Phil Winks' Tucano

[Phil Winks]

another afternoon and she's all but ready to cover just a little sanding still. The fairings while not exactly as Nigel designed do look good and were less of a headache than expected. They are fixed to the wing only, as the removable wing mod required a slight redesign, so they're formed from solid, soft 10mm sheet and hardened with ultra thin cyano. The paper just visible in the 1st pic is the template for the green flash of my chosen colour scheme from the Brazilian air force display team, (2009 I think)

Yes the undercarriage legs need a tweek or 2

Phil

[Phil Winks]

My 10 working session about 28hrs total now thats including 7hrs today making a start on covering.

I'm using "easycoat" yellow (old stock of mine) and a solafilm mid blue (i forget the exact colour name) along with some green solatrim and lots of model technics trimline in white and gold

I started with the yellow and quickly discovered that its a lot more translucent than I remember. Still it shouldn't make any difference at say ten or more paces and if need be it can be doubled up later

to ease me in so to speak I started on the control surfaces then taking the bull by the horns set about doing all the harder bits

so here's the pics (no laughing at the small amount done lol)

the concave surfaces around the nose did present their own special challenge but I got round these with a patchwork quilt so to speak

Also a shot of the wings waiting for some blue.

By special request I'm going to try a video of some of the last panels going on tomorrow if I can work out where to put the camera so it can see whats happening, the down side of a small shed

Phil

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Looking great Phil. I like that Brazillian colour scheme - but its too complex for me as I will be spraying mine! So I'm going for the black and yellow scheme.

BEB

PS I love your idea of not having done much! That would take me about three days! At least!

[Phil Winks]

Thanks BEB its prob just me expecting more lol no one pays me to go slow at work hmm I wish

I just spotted a re-occuring theme here my much loved West wings fournier

Seems I have a liking for blue and yellow witness my dear departed WW Beguine

Mind you the toucan was more traditional

by the way BEB I did my bottom rear fuse sheet the same way as you and for similar reasons I too suspect a potential nose heavy issue though its looking good at the min

Phil

[Phil Winks]

Just one photo today I've got a few more decals to apply and some solatrim to continue the geen flash on to the rudder then I'm waiting for GS to send the 3300 btys so I can get the COG set

To be honest she looks a whole lot better in the photo than I think she does up close that solatrim flash on the fuse is was a nightmare. However if she looks as good in the air as she does on the photo I'll be happy

Phil

[Mike Hardy]

Hi Phil, very impressed with your build. Question - what type of glue did you use to join the wing panel root to your centre section, and did you use the same glue for the dihedral braces? did you shape the braces to the wing section before joining?. Sanding balsa/ply joint could be a bit tricky! Or do you have a tip?

Regards, Mike.

[Colin Leighfield]

Looking very good Phil, I'm debating whether or not to retro-fit mine with the undercarriage. It looks so good in the air without it, but I'm aware of the advantages of having one. Decision time!

[Phil Winks]

Posted by Mike Hardy on 28/05/2013 17:20:22:

Hi Phil, very impressed with your build. Question - what type of glue did you use to join the wing panel root to your centre section, and did you use the same glue for the dihedral braces? did you shape the braces to the wing section before joining?. Sanding balsa/ply joint could be a bit tricky! Or do you have a tip?

Regards, Mike.

Thanks for the kind words Mike but please reserve judgement till you see her close up there's a wrinkle or two that I'm not happy with but removing covering having used water based vaenished as a sanding sealer (its basically pva based) would be a real night mare,

I used Deluxe materials 20 min epoxy for the wing dihedral joints and all the fuse formers, the tail plane fin post and fin, aliphatic to joing the wing panels and slow/thick cyano with a kicker spray/pen else where, oh and the undercarriage hard points were fixed with epoxy too.

I made the ply braces about 1/2 a mm shy of the wing panel depth and fitted them flush with the bottom where sand is minimul this leaves a dip where the top of the brace is which can be filled with super light filler, (the stuff that feels like and emty tub when you buy it) Sanding is then a breeze

Phil

[Phil Winks]

Posted by Colin Leighfield on 28/05/2013 17:41:03:

Looking very good Phil, I'm debating whether or not to retro-fit mine with the undercarriage. It looks so good in the air without it, but I'm aware of the advantages of having one. Decision time!

this must've snuck in while I was answering the other post lol

Thanks for those kind words Colin but as I said to Mike wait till you see it in the flesh and the wrinkles around the tail become apparent

one point I would make Colin is the U/C is removable so fit the hard points and then you've got the choice.

Phil

[Colin Leighfield]

Phil, I actually thought about doing that originally, then decided not to, so to do it now requires some re-engineering. Not too difficult though, I'll hum and ha a bit longer.

[Phil Winks]

Colin I would say that my prefered method for the nose wheel leg is to let a 3mm ply plate into the outer fuse and put a 3mm plate on the floor inside this sandwhich seems to provide great strength i then annded a square of 3mm ply around the sect of leg that protrudes into the fuse thats a total of 9mm of ply and about 6mm of balsa making the leg very firm. also instead of wood screws I used 3mm cap head bolts and T nuts to secure the saddle clamps. the wings I did as Nigel stipulated on the plans

If you've already fitted the top of the fuse above the nose then this would've course need to be removed to allow this work to be done

Phil

[WolstonFlyer]

Wow Phil, that covering job looks great!

