Static Scale Propeller — Part 6

I finally got back to my Static Scale 3-blade Hamilton Standard propeller for my upcoming Top Flite Corsair project, and I finished off the prop hub detailing! This is fairly easy but the results, though not museum scale quality, are more than acceptable for stand off scale. Here’s what I did.

(Above) this is where we left off, with the basic hub and nose cone smooth and ready to be painted. Of course you could go ahead and do just this much work, and go right to paint and it would look more than acceptable. But since I wanted to add just a little more “eye candy”, I added the prop hub assembly bolts and the blade adjustment bolts. I think these are what make the hub so interesting to look at. Note, that this is also a good time to ream out the center hole to properly match the output shaft of your airplane’s engine. I chucked my 10mm prop reamer in my drill press and used a slow speed to enlarge the hole. It should be a slip fit. Being the inside is wood, you do not want a very tight fit. If the humidity goes up, the wood will swell and make it difficult to slip it in place or remove it. A little loose here is a a plus.

(Above) Depending on the number of blades your hub has, you’ll add short bolts and tubes between each blade. For 3-blade hubs, there are two bolts and for a 4-blade hub, only one is in between each socket. I used 2-56 cap head screws and some brass tubing roughly the same diameter as the cap-head bolts. The assembly bolts and tubes are cut about 1/4-inch in length and the blade adjustment bolts and tubes are about 3/8-inch in length. I use the K&S Tubing cutter for this as shown above. I cut the tube section just a little shorter than the bolts so just one or two threads are exposed on the aft end.

(Above) Use a Dremel Moto-Tool with a flat cutoff disc, and cut two notches into the raised web to fit the hub assembly bolts and tubes. This is a cut and fit operation.

(Above) Place each bolt/tube in the notch and center it with the web. Use thin and Thick CA (I use ZAP) and glue them in place. Mist a little kicker over them and then add another application of thick CA and kicker. This fill in any voids and builds a small fillet around the tubes.  Now do this for the other two web sections. Before gluing the tubes to the hub, add a small drop of Zap to the bolt and glue it into the section of tube.

(Above) Now grind small flat spots on the sides of the sockets at the ends of the webs. This is where the longer blade adjustment bolts/tubes will be glued in place. Again carefully apply Zap CA and kicker to make a small fillet/glue joint to hold all the tubes in place. All the tubes should be straight and centered on the raised web.

(Above) After all the hub bolts / tubes have been glued in place, go over the entire hub assembly and double check for imperfections and cracks in the putty. Fill and sand as needed and then degrease the whole thing with some alcohol and let dry before painting. Here, the hub has been primed with some white enamel primer. No sanding is required if you did your homwork and everything is already smooth. The primer coat will also show any other defects requiring further attention. Apply a second and final coat of primer and let dry overnight.

 

(Above) Here’s the final result. I shot two coats of “buffing” silver onto the main hub assembly and after two days I lightly went over everything with a soft piece of Tee-shirt cloth. This really gives the silver a “cast aluminum” look. I also cleaned, primed and then shot with two coats of bright red onto the resin cast nose cone after I glued the hex bolt into the front. After everything has dried, a little weathering with some dark over spray to help pick out the details and it will be done.

Stay tuned for the next and final step of mating the blades to the hub! It all looks great now, but it doesn’t even compare to what the final appearence will look like when we hang our Hamilton Standard 3-blade prop on the front of the new Top Flite F4U Corsair!

(To see the whole build-along series thus far, click this link: http://www.modelairplanenews.com/blog/2012/04/26/scale-3-blade-propellers-building-a-ziroli-static-scale-kit/

Source : http://www.modelairplanenews.com/blog/2012/05/31/static-scale-propeller-part-6/

Airopult: Just Plane Safe

Contributor Frank Tiano shares some news about a new plane-restraint device that makes starting your engine a safer and more relaxed experience. “Back in September 2010 Stuart Baker called me to discuss a new gizmo/tool, for RC model airplanes he was developing, and encouraged my opinion. After viewing some original concepts I told him I thought his idea was worthy of spending countless more hours of blood, sweat and tears, to perfect it. Almost two years later, in May 2012, Stuart offered me one of his production versions for my criticism, good or poor.

