current Insight is holding up very well, so I decided to try the same method. I laid out a 1/16" ply plate with an I.D. of approx. 1.300", which I lined with a section of split fuel tubing. Once I had the fit of the I.D. to motor correct (snug), I mouted the motor into the fuse with the nosering on the motor. I measured and made spacers from lite ply to allow the nosering to ride about 1/2" behind the rear face of F1. With the spacer blocks made, and glued to the front of the nosering, I re-assembled it into the fuse and drilled a hole through one side of the nosering. The hole is drilled all the way through the spacer block and ply nosering. Back again out of the fuse, I mounted a 4-40 blind nut to the backside of the nosering on the drilled hole (0.125" bit). Back into the fuse again, this time, I tightened up the nose on the one side with a 4-40 cap screw. I then drilled the second side of the nosering and mounted my 4-40 blind nut. These 4-40 cap screws will be replaced with countersunk head cap screws later so that clearance behind the spinner backplate will not be an issue.

Later, I will fuel proof the nosering with resin.

I laid out the cheeks today. I cutout the cheek template from the plans and aligned on top of the shuck containing the sheeted cheek stock. I ran the shuck and all through the bandsaw along the template and now we have a cheek. I taped them on temporarily to check for fit....not bad. All the faces that have exposed foam will be sheeted and sanded later.

Not much done tonight....

Got the cheeks capped and sanded. Positioned them on the fuse and glued with polyurethane glue....now I wait....


-mark

The cheeks are glued on and now it is time to start filling and sanding the fuse. I also applied epoxy resin throughout the pipe tunnel and any areas that I missed before in the engine compartment.


I also worked on the wing panels last night and tonight. I capped the wing tips, ailerons and added a trailing edge cap strip.

Lots of sanding to do tomorrow night....

Been too busy to really work on the plane alot...however I have been sanding and adding filler where needed. I have added fillets on all the inside corners of the fuse and it is starting to look better and better.

On the wings, I have sanded in the trailing edge cap, the ailerons are capped and rough sanded. It is now time to glue on the root ribs.

Worked on the wing mounting hardpoints tonight. I placed a threaded stud near the leading edge and a stud near the trailing edge. There will be one adjuster toward the trailing edge. I used my foam cutting template (notice the hole for the wing tube) to place the pilot holes (3 per side) in the fuse sides and the root ribs.

Anyone recognize the insert for the threaded stud? It is a #6 drywall insert. It accepts a 6-32 threaded bolt very nicely. I used a little bit of polyurethane glue to fill a small pilot hole for the drywall insert. I then simply screwed it into the wing root. I cutoff the head of the bolt after screwing it down into the insert as far as it would go. I can't take credit for this idea and I have not seen or heard of it before, so this plane will a first for me. My pal who came up with idea did test the idea on a block of foam. We had to each pull seperately with every muscle we had in order the pull the insert (and a big chunk of foam) out of the foam test block.

I made four nuts from hardwood that will secure the wings on the inside of the fuse.

I was also able to get started on setting the wing adjusters in place.

This morning I was able to carefully get the wings squared up to the fuse and parallel with the stab. Only a minor adjustment was needed and I was then able to secure with wing tube sleeve into the fuse with 1/8" lite ply donuts. The wing panels are now mounted and ready for final incidence adjustment (later).

As seen in the second pic, the airframe weighs 4 lbs. (incl. motor mount, gear legs, elev. pushrods).

Real life is getting in the way of my Hobby!

I did manage to work on the aileron servo setup. I built 2 boxes to fit the ail. servos and then measured and placed the box location on the wing. I am going to try transverse mounting to gain some depth clearance (thin wing section). I cut the ail. lead wire hole carefully with a sharpened al. tube. I still have yet to glue the boxes into the wing...maybe tonight.

I also beveled and "pre" hinged the elevators and rudder.

The aileron servo boxes are glued into each wing panel.

The leading edge of each aileron was beveled and is now hinged (not yet CA'd).

