Bokuda, Looking great!

Just some food for thought:

The servos as per the plans are the ticket to getting the plane to balance close to CG. The servos in the tail weigh about 3 ozs total for the 2(one per stab Half)
The 3 ozs in the tail equals a weiglt loss of "more" than 8 ozs you must have in the nose section to maintain CG location.

You used a lighter engine than the plane was designed for, so you helped your problem there. Maybe you can work out installing the dual servos in your stab halves, or move the elevator servo to a bottom of fuse, hatch accessed, about 2/3 down the fuse towards the tail. That would save you some of the weight you are going to have to add to the tail.

I have not heard of any misprints on the CG. I guess its all in how you want a plane to fly, and how you like it to feel.. The CG range may be that large to be able to move it around an inch or so and still get good flight characteristics.

The one improvement I have heard of is smaller wings and stabs, with some sweep forward on the TE. Suppose to improve the snaps and spins.
The 1100 in wing cannot help but be stable. Too stable for some I guess.

It's a little late to move the servo(s) to the stab, although it could be done. I went to the trouble of installing Troy's elevator system (to save wieght!) and, by gosh, I'm going to use it! I'll use stick-on weights in case I decide to change it later. The plane will still be quite light, I think. If I decide to change, it would probably be easier to build new stabs and elevators and place the servos per the plan. I made mine with adjustors so they are removable.

I've heard of the wing mods and considered them. In fact, the plane that Ken Velez built had them. Since I'm just going into the intermediate class, I'm not too worried about this yet.

I just completed building a test stand for the Webra. I'll post a pic later.

A minor point but Ken's name is spelt Velez. A really great, fun guy...and he's worked really hard to become a great builder in a short time. If ya happen to see him at your next contest tell him Ken from Malaysia said a big "Hi!".

Cheers,
ken

hey i know ken velez he lives about an hour away from me.......at the last contest he came in secon with his vivat (its a really sweet plane)

So I click the link to get the book "Building a Pattern Plane" and the website tells me the book is out of print and the website is soon to be taken down. This after four editions of what looks to me from the sample pages like the book I need to take me to the next level. I am stunned with disappointment. Now I have to launch a search for someone who has this book, who will trust me with it long enough for me to take it to Kinko's and copy every one of the 200 pages. I will gladly post a security deposit. When they sue me for copyright infringement, I will tell the judge to make them bring this book out again. How can pattern guys do this to each other?

GW,

After a summer building hiatus I've started back in earnest on my Titan. I've got the horizontal stab mounted and building the vertical stab today. The rudder core should arrive from PAC today.
The fuse and canopy are done, all I need to add is the landing gear plate. Did you use 1/4" ply for this?
One wing is sheeted, and will be sheeting the other today. Should be ready for mounting later this week.
I'll have to get with you and find out how you glass / paint the fuselage. Did you paint your wings? Are you still flying your Titan?
I don't know if I'll have it done by the D3 championships. I'll try to get some pictures posted also. . .

Keith,
Glad to hear you are making progress on the Titan.
I am still very much enjoying mine. We flew at Huntsville this weekend .
Scott ha his there as well.
As far as LG plate, I use a 3/16 plate 2" wide across the fuse width. 2 6/32 bolts per Bolly gear half.
Its tied to the F2 former above the tunnel, the tunnel itself, and some small tri stock at the rear. Bulletproof! You will remove the bottom of the fuse before the gear plate gives way. .

My Titan has glassed and painted fuse. Monokote wing,stab and rudder.
used Tony Paint (PPG). Send me any photos you have of construction and finishing and I will post them on my webpage along with Scotts and mine. There are 6 or 7 being built from wood plans now, and Scott is near finished with the glass plug for the composite fuses this winter.

Gerald,

Thanks for the building information. I can't tell you how many times I run inside and check out the pictures on your website while building this plane. I have the fuse and canopy done, horizontal and vertical stab installed, elevators done, wings sheeted. Next I'll be cutting out the ailerons and putting the finishing touches on the wings then fitting them to the fuse.

I'd be in the garage right now, but I hit a work stoppage waiting for the poly glue to cure.

Had quite a scare today. I was sheeting the right wing and ran out of poly glue half way thru coating the top wing core. Crap!! I think I set a land speed record today running to Lowe's to buy a new bottle of Gorilla Glue. They don't carry the Titebond brand poly glue anymore. . . I don't think Gorilla glue foams up as much as the Titebond did. Could be a good thing (?) Seems to be equal in strength.

I had to work this weekend or I would have seen you in Huntsville. Are you going to Pensacola?

I should have posted this earlier. At the Glen meet in August I found out that Harry Ells is making fiberglass parts for the T2K. $60 gets you the canopy (fiberglass) and cowl with molded in cheeks. The cheeks on the Gator cowl have to be glued on. You can contact him here: [email protected]

My plane is very nearly done. All Monokoting is complete. I painted the cowl and wheel pants this past Sunday, but it was so humid that the paint dried clouded. They will have to be repainted when the humidity goes down. Then I have to reinstall and hook up the hardware etc. I still have not run the engine on the test stand, but will this week. I'm hoping to fly it sometime next week.

Bokuda, I'd just like to say that this thread is quite possibly one of the most informative threads since Mark Novack's Enigma thread...

