dionysusbacchus

My Feedback: (25)

Does Dave show the servo locations on the plan? If I remember correctly he built his using no ballast in the nose. You mounted your servos behind the cockpit? If you are using a full cockpit you may be able to mount them line abreast next to the fuel tank on the sides ahead of the CG with the throttle servo in the cowl. The amount of lead that will be needed to offset the weight those servos is going to be hefty. Just an observation.

Dion

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

Hi Ken,
Two servos in not a bad idea. I found some Hitec 5945's that I will end up putting in the Zero they are more powerful than needed but fast and low current draw, 181 in/oz at .13 using 5 cells. I will use 5625's for ailerons and 545's for flaps. Its a bit over kill but that is what I have. I am very concerned about adding nose weight and the elevator and rudder servos are mounted behind the CG so an extra servo hurts that concern.
I did not find 3/16 aluminum so last night I made the hinge strips from the fiberglass stock included in the kit.

I am real pleased with the plans/kit so far although I have replaced some of the balsa. Hopefully I can finish the ailerons, flaps and retracts and be ready to sheet the wing by the end of October.

I use a Multiplex radio and receivers with Hitec servos and have had some issues with the 12 channel and a 5625. One may have caused problems with the other but the companies are fixing the problems to my satisfaction.

I will have used up all my stock of 1/64 ply and do not have enough to skin the ailerons with it. I weighed the ply against glass covered 1/16 balsa and there is hardly a difference. Epoxied ply gives a nice strong trailing edge that is very sharp. I hate thick trailing edges.

I picked this Zero over the Yellow because of total weight and I did not want the detail in the fuse since I do not plan to panel and rivet the plane. I also want to get better at building and the Yellow has most of the work done.

I really wanted to do a earlier type 21 but did not want to make a new cowl when I have such a nice one all ready.

If I had more time and resources I would consider the Platt FW 190. Seems like I have a thing for radial engines[&:]

Carl

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

Dion,
Dave shows the location of all the servos. A couple of people have told me they had to add ballast. I have not seen them to see how things where placed. I have the Platt cockpit and plan to use it so that takes up the area I might have put the servos. I like to use pull pull when I can and that would be difficult getting past the cockpit. I hated the weight of the CJ tail retract and I think that is going to cost me more than stock servo location. Platt shows one servo for ailerons and one for flaps. I will use one for each surface. I will put the throttle servo up front next to the motor.

Carl

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

I have been messing around with the ailerons. Center is 1/64 ply and will warp if you look at it wrong. I made the top halves then fit them in the wing and figured out where I want the servo. Real Zeros have a control horn up top so I don't have to hide anything. I now had to make a wire tunnel after the servo location has been found. A bit of a delema until the light bulb came on. I found a piece of brass tubing that fit the dremel rubber drum and cut teeth in it. I got clean holes quickly. Now to finish up with the ailerons and start the flaps.

Carl

kenair

My Feedback: (10)

The adding the brass tube to the right angle drive is a great idea! been in the same situtation of having to put holes in ribs that are glued in. - thanks!

tubig

ditto.

Baldeagle

My Feedback: (7)

Carl looking good. Are you going to put flaps on it? What retracts are you going to use? Rich

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

Once in a while I have a good idea. Actually I enjoy solving problems like this the most. Keeps the mind sound ( my wife thinks I've lost it completely). Really pleased that someone will get some thing out of this build! Besides me

I will finish up the ailerons soon then on to flaps. I will follow the plans for flaps except use two servos Hitec 545's

I have the Platt retracts. They are not scale at all and I don't know what clamps the strut to the retract.

Carl

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

I have sheeted the ailerons. I feather sanded the under side trailing edge of the contest grade balsa to get a closer fit to the formers at the trailing edge and help to keep the top and bottom surfaces flat with some meat still on the formers. After the glue dried I finish sanded the whole aileron. It looks like the top and bottom are flat from front to rear and the trailing edge is 1/64 thick. It will gain a bit with fiberglass and epoxy but I'm pleased with the results. I tried to get a picture showing the weave with the min. amount of epoxy. second coat should just fill the pits in the weave. Tomorrow night the other side gets glassed.

I had some brass rod and put 12 grams in the lower leading edge of the aileron between the center and inboard hinge. Just to help keep flutter away. Never experienced flutter and I don't want to.

Carl

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

Well its midnight and I just finished the flap construction. I used 1/8 strip planking left over from the fuse. Its contest grade and easy to sand so I just cut to lenght and sanded the edge flat and CA'd the formers and cross members in. I was not that concerned with scale looks in the inside of the flap but fugured it might gain me some stiffness. Its my best effort on flaps so far. A bit tedious but I'm happy with them and I feel I'm making good progress. I will round off the leading edge after the epoxy sets. I used aluminum tubing instead of brass. I will use my brass hole cutter to make some lightening holes in the wing ribs also.

I have about 5-6 hours in the flaps.

I will work on the Platt retracts next and order some Williams Brothers 4 1/2" Balloon wheels next week.

Carl

tubig

carl, i think you're flaps are looking great. you're doing a terrific job of good craftsmanship. i'll be watching until you get this bird in the air.

