Not so fast Dion,

I would have posted today if it weren't for my wife.......Honest! I have to find some .005" Brass tomarrow and then I'll be posting. Hopefully tomarrow afternoon.


James

Luke,
Looks like I'm SOL... My PC board only has one coper side! Been searching the e auction site for dbl sided but all I can find is in Canada. That should eat up a week waiting for it to be shipped to TX.
I plan on looking for some locally Monday. Will my one sided board substitute for non-metal clad, or is it too heavy?

Please don't think your time has been wasted, I know there are lots of us paying attention!

Man, Todd you are the master! learn me to build like you's dew! I's listen'in!

OK James! You don't have to use .005 brass, like I said tin will work. Also I'm trying the thinner brass to save weight. I'll have to solder some thicker brass on the mounting side to help support it. I may explain later!

CP! I've posted the link to this guys ebay store and no one bought the stuff. I suggest that everyone that may build anything out of PC board either now or in the future buy it now! Here is a link for some .060 double sided board. I have .062 so it's basically the same stuff.
[link=http://cgi.ebay.com/61-shts-Copper-Clad-Laminate-FR-4-060Thk_W0QQitemZ7615841951QQcategoryZ4660QQcmdZVie wItem]CLICK AND BUY NOW![/link]

Good luck men!


Chow,

Dion

Here are all the parts. Made all of them this AM.

Hal,

dumb computer question time....

how did you resize Luke's drawings to the correct size? I have printed out what is shown, however, I only get about 3/4 of the entire drawing. I know you probably need to save to your own computer and then resize, I was just wondering wnat settings you used (inch dimension).....

thanks, randy

Hal steps up and wins! I don't think I'll count Hal, he already built one!

You can't print the drawings off the screen using the little icons. You have to save it to your computer and open it in a picture program of some kind. All programs have different ways to size a picture, so I can't tell you how your program works but here are the dimensions: Width 6.90 inches Height 10.28 inches. Some have a Wscale and Hscale, make sure it says 100 percent and it should print out right.

Hope this helps,

Dion

thanks Luke. If I passed any more talents of mine onto you,
you wouldnt even be able to fit thru the RCU door here

I do like the details however for the T/W. will come in handy for
me this winter.

sorry about the shootdown. that field sounds like one of the local
fields here in town, I dont like to fly at [:@]

Ok Dion,

One of the casualties of my move has apparently been my tubing cutter. I will have to cut the brass tube tomarrow at work. Regardless, here is where I am.

Hope this is satisfactory. Please press-on.

Regards,

James
[img][/img]

Also,

The mounting hole pattern on the plate didn't com out on my file very well. It appears to be 2" x 7/8" can someone verify that for me.

Thanks,

James

Todd...lol! I know what it's like to be to big to fit in places I'm 6' 8" tall and weigh 320lbs! lol I don't need RCU to be a tight fit! I'm watching you on RCSB, I'm just under another name and I don't make any scale comments or contributions! Can't wait to see your Hellcat project, glad I could help in some small way!

James! That looks great man! Smooth out the PC board with some 400 grit sandpaper, it will also help the solder to stick better and take off any burs.

Press on I shall, and again great work! This is great!

Dion

Hello. My English is very bad, but I am going to try to explain my problem.I have this plane [img][/img]And I have this retractable gear.

The problem is that the train is a bit short. There is algun problem?

I have the whole system of air,[img][/img] someone can say to me since I it have to install?

Thank you

Hey Petro,
You Anglish not too good either much. Hit reply to me writing and you can show photo

I suck! LOL
Tom

Pardon, not to put on images. The plane is one ff6 of 1770 cm and the gear retract is a saw 60 neumatic

Well darn. After I posted that, I realized the poor guy might interpret the "I SUCK" part incorrectly. I'd hate that.

Petro my friend. When I said "I Suck", I was saying that me, Tom Albert, is a low life jerk for making light of your struggling English. You do not suck... I SUCK! I meant only humor, no disrespect.

So, please post photos of your troubles. Some of the most capable modlers known to man are contributers on this thread. (I do NOT include myself amongst them..... yet!). To post phots, reply to any post here. There is a link to post photos when you reply.

Good luck,

Tom

I was contemplating installing the added windows for my F6F-3. I cut some clear acetate .040 sheet about 1/8" larger than the opening and then removed the plastic protective film from the overlaping area. I then applied a small amount of gap filling CA to the edges and inserted the window from the inside. Now I can paint the fuse without having to mask the windows; just remove the protective covering.

Great idea Hal! Now how about some pictures!

Preto, I would help but I'm not sure about what it is you are asking, sorry!

Now for the regularly scheduled program!

In order to build this tail wheel as close to straight as possible you are going to have to assemble some basic jigs. We shall start with the wheel yoke in assembling our parts. Notice in the first picture that I cut a slab of balsa to the proper width to allow the fork pieces to rest on the bottom of the top square piece. For the axle I’m using 3/32” brass tube, the inner axle that I’ll show you later is 1/8” brass tube. Anyway, drill a hole all the way through so that you can insert the brass axle. Use some pins to help secure the pieces further.

Next find the center of the top piece so that you can drill a hole for your steering rod. I’m going to use the 3/32” brass tube for a steering rod, I used 1/8” on my other one but I think it was overkill. Use whatever you think your tail wheel will need. I’m trying to save weight also wherever I can.

