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Astro Hog by Andy Green


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Well with the Super 60 nearly done, I'm going to turn my attention to the Astro Hog build.
 
My first impressions of the kit (Santa bought be) was very good, but on closer inspection the balsa is quite old.
 
Its difficult to explain unless you have experience of old balsa, but it goes brittle-ish.
 
I think I might have to change my engine choice. I have an old OS 60 FS but its a bit bigger than I remember, so I might fit a Saito 62 I have waiting for e new home.
 
I'll post more when the build starts proper and I have something to show.
 
Andy
 
 
 
 
 
 
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  • 4 weeks later...
As usual there will be more photos and descriptions on my website.
 
I have decided to build as a tail dragger, have a servo in each wing, which then gives me the option of using the kit torque rods for flaps - any comments, and a servo tucked under the tailplane for elevator.
 


Rear fuselage mod to take the elevator servo.
 
Andy
 

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They are a set width (1/8, 1/4, 3/16) piece of steel bar with abrasive on one side.
 
Permagrit ones here, or you can glue some sanding paper onto some stock wood.
 
Andy
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Hi Andy
 
I do like the jig.. where did that come from?
 
It looks like the top rear decking is going on in two pieces, that is different to mine - I had to plank mine, I had a strange compound curve at the front of the top decking. I don't think that this was intentional though..
 
Looking good
 
Martyn

Edited By Martyn K on 10/02/2012 13:12:36

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Thanks Martyn,
 
The jig was build by a guy in Bournemouth, who is no longer with us I'm afraid.
 
Both the front & rear decking are in 2 pieces (4 in total), There is a compound curve just behind the cockpit, but is covered by the front sheeting, it seems to fit because the cockpit cutout gives you just enough movement to make it fit.
 
I have the first stages of the wings done too, I'll post a bit later.
 
Andy

Edited By Andy Green on 10/02/2012 13:22:25

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The first picture shows just how many clamps are needed to hold the wingtips whilst the glue dries. I used white glue for gluing to the spars, but around the tip I used Gorilla glue, this expands and will fill any gap between the sheeting and the tip structure. This just means if I sand a bit too hard and go through the wood, there will be something there.
 

These pictures show the forward mounted undercarriage block. No mention is made of how to sheet this forward position in the instructions, I just placed the sheeting on and drew around the block. I then added some 1/8 strip around the sheeting to make sure the block / sheeting joint was secure.
 
When I join the wings, the external area will get a strip of glass cloth covering, to just make sure its secure. You dont get that on ARTF's
 


Andy
 
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My method for fitting the wing servos is to have 2 1/8 lite ply half ribs, glued each side of a main rib. This worked well on the Super 60. I does mean that the servo is built into the wing which makes maintenance harder, but I can count the times on 1 hand that I've had a servo failure in 30 years of R/C.
 

This picture shows the wing panel with the bottom sheeting, you can just see the servo hole in the rib at the top. I'll make some servo extensions and get the servos fitted while I have full access.

 
I'm going to be using Hi Tec 225MG servos.
 
Andy
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Hi Andy

3" looks about right although at first I thought that was excessive as well, but in hindsight it seems OK. What does appear small though is the fin and rudder although there is lots of lateral area to compensate for the small fin.

If the weather is decent this weekend, I hope to maiden mine, I have about an hours work to complete it (which will probably really mean another full day when I start snagging it..)

Next week I can then start repairing it (get it out of the way), I know that it is inevitable.crying 2

Martyn

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I'm going to go with 3" dihedral. I wish I'l thought of this sooner, as I have the wing root ribs angled for 6.5". Not able to reset without a lot of rework, so I'm going to have to fit facing ribs, and re-sand to the new dihedral.

Job for another day.

Capping strips now, notice the extra wide one for the servo pushrod exit.

Tailpalne being built over the plan, What you can't see here is just how cold it it.

Andy

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