Keep it up man, it's the reason I keep logging in at the moment

Bokuda, thats great news. Can't wait to get your input on what you think of the T2K.
The new parts supplier is a true bonus. I may have to get some more laser cut parts ordered and start another for myself.
Post us some completed photos when you get a chance.

Keith,
Glad the webpage has been some assistance. Their is alot there that I wish I had when I was building mine, but as you know, me and Scott were buildng the prototypes of the newest verson at the same time, and we discussed things on the phone on what we were each doing to get a task complete. I will leave the Titan section up a bit longer so you will have it for reference if needed. I have a new design that I will be doing a set of pics on soon.

The new plane is near complete(installing the Pushrods and radio gear tonite) In my opinion it looks great, Hope it flys as well as it looks. I took several things from several planes that I like and combined them all into one plane. Its a mix of a Titan,Hydeaway,Silohette,and Smargdz. I guess I could call it a THSS.
Scott said he was just going to call his next plane "Airplane". I might beat him to that name.


Later

This is getting really frustrating! This is not the proper place for this, probably, but I've got to let off some steam and maybe clue a few people in on a problem.

I was trying to paint the cowl with Topflite Lustercote, missile red, to match the Monocote. As I said above, last Sunday it was humid and the paint clouded.

Yesterday I attempted to repaint after sanding what was on there with 400 then 600 grit paper, wiped with alcohol and tack ragged. The paint grew little bubbles as it dried! I had to take it all off with acetone. It was real headache and a mess. I also reprimed the cowl with Lustercote primer.

I've read on other threads about the problems with Lustercote, but I've used it before without problems. The directions just have to be followed carefully.

Today, I bought the last can of missile red at a nearby hobby shop. I just rechecked the can to make sure I'm sane; it says "Missile Red" on the can and the cap is Missile Red. Well, the paint that came out of the can was ORANGE!! I am P.O.'d to say the least. The good news is that the orange went on nice and smooth! Removing the paint and repriming was the key, I suppose. Now it will have to be done AGAIN.

I'll have to make the 50-mile trip tomorrow to a real hobby shop to get more paint and try again.

Advise: don't repaint over paint with Lustercote. Take it off; take it all off. Then reprime and repaint.

Is there any other paint-in-a-can that matches Monocote or might I have to use one of the expensive PPG concoctions?

No matter what brand of paint, it's always a good idea to make a test shot on a white piece of paper to check the paint before applying it, to avoid unpleasant surprises. Learned the hard way like you.
--Derek

Bokuda, PPG, you have it right!! There is really not substiitute in my book.
You can get small quantities from Tony at RadioSOuth. If you are not rigged up to spray, send the cowl and paint to me, I have plenty of reducer, just order a 4 oz can ( or smaller if Tony has less) of paint and a bit of activator and send it to me and I will be glad to do it for you. I want to see this plane in the air !!!

You can also pick up a Reveal (revel)sp? sprayer. Its an aerosol can of compressed air that uses a cup to pull the paint from. Put the PPG in the cup and spray away.

GW,

OK guys, I know I've been promising these for a while. My digital camera departed back in March with 135 lbs. of dead weight. . . . now I gotta borrow one (camera, that is)!!

I started building this back in April but took a couple months off this summer due to flying and heat in the garage. <knock on wood> I'll have this bad boy ready to fly for the 2004 season.

Here's some more. . .

Awesome work Keith. You are going to really enjoy that plane.

Keep us posted as you make futher progress.

Building tip for 9/20/03:

"Wow, the belt sander sure went thru that sheeting fast!!". . . .

OH no, that sounds bad.

Nothing that's unfixable with a piece of contest balsa, poly glue, and masking tape!!

Gerald: Thanks for the offer to paint my cowl for me. I have spray equipment, but I was looking for a quick, cheap way to match the cowl to the Monocote. I've used Lustercote with success before so I did not expect problems this time. I screwed up by spraying it in humid weather and got myself in trouble.

I got another can today and made the hobby shop owner spray a sample before I bought it to make sure it's the right color! The humidity should be low enough tomorrow to redo the job.

It's really nice to see others' progress on this plane. I hope we see more posts.

Another contributor to this thread is building a second Patriot from plans. Scott Smith is a real craftsman. I'm just a hack compared to him. I've seen his first one and it's pretty much flawless and shows great workmanship. Maybe we can get him to share some of his secrets!

This could turn into a pattern plane BUILDERS forum!

Dave

Lets do it!! That would make for a awesome thread.. Maybe email Scott and ask him to post some constuction photos online.

I have a number of photos on my webpage on the Titan build, but my new plane I have concocted may need some photos posted here.

Good Luck on the redo painting tomorrow.

Worked on some "tail" yesterday A.M. . . .

No need...been following this thread since post #1! Thanks for the kind words Dave.

I'd be more than happy to post any pictures. Problem is I'm just about done with construction. All components are built, just need final assembly and about three months of sanding...nobody wants to see that!

The one problem I had with the first Patriot was the landing gear plate breaking out. Never had a hard landing...well, except for the one last weekend at the contest...figures!

Hopefully, I won't have this problem with my second one.

(Congratulations VP-GW!)

Scott

Hey... regards that last picture (aeroplane inverted, head on looking towards the tail)
You seem to have a slight twist/warp (could be a camera illusion)...worth checking out though!
Nice building.