[Phil Winks]

Posted by WolstonFlyer on 28/05/2013 21:13:29:
Wow Phil, that covering job looks great!

Thanks James but to be fair I think I've fallen at the last fence here there are a few niggles with the covering especially around the tail feathers so much though I apreciate your very kind comments just wait till you see her in the flesh its not quite as good as the pic makes it look still on the plus side you'll not see the faults while its in the air so best get good at keeping her up there eh ?

Have you seen the gren acres logo on the gen chat thread thought occured to me that if we get some small ones printed we could all stick them on the belly of our tucs that'll look good in the flying shots eh ?

Phil

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Hi Phil,

whats a few wrinkles between friends - I think we've all got a few wrinkles of our own never mind the models! She looks gorgous!

On the logo issue, I know David A is trying to get some stickers done right now - so hopefully there will be a supply - just make sure you button hole him on the day and ask - with any luck you'll get a sticker! The ones last year where very smart and I still have mine on my Tx box.

BEB

[Phil Winks]

I'm betting rying to button hole David on the sat will be like trying to tie down a slippery snake covered in oil BEB lol

as for the odd wrinkle I have to admit I have more than just on my models lol

I think I maywell try printing that logo on some clear vinyl for a belly decal least then I've got one even if I don't manage to get one of David though to be fair I'm really looking forward to meeting some of you gods of RC its looking like it'll be a tremendous weekend. any idea if we're allowed to arrive fri night or is it sat sunday only just seems a good idea to be there proper early sat and that would save an early start

Phil

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Friday evening is fine Phil, plenty of campers do that. The tuc wagon usually does a great breakfast too.

[Martyn K]

Hi Phil

Looks fantastic - well done. I look forward to seeing it fly.

Martyn

[Phil Winks]

Thanks Martyn can't wait to see it fly too.

That sounds just perfect Chris though surely this year has given a whole new meaning to the name Tuc wagon lol, or was the pun intended

Phil

[Phil Winks]

Well she's ready to get some sky under her wheels all the throws set as per book low rates set at 70% she balances about 10/15 forward ogf the 80mm point with the Gens Ace 3300Mah 3s bty as far back as I can get it so maybe I should've got the servo's more rearward but time will tell as this wing form is pretty forgiving re: COG

Her vital stats have come out at

:AUW 3.2lb

ower is 580W on a fully charged bty with the 11x8.5 3 blade prop

So performance is likely to be er adequate lol

And one of the bty as far back as I dare, the white lines on the black walkway are either side of the COG with the rear one being the recomended 80mm back from the LE at the root

Might get a maiden in before Greenacres if I'm lucky

Phil

[WolstonFlyer]

Looks very nice Phil, 580 Watts might just be enough to get her into orbit!!!

I think you have to fly her before Greenacres, details on the website say:

"Pilots will sign to say that all planes have been flown previously and to guarantee all flying models physical and electronic integrity."

I am not quite sure what the aim of that statement is and if it actually means anything legally??

Edited By WolstonFlyer on 01/06/2013 13:17:15

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Yeah - WF is right Phil. You'll have to maiden her before Greenacres. That's why I am pushing on hard now, I still have to finish the covering, paint, then install the ailerons and elevators - and only 3 weeks left!!! I know there are people who could probably build a competition standard scale model from stratch in that time - but I'm not one of them!

She does look absolutely gorgous a smashing job.

BEB

[WolstonFlyer]

Although how would anybody know if an aircraft has flown before or not, we don't have airframe certificates until you get to LMA sized planes. Like I said, I am not quite sure what that is trying to achieve??

[bouncebounce crunch]

Phil you have turned out a real BEAUTY. LOVE IT.

excellent thread too.

bbc

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Well, I suppose it comes down to honesty WF - you are going to sign a declaration to that effect.

You have to remember that the Greenacres flying site is a public park. I have a lot a sympathy with their position because my own club is exactly the same. In these situations safety obviously has to be front and centre - as of course it is in any club - but here we not only have to do it right - we have to be seen to be doing it right. Clubs like ours do what we do in the full gaze of the great British public!

So in out club we have a convention - it not a rule its an understanding between the members in the interests of common sense. Where possible maidens should be done at quite times - not too many people about. And where ever possible we would give a maidening aircraft sole use of the sky for that flight. This all gives the pilot the best possible chance of sucess and the the rest of us the least possible chance of problems!

I would guess it's similar at many clubs - but I'd put my shirt on it that it's the same at Greenacres.

The fly-in will be very busy - six planes in the air all the time. One batch land the next go up. The flightline marshalls do a fantastic job. The public are there - many bring a picnic and chairs just to watch the aeroplanes. Now in this very public, busy, atmosphere the last thing we want is seriously out of trim aeroplanes! Or planes that hold everything up because there are last minute problems. To some extent is hard to completely eliminate this - but a rule that the model has to have flown before is a good step in that direction.

As a final point, I think we have to remember that we are guests at Greenacres - and when in Rome you do as the Romans do - its a courtesy to comply with their ways - but I think it also makes a lot of sense at a busy fly in.

BEB

[Phil Winks]

Thanks for the very kind comments fellas as for not being able to fly without being able to confirm your aircraft is in trim and airworthy at Greenacres, I'd have been surprised if that was not the case, In the public eye or not safety has to take precedence and with out it the fun is often spoilt at least for some.

Phil