It’s called, simply, an Airopult. Like in Catapult, but it doesn’t launch Cats, it launches airplanes. Really? Well no, actually. It doesn’t really launch an airplane, but it does “allow” a pilot to safely restrain and hold tight a model airplane while he starts the engine. And then safely release it.

Hey, let’s face it; we all have fabricated some sort of restraining device or system at least once in our lives to hold back our model so we could be self-sufficient. Sometimes it was merely driving two pointed 2×2 stakes into the ground, just at the leading edge of the stabilizers. Or perhaps you incorporated the use of two massive screwdrivers, whacked into the dirt, at the same position, to hold back the airplane from surging forward as it started, especially if it started at full throttle for some reason! Or maybe you simply enlisted the help of an able bodied friend to crouch over your model and hold it for you, while unconsciously, but aggressively, driving the tail wheel down into the dirt, up to its axle, from all the down force exerted. But other than using a friend to hold the airplane, the other methods merely prevented the airplane from coming forward, at you, but did nothing to hold it from traveling rearward from the force applied when you hit the switch on your Megatron starter.

Well, for those of you tired of forgetting your favorite screwdriver back at the field or who hesitate to ask someone to hold onto your airplane because you don’t have a spare tailwheel assembly in the tool box, this new Airopult may be just the thing for you. Airopult utilizes 4 large Tent Pegs to hold its metal framework to the earth. If you didn’t know better you’d think it was welded to the ground somehow! Yes, it’s that tight. It has two restraining pegs at the front of the unit, adjustable of course, that hold the model from moving forward. It doesn’t matter if the landing gear is wing mounted like in a P-51 or fuselage mounted like in a Taylorcraft or Cub. If used per the instructions, which any occupant of the local zoo could understand, it will hold a rather large model; say anything having up to 100pounds of thrust! Preliminary tests were made by the Spanish IMAC champion with a 160cc engine pulling against the restraints at full throttle. Right now, the only limitation on the size unit I tested is the size of the airplane, in dimension. Airplanes up to 80 inch span seem to be accommodated easily. Anything larger needs to have the restraints placed at a further distance apart. Airopult PRO, due out at a theater near you soon, will address that issue. This unit weighs in at just a tad over 7 pounds so you’re not looking at some lightweight wannabe restraint system here!

Getting back to the review part of this article, upon inspection my initial impression was that the Airopult was well presented and packaged, and I noted not only how well engineered it was, but the exceptional quality of the materials. The unit is extremely easy to use. Place the Airopult on the ground, preferably a surface that allows you to pound in those Tent Stakes. Probably won’t work too well on Concrete or your wife’s hard wood floors. Anyway, then you just place the model so it rests against the vertical restraints. The rear “Release” clicks reassuring into place to indicate it is holding your model securely. After starting the engine, just step on the black release pad and two rear restraints collapse, forward, allowing the airplane to taxi straight ahead. OMG, could it get any easier? Or safer?

Bottom Line. From a cool viewpoint, everyone will wanna have one, and from a safety viewpoint everyone should be made to use one. I see a lot fewer, perhaps none, chopped body parts from forward jerking models with the use of an Airopult. That’s a good thing. You can go to www.airopult.com for some pretty pictures, pricing and additional information, just in case you don’t believe me. Oh yeah, one last thing: Assuming you do get yourself one, paint your name on it and never leave it at the field, because if you do, chances are you may never see it again. It’s that cool.”