Solder your steering rod to the centerpiece.

Cut the steering rod to a length of 1 5/8”.

Use some medium CA to glue the steering rod piece to the top of the jig. Just use a small amount of glue on the end of the steering rod, try not to get it all over.

Now a soldering trick, lay down two small drops of solder on both the fork and the top piece.

Now when you lay the small brass angle piece on the solder and touch it with your soldering iron the solder will melt and pull the piece to the parts. Then hit the outer surface with some solder.

I use a small nut drilled out to help center the brass tube that mounts to the top of the yoke. It’s the smaller diameter brass tube.

Solder the brass tube on and try to keep it as straight as possible. Try not to get solder all over the tube, if you do use a small file to smooth it out.

For the small brass wheel fairing you are going to need to use a small piece of heavier brass sheet to help stiffen it. Again, first add a few beads of solder then lay the extra piece down and hit it with the soldering iron.

Before you solder the brass wheel fairing on, make sure your aluminum upper fairing matches and adjust as necessary. I just cut the front ring of the brass off so that I could adjust it easier.

Solder the fairing on. Do not solder the sides yet, that will be a final adjustment item after the wheel is fully assembled.

Remove the yoke from the jig and solder the inside of the forks to the top piece.

Drill your mounting holes in back plate. Measure 5/8” from the bottom for the lower holes, this will give you clearance from the pivot axle so that you can actually insert the mounting screws when the time comes.

Soldering the axle support bearings on can be very difficult or you can make it easy by constructing a simple jig. I used some scrap balsa sanded to the proper angle that the forks need to be at to be soldered to the brass tube. Use pins through the mounting holes to hold it in place.

Check the angle and sand as needed to get the proper angle.

Sand the ends of the supports to the proper angle, make sure to orient them correctly and make sure you make one left and right side!

Again use pins to hold the parts down and add two small drops of solder to the parts.

Set your 1/8” brass angle on the solder and then rest your soldering iron on it and it will draw it right down to the parts. Use some solder on the outside edges also to strengthen them.

Remove the back plate from the jig and solder the inner joints of the pivot bearings.

I’m using .063 brass rod for the pivot, the 3/32” brass tube fits right over it. I’m checking the fit of the brass rod, once it’s satisfactory cut a length of 3/32” tube to fit in the middle, do not solder it in yet.

Draw a cross on a ¼” sheet of hard balsa to make the jig for the fork alignment. Also mark the center of the back plate.

Next glue the back plate to the jig with medium CA and add whatever pins are needed to secure the parts.

I used some small strips of .005 brass to cover the joint at the end of the supports, use plenty of solder, you can file it down in a bit!

Solder the 3/32” brass pivot tube to the supports.

Solder the back side of the yoke support tube to the forks, use plenty of solder.

Using a file, clean up the solder joints.

Cut two pieces of 1/8” brass tube and make a small washer out of a servo arm that is as thick as your PC board. These will keep the retract arms shown in the picture centered. Slide the 3/32” brass tube through all of this to mount your retract arms to the forks.

Assemble the upper supports and retract arm. Adjust your retract unit so that the steering arm is parallel with the mounting plate as shown and mark it at the top.

Solder the upper support bearing on.

Cut the retract arms 3/32” axle off leaving just about 1/16” sticking out of the side of the forks.

Solder the 3/32” axle in place.

Using a cutting bit on your Dremel cut the notch at the top of the back plate. Make it wide enough for a clevis to fit through.


I’m using a small brass hex nut on the top pivot point so that I can solder it to the PC board.

That’s it for now, next we’ll ad the other fairing and solder the lower one. Then all that’s needed is to add the control arm and pretty it up a bit and it’s ready for paint!

More to come,

Dion

Hey Dion,

A couple of quick questions. Are you using acid core, rosin core, or solid solder? Also, just out of curiosity, have you tried to weld one of these out of aluminum?

Keep going man, I'm right behind you.

James

WOW!!!

I am really grateful that you take the time and effort to show us the way! I know I would never be able to come up with something that looks so scale and is functional, especially given the size...THANKS LUKE!

You Da' Man!

James,
I'm using a standard rosin core solder. I have never tried welding aluminum although it does interest me a great deal. For aircraft above 25lbs or so soldered PC board will start to fail so welding aluminum would be the way to do.

I have some corrections to post, but I will keep it going![X(]

Thanks and you're welcome CP!

Now, I have a correction to make. Yes I mess stuff up now and then![:@] Not a big goof, but one that will make the lower aluminum fairing not fit as drawn. I'm going to leave my tail wheel as I've constructed it, but you may want to take note of the error so that you do it right when you get to it.

The main pivot point brackets must be mounted flush withe the inside of the back mounting plate, I mounted mine on the outside. My other tail wheel is mounted and I couldn't see the difference until I noticed the aluminum piece did not fit. Looking inside my Hellcats tail wheel opening I could see what I did! Not a huge problem, if you did it the way I show in the pictures above I'll send you a new template for the aluminum fairing. I can't change mine now, but it still works great so it's no big deal.

Sorry about the mess up, I am in a hurry with this and I was not paying attention to some of the smaller details!

More to come later today...

Great work Luke I found a great source for 3 views and wanted to share my find with you all. http://www.airplanes.sk/v/_Draws.html