Charlie Kellogg's TBM Avenger Build
07-19-2017, 03:21 PM
#2528
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Hello all
finally started on my avenger. Does any have a copy of his instructions? I've been doing a lot of head scratching but still making progress. My Gmail is.... [email protected] in advance if you can help.
Paul
finally started on my avenger. Does any have a copy of his instructions? I've been doing a lot of head scratching but still making progress. My Gmail is.... [email protected] in advance if you can help.
Paul
Do you still need instructions? I could have sent them with your stuff. Let me know, I'll try to figure out how to email them to you.
Brett
[email protected]
07-22-2017, 07:09 AM
#2530
Hey Guys - Heat Index 105 degrees here for the last week and into next week. Even still too hot in the evenings to sand outside. Shop is a bit too small to properly sand the fuse prior to glassing it. Working on Turret gun assembly, instrument panel/instruments, front/back cockpits, and push/pull rudder assembly - then on to fuse servo connections. Question, how did you guys secure the turret? Chic
Last edited by redtail; 07-22-2017 at 11:24 AM.
07-22-2017, 07:15 AM
#2531
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Turret
Hi Chic.
I'll be getting more turrets and canopies in mid to late August, I hope. I'll be out of town until August 13. Contact me after that. Hopefully I'll have an answer as to when I'll have them.
Brett
[email protected]
I'll be getting more turrets and canopies in mid to late August, I hope. I'll be out of town until August 13. Contact me after that. Hopefully I'll have an answer as to when I'll have them.
Brett
[email protected]
07-22-2017, 08:24 AM
#2532
Hi Brett - great hearing from ya. I do not have a need for a turret or canopy, my question is how did everyone who built the Avenger, how did they secure the turret to the fuse? Back to working hard on the Avenger again. Let me know what you think about my slow build when you can. Chic
Last edited by redtail; 07-22-2017 at 11:22 AM.
07-22-2017, 03:14 PM
#2533
Chic,
Now you know how I feel from mid June through August..... we attached the turret with 2 pieces of Velcro, held up great on the maiden..
working on the landing gear and bomb bay door air valves... got the doors working, main gear valve is giving me fits
Try to stay cool brother
Larry
Now you know how I feel from mid June through August..... we attached the turret with 2 pieces of Velcro, held up great on the maiden..
working on the landing gear and bomb bay door air valves... got the doors working, main gear valve is giving me fits
Try to stay cool brother
Larry
07-27-2017, 01:39 PM
#2534
Larry - Now I truly know how you must feel about the heat - unbelievable. Hope the fires are not in your area? As of today, the weather has eased up a bit here so I now have the fuse half sanded. Came into the house at the end of my shop day to shower/eat dinner and Shirley did not recognize. She told me to get out of the house and step out onto the back porch and take off those nasty clothes (because I had turned "white" with all the filler/balsa dust all over me). Ha, Ha. Will finish the other half of the fuse tomorrow. Then will glass the fuse this weekend or front end of next week.
Also ordered KlassKote Primer today. Nate, (Mr. KlassKote), is super to work with. He has all the RAF colors available and waiting for me to order. Hope to not keep him waiting much longer for the colors. The cockpit is basically framed up, instrument panel painted, instruments installed, navigation table built for pilot , 2nd cockpit chair framed up and accessories (oxygen bottles, observation table/tools, etc. ) made, gun camera and its platform are framed up, retracted tailhook formed out of foam, tailhook lower wheelie bar built, ha, ha, antenna forward/rear masts made, etc. I've been working, but it seems like I have nothing to show for it.. Any way to the showers and on to the ribeye. Holler at you tomorrow. Chic
Also ordered KlassKote Primer today. Nate, (Mr. KlassKote), is super to work with. He has all the RAF colors available and waiting for me to order. Hope to not keep him waiting much longer for the colors. The cockpit is basically framed up, instrument panel painted, instruments installed, navigation table built for pilot , 2nd cockpit chair framed up and accessories (oxygen bottles, observation table/tools, etc. ) made, gun camera and its platform are framed up, retracted tailhook formed out of foam, tailhook lower wheelie bar built, ha, ha, antenna forward/rear masts made, etc. I've been working, but it seems like I have nothing to show for it.. Any way to the showers and on to the ribeye. Holler at you tomorrow. Chic
Last edited by redtail; 07-27-2017 at 01:43 PM.
07-28-2017, 05:15 AM
#2535
Chic,
I'm surprised Shirley didn't hose you off before she let you in the house.
