SE5a need some help
 

Hi,
This may be my first venture into scale.

Got a call yesterday advising that two Model Tech SE5a fuses were in need of a new lease on life.....sitting in a local segunda (2nd hand outlet). Well I had to drive over and take a look.. one box with label fore I D . Both fuses still in plastic with cowls. Both have 3 broken balsa sticks on side just aft of rear cockpit bulkhead and small rips in covering. Nothing else. $12 for two fuses!

The challenge begins. Downloaded owners manual which gives me some idea hardware and found costs for replacement parts, (That's not going to be a route for wings @ $60 each) . If I could find out a little bit more about the plane and kit in particular, maybe they could be be bashed together with help from my scratch builder friends.

I have prepared a spreadsheet with SE5a data from Funaero 60" model and Funaero 80" 'gasser', and Dynaflite 64" 1/5 scale kit, and some data from the Model Tech 49.5" manual/site.

If some owners could furnish some additional info, just maybe, I can get these to fly.
For the various models:
1) What is the spar height in the wings? Estimate Model Techs at 1.125"
2) Are the wings the same span and chord, if so what measurements ( to outer rib)
3) What is the vertical seperation distance between the wings? Various comments in threads but no definitive measurements. A figure relating to the span of the wing, like percentage of span, might be helpful.
4) What percent of the wing surface is aileron? your model full scale?
5) What diameter tires/wheels came with your model?
6) What are the dimensions of your hor. and vert. stab as percent of wing area? (It seems that the fuse length to span is high and the percentages for stabs are on high side of guideline I'm familar with.)

RE: SE5a need some help
 

Mike, seems to me that if all you have is the fuse the you've only got about 20% of any WWI biplane in terms of the effort involved. Still for 120 pesos the price can't be beat!

On the plus side, since the two SE5a wings are the same and of equal cord cutting out the 30-40 (50?) ribs shouldn't be too painful.
:D

I'd recommend you find some online 3-views and then just work off of enlargements of those.

RE: SE5a need some help
 

Mike,

As you can see I have built the Modeltech SE5a. I will answer all of your question in a later message once I have an opportunity to take all of the measurements.

Bob

RE: SE5a need some help
 

look http://globalservices.globalhobby.com/part/12368001.asp

I tthink it would be cheaper to by the whole plane for around 185.00

RE: SE5a need some help
 

Mike:

Here is the first bunch of numbers:

The wing depth is 1" +/- .0625. Both are airfoil design. The center 5" of the wings are straight and this center section is fully sheeted with .0625" balsa. Dihedral begins at 2.5" out from wing center and raises the wing 1.5" at the outermost rib which is 2.125" from the tip. Both wings span 49.5" with a chord of 8.125". Ailerons on both the upper & lower measure 2.75" x 7.25". The TE & LE tips are radius-ed 2" on both wings. The lower wing is held in place with a .25"x.5"1.5" hardwood tongue attached vertically to the center LE and goes in the slot you may have noticed in the wing saddle of the fuse. This tongue protrudes only about .5" with the remainder securely mounted in the wing. Two bolts at the TE fix the lower wing. The wing separation is 8.5" measured from the bottom of each wing at the LE. The wing stagger puts the upper 2" in front of the lower. The upper wing has a -1 degree incedence to the lower.

The wheels that came with the ARF are 5" diameter. I replaced them with 4.375" which is a more scale size.

I did not have time to take the measurements on the tail feathers but will do that this evening.

Your observations of size relationships are correct. Like the Sopwith Camel, the SE5a was short coupled with a narrow wheel base and like the Camel was prone to ground loops and nose overs.

The previous responder was correct I think, that it would certainly be easier to buy the full kit - But hey - where is the challenge in that?

More to follow.

Bob

RE: SE5a need some help
 

Bob,
Thanks for the iniatial measurements. Those are some fine pics. I notice the changes in props as well as wheels. I don't recognize the engine make but it appears offset as the drilled holes in firewall. Do you have a finished weight, any ballast?

A plan type builder stopped by and after an hour or so of looking and sketching announced, 'No Problemla' Gather some more data and materials a bit of help from some experienced builders they may fly.

From the looks of Bob's plane a kit would be nice but it is not in the cards at present.

Are the outer struts hardwood? Dimensions? I have some .12"thick basswood and .15" yardsticks, no hardwood or spruce.

The dimensions listed for the cabaine struts are they c/l hole measurements or OAL?

How does it handle? Anything you would change in the tail feathers and wing dimensions if you were building them regards size? Disregard that it is a 'scale type' plane.