I will be building a nice TF T-34 Mentor soon and wonder if anyone knows of a good way to hide the Rx switch, charging jack and retract servicing valve. I hate to build such a nice plane and then 'dirty it up' with these necessities...
Thanks for any suggestions,
Jim

Hmmm
Always a problem, especially with a clean aircraft like the T-34 ( nothing to disguise the bits as, no cowl cooling flaps to hide them under ) All these bits need to be easy to get to. I had a similar issue with a trike scale aircraft and ended up sticking everything up in the nose wheel bay. Works ok but you need a table to set the plane up on ( and you need the room not to foul the nose wheel!! ) Other suggestions is to hide it all in the cockpit ( would require sliding canopy for easy access though ) or behind a scale inspection panel ( not much good if you have finished the plane! )
If the fuselage is solid you could build a fibreglass panel to hide it all behind ( use iron on covering as a release agent to get a perfectly contoured hatch )
All the best and good luck

I've used the antenna mast as a push-pull rod connected to a slide switch, but I think I like higheronnitro's idea of a scale hatch opening better.

higher, I'm assuming that's altitude, not metaphysical sphere of being?!

Jim, as higheronnitro suggested, if you have access to the cockpit mount the switches and charging jacks inside as I did on my Stuka. Both switches and charge jacks are mounted in that simulated battery box, which is hinged and secured with a magnet.

I appreciate the good info. guys. I hadn't thougt of the fiberglass access panel, I like the idea. Sounds easy to make too.
Thanks for the input,
Jim

I used the main fuel hatch on the top deck of my Corsair to hide those necessities. The only thing showing is a big ugly home made latch. If it wasn't for that latch, it would have been a perfect solution. But I still think it's better than having all those thing exposed.

(Also... Please disregard the bloched up paint job.)

There is a door on the Left side just aft of the rear seat that is were you you could put your switches etc. Also look into the nose wheel area. you might have room there.
Sparky

I put a RX switch on a plane once inside the model then put a small aluminum tube that went out both sides of the fuselage. The tube is long enough to go up against the switch in the off or on postion. There are two tubes one on each side of the switch.

to turn on the plane stick a small wire (2-56 pushrod for example) thru the tube on the port side of the fuselage and push the switch on. to turn off the plane push a wire thru the tube on the starboard side and push the switch in the off position.

the only thing exposed is a a very small hole in the side of the port and starboard side of the fuselage.

Thanks again, all. I like these innovative ideas and great photos.
Jim

clscale-RCU has the rite Idea cause I did this on my HP200. But I put a Hardys antana star on my wire that way I would not forget to take it out or forget to turn the plane on or off. Everybody wonders what it is for until I show them. And it has been that way for about four years now and still working.

On a full size T-34 there is a door/hatch located on the right side just in front of the windshield. It is used for checking the engine oil level.
A friend who is building one of the TF T-34 has used this location for on/off switch charge connecter and retracts air fill.
He also has built the TF Bonanza and used the same location. Works out very nicely
tom

I put all of my switches, charge jack, air serviceing jack in the baggage compartment. It is located on the left side of the aircraft just aft of the trailing edge of the flap.
I put the refueling line in the battery compartment on the right side forward of the cockpit. Good luck

check this site http://www.hangtimes.com has great product to hide switches

Nice link! Thanks....

All my switches ect. are in the battery compartment on my 1/4 scale T-34. You can see the dooron this image in front and below the windshield.

Wow, that's a super sweet model! How did you do the metal finish (and the rivets)?

The finish is a combination of Flite metal and .005 and .003 sheet aluminum, The revits are punched out over hard cork with a sharpened brass tube. This puts a dome on each one. I use a small ball driver and bees wax to pick up each rivet and put a a small drop of RC56 on pre marked positions on the frame with a tooth pick.