Source : http://www.modelairplanenews.com/blog/2012/05/30/airopult-just-plane-safe/

Italian TOC Champion: Alexander Balzer

Flying a Hangar 3.1m  Sukhoi SU-26MM powered by a Desert Aircraft DA200 and using a Futaba T14MZ transmitter, Austrian Alexander Balzer has won the Italian Tournament of Champions. Roger Forgues writes, “The Italian TOC took place in the superb Argentario Polo Club’s field. The flying area is a huge lawn. The club house has all the comforts. The Argentario Polo Club was founded in the early ’80s by a group of enthusiastic polo players from different Italian cities and overseas countries to achieve the dream of playing Polo in a wonderful location like Monte Argentario, renowned for its natural beauty and the jet-set that attend it. The Club is located on the  plain of the promontory, between olive groves and vineyards, surrounded by hills and in front of the lagoon of Orbetello. This year there were 22 competitors from 8 countries, and was a total success.”

 

Source : http://www.modelairplanenews.com/blog/2012/05/30/italian-toc-champion-alexander-balzer/

Bill Northrop: 1922-2012

We received the sad news today that lifelong modeler Bill Northrop has died. A former RC editor of Model Airplane News, Mr. Northrop was a prolific RC designer and will be missed by all. Here is the press release from the Academy of Model Aeronautics, of which Mr. Northrop was a Hall of Fame member.

M U N C I E – One of the Academy of Model Aeronautics and aeromodeling legends has passed away. Bill Northrop, 89, was a champion free flight and radio control competitor, columnist, publisher and model builder in an aeromodeling career that began in 1936, the same year AMA was founded, when he was 14 years old.
Northrop was honored for his lifetime achievements with an induction into the Academy’s Hall of Fame in 1988.
One of his notable accomplishments was in the World Radio Control Record Trials in 1965 at the Dahlgren, Virginia, Naval Weapons Lab. He set a record of 16,610 feet, considered a world record for all model aircraft, previously held by a Russian free flight model at slightly more than 14,000 feet.
While working as an architectural engineer for Hercules, Bill was a regular contributor to Model Airplane News and Air Trails, including contest reports and construction articles. He became the radio control editor for four years for Model Airplane News in the mid-late 1960s. In 1971 he established Model Builder magazine, which was published for the next 25 years. He also owned and operated Bill Northrop’s Plans Service, which featured the plans from Model Builder.
Northrop and his wife, Anita, founded the International Modeler Show, which began at the Los Angeles Convention Center in 1978. They moved the annual exposition to Pasadena where it was held for the next 20 years. In 1998, the Northrops sold the show to the AMA. The Academy continues to hold the West Coast exposition to this day, convening at the Ontario CA Convention Center every January.
Northrop’s aeromodeling career spanned the full organizational life of the AMA and has left an indelible mark on the evolution of the hobby and sport now pursued by more than 143,000 AMA members across the nation.
Funeral arrangements are pending.

Source : http://www.modelairplanenews.com/blog/2012/05/30/bill-northrop-1922-2012/

AeroWorks Yak 55M: first look!

We just completed the review on this great flying aerobatic performer, the AeroWorks Yak 55M.  In this video check out and see what Mike Gantt, the reviewer, has to say about the assembly of this new aircraft from AeroWorks.  Our top-notch pilot Jason Benson steps up to give you his view on the flying performance of this 120cc size bird. Check it out.

Source : http://www.modelairplanenews.com/blog/2012/05/30/aeroworks-yak-55m-first-look/

If you could have only 1 RC model…

It’s time to put your thinking cap on! If you could have only 1 RC model for the rest of your life, what would it be? Chime in on our FACEBOOK PAGE, YOUTUBE PAGE, or in the comments section below.

Source : http://www.modelairplanenews.com/blog/2012/05/30/if-you-could-have-only-1-rc-model/

The Downward Figure Eight Maneuver

This month we are doing the Downward Figure Eight Maneuver that will be featured in the September Electric Flight Magazine.  John Glezellis takes you step-by-step through this maneuver in the magazine.  In this video Jason Benson shows us how to perform the Downward Figure Eight with some helpful tips to guide you through this great looking maneuver.

