Props4ever

My custom made main gear struts have been made, now waiting for there delivery in week or two. These were made from T6061-T6 aircraft grade aluminum bar stock, main legs are 3/4" thick with double springs to take load of 30lbs per strut.
Full oleo extension is 1-1/4" with a 5/32" dia hole for the axle. There is a locking set screw at the bottom of the struts to lock in the main axles.

I will be needing to add brakes on both inner wheel hubs on both landing gears, max wheel dia could be used is 3-1/2", any suggestions of what type of wheels, brakes i can get for this purpose.

Props4ever

Update from last night...

Both newer wing tip tanks were sanded into the required shape n profile, both turned out really nice n are scale.

Now i like to ask if any of you have simple yet efficient of making removable wing tip mounting system in mind that i can adapt for this application.

I have couple ideas how i would go about this but also like to know from you, as how would you do it.

Remember the reason to make removable mounting system is to replace it with wing tip that would be on wing when tip tanks are not being used.

Props4ever

Here are pictures of wingtip and how tip tanks will be mounted on the tips.

The very edge part of the tips will become part of tip tank's mounting structure, so this will be replaced with newer tip to be made at this point.

My idea 1:

Make 2 lite ply formers from 1/16th ply n incorporate them at 2 positions on this tip, these formers will take the weight of the tank shells and will also be part of tip mounting structure.

I would add 2 CF tubes on the tip's inner side while holes will be drilled in the bigger wing tip for CF tubes ti slide into, then to lock the tips in place, a small hole will be drilled from the bottom of he wing through
this CF tube into the wood so a screw can be screwed in to lock it in place.


My idea 2:

Partially same as above regarding the ply formers, the im thinking on cutting 1" x 1/4"w slots in to inner tip, one at top n other at bottom position about 1" apart, then add hard balsa square stock strips slightly longer in length, out of with extra extention will be made part of the tip tank's mount. This way it will be secured on the wing with a screw again from bottom of the wing.

Props4ever

I don't kno why but i'm so bored tonite that i can't even get myself to work on this baby....[]

I did made slight effort to draw center lines on the foamy tippy tanks and then positioned then at the location to be mounted on the wing tip, then cut n made a slot in them to be able to dry fit on the wing tips.

Slot were rightly done and both tippy tanks are presently mounted on the wing both tips. They might seems to be on bit of high AoA but you tell me as i think i have enough seen this model that i might be getting visual illusions!...

I also assembled the model, just to see how these look on complete airframe.

Props4ever

With model assembled...

Same tank, 2 different angles...

Props4ever

Starting to work on flaps now!...

Last night i started to make mock up of the rear half wing section with 3" wide flaps bay. I used root airfoil templates of this model to make foamcore section and then cut out flap also from it. To make this flap n it's bay i used my big Palmer C130's flap template. I did some adjustments on the thickness needed for the Constellation and it worked out quite well. My original flap was 1/4" thick sheet of balsa but this one is 1/2" thick foam flap!, with this thickness it gives more work area by adding thicker LE on the flap.
CF Slider telescopic rods, flap tilting actuator and push rods are still to be added and partial aft body of the nacelle is still to be built.

Pictures coming soon.

Props4ever

Pics of the flaps bay mock up under making....

Props4ever

'My back has acted up again after 1.5yr of no problems, i thought its all ok until this past Sunday when i couldn't even get off my bed!, i could feel that same pinching agonizing pain in my middle /lower back n thats why couldn't do much of anything.

Yesterday morning was first time i felt better and now i have to watch myself again with all the moves i do not to flair the pain again. Hate talking pain killers but they r ok for time being.

Started to work on the flaps mock up again, made 2 holes on both ends about 1" from the structure's ends. These are 1/4" dia holes almost the length of the chord of the main mock up wing body. CF telescopic tubes will be glued in these holes and will hold the flap from each end while pushing them out straight in line n parallel to the center line of the half airfoil chord. I have also made a vertical slot 1/8"w x 6"l x 2.5"h at the location where rare spar is on actual model's wing, then a flat balsa strip was cut to the size and glued in to represent as spar. I still have to make rare end of the nacelle before i can route and tilting actuator through nacelles and spar into the flaps bay.

I also made and glued on new balsa LE to the foam flap's body, i will add light layer of fiberglass on it to protect is from damage once tilting actuator is installed, and hinging is done on the leading edge.

Props4ever

Finally i'm glad to say that this model has reached its final construction phase!!!

Flap mock up is 3/4th complete now. Apart of push rods that would connect flap to the 360 degree winch servo needs to be added, another flap actuator needs to be made with 5 degrees more down deflection.
Presently at full max extended position flap deflects down at 15 degree, this is not enough, so with newer actuator it will deflect at 20 degrees down which will be enough for this model.

1st set flap fully retracted.

2nd set Flap at takeoff position at 5 degrees down

3rd set Fully extended position at 15 degrees down deflection.

iron eagel

Very nice work Sam.

Props4ever

I did more checking with bunch off close up pictures of S Connies with takeoff and landing flaps configuration, it turns out that at take off setting flaps are 10-15 degrees and on landing they are 30 degree at full extension.

Also made newer actuator out of wood for this test purpose, this one is alot more curved all around then the first one, this gives me right amount of deflections as on actual aircrafts are. Had to make 3 different actuators to get right one to do this job.

Here see the difference urself.....

Props4ever

Thanks Paul, great to hear back from you. How r things health wise with you....

