1/3 Scale Halberstadt D.III
#151

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Congratulations!!
That is a BIG plane. The take off seemed to fairly spritely and the landing looked pretty smooth. How is the power of the Fuji in a 42lb airplane? (It looked like plenty.)
Martin
That is a BIG plane. The take off seemed to fairly spritely and the landing looked pretty smooth. How is the power of the Fuji in a 42lb airplane? (It looked like plenty.)
Martin
#152

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Seth:
Congradulations on the Halbi maiden flight, you are a true master craftsman, and your engineering skill's really pay off with the end result. I will be back to finishing my 1/4 scale now that my DeHavilland Dragon is ready for its maiden. You have my vote for the Pfalz Triplane since we have each built two Pfalz's in the past! It will prompt me to look for another Pfalz to build although the fighter side of things is getting slim, maybe one of the early parasol's with wing warping would be different.
Once again congrad's on a job well done!
Dan Schmidt
Congradulations on the Halbi maiden flight, you are a true master craftsman, and your engineering skill's really pay off with the end result. I will be back to finishing my 1/4 scale now that my DeHavilland Dragon is ready for its maiden. You have my vote for the Pfalz Triplane since we have each built two Pfalz's in the past! It will prompt me to look for another Pfalz to build although the fighter side of things is getting slim, maybe one of the early parasol's with wing warping would be different.
Once again congrad's on a job well done!
Dan Schmidt
#154

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Hey thanks to all for the comments, suggestions and support. I'm still a bit surprised too how well the plane flies. She really flies herself. Yes the droop feels like flaps. This plane has much less trim change with throttle than others I've built. Still, you can see the need for down trim as I took off with neutral stab. It was a good thing the guys at the field encouraged me to add more stab throw and expo - I really expected the stab to be more sensitive than it is. I'll have to check it, but I think it's got about +/-12 degrees and -50 expo. I tend to like sensitive controls but everything on this plane is responsive, yet smooth. Very full scale-like. The Fuji 64 has ample power - even on just the 3rd tank with 25:1 oil. I've ordered a few different props to get the RPM down. Details on the schedule include cockpit instruments, pilot (I'm going to try and model my noggin in clay, make a PU mold, then cast in fiberglass), wheel covers, radiator, fuel tank, and a few other bits and pieces.
I'm really drawn to the Pfalz tripe but I'm not sure I'm up to it (Dan if you want to take it, let me know!!). Still, this plane will keep me busy for awhile
Incidentally - I'd like to add a second battery to power the Futaba FASST 7 channel Rx, but the inputs are all taken with 6 servos and the 1 battery. Does anyone know if I can just add another battery to one of the servo connections with a servo Y cable??
More to come!!
I'm really drawn to the Pfalz tripe but I'm not sure I'm up to it (Dan if you want to take it, let me know!!). Still, this plane will keep me busy for awhile

Incidentally - I'd like to add a second battery to power the Futaba FASST 7 channel Rx, but the inputs are all taken with 6 servos and the 1 battery. Does anyone know if I can just add another battery to one of the servo connections with a servo Y cable??
More to come!!
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ORIGINAL: Sethhunter
Hey thanks to all for the comments, suggestions and support. I'm still a bit surprised too how well the plane flies. She really flies herself. Yes the droop feels like flaps. This plane has much less trim change with throttle than others I've built. Still, you can see the need for down trim as I took off with neutral stab. It was a good thing the guys at the field encouraged me to add more stab throw and expo - I really expected the stab to be more sensitive than it is. I'll have to check it, but I think it's got about +/-12 degrees and -50 expo. I tend to like sensitive controls but everything on this plane is responsive, yet smooth. Very full scale-like. The Fuji 64 has ample power - even on just the 3rd tank with 25:1 oil. I've ordered a few different props to get the RPM down. Details on the schedule include cockpit instruments, pilot (I'm going to try and model my noggin in clay, make a PU mold, then cast in fiberglass), wheel covers, radiator, fuel tank, and a few other bits and pieces.
I'm really drawn to the Pfalz tripe but I'm not sure I'm up to it (Dan if you want to take it, let me know!!). Still, this plane will keep me busy for awhile
Incidentally - I'd like to add a second battery to power the Futaba FASST 7 channel Rx, but the inputs are all taken with 6 servos and the 1 battery. Does anyone know if I can just add another battery to one of the servo connections with a servo Y cable??
More to come!!
Hey thanks to all for the comments, suggestions and support. I'm still a bit surprised too how well the plane flies. She really flies herself. Yes the droop feels like flaps. This plane has much less trim change with throttle than others I've built. Still, you can see the need for down trim as I took off with neutral stab. It was a good thing the guys at the field encouraged me to add more stab throw and expo - I really expected the stab to be more sensitive than it is. I'll have to check it, but I think it's got about +/-12 degrees and -50 expo. I tend to like sensitive controls but everything on this plane is responsive, yet smooth. Very full scale-like. The Fuji 64 has ample power - even on just the 3rd tank with 25:1 oil. I've ordered a few different props to get the RPM down. Details on the schedule include cockpit instruments, pilot (I'm going to try and model my noggin in clay, make a PU mold, then cast in fiberglass), wheel covers, radiator, fuel tank, and a few other bits and pieces.
I'm really drawn to the Pfalz tripe but I'm not sure I'm up to it (Dan if you want to take it, let me know!!). Still, this plane will keep me busy for awhile

Incidentally - I'd like to add a second battery to power the Futaba FASST 7 channel Rx, but the inputs are all taken with 6 servos and the 1 battery. Does anyone know if I can just add another battery to one of the servo connections with a servo Y cable??
More to come!!
Ron
#156

