Hi Doug, no I can't get on with the crimpers, I brought my servo leads with the plugs already done from SM Services (they are more meaty than normal equivs).

 Thanks

I've been working on these damn ailerons for what seems like forever, still better to get them right now, ay?

 Whilst waiting for some epoxy to dry I cut and lined (shown as only painted on the plans) the cockpit steps, well may as well make it look something like the original.

Should be starting on the flaps and dive breaks by the end of the week, then the fun begins, getting them ALL to work together.

Well still waiting for the retracts, so on with something else?

 I want a semi good looking cockpit, and the dash is important, but I'm not going to pay over £100 for some styro moulded parts, so I'm knocking my own out.

first step was to copy the plan diagram onto a couple of 1/32" ply sheets

Then I searched around the internet for dials and instruments of the era, and used corell draw to match them to the size of the blank cockpit dash formers I made.

These will then be covered in a plastic sheet (transperancy material for overhead projectors) and placed behind the dash formers.

With a lick of paint and the rest of the switches and signs etc and it should be ok.

Nice to see someone else doing a proper job .Join the club !

  Grumpy Myron .

I got my Glass Fiber sheet back from Belair, cut to bits , just as well its what I wanted...

To explaine:

The kit comes with 1/16" ply flaps and breaks, but they are very flexible and with my landings, subject to a lot of bangs, and knocks. So I asked Leon at Belair if I supplied some 1/16" GF sheet, could he cut and laser them from my sheet?, the above picture tells you. Great company, Great guy.

Taking the largest part, the center flap, I added some 1/4" sq cyparis and some strips of CF, and the effect is amazing, just need to do the rest now.

The original plans call for 5/8" brass strip (piano) hinges for all the dive breaks and flaps, but after several weeks of surfing and phoning I gave up and had to settle for Large Kavan hinges. With the center main flap being 18" long and 4"'s deep, meant I had to secure the hinges to avoid the flaps ripping off with some cunning. I opted to cut the wing trailing edge (1/4" balsa) and inset some 1/4" sq Cyparis cut just under the depth of the kavan hinges, so when the 3/32" wing sheeting is added over the top it will sit flush. I epoxied the hinges onto the Cyparis, but was unhappy to put all my trust in just a man made goo, so I thought as the hinges have pre-drilled holes, what I needed was some self tapping screws, thats why I put the Cyparis in. I spent ages hunting for screws the size of a pin, and found these at Mick Reeves.

Thats a 2mm bolt for reference to show the size of these miracle screws.

So now I have the hinges epoxied and screwed into the Cyparis, they aint going to fall out now.

Now I've just got to do all the other flaps and dive breaks

Well knock me for six, I got this from Jerry Bates (the designer of the Dauntless I'm building)

Good show, mate. I have heard good things about Belair. My pal, John Mackie, uses them for cutting all of the Jerry Bates Plans. Those G-10 flaps and dive brakes are the way to go. I have been using G-10 for a lot of things on my new plans. It is great for the center sheets of the rudder, elevators, and ailerons. The stuff is quite heavy but extremely rigid so a lot of lightening holes can be used. Keep up the great work. I have really enjoyed your thread and have learned some new (to me) tricks and methods I will apply in the future. Thanks for sharing.<!-- Signature -->

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Jerry Bates
Jerry Bates Plans 

Well there you go, TRUE testomony to the really great build you are doing, I think that is one heck of a pat on the back, Well done

Best Regards

Lee

Must tidy my desk .

 Well the flaps and dive breaks are now built and hinged, so I couldnt resist having a play.

Heres the wing with every thing tucked in

Now here comes the flaps (both center and wing inners)

Now the freightening bit, flaps and dive breaks fully open

Deploy them in a dive and she will stop dead in her tracks

Grahamd    sometimes words fail me 'this is one . Long live real modelling .Keep up the updates please Don't wish to sound patronising or anything but I think you're a perfectionist like I've strived to be from day one  You're a "little " ahead of me

No grumpy Myron today .I'll save all that for the Welsh man