Brinesharks

My Feedback: (1)

I started this thread on another forum but haven't had the slightest bit of interest. I thought I might get more feedback here...helps keep me motivated!

I've had the plans for the Dennis Bryant Elite Tiger Moth for years and finally started building it. I bought the laser cuts parts set from Bob Holman to speed things up:

[link]http://www.bhplans.com/DBPlansPg4.html[/link]

First some specs:

Scale: 1:5.3
Wingspan: 66"
Engine: Saito .80 FS (GK)
Channels: 4

Brinesharks

My Feedback: (1)

I forgot to take photos of the parts as they arrived before I started building. Here's one of the laser cut balsa sheets showing part of the fin and other pieces:



The parts fit is ok but not as tight as more recent laser cut kits. The square cut-outs are not on the plan but they match the laser cut ribs included in the parts kits from Bob.

Brinesharks

My Feedback: (1)

I started with the tailplane:




I used cyano to glue most of the parts in. The edges that are eventually sanded to a profile were glued with C23 - this is an acetate based glue that most old-timers would be familiar with. It's a good glue (takes a few hours to dry) and sands very easily, unlike cyano.

Here is the tailplane and elevator with the elevator ribs laid in place for a dry fit:




At this point I realised that I don't have all the ribs for the elevator. One complete side is missing. I emailed Bob but didn't get a response. I've bought models from Bob for nearly 20 years and didn't really expect a reply!

I used some balsa sheet I had lying around and cut it into a strip as deep as the deepest rib. I glued them in with cyano and then a few minutes with a balsa plane got them into the right shape. It only took me a few hours of building to get this far.

Brinesharks

My Feedback: (1)

I then got onto the fin:




The ply leading edge fit is from Dennis' design but Bob has cut the half-ellipses to help them mate properly. One trap is that laser cut ply gets nicely burnished. This reduces the penetration of the glue so my first attempt at a good joint didn't work. Sanding back the burnished edge to fresh wood helps a lot.

I was concerned about the weight of the design. It's nice and solid and will look very scale but I thought I should 'add lightness' so I cut out some lightening holes:



If I were building this model again I would glue the sheet balsa together, cut large holes and then glue the ribs on. This would make the parts lighter but still strong enough.

Brinesharks

My Feedback: (1)

Just ordered the vac formed parts from RCMW in the UK:

[link=http://shop.traplet.com/product.aspx?c=3155]DH82 66" vac formed parts[/link]

The tank is the main part - I was going to try scratch building but at around $13 for the whole vac parts set it was cheaper than scratch building! The DH wheel hubs are a bonus too. I happen to have a pair of wheels the right size with 'Dunlop Australia' on them so they are perfect for an Aussie tiger.

I also bought the vac formed clear instrument faces to help detail the cockpits.

Brinesharks

My Feedback: (1)

Finished the tailplane and fin - classic DeHavilland shape:



Some minor work on the tailplane still needed. The plans show a hidden control horn and joiner that's operated from inside the fuselage and dummy control wires outside. I think I might just make the external wires functional. Bought some 40lb fishing trace (nylon coated) for control wires. Looks around the right size to be scale but is far stronger than needed.

Brinesharks

My Feedback: (1)

I spent a happy few hours on the weekend making small pieces of spruce out of a very large piece! I had a 55mm x 120mm and 1.5m long piece of 'spar cut' spruce. I'm fortunate in having some handy woodworking machines and cut it down to size very quickly. It's probably cheaper to buy 3/8" sq longerons but this was more fun:



Although I was going to work on the fuselage I might start on the wings next. They are pretty straight forward and I cut all the spars I needed along with the longerons.

The plans show a wire undercarriage dressed up to look scale. I'd like to make a working undercarriage though - just need to make sure the attachment points are strong enough.

BobH

My Feedback: (2)

Hard to go wrong with a tiggy. Certainly a classic plane. Are you planning on an interior etc?

Brinesharks

My Feedback: (1)

Hi Bob - I guess it's not very exciting compared to some of the amazing builds on this forum but it's grass roots modelling for me and something I really enjoy. The tiger is just the thing for summer evening flying. I used to have a 1/4 scale tiger but just don't have the resources to fly big models anymore. Some of the best memories were spending the long summer days at the flying field with my dad. He even used to help me skip school so we could go flying when the weather was right and we'd take the tiger out - two people made rigging it a whole lot easier!

Yes - the interior will be fully detailed as well as the exterior. The Bryant plan is the most detailed tiger plan I've seen. Lots of scope for scale detail. I'll have to build a pilot (can't have an open cockpit without a pilot!) as the scale is an odd one (1:5.6).