 

Source : http://www.modelairplanenews.com/blog/2012/05/29/the-downward-figure-eight-maneuver/

The all new Blade 450Xblade

We got the new Blade 450x in and had our contributor Arron Strietzel try it out.  In this video he tells us what he thinks of the new release.  The Blade 450 is the first truly advance helicopter to come from the Blade line, and we think you are going to like it.

 

 

 

 

Source : http://www.modelairplanenews.com/blog/2012/05/29/the-all-new-blade-450xblade/

Florio Flyer 60 — Build-Along Project — First Flight Video

Wow! what a great conclusion to our winter builder’s project. Our Florio Flyer 60 was one of our most popular postings on the MAN website and I just could not wait for the weather to turn favorable for some flight testing and photos! The proof’s in the pudding, and this fun fly plane really delivers! It has crazy straight up vertical performance at 3/4-throttle and can slow down to a walk on landings. No mixing involved though I am using flapperon mix for two servos controlling ailerons! Inverted flight requires almost no forward stick for straight and level flight! If you are looking for something to clean up at fun fly contests! Look no further!!!

Watch for a full review coming soon!

 

Source : http://www.modelairplanenews.com/blog/2012/05/29/florio-flyer-60-build-along-project-takes-to-the-air/

Ford Trimotor — RC Construction Article with plans

Ford Trimotor Construction Article

Coming soon to Model Airplane News

By: Pat Tritle  

The Ford Trimotor was designed by William Bushnell Stout, and was first flown onJune 11, 1926. The Trimotor was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company, and was among the first true “airliners” of the era. The Trimotor was used on coast to coast air routs flying passengers during the daylight hours. The passengers then boarded the train at knight, making it possible to travel coast to coast in just a few days. The Trimotor was flown by nearly every airline in the late 20’s, and earned an enviable reputation for comfort and reliability. Trimotors were also used for hauling cargo as well as in military applications. In all, nearly 200 Trimotors were built, with many still in service today.

 The Trimotor has a wingspan of 77 feet 10-inches and an overall length of 50 feet 3-inches. Gross flying weight was rated at 13,500 lb. with an empty weight of 7,840 lb. and a loaded weight rating of 10.130 lb. Power was provided by 3, Pratt & Whitney Wasp, 9 cylinder radial engines making 420 HP each. With a full load of fuel the range was 550 miles, with a cruising speed of 90 mph, and a top speed of 150 mph. The model was done in1:20scale with a wingspan of 46.7-inches. The scale worked out just right since 6-inch propellers are scale length, and that’s just what the E-Flite 250 Outrunner motors use with a 2S Li-Poly battery. The design features plug in outer wing panels, yet the wing section with the nacelles and landing gear remain in place on the fuselage so only the aileron servo leads need disconnecting for transport.

Construction is of the conventional “stick frame” style with the wings done in an egg-crate fashion to make construction quick and easy. The engine nacelles are an integral part of the landing gear to make mounting relatively painless. Control is 4 ch. R/C by way of 4 servos. The 3 E-Flite 10 ESC’s are hardwired together in the fuselage using common battery and throttle connections. Power is provided by a single Thunderpower 1320 mah, 2S battery accessed through a hatch on the bottom of the fuselage. 

Building the Trimotor

The Fuselage

Construction begins with the side frames. The side frames feature built in window frames, so are dedicated Left and Right Hand assemblies built directly over the framing plans. The sides are joined over the top/bottom view drawings using the wood sizes and formers shown.  Then once the frames are joined, the frame is removed from the board and the stringers added. Build Up the Cockpit Assembly and mount it atop the Fuselage. Add the stringers and the foam or balsa block forward of Former 4, carve and sand to final shape.  Install the servo mount beams and screw the servos in place. Add the Elevator Pushrod Tube using Sullivan #507 Tube, supported at the front and a couple of places in between using the PRSO Stand-Off’s to stiffen the tube and prevent flexing under load. Build the Tail Wheel assembly using the Detail Drawing provided and lash it to the tail post. Secure with a drop or two of thin Cya, then run the cables in and mark the exact exit location for future reference.

