fockewulf37

My Feedback: (102)

Hi Everyone,

I guess we all can be fickle at time about want we want to build. I was going to finish up the Me 109-Z model I have but I just can't get into another Gas twin at this time.

I have been bitten by the Electric bug. I have had alot of fun with My Vickers Wellington since I converted it to electric. I have been thinking about a Lancaster for a while no. I have a friend that is comming out with a Lancaster but just don't know the time frame. I just can't wait around. I really want to do a four engine plane and there are B-17 and Bi24's out there and ya'll know I like doing something a little different.

Well I have been working with a 3 view and I have my wing and tail section all drawn up and I am waiting on a more deatailed 3 view to do the fuse and nacelles. I like the 130" range. That is the same size as my Wellington. That would put the Halifax at 1/9 scale. I hope to have a complete set of plans when I am through.. Most of it cad drawn. and may even be able to have a laser kit cut..

fockewulf37

My Feedback: (102)

Here are some of the drawings done on Compufoil...

fockewulf37

My Feedback: (102)

Well I cut out my horizontal ribs and framed up the whole horizontal first.
I has a 40" span and wieghs 10 0z . I plan on making the horizontal removeable...

Ty

fockewulf37

My Feedback: (102)

I Have built both verticals over the past 2 days working a little at a time. After I got them build I realized they needed to be a little shorter so I could make the top and bottom tips correct. So I had to cut 3/4" off each end and cap them then add the tips. It now matches my blown up side view almost perfectly.

I will have to glass all this before gluing them on and also install servos for the rudders..I am at 15 oz total so far...

fockewulf37

My Feedback: (102)

Wow,
I have this whole thing drawn and I am in the process of cutting out the formers. I had the side view blown up today to fuul size. Man this is going to be big!!!! I hope I have not jumped in over my head on this one...The fuse is 95" long
I was suprised how well the vertical fit the side view....

fockewulf37

My Feedback: (102)

Well I went out a bought me another building board yesterday. 16"x 81". This way I'll be able to move this around if I have too.
I got all the fuse formers cut out. I am trying a different way of building. I usually use a crutch and buils odd the board but this just seamed more pratical for this build. I have to frame up from from cockpit rearward first..It appears to be working out really well so far....


Ty

fockewulf37

My Feedback: (102)

I got alot of sheeting done on the Halifax yesterday. I had to add doublers in the wing saddle area to prepare for adding the wing later


Ty

fockewulf37

My Feedback: (102)

Once I got the doublers in I was free to sheet at will. I started at the rear and moved forward. My curves were the sharpest at the rear. I started with one sheet in the center then worked from the edges back to the center. I don't like strip planking. So I an sheeting 8" at a time.
Mt whole frame work is set up on 1/4 x 1/4 stringers. so I had to keep my sheeting off the table by 1/8". So i took a piece of 1/8" ply and put some easy release tape to keep me off the table. I would cut the sheet to size. I would then glue just the bottom of the sheet. I then would wet it using a foaming glass cleaner and wrap it into place. I then applied glue. Then with a piece of 3/8"x 1/4" stringer clamped the sheeting down to dry. This has worked well and went pretty fast..

Ty

fockewulf37

My Feedback: (102)

I got most of the sheeting done on the fuse. I left only a couple areas open. I may needed access to these areas. I lifted the fuse from the board and moved it down about 16" so I can build the front part of the fuse. It has worked out well so far.
I have the fuse formers and stringers in place. I added some small stringers in the more curved area to make sure I maintain a good curve. I still plan to sheet 3" wide at a time. Did I say I hate strip planking!!!

I know you can see the main stringer is not straight. I had to change some angles and frogot to change my location. But it really does not matter here. I will change it on my final former templates..


Ty

fockewulf37

My Feedback: (102)

I got the whole first side finished. I pulled it up from the board and just thought it should be more rigid than it is. This really bothered me. I just wondered how am I going to keep this straight. Well I got to working and forgot to take pic's of just the first side.
The fuse sides in the middle of the fuse has a flat area. So I secured this to the table with a couple small nails. I than measured the distance from the table to the middle stringer that the whole fuse is aligned on. I was able to raise the rear of the fuse with scrap balsa and also place a riser in the middle. I took a square and was able the verify that it was the same height throughout the fuse.
I then added all the formers to the second side followed by the stringers. I have now started sheeting the second side...
Ty

fockewulf37

My Feedback: (102)

Here is the fuse mostly all sheeted. It was locked in well enough for me the pull it from the board. I left openings so I could work on the wing installation ,tail wheel.amd lightening it up some. I put the fuse up against the side view. It hard to tell but it is right on in length...

Ty

daniel pedersen

i got to say, but that is an amazing project u got going on. i have 1 question though, how did u design the plane, cause i would like in on some scratch build, but with a high quality design.

good luck with your plane

daniel pedersen

-

build it before u fly it

Wayne22

My Feedback: (2)

You did all that in 3 days !!!????????


wow!

fockewulf37

My Feedback: (102)

Daniel,
If you look early into the thread you can see pic's of the cad drawings. I am using Compufoil to draw the entire plane. Compufoil allows you to import a cross section of the fuse or nacelle. and then you can match the outline using the Bulkhead wizard. The bulkheads I have are pretty close. there are very minor deveations. Compufoil does bulkheads just like it does ribs. You can go from a circle to a square and it draws all the bulkheads in between and does a nicely .
You can go to Compufoil.com and use the trial version. I draw all my wings and tails in the past now with the new Bulkhead Wizard I can do fuse also.
It will take you a little while to get use to it but I can draw a wing in about 15 minutes. You can also create a file and go to your local blueprint shop and have them printed off...


