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Lucas's Ballerina


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Posted by Chris Barlow on 26/01/2016 18:46:37:

Looks good Lucas.

I too like built up structures and ladder frame fuselages, Boddington style!

Maybe we're just old fashioned? laugh

I love them also. Old fashioned? Maybe we are, but I'm proud of it 👍

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Just to show there is more than one way to skin a cat:

img_0869 (small).jpg

To fit tyvek hinges to surfaces I mark the middle of the spar with the nifty little tool (I do not remember where I ordered it) that makes an impression in the wood. A fresh #1 blade and some patience does the rest. I use one hinge marked half way to check that the cut it wide and deep enough.

And indeed, do not bevel until the hinge slots are done.

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Tail surfaces nearly ready for covering (elevator joiner still needs to be glued in place). Nice and smooth after rounding off and sanding:

img_2347 (small).jpg

To be able to have the battery behind the firewall and still have the CG right I need to save 20 grams in the tail. The tail surfaces weight 39 grams (without joiner, covering and horns). Anyone who has weighted normal solid plate surfaces?

img_2348 (small).jpg

All formers are glued in place. Next will be battery mounting plate, the hatch and the turtledeck. I did receive som 1/8 square balsa for the turtledeck but find that very flimsy.

Two weeks silence from today: business trip to the US. Looking forward to start on the wing after returning.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Back again, a little earlier than expected. Continue with the battery plate (2mm light ply):

img_2442 (small).jpg

And mounting a slightly higher F5, so that is fits between the sides. Tilted backwards, to make the hatch easier to fit:

img_2443 (small).jpg

And fitting the lists of the turtle deck. 3x3mm balsa is too flimsy, so it has to be pine anyway. Thanks to Martin for the picture with the elastic bands:

img_2444 (small).jpg

And this is the time I found out that I have used the wrong thickness for the fuselage sides . !!!

It is 1/8 instead of 3/32. Not a big deal, but irritating since I want to have everything as light as possible. And now I am missing stock for the wing leading edges. A lesson to be learned here: when all wood arrives mark every bit for what it is intended for.

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Second half of the stringers last night and started on the battery hatch:

img_2446 (small).jpg

I started with gluing 6x3mm lists to the sides. Glued the half-frames F1A, F2A, F3 and F5A on top of those (rebated), together with the cockpit floor. Before F1A and after F5A a 0.6mm spacer (and tape) to create a little gap that should prevent glueing these half-frames to their counterparts . Next is glueing the turtledeck and then comes the moment of thruth: cutting through the 6x3 lists to separate hatch from fuse. Fingers crossed!

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Hatching the Hatch!

I first made a template from thin carton to get the angle at the back right and to make the halves with an approximate cutout for the cockpit already in place. The ligthtest 5/32 balsa I had was still quite stiff so I soaked the halves in water and pre-bend them on a piece of pipe:

img_2451 (small).jpg

It surprised me how pliable the balsa became when steamed with a hot iron. After drying they could be glued to the sides:

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THis I left to dry for 24 hours. Thereafter i wetted them again (on the outside) and carefully -again wiith a hot iron- conformed them to the shape of the formers. Some carefull cutting on the centerline and they are ready to be glued to the central stringer:

img_2455 (small).jpg

Tomorrow we willl see if the hatch comes loose without breaking...

Edited By Lucas Hofman on 12/02/2016 21:55:03

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The hatch has not been separated from the fuselage yet: Since the fuselage sides are to thick they need a thorough go-over with 80 grid sandpaper. Starting with that revealed that the turtledeck stringer stringers do not permit much handling before slipping from the formers. So the inserts had to be mounted first:

img_2469 (small).jpg

Tedious, all those small pieces!. It has to be said that progress this weekend could have been better if I not had been flying, but who can resist a day like this on a frozen lake:

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OK, back to the bench tonight. Sanding is still hampered, this time by the sides bulging inwards between the formers. Then I had better mount the bottom planking first:

img_2470 (small).jpg

Now all should be ready for a dusty session tomorrow, with -hopefully- a separated cowl at the end!

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Hi Lucas,

Very tidy build there. You are really thinking way in advance how to approach & plan your construction. Excellent job. I'm really curious about the final weight. yes

Indeed very impressive collection of screwdrivers...

By the way, do I see some reddish sign in Dutch - "heb je even geluk" - between them??? surprise

Hakuna matata

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Sign Control

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Posted by Peter Miller on 17/02/2016 08:16:25:

OOH! That looks cold!!!

Not really, around 0 degrees. With no wind and a lot of sun that is pleasant to be outside. Better then 10 degrees, moist and windy.

With -10 to -15 one gets icing, frozen servo's and slow fingers though.

But nothing beats frozen water as a runway - like flying from and inmense biliard!

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