Tail Section

Build up the Rudder and Elevator Assemblies directly over the plans using the part numbers and wood sizes shown. Note the shims under the Leading and Trailing Edges to center the stick on the ribs. When complete, sand to shape and cut in the Hinge Slots. The Hinges are made up from 5/32-inch wide strips of Cya hinge stock and are fitted into the assemblies. Don’t glue the hinges until after the parts are covered. Next, pin the rudder and elevator assemblies in place on the Fuselage and run in the Rudder Cables. Note the exact location where they exit the fuselage to be used as reference after the fuselage is covered.

Wing Assembly – Outer Panels

 Make up the Wingtip Bowing Forms from 3/16-inch Artists Foam Board using the provided pattern. Make up the Bows from two laminations of 1/16 X 3/16-inch Balsa. For specific instructions for making up the bows go on-line to www.patscustom-models.com/Bowed%20Outlines.htm Build the Outer Wing Panels directly over the Wing Framing Plan. Begin by gluing the JD1A and JD2A doublers in place on Ribs R4A and R5. Pin SM1 in place, and then glue CSRS2 in place on SM1. Fit Ribs R5 and R11 in place on CSMS2 and fit that assembly onto CSRS1, align and pin in place over the plan. Add all the remaining ribs and AS1 and glue in place followed by SM2 and SM3.

Make up the Leading Edge from 1/4-inch Balsa using the pattern provided or a 1/4 X 3/4-inch stick, and the Trailing Edge inboard of the aileron from 3/32 X 1/4-inch Balsa, and glue in place. Fit and glue the Wingtip Bows in place followed by the WTG and ABG Gussets.  Then add the 3/32-inch square balsa Diagonal Bracing and the Wing Joiner tubes using either brass tubing or carbon fiber rods. When the first panel is finished, remove it from the board, carve and sand to final shape. Repeat the process to build the other wing. Then when both wings are complete, build the aileron assemblies over the plan. To begin, sand the bevel into the bottom of AS2 and build the Aileron Assembly directly over the plans. When completed, remove the assemblies from the board and sand to final shape. Cut the hinge slots in and mount the ailerons on the wing, but don’t glue the hinges in until after the wings are covered. Glue the servos in place on the mounts with Silicone Caulk and run in the extension leads.

Center Section

 Glue the JD1 and JD2 Doublers in place on Ribs R3 and R3. Slip the R4 Ribs in place on CSMS1 and CSRS2 and pin in place over the plans. Add the remaining ribs and glue in place, followed by the Leading and Trailing Edges. Next, add the 3, WG Wire Guides, the Diagonal Bracing and the Aluminum Joiner Tubes to complete the basic assembly. Remove the C-Section from the plans and carve and sand to the basic finished shape. Glue the NM1A Doublers in place on NM1 and glue the assemblies into the wing so that when sanded they will conform to the airfoil shape. Then glue the NM1 and SBM reinforcing blocks in place flush with the bottom of the ribs. And finally, sand to final shape to complete the C-Section assembly.

Now you can test fit the Outer Panels onto the C-Section. You should feel a very slight interference fit as the wings are slipped into place, which is all you’ll need to keep the wings in place in flight.

The Nacelles

Begin by dry fitting the N4 stringers in place on the N1, N2, and N-3 Formers. Align vertically in both directions using triangles or machinists squares and glue. Add the remaining 1/16-inch square balsa stringers and balsa fill strut mounting pieces. Be sure to make up a L.H and a R.H. assembly! Add the balsa or blue foam tail blocks and sand to shape. Extend the motor wiring on 2 of the E-Flite 250 Outrunners motors using 18” sections of heavy duty servo lead to the motor wiring. Feed the extended leads through the hole in the firewall and out through NF1. Next, cut the 1/16-inch steel wire vertical LG strut through the nacelle and align as shown and glue in place.