Off to work this morning but when I get home depending on the heat and humidity I will attach the cylinders to the bay doors so I can turn it over and start putting all the throws into the new radio.... not looking forward to it as it's a 10 channel receiver and it gave us problems when we did the original setup
On the plus side I am almost ready to glue the Trojan canopy to the frame, went into the garage to try it last night but the garage was still 97 degrees at 8PM
I did manage to get my train table built in all this heat as it's in the loft which is AC'd and has 2 fans
Post some pix of the detail
In case you didn't know, I Fly Tallies will build you a gun turret if you send them the ball
Say Hi to Shirley and tell her this build is almost done
Stay cool Brother
Latter
Larry
I'm surprised Shirley didn't hose you off before she let you in the house.
Off to work this morning but when I get home depending on the heat and humidity I will attach the cylinders to the bay doors so I can turn it over and start putting all the throws into the new radio.... not looking forward to it as it's a 10 channel receiver and it gave us problems when we did the original setup
On the plus side I am almost ready to glue the Trojan canopy to the frame, went into the garage to try it last night but the garage was still 97 degrees at 8PM
I did manage to get my train table built in all this heat as it's in the loft which is AC'd and has 2 fans
Post some pix of the detail
In case you didn't know, I Fly Tallies will build you a gun turret if you send them the ball
Say Hi to Shirley and tell her this build is almost done
Stay cool Brother
Latter
Larry
07-28-2017, 08:35 AM
#2541
I guess the only thing out of the ordinary is the two side blisters used by the RAF Fleet Air Command as one of several modifications (use of 2nd cockpit, different radio/oxygen gear, etc.) to their Lend Lease Grumman Avengers. After measuring the size of the blisters on a 1/48 and 1/32 scale models, I found several acceptable size blisters on Ebay. The blisters I have - have a small lip which will help with installation. However, let me throw something out to you guys. After cutting a hole in the side of the fuse, based on the curve of the fuse's side, will I have to cut part of the plastic blisters in order to fit/match the curve of the fuse to better secure it to the fuse? Larry, Noah, Pete, etc. need your suggestions. Thanks. Chic
07-28-2017, 12:15 PM
#2542
With regards to the life raft doors, I thought I could bend the plywood to match the curve of the fuse, but it did not quite work out. So I reverted back to the monocote/layers of fiberglass cloth methodology to match the curve of the fuse and then use magnets to connect the newly constructed doors to seat themselves to the fuse curvature (one covering the air fill nozzles on the starboard side and the other covering the rx battery switches on the port side. The wire is used to pull the door off. A cutout will be made in the fiberglass after being sized to act as a window to show the yellow life raft inside on both sides of the fuse. The first plywood doors I made were a bit too small. Still have to paint the throttle quadrant and the wheels/flap levers. I used foam to construct the tail cone. Chic
Last edited by redtail; 07-28-2017 at 12:20 PM.
07-28-2017, 02:46 PM
#2543
Chic,
I can only think of one word "FANTASTIC"
Beautiful work brother.
As for curving the blister, it looks like the blisters have a shoulder on them. You could always drill a hole through the fuse and insert the bubble from the inside using the shoulder to glue to the inside of the fuse.
The other option would be to use great planes self sticking 220 sandpaper affixed to the fuse and carefully run the bubble back and forth until it conforms to the shape of the fuse.
For the access doors we put a tongue at the bottom and (2) 1/8" round magnets in the upper corners and they work fine, we also made a u shaped wire to be able to open the doors
Again beautiful work
Stay well
Larry
I can only think of one word "FANTASTIC"
Beautiful work brother.
As for curving the blister, it looks like the blisters have a shoulder on them. You could always drill a hole through the fuse and insert the bubble from the inside using the shoulder to glue to the inside of the fuse.
The other option would be to use great planes self sticking 220 sandpaper affixed to the fuse and carefully run the bubble back and forth until it conforms to the shape of the fuse.
For the access doors we put a tongue at the bottom and (2) 1/8" round magnets in the upper corners and they work fine, we also made a u shaped wire to be able to open the doors
Again beautiful work
Stay well
Larry
07-29-2017, 03:35 PM
#2544
Larry - I took your idea and ran with it. After using the monokote/fiberglass (6 layers of medium gauge), I laid up the two doors. They fit the curve of the fuse perfectly. As you directed, I used two magnets and a popsicle stick as a tongue. Could not believe that it took me most of the day to get it correct. But your idea was beautiful. Thanks My Brother. Chic
07-30-2017, 04:04 AM
#2550
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Chic, it's coming together so very, very well! Congrats!
I have no suggestions about the bubble window. But based on what I have seen in the past 1-2 weeks, I have no doubt that you'll figure it out and the finished installation will be outstanding!
Well done!
I'm super excited to see your Avenger edging close to the finish line!
All the best,
Noah
I have no suggestions about the bubble window. But based on what I have seen in the past 1-2 weeks, I have no doubt that you'll figure it out and the finished installation will be outstanding!
Well done!
I'm super excited to see your Avenger edging close to the finish line!
All the best,
Noah