Boomerang1

Interesting to see your trials & tribulations making tip tanks. I'm part way through making them for my Macchi 339.

I have a couple of moulded fuselages for this model to the same scale as my wood version so it 's worth making a mould
so I can produce some more tanks. Fortunately they are close enough to symetrical so I'll only need one mould.

Thinking about it, the build thread is in the 'scale' forum rather than the 'scratch build' forum. I've asked about moving it
with the mods but no feedback. Perhaps I should just conttinue it here anyway.

Hope your back's feeling better. - John.

Props4ever

I finally got the courage to make 2nd flaps bay on the left side. I was nervous not to dig in too much at first but after slicing little by little from top down, i finally got the hang of it.

I also though about cutting the outer wing joint ply rib n the use template to cut the flap out but realized that is not possible as inner side cant be cut since there is no way to get bow to do its job.

Slicing little by little was best to do this n then used my sanding block with new 100 grit sand paper to smooth it out. Also places mock up flap to see the dept thickness n it's right on the money!...

Props4ever

John,

Back is 50/50 now days, we r experiencing the warmest winter in last 20 years!, yesterday it was +7C n today +2 , then tomorrow it will snow!!
This year weather cant make it's mind, NO snow on the ground!!!, but windchill is still causing problems..

Yeah when i initially built tip tanks, i just eye balled them, they were huge, n totally wrong, so now i re-did newer ones as they r suppose to be but added bit more body on them...

I like ur Macchi 339 build, its very nicely coming along.


Sam

Props4ever

Tried to cut newer flaps for the model but first couple of tried were no good, we'll try again today at some point.

Lets see if i can upload pics from yesterday...

First 2 pics are of newer flaps bay, 2nd two are of older flaps bay that was made in 2007!...

Props4ever

Updates:

Both flap panels are under making, top n bottom skin panels are off fiberglass sheet, ribs are 3/32" balsa with CF rod passing through from one end to another at 1/4 of the flap chord in as rear spar. LE will be balsa n the covered with fiberglass.

Cowl molds will be made real soon, then i'll start casting the newer cowlings.

All the propulsion electronics and wiring is going to be ordered in day or two.

Looking for thin/slim wing servos with close to 100oz of torque for both ailerons now...if anyone has couple pls let me know.

Other servos needed for flight controls will be ordered soon.

Newer custom made main landing gear struts should be in one of these days...

Props4ever

Update:

Flap ribs are cut from 3/32" sheet, 24 ribs are made incase of flaw ones...

VHF antenna was also made from 3/32" sheet. A toothpick section was mated on the bottom of the antenna to help it anchor in the fuselage's foam wall n FG skin.

This VHF antenna was also fiber glassed!

Today i will make the flaps out of fiberglass skin sheet that i made 2 years ago for my Avro Arrow project.

Dago Red

My Feedback: (11)

loving this build!

Props4ever

Flap build...

Places original flap, newer ribs n new flap foam core on top of fiberglass sheet to see if i can make both flaps from this sheet, Well i can certainly do 1 complete flap but second flap will need more FG skin to be made since a section was cut off from this sheet a couple years ago.

You can see i'm figuring out rib placing by using original flap panel as a guide. Once i get equal spacing done, then ribs will be glued on to the fiberglass sheet then will cut while bottom part that will become lower sin surface of the flap.
I will also add thin CF rod/tube/strip inward from TE of the ribs on the joint of the ribs n FG skin to use as a reinforcement and as a spar of the flap. Flap LE will also act as forward spar for the flap. Hard balsa blocks will be added at 4 strategic points where hinges will be glued on to for both CF slider rods and nyrod push rods. Top skin will be cut and glued on at the last step of flap construction.


As a side note:
One important thing that i learned among few other through out this build is "TO MAKE FLAPS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BUILD, Not LAST"!!!!!

Props4ever

Composite flap main components dry assembly. LE is yet to be added. Both skin panels needs some adjustment to de done n some trimming also. CF Spar will be added also.

Props4ever

Assembly has started of the flap. Couldn't get CF spar sp made one up from this same FG sheet i'm also using to skin this flaps with.

Started with gluing spar at its location vertically, man o man what a pain n time taking process it was, then ribs were glued on from right side to left. Ribs has interlocking slits on the to pick up spar.

Note that ribs have 3/32" left of the skin at the trailing edge, this is for top skin to join with lower skin in a wedge form.

I will make LE next now that this much of structure is glued n fully cured.

iron eagel

Did you paint the spar or is it just how the photo came out, normally carbon fiber is black your spar looks white in the photo. Yes, trying to glue something that thin and flexible upright can be "entertaining" to say the least. Looks pretty good overall.
Any luck on the servos for the wing?

Props4ever

This spar in this flap is cut from this same FG sheet Paul, but for other flap, i will get CF spar and it will be black also...

I think, i can get standard size servo on it's side for the ailerons, it will be very tight fit but it will happen. No i couldn't find ones i was looking for "Wing slim servos" locally.

Yeah, when i started the flaps part in 07 and had to do 12 experimental flaps deployment designs, i could never think back then to add trims, boost tabs or make my very own composite flaps for this model!, it's amazing what i have learned in over last 6 years as scratch builder...

iron eagel

Every build is a chance to learn more as far as I am concerned. Composites were not an option when I first learned to build unless you count tissue, balsa and dope as a composite material. Carbon fiber and Kevlar and today's epoxies have really given us a lot more options, add that to the lighter and smaller electronics it a whole new world for model builders.