 Mounting the Nacelles

Begin by covering both nacelles and the bottom (only) of the wing center section. Make up the two Nacelle Alignment Jigs and the L. G. Alignment Jig from 3/16 Artists Foam Board using the provided patterns. Pin the Nacelle jigs to the top of each nacelle, and then slip the landing gear strut into the inner hole in NM1. Fit the L. G. Alignment Jig over both landing gear struts and align so that they are vertical and parallel and glue the strut into NM1. Bend up the remaining struts and fit them in place and glue. The struts might need a little fine tuning, so take your time to insure the nacelles mount up straight and true. Now the motor wiring can be fed through the large hole in NM1 and the wiring fed through the wing and out through the outer WG Wire Guides. Now would also be a good time to run in the Aileron Servo Y-lead through the center WG while the C-Section is still open at the top.

 Covering the Trimotor

Cover the Trimotor using Coverite Microlite or equivalent. Don’t use the standard type Monocoat or Ultracoat materials as they’re not only too heavy, but the shrinkage will make short work of the relatively light structure from their extreme shrinkage. Once covered, add the desired trim to complete the process. Cover everything except the Fuselage Bottom – you’ll need access to mount the main landing gear during Final Assembly. And while you still have easy access to the inside of the fuselage, fit and glue the cabin windows in place.

 Final Assembly

  Bend the front and rear Main Landing Gear struts to shape and tape them in place on theMountBeams. Make up the Lower Vertical Strut sections from brass tubing using the provided patterns and slip them over the wheel axles. Fit the wing Center Section onto the Fuselage and insert vertical L. G. strut wires into the lower struts and glue the Center Section in place. Now the front and rear L. G. Struts can be aligned and soldered together at the bottom, lashed to the beams with Kevlar thread and glued. And finally, align and solder the lower strut to the axle at the bottom, and to the vertical strut at the top.

 Using the wing as reference, align and glue the tail section in place and carve the tail blocks and glue them in place, and while access is still easy, run in the rudder cables, and then cover the bottom and run in the tail wheel pull/pull cables. Make up the Wing Center Section Fairings from File Folder paper, trim to fit, and glue in place with Canopy Glue and paint to match. Fit and glue the cockpit windows and glue in place. Build up the dummy radial engines and detail to the desired level. Cut the dummy engine mounting tubes from Rocket Tube and glue them to the firewalls. Trim the dummy engines for a snug fit over the tubes and tack glue them in place with Canopy Glue.

 Wire up the motors per the provided schematic, gaining access through the hatch on the bottom of the fuselage. Trim the extensions to a practical length and solder up the ESC connectors. Connect the servos and set up the control throws per the plans. Connect the 3, ESC’s, and run the motors (without the props to prevent an unwanted “fly-away”, or worse, personal injury) to insure they’re all running the right direction. Build the Battery Hatch Using the Detail Drawing provided and paint to match. Build the Wheel Keepers using the Detail Drawing provided and mount the wheels, then add any remaining details desired. Once the model is basically finished, locate the battery to best accommodate the C. G. then mount the tray in the fuselage and secure the battery to the tray with Velcro. And with that, your Trimotor is ready to fly.

Flying the Trimotor

The Trimotor is not hard to fly, but it is an old airliner, and a multi-engine airplane to boot, so it will need to be flown accordingly. The E-Flight 250’s supply more then adequate power, but the model is not aerobatic. The Trimotor is slow and docile, and responds nicely to input, but it doesn’t get in a hurry to do anything. However, when flown properly is very majestic in the air, and in spite of its small size has a huge presence in the air.

The ailerons create a good bit of adverse yaw, so the rudder is essential in turning the model, and because of the scale dihedral will tend to roll into a steep turn, so a little opposite aileron is needed to maintain the standard bank angle in the turn. But once you get used to this small quirk, you’ll be able to handle that small character flaw very easily.

Ground handling on take-off and landing is excellent, and there’s simply no desire to ground loop. Keep the climb nice and shallow and the turns gentle and you’ll be rewarded with a very scale-like flight envelope. Landing requires a good bit of power, and on approach, so keep the nose down and the speed up a bit. At about 3 feet, ease the nose up just a bit and control the sink rate with power. Then once in ground effect, the model will float nicely down for a beautiful 3 point touchdown.