LesUyeda

"I thought I should 'add lightness' so I cut out some "

"-)))))))))))) EXACTLY the first thought I had when I saw the sheet surfaces:-)))))))))

Les

BobH

My Feedback: (2)

Odd size indeed. One has to wonder where the designer gets their ideas on selecting a size? lol. I suspect you can use a 1/6 pilot and fake it? I doubt anyone would notice.

Brinesharks

My Feedback: (1)

Here's a photo I took of the full-sized aircraft that I'm modelling:



Fairly simple colour scheme but plenty of scale detail should turn out a really nice model.

Just got the vac-formed parts in the mail. I'll post a photo when I can.

Rob590

Really nice plane and really nice build.

Subscribed.

Bundubasher

Hi Brinesharks, this looks like a very nice build and I'm sure you will find it delightful to fly. They make very graceful touch and go landings - and also those slow take offs, the tail comes up, you gradually climb into the air, landing is the same - come in slowly, land it, let the speed wash off, the tail drops.

I've attached a pic of mine - it was started in 1983 and flew for the first time in 2002.....slow building for a slow flyer..

Cheers

Bundu

Brinesharks

My Feedback: (1)

Rob - I saw your build log a while ago, very nice! Brian Taylor designed some great models and they all fly well. My father used to be the authorised distributor for Brian Taylor in Australia. Brian's fibreglass parts are the best I've seen.

Brinesharks

My Feedback: (1)

Sounds like just the medicine! I'm planning some sly trips to the flying field before and after work. It's on the way so I figure it will be a great way to start the working day....

Slow build but it turned out great. What size is it?

Brinesharks

My Feedback: (1)

Here are the parts from RCMW:



The wheel covers are handy - the rest could be scratch built but I'm keen to fly!

I also bought the instrument panels:



I doubt I'll use the photocopied instruments supplied, they just aren't clear enough. I'll draw up my own and print them in colour. I like that faded yellow look you get on the 'white' parts of the instruments.

Grapevine

 

Hi Brinesharks, very informative thread, I enjoyed it so much I have just received my set of plans from RCM in the UK. Being retired British expat now living in Cyprus we have no local suppliers of building materials, plenty ARTF’s but the locals seem to have no desire to build or even mend their expensive ARTF’s.

I too have the same problem as you in that finding sites to fly the larger models has become difficult. Until recently I had a ¼ scale Flair Tiger Moth and a DB Tiger but lost them both with several other models when a lipo on charge in my small but adequate workshop shorted, set on fire and burnt the workshop down. This was 18 months ago and I am just about getting things sorted again. Having built 3 quick builds electrics to get flying again my attention is now back to scale.

I look forward to you adding more content on your thread as I find even at my age there is always things to learn by considering fellow builders ideas.  

 

<shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f" id="_x0000_t75"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path gradientshapeok="t"></path><lock aspectratio="t"></lock></shapetype><shape type="#_x0000_t75" id="Picture_x0020_2" style="WIDTH: 220.5pt; HEIGHT: 165.75pt; VISIBILITY: visible; mso-wrap-style: square"><imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Paul\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\c lip_image001.jpg"></imagedata></shape>   <shape type="#_x0000_t75" id="Picture_x0020_3" style="WIDTH: 222.75pt; HEIGHT: 167.25pt; VISIBILITY: visible; mso-wrap-style: square"><imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Paul\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\c lip_image003.jpg"></imagedata></shape>

Workshop Lipo fire                                                 The Remains

<shape type="#_x0000_t75" id="Picture_x0020_5" style="WIDTH: 222pt; HEIGHT: 166.5pt; VISIBILITY: visible; mso-wrap-style: square"><imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Paul\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\c lip_image005.jpg"></imagedata></shape>  <shape type="#_x0000_t75" id="Picture_x0020_6" style="WIDTH: 222.75pt; HEIGHT: 167.25pt; VISIBILITY: visible; mso-wrap-style: square"><imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Paul\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\c lip_image007.jpg"></imagedata></shape>

Almost finished DB Tiger                                      My old Flair/ Laser150 Tiger

Grapevine

It seems the images did not work ????!!!!

Brinesharks

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks for adding to the thred. Not sure what happened to the pictures - did you upload them to an image hosting site and then insert the link?

Terrible news about the 'hangar' fire. Glad to hear you are still motivated to fly models though. I feel quite old when I turn up to the flying field after 15 years break in flying and find nothing but ARFs and electric motors! I have a Saito 80 FS for the Tiger as I love the sound of a four stroker idling by in a classic.

I have been building toys since my last post - always take longer than I expect. I'm hoping to get some time in the next few weeks to finish off the other wings. I have built the lower left wing. The plans don't show any wash-out information. I'm guessing a little at the incidence angle of the root rib as it's an unusual shape (to scale though).

I hope you can upload the picutres - would love to see your project. Feel free to add photos here of your progress.

Adrian14mz