Ty

fockewulf37

My Feedback: (102)

I have gotten the center scetion ribs Cut out and started framing up the wing. I am going to make a 3 piece wing. I plan to have the wing come apart at the dihedrial. I am using the same spar and channel system I use on all my planes.
The way I do wings with Nacelles is I frame the wing and sheet the whole wing except between the 2 ribs where the Nacelles are. I have allowed 4.5" between the nacelle ribs. My nacelle doublers will be made from 1/4" light ply.and incorperate the firewall and retract setup.

I will frame to whole wing before I start sheeting. with the airfoil I use this is easy. I will also put no washout in the wing. It is not neccessary with the airfoil I use also.
Ty

fockewulf37

My Feedback: (102)

Once I had the basic center section framed. I cut my Dihedrial braces that will fit into the channel made by the 2 bottom spars. Once I made sure that it would fit into the channel I shear webbed that are awith light ply. I usually do this with balsa but with the added weight for the outboard motor I wanted the added strenght. Here are pic's of the channel going together...

Ty

fockewulf37

My Feedback: (102)

Once I had the removeable outboard spar fitted. It was time to frame up the outboard wing panel. I placed the removeable spar in place, fit and measured for the bottom spar. I then glued the bottom spar onto the removeable spar. With the spar in place I then glued the first rib onto the removeable spar at the correct angle. I then marked teh locations for the rest of the ribs and basicly framed the rest of the wing. My goal being to keep rib one at the correct angle and the correct alignment.
I have both outboard wing panels framed up. I will start sheet with the center section ....

Ty

fockewulf37

My Feedback: (102)

Well I just finished my marthon building secession Friday and Saturday. I was able to finish framing up all 3 sections of the wing. I also got them all sheeted except for the bottom front. But i have to leave them ope so I can add the nacelle doublers. I also got the wing tongue installed. So thei is really comming along. My next big step it to get the doublers drawn,cut and installed....

Ty

fockewulf37

My Feedback: (102)

Since my last post, I have mounted the wing to the fuse. I had to cut away the bottom of the fuse that will be removeable. That section will also have the bombay in it. Once I had the wing secured, I mounted the horizontal . I always set the horizontal zeroed to the wing. I am making the horizontal removeable so it will be easier to transport...

Ty

fockewulf37

My Feedback: (102)

Next was to Install the retractable tail wheel. I think one of the best values is the Yellow A/C retractable tail wheel. It was $30 plus shipping. Very reasonable when you look at the others out there. On teh Halifax the tail wheel retracts forward. I am glad I left some of the sheeting off. It made installation pretty easy.
I first made up my tail wheel. I am using a forked blank that you can get from CJM. It is made so it can be drilled at different angles. I figured out the angle I wanted. I sanded a flat on the top of the blank and the drill a 5/32 hole throught it. The only thing I don't like about the Yellow A/C tail wheel is the push/pull steering. I left it in place and just made another below the retract. I just uased a wheel collar and drilled and tapped the opisite side and put a alieron horn on each side.

I then figured how deep into the fuse it should be. So it would retract to the right depth . I added another stringer just below the main stringer in the fuse. I then cut a 1/4 light ply plate. I then made two 1/8" stand off and glued to the plate to get the retract to fit flush. Ithen drilled hole for the retract and then used blind nuts to install the tail wheel onto the plate. I removed the tail wheel and installed the plate into the the fuse...Once installed, I reinstalled the tailwheel and cut away the retract opening.

Ty

fockewulf37

My Feedback: (102)

I went back and reached in the fuse with my dremel tool and clean out more of the formers to lighten the tail up. It was not much but every little bit counts.
I figured I better get the tail finished up before I close up the fuse. I hope to get all the rear control surface made and working.
First I hade to make doubler to allow me to attach the vertical fins to the fuse. I hade made a 1/8" indention in the rear of the vertical to allow for a 1/8" ply doubler for that area....Onced I got the doubler made I verified the fit and went ahead and glued it to the rear of the vertical. You can see by the pic's.
Once I had both of them installed I then turned to figuring out how I was going to make the static part of the horizontal that would be attached to the vertical itsself..This piece allow the rudder to move without hitting the elevator. I finally figure it out and all I have left to do is sheet it....
Ty

fockewulf37

My Feedback: (102)

Well I sheeted That piece without thinking it through. You know I have to drive both upper and lower rudder halves. So What I did was took my dremel tool with a sharp router point andcut a hole in the center top and bottom. I then used a piece of 4-40 push rod. I made the bend on one end and slid it through the hole and then made the bend on the bottom.
Some may worry that this is not strong enough metal but i have used it in the past with any trouble. It really does not take much to move a rudder.



Ty

wingspar

My Feedback: (3)

Very impressive project. Are the glass pieces available or are you making your own?

Dave

fockewulf37

My Feedback: (102)

Once I had the joiner in place, I went ahead and added the 1/8 balsa filler on the trailing edge. I then drill the hole for the robart hinges. I do my control surfaces a little different. I cut out the basic shape from 1/8 balsa. I then hole it up the the area it goes and trace off the hinge location and joiner location. I do this top and botton rudder . I then cut out that area. now this make the basis for my control surface and they will be perfectly centered.

I then add the leading edge on both sides to the right thickness according the the thickness of the vertical. I then add false ribs and sand to shape....

Ty

fockewulf37

My Feedback: (102)

Dave,
I have not gotten that far yet... I will be making plugs for everything... I have a vacuum former and may produce everything out of ABS... But we will see...

Ty