 Materials List:

 Wood

3- 1/16 Sq. X 36 Balsa

8- 1/16 X 1/8 X 36 Balsa

3- 1/16 X 3/16 X 36 Balsa

5- 3/32 Sq. X 36 Balsa

2- 1/8 Sq. X 36 Balsa

2- #/32 X 1/4 X 36 Balsa

1- 1/8 X 3/16 X 36 Balsa

1- 1/8 X 1/4 X 36 Balsa

2- 3/16 X 1/4 X 36 Balsa

3- 3/16 X 3/4 X 36 Balsa

 Metal

1-.025 X 36 Steel Wire

1-.032 X 36 Steel Wire

1-.046 X 36 Steel Wire

1-.062 X 36 Steel Wire

1- 1/16 O. D. X 12 Brass Tube

1- 3/32 O. D. X 12 Brass Tube

1- 1/8 O. D. X 12 Brass Tube

2- 3/16 O. D. X 12 Brass Tube (Optional

2- 1/4 O. D. X 12 Brass Tube (Optional)

2- 3/16 O. D. X 24 Carbon Fiber Dowel (Optional)

1- 1/4 O. D. X 24 Carbon Fiber Dowel (Optional)

2- 7/32 O. D. X 12 Aluminum Tube

2- 9/32 O. D. X 12 Aluminum Tube

 Power System

3-E-FlitePark250 Outrunner Motors

3- E-Flite 10 Amp ESC

3- GWS 6-3 DD Propellers

3 Ft.- Heavy Duty Servo Wire

1- 1320 mah 2S Li-Poly Battery

 Miscellaneous

1 Pr. 2-inch Main Wheels

1- 3/4-inch Tail Wheel

1 Roll- Microlite Covering Material

.010 White Styrene Plastic (BatteryHatch

.008 Acetate (Cabin and Cockpit Windows)

2- 3/32 Wheel Collars

 Radio Components

2- E-Flite S-60 Servos (Ailerons)

2- E-Flight S-75 Servos (Rudder and Elevator)

4- 6-inch Servo Extensions

1- Servo Y-Lead

8-Feet Kevlar String (Rudder and Tail Wheel Pull/Pull Cables)

2-Feet- Sullivan #507 Pushrod Tube

1-FullRangeRx

 

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Photo Captions

 Tm 1-   The fuselage sides are laid out directly over the plans. The sides have the window frames built in, so are dedicated left and right hand sides.

 TM 2-  The landing gear mount gussets are glued to the inside of each frame after the basic frame has been completed and removed from the framing plan.

 TM 3-  The side frames are joined beginning with the landing gear mount beams and the top cabin formers at each end of the wing saddle.

 TM 4-  The cockpit assembly is built up and glued in place on the main fuselage frame, and then the remaining formers are added.

 TM 5-  The aft top formers, bottom cross pieces and top stringers are added, and then the tail post is pulled together and joined to complete the basic structure.

 TM 6-  The steer-able tail wheel assembly is built up using steel wire and brass tubing. The control horn is soldered to the strut, and then the pivot tube slipped over the strut and is retained by a small section of tubing soldered to the top of the strut.

 TM 7-  The tail post is notched to receive the tail wheel assembly and is lashed to the fuselage frame and secured with thin Cya.

 TM 8-  The horizontal stabilizer is framed directly over the plans. Then with the framing completed the assembly is lifted from the plans, sanded to shape and the hinges dry fitted in place.

 TM 9-  The rudder assembly is framed directly over the plans. Then with the framing completed the assembly is lifted from the plans, sanded to shape and the hinges dry fitted in place.

 TM 10- The outer wing panels are framed directly over the plans. The “egg-crate” style design makes for quick assembly and a strong, yet very light assembly.

 TM 11- The aileron assemblies are built directly over the plans, beginning with sanding the bevel into the bottom of the hinge spar so that it will lay flush during the assembly process.

