ram3500-RCU

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I needed a break from tedious stuff, so I worked on the tail group. Not complicated, but precision is still needed. The manual is very good and the dimensions are right on. I did deviate a little on gluing the elevator hinges in. Rather than trying to do it all with epoxy from the start, I tacked them in with medium CA, removed the elevators, sealed around them on the outside with more CA, and then used epoxy on the inside around the hinge posts. This made for a clean install.

ram3500-RCU

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A forstner bit works great for penetrating the composite material. Makes a nice clean hole. This is the 12mm hole you drill for the carbon fiber elevator torque rod.

ram3500-RCU

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Here is that torque rod with it's plywood support blocks and bearings being glued in.

ram3500-RCU

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Elevators installed with the trim and boost tabs cut out. The boost tabs will be functional. Trim tabs will be mocked up with linkage.

ram3500-RCU

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My broken 9 mo old Grandson. He is doing pretty good, all things considered.

No, I didn't crash him.

panhandler

The progress is looking real good Gary and Brian.
I can't wait to see how you complete the boost tabs .

I had to take a break from our side project but i will get back into it after the holidays ,This is proving to be a tough one ,,, I am so close to prfecting it . Just keep in mind a 1/4" tube running from the fuselage to the shell waist are clear. ;}

That is a sad pic of your grandson , looks like that hurt a bit .
Test pilots are hard to come by ,,, just jokeing bud ;}

ram3500-RCU

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Thanks Pal. I know this is a busy time with families. I'll give you a call after the 1st. Some idea of the space needed in the wing would be helpful when you can. We have the sound system in the same area.

Jackson had that cast removed this week. He is doing great. I'm going to have to rethink some things in my shop. It is not very child proof yet.

ram3500-RCU

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Found something curious when installing the tail gear. The new gear has a shock that is 1" longer than the old shock (the blue one). This prevents the gear form being retracted far enough in the bay. When fully retracted, the entire wheel and yoke stuck down. I exchanged the new shock with the old one from #1, and it works fine, only protruding through the gear doors by about 1/3 of the tire (normal). Wonder if anyone else with one of the newer kits has run into this? I didn't see any change in the mounting structure.

I like the looks of the newer shock, but didn't see a way to make it work without modifying the mount. The post needs to come up into the rudder stab in the proper place to support the stab spar, which basically locates everything else on the gear framework.

ram3500-RCU

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Rudder stab spar installed. This is glued to the part of the gear framework that protrudes through the top of the fuse and into the rudder stab. A very strong yet light stab results, to support the rudder. I like the design.

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

At Brian's shop, the outer wing panels are now glued up. The new style leading edge hinges are being installed with the tool Brian had made. Some fitting will be done to minimize the gap between the center section and the outer panels and still give clearance for folding, and then the mounting holes will be drilled and tapped. Then, we can finally do some video of the Down and Locked conversion in action.

docgboy

If you look at some scale photos you will notice that the wheel does not full retract into the fuse. There was a clamshell like flange attached that covered the revealed part of the tire. The parts Gramham Mears supplies includes an abs piece to replicate this

glazier808

My Feedback: (1)

After seeing the great results you're getting with Mitch from Down and Locked, I'm thinking of converting my 109F's gear. One question if I may.... I'm using wheels from Glennis, which many will know are abit on the heavy side. I know some other electric retracts have issues with extra weight, do you think I would have any issues if I converted?

Thanks Gary!

And awsome work as always sir.

Casey

ram3500-RCU

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Thank you for your comment. I am aware that the tire did not fully retract on the Corsair. Also, not all F4Us had the clam-shell fairing behind the tire. The F4U-1A we are modeling did not.

The problem I encountered was that the shock pushed the entire tire and it's yoke out the doors. This is definitely not correct. Only about 1/3 of the tire should be showing.

Here is a picture of #1 clearly showing the cutout in the tail doors for the tail tire.

ram3500-RCU

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Good news. Mitch is now using a larger motor and tranny for the larger gear, in addition to a control box that now is capable of up to 17amps. The old one was limited to 1.5 amps I think. The result is that much more weight can be lifted and completely retracted even in the G force and turbulence over the wing.

