Steve McLaren Posted May 24, 2016 Share Posted May 24, 2016 This is post No.1 - just to register that I have started! All going well so far - taking benefit from all the instruction and advice in other blogs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer Posted May 24, 2016 Share Posted May 24, 2016 Well done Steve, Your'e just a little ahead of me; although I've been making my building board for the next three builds. Look forward to seeing your progress, and you make a valid point that it's useful for us first time plan builders to follow others that have already experienced the issues we are coming up against. Look forward to seeing yours fly Steve. Cheers Ade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted May 24, 2016 Share Posted May 24, 2016 Welcome aboard Steve - great stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted May 25, 2016 Share Posted May 25, 2016 Is it ready for covering yet? Well done for getting started anyway Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve McLaren Posted May 30, 2016 Author Share Posted May 30, 2016 The early part of the build seems very quick when you're working with an accurate set of laser cut parts. So I started on the wings in parallel, so that there's always something else to do whilst one part is drying. Then I tried the ammonia trick. I was really impressed with how well it works. But 2 days later I'm still getting whiffs of that smell! In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have used that tin of tomatoes as a mould for the intakes. I forgot that it would print the upper lip of the tin into the inside of the balsa. But nobody will see it! Left wing underway. And 1/2 inch decks added tot he upper fuselage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Talbot Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 great photos Steve, you are ahead of me , I have nearly finished the fuselage but my F9 is bigger than the fuselage end for some reason, even though all the measurements etc are correct. Did yours fit ok? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Houghton 1 Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Nice work Steve I haven't done anything on mine in weeks, what with coaching running courses etc. But I'm having to take a couple of weeks off due to Achilles Tendonitis so hopefully I can get on with some work again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Edwards 2 Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Lovin' your improvised weights ! Quality out of the box thinking there. I eventually succumbed and bought a dozen door stops from B&Q, pick out the dented ones and they're 2 quid each Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Shane, F9 is drawn oversize intentionally it is not a true former, more of an end cap. It doesn't sit between the fuselage sides like all the other formers. Simply square up the sides and top and bottom sheeting at the back end and glue F9 onto the end to tidy everything up and produce the hole to suit the exhaust tube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve McLaren Posted June 6, 2016 Author Share Posted June 6, 2016 I have now fitted the elevator servo and snake to the fuselage, and done a bit of rough shaping. And tonight I fitted the top skin on one of the wings. I have gone for the 2 servo option - just in case it ever proves useful in the future! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted June 6, 2016 Share Posted June 6, 2016 Looks lovely that Steve - good job! 2 servo wing is a good idea - will enable draggerons for landing or perhaps flapperons for those light lift days - the prototype was built with a single std size servo just to prove it can be flown that way with basic R/C gear...so you are leading the way with the programmable set up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Twist Posted June 6, 2016 Share Posted June 6, 2016 Looking lovely Steve - I like your parallel - fus and wing build ! Can I ask - I think I see it on the images but cant be sure - at the wing roots have you allowed a little extra bottom sheeting inboard and parallel to the first rib on each wing ? Presumed to be trimmed later at the point dihedral added and wing joined? Looks to be maybe 5mm? I assume same would be the case on top sheeting - then trim all square. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve McLaren Posted June 7, 2016 Author Share Posted June 7, 2016 Hi Harry, Yes I made the skins oversized, I then pinned the bottom skin to the board and marked the lines of the ribs, LE, TE and Spar, onto the skin. But I trimmed it all square before fitting the top skin - mainly because you have to sand the LE and TE to shape anyway, but I found it also helps to be able to check the fit of the dihedral brace, if both wings go together properly at that stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Twist Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 Hi Steve many thanks - got it now. I will be getting onto the wing soon - got the plan all laid out - may not start in the next few days though - trying to sort out a cluttered workshop and prep stuff for this weekend! Regards H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Houghton Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 That's rapid progress, Steve. Have you decided on a colour scheme and A-4 mark yet? I see you've added gussets at the TE of each rib, and some small blocks at the LE for extra support. I did wonder about the TE strength myself, as the ribs are very thin there. The extra gussets might help avoid breakages when colliding with rocks on the Orme! Edited By Steve Houghton on 14/06/2016 12:38:45 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve McLaren Posted June 14, 2016 Author Share Posted June 14, 2016 Hi Steve, Yes I added the gussets partly for extra strength but also because one or two of my ribs didn't seem to quite meet the false trailing edge! I found that having marked out the false TE and False LE lines, the ribs seemed a bit short. You don't have a solid reference at the front of the ribs. at this stage of the build, and there's a bit of uncertaintly on how to how to chamfer the cut for the spar, but I didn't seem to have enough rib to achieve a good fit with both the TE and the LE. I only achieved a partial chamfer on the front of the rib to the LE. Probably my bad building! Did anybody else find the same problem? I saw your question about the false LE. For what it's worth, I chamfered mine in advance and added it to the ribs before curling the bottom skin as you suggested. It seemed to work well, but other methods are available! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Houghton Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Steve, I didn't have the same problem with the ribs, although I aligned everything against the TE strip, so the TE of the ribs fitted perfectly. I then used the slots in the ribs (after filing to an angle) to 'dry fit' and align the spar on the lower sheet before glueing. It was more or less over the line I had drawn, perhaps slightly rearward. I totally ignored the drawn position of the sub-LE, as I fitted it after rolling the lower sheet onto the ribs. I sanded a full angle on each rib LE. However, I have ended up with a small kink in the sub-LE. I think rib R2 is slightly longer (on both wings) than it needs to be - I should have checked this before assembly I suppose. I'll either sand out the kink, or just accept a slightly curved LE! You cunningly avoided my question about your chosen subject - are you keeping it under wraps? Edited By Steve Houghton on 15/06/2016 13:03:28 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve McLaren Posted June 15, 2016 Author Share Posted June 15, 2016 Ah the colour scheme - no, I'm not avoiding the question. I'm just a bit behind on that aspect. Not being very familiar with the A4, I have no Strong preference. I know that people like to see to lots of different schemes, so I have been looking for something which hasn't already been taken ( at least by the UK contingent who are likely to turn up to the big Orme event). So far I ave come up with this - Aussie Camouflage! I like this. It should give me the same disorientation problems I get when flying my full camouflage Tornado! But, If anybody is already doing this scheme, please let me know, and I will search for something else! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 yeah like that Steve! - I like the high viz roundels and intake warning markings in contrast with the drab camo... very nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve McLaren Posted June 15, 2016 Author Share Posted June 15, 2016 Since my last posting, I have finished skinning the right wing, and epoxied the torque rod sleeves into a groove in the false TE. Then I cut a matching groove into the fixed TE parts. after glueing them both together, and sanding the TE profile to match, I added the wing tips. Then, turning my attention back to the fuselage, I decided i needed to go out and buy one of these to help me understand the shape I was aiming for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Houghton Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Nice one, Steve. Thanks for showing your subject. I looked at a few Aussie versions myself, and some from New Zealand I recall. Look forward to seeing this against the sunny Great Orme skies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiKid Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Awesome Steve, that should look great. Some of the Aussie Scooters eventually ended up in the RNZAF and we had quite a flying circus going on until the paint shops caught up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Cooke Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 That's a great photo KiwiKid - I do love the 2 seater A-4s - cool looking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiKid Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 Indeed - this is my EDF impression of NZ6254. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Meade Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 That looks lovely, nice job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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