redtail

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Worked on the elevators and stab hinges and hinge line. Shaped the elevator leading edge, drilled 1/16 hole for hinge wire in stab hinges. Will put carbon laminate on trailing edge of the elevators tomorrow.

redtail

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Associated photos of stab and elevators.

1percenta

I am also starting a build soon with the Avenger (108" Kellog) and will paint it in the Brit colour scheme. Does anyone know if there is a company that manufactures the mechanisms needed to make the folding wings? I did see one recently on youtube with a corsair but the avenger folds back along the fuse rather than straight over as does the corsair. Hope one of you can help. Also who makes the best gear for them?
Mick

redtail

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Hey Mate, happy to have you join in with the build. I do not know which landing gear is best, I went with what Charlie told me to get which is the Sierra Precision gear. Mick, I'm not an expert but I'd be happy to pass on any information I have or gained from talking with Charlie. I'm finishing up another build here in the Warbird forum. Ken and I are building "DAWG's", L-19 Bird Dogs. Here in the forum, look for the 25% Cessna L-19/O-1 Bird Dog build and you can see our work. Hope the Avenger goes as well. Chic

1percenta

Thanks mate
I have just found his email address from the threads and have sent an email re the gear and folding wings will keep you updated. So is it Barrak or McCain....?

GlennisAircraft

My Feedback: (1)

Pass any info on the folding wings - I've been looking at this idea.

Dennis

1percenta

Emailed Charles yesterday and received a reply almost straight away, he said not to consider the folding wing option as they arent safe and liable to failure in flight (and we all know what that means). So its back to the drawing board.

GlennisAircraft

My Feedback: (1)

Why? It would have to be done right, properly machined and the correct locks. - Dennis Crooks had folding wings on his Avenger.

Dennis

1percenta

Why? How would I know, I'm only advising on what I was told if you know of a better way feel free.....maybe we should find out of Dennis how he did it.

gibb

My Feedback: (7)

Here's a pic of how I supported the gear rails. I can't exactly remember what I did.

Jim

dhal22

i just looked at a thread in this forum last week where the builder was doing some VERY impressive folding wing work. it can be done.

david

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Well I decided to borrow Hans idea with regards to the scale pulley system of the rudder. I cut a pulley out of a hard plastic material, don't ask me, I don't know what it is. I cut the groove out and a square notch, using my buddies equipment, in the back to secure the cable to. I centered and will install it as Hans was going to do onto the 1/16" wire and secured to the bottom of the rudder. The pictures show the rough stage of the rudder frame-up and the placement of the pulley. Thanks Dennis, rec'd the Air Supply System that will be able to operate the huge Avenger landing gear and the wheels are on their way to you for the installation of the brakes. Again, thanks. Now I have no more Birthday money thanks to Dennis. Photos are in two sets. Chic

redtail

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Second set of photos.

redtail

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Hey gibb (Jim), how tough was it to frame up the center wing panel, I have been hearing numerous horror stories, I'm starting to get cold feet with regards to starting on the wings. Besides, Dennis has my landing gear and that gives me a little more lag time. Any how, those of you who have built the wings, any advise or tips. What questions do I need to ask Charlie up front before I start on the wing panels? O'yes, check out the full scale rudder pulley. Thanks. Chic

dhal22

redtail, will you add a commercial size air compressor to your field gear in order to pressurize that air tank?[X(]

david

mobyal

A few years back Nick Ziroli Jr flew a Ziroli Plans Avenger that had folding wings. I think it may have been a Top Gun entry. I recall a video that showed it taxing out for takeoff while unfolding the wings. You might contact Ziroli to see if they have any info/equipment available.

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

David, I figured that I would start pumping air into the tank from my hand held compressor when I first arrive at the field and by the time I'm ready to fly, after shooting the breeze for an hour or so, the tank should be filled and ready to go. So maybe I'll get two flights per day out of the system. Don't get Dennis mad, he has my landing gear/wheels hostage. [>:] My wife is laughing at us loudly. Chic

All Day Dan

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Thanks for the great build. Dan

redtail

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Thanks Dan on behalf of all the Avenger builders on this thread. For me, I'm happy for those who have been working on their Avengers prior to my beginning construction on my bird. This helps me through the tough places that I understand are soon to appear. Chic

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Chic,

Don't despair on the center section... just takes a bit of patience to get all aligned. Not a horror... not by a long shot. I have only been able to do minimal work this past week (everytime I think I have time, my job gets in the way). In addition, this past weekend was also >75 degrees, sunny, with winds down our runway... so I did not spend much time in my shop. Atypical Novermber weather in Iowa! I know I promised major progress over the last week, but this weekend (for sure) I'll finish framing the center.

I'll post pictures with descriptions this Sunday, at the end of my build-day.

Regards,

Noah

redtail

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Noah, you are a life saver. Looking forward to your pictures and text. Chic

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Well, today the wind picked up alot and it got tooooo cold to sit outside and sand. I need the ventilation unless I wear a mask inside. I don't like the mask. So I worked alittle more and then went inside to work on the Avenger. I had to figure out a way to insert the 1/16" wire through both halves of the elevator. I decided to do separate hinges. I will anchor the wire hinges for each elevator half in the elevator tips as the photos show. After covering the elevators and glassing the stab, I'll hinge the two and put a plug in the holes where the hinge endings are showing. Then cover the plug area, primer and its all ready to paint. Photos also show the 1 oz weights in the stab tips for counterbalance. Chic

redtail

My Feedback: (15)

Hey guys, excuse the roughness of the parts. No sanding has been done on the Avenger. Just piecing the parts together at this point. Here are the final pair of photos. Chic

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Although my job has kept me from making as much progress as I'd hoped (and promised to Chic), I have actually managed to make some headway on the center section.

It was a bumpy start, as I had to re-work all but the W-1 ribs. The others did not line up with Charlie's drawings, mostly at the rear spar area. To fix this issue, I just used the W-1's as a reference, clamped the ribs together, slotted some 1/4 x 1/2 spruce in the bottom main spar slots, 1/4 square in the leading edge, and then "adjusted" all the others to match the W-1's.

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

So after the ribs were all checked out, the first step was to epoxy the doublers on W-2 and W-4. Then the framing started. Before gluing in W-2 and W-4, you have to first attached the gear to the maple rails. Then the fun begins as you make adjustments to the gear rail cut-outs in W-2 and W-4. You know you're there when the wheels are level over the building board, over the plan, and no more that 3.5 inches above the building board. Mine by chance came out at 3 3/8, and because both left and right were equal, I called it good. Once it was all aligned I used methacrylate (Hysol) to glue it together.