Hi all,

I just want to say a big thank you to everybody that helped and supported me on my road to the Nationals this year. When I started this thread 2 years ago it's almost hard to believe that VF3 in the bones in the first post would carry me to the 09 Nats and win the concours and Nats wood. It's just an amazing journey and I am very proud that I may of inspired others to become better modelers.

I really enjoyed myself at this years Nats and enjoyed meeting all the new young guns, The Lampron boys - David Jr. and Dean. Riley Kissenberth, Edwin Manson, Houston and Brian. Those boys are all fine young men and have an unlimited future in RC Aerobatics. I really enjoyed having young Dean call for me for 3 rounds, we be the team of DEAN !!!!! The new young guns have great support from their dads. I've joked around about the "love fest" but it is real and it lives on site 4 at the nats. We had a great time, and shared a great experience.

I want to thank everybody that voted for my plane in the concours and all the nice comments about my plane. I also want to thank the Hesters for being great friends and providing the sport with such a fine aircraft. Also thanks to my local D3 crew for all the support.

It's time to start getting ready for 2010, back to gluing sticks and sanding primer.

cheers!

Dean

Dean,

Great job on your concours win and for bring home some wood. Keep up the good work.

Larry

I've bought a VF3 carbon canopy kit from a buddy, and he only had some of the instructions: general instuctions and sheeting, building the fuselage, and fitting wings and stabs. I've got the basic fuselage built, and I haven't run into any problems there. However, I've started the sheeting, and I'm stuck on where to place the spars, hardpoints, etc. in the wings and tail surfaces. I suspect there are some more detailed plans than what I have, and the information I need is there. I've posted a request on the Custom Airframes forum, sent email to Mike, and left voice mail for Mike, but I know he's pretty busy. I hoped someone here would have more details or electronic versions of the plans.

This thing is going together tremendously easily so far. I've got one of Pete's fuselage jigs, and it's come in real handy. I was most scared of sheeting the turtledeck and bottom, but that went very smoothly.

Thanks for any help.
Bob

I'm sure Mike will get back to you by the end of the day. If not, shoot me a PM, and I'll see if I can track him down for you,

Arch

Bob PM me your contact info. I have all teh info that is posted on the Customs Airframes VF3 Support forum.

Pete

Thanks a lot, Pete. PM sent.

"Busy" doesn't even cover it.....LOL Just got back from a day trip to NC.

Over 1500 emails since I left for the nats, all legit (no spam). Needless to say it's taking time to go through and answer them all...

Hint: cell phone if it's imortant number is on my site.

I suspect you're missing the PDFs for the wing, stab and fuse? Easy fix. If Pete doesn't get you fixed up, call me...

-Mike

Thanks a lot, Mike. I knew you would be busy, and that's why I didn't call your cell. If it gets desperate, I will call your cell For now, I'm just gathering information that I'll need in the next few weeks, and it's not desperate.

Pete will get me fixed up, I'm sure.

Good luck getting caught up

Thanks!
Bob

IF I don't....oh Mike you cut me to the quick......

I maidened my V2 last week and flew the electric Showtime yesterday. I like the electric and can't wait to get the VF3 done. The Showtime was INSANE POWER.

Pete got me all set up. Thanks to Arch, Pete, Mike, Larry, and all who responded.

Bob

G'day Guys,

Though you may be interested in my new fuse jig. Been a very long time in the making but it will be completed next week. Then I can frame up my VF3E. See pics.

It's fully adjustable and very straight and rigid. Just need to get some more sliding nuts (there in the mail) and it will be complete. The acrylic pieces are laser cut and very accurate. The holes were also laser cut.

At present it's just sitting on top of the bench. Not sure if I need to screw it down or not as there's a fair bit of weight in it and it's sitting nice and flat. Should hang up on the wall well too! [8D]

I plan to frame up the fuse first and then bore the holes in the stab and wing cores I've cut. This will ensure the angles all line up nicely.