This Insight is basically in the ARC state. All it lacks are the control horn hardpoints, which will likely be left up to its owner. If at all possible, I will post updates to the finishing of this plane (by its new owner) and a flight report. I have already agreed to build another ARC version later this year for another pattern flyer (after the flying season winds down a bit), so I imagine I will cut foam cores for more than one at that time.

Thanks to all those who have ordered plans and all those who have followed this thread, its been fun...and that's what it's all about.


-Mark

For those interested in how an Insight would look with colors, here is the way my Insight looks right now. The newer version has 3/4" more depth to the belly below the wing to help hide the pipe and add a slight bit more side area below the vertical cg (for K.E.).

You've done a nice job documenting this build-up...Thanks for taking time to share this with us!

Mark G,

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed following the thread. This will not likely be my last attempt at building something that looks a little different on the flightline....(already been sketching for next season)....but at least I now have a very capable competition bird in case the next experimental design does not fly as true as this one.


-mark

During delivery of the "build-thread" Insight, I stopped by to see the owner of the "rounded canopy" Insight. This Insight is now completely glassed and in the primer stage. I can't wait to see how this one flys.

....wish I had brought along my red Insight.....would have made for a good pic with all three...

I just came from the home of the Insight seen in the above post in primer. The entire plane is painted with PPG. It is now ready for clearcoat. I think the owner has done an outstanding job of finishing this Insight to have the "look" that he wanted.

As you can see, it still needs the radio, motor, c.f. wheelpants, etc. and it will be ready to go.

Ok , time to give new life to the thread.. I am going to start now...

I ordered a fully built version from Mark. Little did i know i was already in line. Poor guy, doesnt even have time to build one for himself. (that is what he gets for being so successful right???)

IN the meantime, I ordered the plans and stared at them and thought.. i have never scratch built, let alone try to build a model for precision aerobatics.

This is the humourous build of the Insight and we will see how truely forgiving the design REALLY is (grin).

I will try and post pics.. as i piece her together.. be patient and i will try to give you some insight.. pun totally intended.. into how to work your way through and the fun i had. In the end, do as mark did and enjoy my attempt?????!!!!!!!!!!

First.. i am not patient and did not wait for contest grade balsa... learn from this.

In this pic, you will notice the depron in the rear of the fuse, i will post more on this in about 30 mins, enjoy.

Chuck

Ok, so the depron... well, first, REALLY REALLY EASY TO WORK WITH... second.. it weights 4.5 lbs /ft3 NOT GOOD. So most of what you see in that pic is now in the trash. I had to lighten the Crud outta what i had done and wasted a lot of time. I would either sheet it like Mark did or possibly use balsa stringers between formers.

So.. btw, if you have A.A.D. do not attempt to build this plane till you have everything you need or you will be tempted to try new stuff or make new stuff up.

BTW, i think i suffer from A>D>D. I have attempted to build the upper rear turtle deck from depron. More pics to follow when my lovely wife returns the camera which has the pictures in it.

I also added 1 inch to the fuse sides height.... i dont know why so dont ask.....it just "happened". i have spoken to my building companion Bud light and we agreed to cut the crap when using the ruler and stick with the plans.. earthshaking revelations at 2 am as to the "more side area = better knife edge" thoughts could be totally bologne. Flights tests will decide this in the end.

All for now... see you in a few days.

Chuck

LOL.....Chuck...and Bud Light....look out.

If you can wait just a few days I will have your parts sheeted....see pic of vacuum pump, stab sheeting under vacuum....please..no more depron.[:'(]



4u2nv,

Dont worry, I have started sheeting your parts as well.

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In place of contest balsa, have you ever played around with fiberglass sheeting? I can't remember who sells it, but I have often thought about sheeting foam with really thin fiberglass sheeting using polyurethane glue (just haven't gotten around to it). I'm not sure about the weight differential, but you should have a surface ready for primer. . .
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I've done that before; it's too heavy. It does make for a REALLY nice glassy surface, but the weight doesn't work out. Usually.

-Mike

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I've done that before; it's too heavy. It does make for a REALLY nice glassy surface, but the weight doesn't work out. Usually.

-Mike

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Now I don't have to try it out!!
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See? I'm good for something.

What, I have no idea.....

-Mike