 TM 12- When both the wing panels and aileron assemblies are completed and sanded to final shape, the ailerons are hinged and dry fitted to the wings.

 TM 13- The aileron servos are glued into the wing using silicone caulk. Extension cables are used to bring the wiring out of the rood rib for disconnecting the servo when the wings are removed.

 TM 14- The wing center section is framed directly over the plans, and when completed, the assembly is removed from the plans and sanded to shape.

 TM 15- The outboard engine nacelles are dry fitted together, trued up using a triangle and then tack glued together.

 TM 16- After the basic nacelle is together, the stringers and balsa strut support pieces and tail cone blocks are added and sanded to final shape.

 TM 17- The motor wiring is extended using heavy duty servo wire, then the motors are mounted to the firewalls and the wiring run out through the balsa main landing gear strut supports.

 TM 18- After the bottom of the wing center section is covered, simple alignment jig is made up from artists foam board and is used to set up the engine nacelles on the wing.

 TM 19- After the engine nacelle is covered, the motor is mounted and the main landing gear strut is aligned using a short section of tubing to set the height, and is then glued in place. Now the nacelles can be mounted to the wing.

 TM 20- The top of the wing center section is left uncovered until after the motor wiring is inserted through a hole in the wing and run out through a wire guide and into the fuselage.

 TM 21- The nacelles are glued in place and all the struts are added to complete the mounting process. Take you time and be sure everything lines up nicely as this operation sets up the thrust line for the outboard motors.

 TM 22- After the nacelle struts are all in and glued in place, the inboard sway braces are cut to length, shaped, and glued in place.

 TM 23- Paper fairings are cut to shape using the patterns on the plans and are glued in place to cover the motor wiring and the upper section of the vertical landing gear strut.

 TM 24- The lower landing gear struts are made up from brass tubing and are soldered in place on the wheel axle and upper vertical landing gear struts.

 TM 25- With the landing gear in place on the fuselage, the wing center section is aligned on the fuselage and glued in place.

 TM 26- The model is covered with Coverite Microlite and ready for your choses color scheme.

 TM 27- Callie Graphics did the printed vinyl trim scheme for the Scenic Airways color scheme used on the prototype.

 TM 28- The side windows are installed while access is still available through the wing saddle. The cockpit windows were also added at this time, and trimmed with aluminum duct tape frames.

 TM 29- After the wing center section is glued in place, the top fairings are made from file folder paper, glued in place and were then painted with Steel Metalizer.

 TM 30- The dummy radial engine mounts are cut from cardboard tubes and tack glued to the firewalls with Canopy 560 glue

 TM 31- The Vac-Formed dummy radial engines are painted with Testers enamels, and then detailed using plastic rod and tubing, aluminum wire and small bits of electrical wire. 

 TM 32- After the engines are detailed they are tack glued to the mounts using Canopy 560 glue.

 TM 33- The rudder and elevator servos are access through the battery hatch on the bottom of the fuselage. The battery is mounted on the tray with Velcro at the front of the opening.

 TM 34- A flexible plastic hatch is built to cover the hatch opening so that the battery can be accessed without using tools. The hatch clips to the longerons on both sides of the opening.

 TM 35- The finished Trimotor is all set up and ready to fly after setting up the radio and test running the motors to insure that everything is moving in the right direction.

 TM 36- E-Flight Park 250 Outrunners with 10 amp ESC’s were used to power the model. S-60 and S-75 servos swing the controls, and the GWS Slow Fly props were tested, but the model flew better with theGWS Direct Drivepropellers.

TM 37-, 38 & 39- The Trimotor is on the ramp ready for her maiden flights.

TM 40, 41 & 42- In spite of its relatively small size, the Trimotor has a huge presence in the air and looks larger then it is. And with its smooth solid feel, it doesn’t fly like a “small model”, either.

Source : http://www.modelairplanenews.com/blog/2012/05/27/ford-trimotor-rc-construction-article-with-plans/