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Thanks Ron - I'm taking a new look at electrical reliability, given the size of the airplane. Diode-or'd packs, multi-pole switches, fail safe electronics, voltage regulation... a lot I never thought about much before. In the meantime, added a windscreen and covered the wheels.
#157

I just came across the video of your maiden flight. Congratulations! It is a spectacular model and an inspiration to all of us WW-I guys.
#158

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Happy Holidays Everyone. Now that I've got a few flights on the Halbi, I've been adding a few more details. Here are some pictures along the way starting with the guns. I drew the Spandau LMG in CAD and printed it out in 1/3 scale. I printed a flat pattern of the cooling jacket on Kodak picture print paper, intending to make the perferations and roll it to form the jacket. I picked up this technique building a gun kit from Arizona Modelers a few years ago (they provide a laser cut paper jacket). I used a chisel and sharpened tube to punch the holes. It didn't take long. The paper is painted on the interior, coated with glue, and wrapped around a tube. When dry, the tube comes out. I had to slit the tube to reduce the diameter to the right size. For the gun body, I didn't have a convenient piece of wood on hand, so I used plastic house exterior trim from Home Depot, which I believe is PVC. The PVC is somewhat porous once you cut away the shiny skin, so it's quite light... about .28 oz/in^3 (about the same as light ply). It also cuts well, drills without chipping, and small features are quite strong. Just don't burn it (hazardous fumes). The round sight is brass. As usual, if anyone wants a jpeg of the gun layout (any scale), just send me a PM. I don't warrant the fidelity to scale - I drew it as best I could from some web pic's and the Williams Bros guns.
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Meanwhile, I made a gas tank and radiator. The radiator is "surface mount", that is, it doesn't go through the wing like the real T&B radiator did. I might make a corresponding radiator on the bottom of the wing panel (with a shutter) but for now, the top is what most people see.
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Some touches for the cockpit. The control column was fun. The center paddle is the machine gun switch. The button, I think, is ignition cut-off. The wood grips are cool!
#162

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Well, that brings me to the pilot. Photos, clay. Head and gloves. 2 part molds. I plan on laying up fiberglass shells using the open molds, and joining the halves. Painting per the techniques that Aces of Iron publish. I have tubes of paint (a.k.a. $$) left over from the AoI pilots I put in my Junkers, so I'm eager to get a few more pilots painted!! I didn't make up the 3 finger gloves. Notice I used a second brand of mold resin. It's a less expensive source than I used for the engine parts (see earlier post) and seems to work well too. The clay is oven fired. The wooden post holds the head. This was my first experience with clay since 3rd grade. Lots of fun!!
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Happy New Year Everyone! I had to take all my unused vacation - 3 weeks - so I spent most of it finishing the guns and making some progress on the pilot. Also got a good start on building a TV console and shoveling gobs of snow but that's another story!! Thanks for all the kind encouragement - it's truly a huge help in these final stages of a project. Have also been giving goggles a bit of thought. We'll see what we can come up with!
Here's a few pictures of how the guns wound up... I'm not sure how they accessed the breach on the lower gun with the upper outfeed chute in the way, so I just assumed it must be hinged to fold open - or come off completely for loading. But then, this was an experimental arrangement so it may not have been well thought-out.
Notice also the independent gun sight mounted on stands on the engine and in front of the windscreen - since the pilot could not use the sights on the offset guns.
The server is not taking pictures right now - so I'll try again soon.
Here's a few pictures of how the guns wound up... I'm not sure how they accessed the breach on the lower gun with the upper outfeed chute in the way, so I just assumed it must be hinged to fold open - or come off completely for loading. But then, this was an experimental arrangement so it may not have been well thought-out.
Notice also the independent gun sight mounted on stands on the engine and in front of the windscreen - since the pilot could not use the sights on the offset guns.
The server is not taking pictures right now - so I'll try again soon.
#172

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OK - the beta upload option worked - sort of. It seems to post the pictures in expanded format. Let's see how the pilot pictures work. These just show the molds for the head, and fiberglass layups. I used the molds as open halves, rather than pouring resin in closed molds, to save weight. It means of course you need to trim the halve, glue together, fill and fair the joint, etc. The last picture shows the parts primed. They weigh a couple ounces together. Incidentally, the 1/3 scale guns weighed 2.5 oz each. BTW - the lumps of clay on the second pour of the head mold are just to reduce the volume of urethane - I was running out. The normal upload is still acting funny so I'll try the beta multi-update option:
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Hello Fella's,
I just ran across this thread by pure accident and I'm certainly glad I did. Sethhunter, you have one beautiful airplane. I have not read the entire thread but I have a picture to share with you. As you can see, it's a full scale Haldi, and I've seen it fly too. What an awesome site.
I just ran across this thread by pure accident and I'm certainly glad I did. Sethhunter, you have one beautiful airplane. I have not read the entire thread but I have a picture to share with you. As you can see, it's a full scale Haldi, and I've seen it fly too. What an awesome site.
#174


The guy that built that full size Habi in your picture has some great build threads on Proctor Jenny and N28 on the RCSB site. The Jenny everyone should look at. I believe he also built a full size Dr1.
#175

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Thanks everyone for the kind support and comments.
I posted some pictures and comments about the pilot in a new thread, http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_10372947/tm.htm
Good luck to everyone in the upcoming flying season!
I posted some pictures and comments about the pilot in a new thread, http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_10372947/tm.htm
Good luck to everyone in the upcoming flying season!