BTW, the older motors are capable of using the higher amps as well. He was limited by some of the components on the circuit board. I'll be upgrading my other gear to this new board for next year.

He will also have available a driver capable of operating the gear without the control box being connected to the radio. Very handy for installation and service.

glazier808

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Wow that's great news Ram, I'll have to call Mitch and get the process started!

Thanks again for.the info!

Casey

ram3500-RCU

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You will be very pleased with the conversion, I'm sure. After experimenting with electric on the gear doors, we have decoded to leave them air, but a very small tank is all that is needed for them. Of course, on the 109, this isn't needed. All electric is cool.

BTW, the Comp ARF Corsair gear is large, and the tires are 7", and Mitch's stuff has no problem lifting them.

ram3500-RCU

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I have been pondering the elimination of the air cylinders on the tail gear doors (will save weight in the tail, and eliminate several potential leakage points). Direct links to the tail gear, as we have done before, would eliminate the need for air to the tail, as the gear is already electric. Then I thought, well, I still would need air to the canopy. But why? How about the same type of actuator as is on the gear and wings (don't like the servo option for this function).

Enter a call to Mitch at Down and Locked. Very interesting and very possible, and it would seem, pretty simple as well. A faster motor and transmission, and a separate control box for independent control, will operate it realistically, and it will be positive in both the open and closed position.

I'll have pictures of all this of course.

If this works out, the air for the main gear doors will be a closed system and completely housed in the wing. Glad we have no hydraulic system in there, we need the space.

ram3500-RCU

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BTW, the full scale FW190 had electric gear (not by Down And Locked), but I don't think the 109 did.

wayne d

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Hey Gary
Did you get the email I sent you?

ram3500-RCU

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Yes I did Wayne. I replied. You didn't get my reply? I said that would be fine with us.

wayne d

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Nope, didn't get it.[:@]

MRadu

Hello Gary,
I'm also building a CompARF Corsair with folding wings. I have the Moki250 and have already installed my gear and tail wheel. Yes my tail wheel remains to far out in the retracted position. Your replacement of the shorter shock looks to me to be the best solution, however, where can I get one?

Also I'm working with Down and Locked to get my folding wing electric as I'm not pondering weather I'll have an oil leak it's when!

Due to the fact I have already installed my gear and doors with air. What is your option as to converting them to electric? Is there a sequencer that I can buy for the doors as well?

Thank you

Michael

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

Hello Michael. You are going to love this Corsair.

I'll do my best with your questions.

- The tail gear issue. The shock I changed to is one that was on an older version of this gear. It was of the 08 vintage, near the beginning of the run for this plane. It must have been Sierra's first version. The new shock looks more scale, but is way too long. Looks like nothing was redesigned but the shock itself. Perhaps a call to your Copm ARF dealer, or even Darrel himself at Sierra Precision is warranted. Our problem was solved because we happened to have the other shock on hand.

- Gear doors. It has been our experience that servo operated gear doors on the giant scale planes have some issues. If they hang up, in the wing or otherwise, they burn up. Fortunately for us, it has been in the open position that failure has occurred, and the tire still had clearance to pass by. If they fail in the closed position, the gear will not push them open. If they fail partially closed, and you retract the gear onto them, the way Down And Locked handles the end points, the load will shut the motor down before damage can occur. A re-cycle, will get them back down. (Mitch, feel free to chime in here with a more technical explanation of this). Lado gear would burn up.

Having said all that, we decided to just leave the gear doors, that can't be connected to the struts with linkage, air, for now. The gear control box plugs into your sequencer, and so do the gear doors, or gear door air valve servo, so yes, you can do all this with the sequencer of your choice. We have found the Details 4 Scale Autosequencer http://www.details4scale.com to be very easy to set up and it does everything you want it to, for about $80. You can pay a lot more and this one does everything you need.

Now I will say, keep in touch with Down And Locked. They will be bringing out a new product to address this need. (hint, no air and no servos).

Well, I think that was everything. If I missed anything, ask away.

ram3500-RCU

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Had to drop off some Micro Ballons to Brian, so I got some more pictures.

Here is one of the front hinges ready to glue into the outer panel.

ram3500-RCU

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The wings are fit and a slight taper was made to the skin on the top root sections to allow the pass as it rotates down.