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

I weighed the ailerons and flaps. Ailerons are about 82 grams each including hinges and flaps are about 24 grams each with hinges. I will seal off and pockets that may collect oil as this will be using glow. The weight will go up as I am using a servo for each surface ie 8 ounces instead of 4 ounces for servos and extensions. I will not glass the flaps just cover with epoxy and sand until smooth.

Carl

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

Progress so far,
After trial fitting the flaps I realized the picture in my mind was not what was on the plans. The torque tube should have been recessed but I had made it part of the leading edge. The flap also is a bit thinner than what is called for in the plans.

Measure twice and cut once[:@]

I managed to make things right and after checking all the surfaces for free movement I installed the ailerons and flaps. I also have the retracts installed and the air lines are routed and the system checked.

I installed the flap servos and JB welded the horns to the aluminum torque tube. I placed the inside flap hinge closer to the flap and will make a cup to locate the end of the torque tube near the horn. The plans call for more than 10 inches between the center hinge and the inboard hinge. To much for my comfort level.

I am going to bury the servos and used E6000 to keep them in place. If I need to access them I will make hatchs then where needed.

I had a rough landing with the Claude, it likes to tip over after landing and I think its because I have mixed down elevator with the flaps and I am not holding a little up right after touch down. I like the flaps and it really balloons up when used so I want the mix to keep it from doing that. I will just have to get up to speed. Platt says the Zero does the same thing.

Next will be sheeting the bottom of the wing and making the covers for the retracts by laying fiberglass and epoxy over the area before cutting out the area for the retracts.

Carl

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

I sheeted the bottom of the wings. It was about 40" from center to tip so I had to stagger the sheets and add 4". I used the lightest sheets in the center thinking about weight. That ment the stiffer sheets for front and back. I did not think about the curve on the leading edge. On the other side I put the stiff sheets where the least curvature is. I still used some Windex and I made the trailing with a overhand to accept the leading edge of the aileron.

I marked out the approx. area and placement of the Landing Gear doors with some refference marks to the outside then put down some wax paper. I used some left over 10 ounce then two layers of 6 ounce and one layer of 1 ounce for the finish surface. This is the first time I have tried this and it works great and pretty easy to do.

I ran out of 3/32 sheet so I placed an order with Lonestar.

I tested some paint from WarbirdColors and it seemed to stick well to Rustoluem primer. I ordered some primer from WarbirdColors also. Maybe I can be rid of some more stink. That is a major concern for me as I work in the basement.

Carl

Ram-bro

My Feedback: (101)

who or what is this warbird colors? Inquiriing minds wanna know. I just use Model Masters paints. If there is something else out there, you gotta let me know[]

Baldeagle

My Feedback: (7)

Carl are the Warbird paint and primer a water base paint? How does the primer sand? Thanks Rich

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

Rich,
I have a can of primer but I have not used it yet. I don't know how well it will fill and sand. Its along the lines of the System3 paint - water based polyurethane with additive. I still need to play some more but it looks good. Its a bit pricy compared to latex but its more fuel proof and sands better.

http://www.warbirdcolors.com/

warbirdcolors

My Feedback: (5)

Rich,
WarbirdColors is a one-part, water-based, fuel-proof, acrylic polyurethane primer and paints developed specifically for the RC hobbyist. It is an entirely different formulation than the System 3 product. There is a similarity, in that it also uses an additive to provide the fuel-proof properties, but it IS NOT the same product.

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

I cut out the landing gear area and checked for wheel fit. Had to do some sanding for a large circle and came up with this. My reference marks worked well and now I have rough cut the LG doors.

Carl

Baldeagle

My Feedback: (7)

Carl nice sanding drum. Have you decided whitch color skeam you are going to use? Rich

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

Rich
Necessity is the mother of all invention isn’t it. I really like the V 190 Platt did and I found a grey type 32 in the Squadron Signals book which is close and with out the Japanese lettering which would be rather difficult for me to replicate. It does have a blue ban though. The inner gear doors should be some fun also.

Did you do LG doors on yours?

Carl

Baldeagle

My Feedback: (7)

Carl I did the gear doors on the gray one just as the plans show and they work good. I prefer the gray over the green. The green looks ok just kind of plain next to the gray one. Rich

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

Rich,
Your grey Zero is much nicer looking as far as color. Looks like you have Yellow aircraft retracts. My Platt retracts don't look scale at all and its to much work to change them. Looks like Williams Bros balloon wheels?

I will have to do the inner doors now after seeing yours.

SWEET!

Carl

Baldeagle

My Feedback: (7)

The wheels are william bro. The retracts are part centry jet and the struts are my own. I made a wooden mold for the lower foot and melted some old chevy pistons< aluminum> and pored them in the mold, then a lot of fileing they were done. I don't know if I would do it again.
Carl I have a book " The Great book of World War 11 Airplanes" It is really a nice book with a lot of color pictures. It covers Zapanese , German an US airplanes it is about 3 in thick. I bought it on sale years ago and it has been the best $30. I ever spent. It has over 400 color illistrations. Bonanza books Distributed by Crown Publishing, Inc. Rich

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

Boy my hats off to you Rich. Well done!

Carl