Cheers
Jason.

Looks good, Jason. Sure doesn't block the view of anything . .

Are you planning on coming to the Masters next year ?? . . I am keen to check out the BM in the flesh [8D]

Cheers, JB

Hi Jeff,

Yes that was part of the idea of using clear. I also had the corners rounded off to avoid sticking myself...[:@]

Yes I should be at next year's Masters and will definitely have the VF3E finished by then. It's a shame the weather was so crappy this year.[]

We'll be going to the APA Champs at Albury too. It was a very good comp last year and the amenities are very good at Twin Cities. Worth the trip across from SA.

Cheers
Jason.

Jason,

I like your fuselage jig. Where did you get the materials and laser cutting done?

Phil

G'day Phil,

The aluminium extrustion came from a German company called Maytec. You could also get the material from a company called 80:20 but it would be a different profile. The bottom rails are 20mm x 20mm x 2000mm (Qty 2) and the cross braces are 20mm x 40mm x 500mm (Qty 10). I also bought their matching M5 sliding nuts and just used M5 x 12 cap head screws for the plastics and M5 x 25 cap heads to secure the cross braces.

The laser cut pieces were bouts from a local laser cutter called City West Plastics. The edge finish is very good.

Hope this helps.

Cheers
Jason.

I am selling my partially built vf3 I just dont have the time to finish the build with a baby on the way. I love flying my vf3 but this one needs to find a new home. Here are a few pics pm me if you have any questions. Mike H shetted the wing and I have sheeted the rest cut the ail and hinged, also have cut evevators and rudder the fuse is framed and the upper and lower turtle deck have been sheeted and glued to the fuse. $1000

Im having trouble downloading the pics so if anyone is interested please pm me your e-mail and ill send the to you.

Byrd

Electric or gas. I am looking to go el.Will you ship to Va.
[email protected] Tank you Gerald

Jason,

Thanks. I did a search for MayTec and found some sites, but did not find rails and cross braces you used. Could you give me some part numbers and your source?

Thanks,

Phil

Hi Phil,

You won't find the extrusion cut to length. They will cut it for you though.

This is what I bought:

Qty 2 - 20x20 4H Light Plain profile cut at 2000mm.
Qty 2 - 20x40 6H Light Plain profile cut at 2550mm. I then cut it to 500mm lengths myself. Dad has a suitable saw.
Qty 60 - 1.31.HM5 Maytec threaded plate.

This is who I bought it from: http://www.maytec.com.au/

You could also get the equivalent here: http://www.8020.com.au/

This is the mob that laser cut my acrylic pieces: http://www.citywestplastics.com.au/

Now you should be able to easily find the equivalent products in the US. I think 8020 is a US company.

Good luck!

Cheers
Jason.

Boxtop,

80/20 is great stuff - use it a lot at work. Isn't the cheapest material but is very flexible and can be easily reconfigured.
Here is their website - http://www.8020.net/T-Slot-1.asp

Enjoy.

Jason, And Silver Bullet,

Thanks guys. I will check out those sites.

Phil

G'day Dean,

I've just started doing the stringers on my VF3E and noticed that the stringers overhang the fuse sides slightly top and bottom. This is using the formers as a guide too. Is this normal and should the stringers be sanded flush to the fuse side after they're glued to the fuse sides?

Cheers
Jason.

Hey Jason,

maybe your wood is thicker than 1/4" square. you should sand them flush to the top and bottom edges.

they do need to be flush so when you attach the turtle decks you do not have any gaps....

Good on ya, mate! ...

Don't worry Dean. All is good mate.

I Read on a little further in your thread and the stringers get sanded down to the fuse sides to true them up.

Cheers
Jason.

G'day Dean,

The first thing I checked was the size of the stringers. They are spot on 1/4". Mike supplied these in his kit.

Yes could see it leaving a gap when attaching the belly core and turtle deck.

Cheers
Jason.