Rob's Beech 18 Expeditor Build

[octagon]

I grew up in Willowdale in the 50s and our house was reasonably close to Downsview AFB. At the time they had a squadron of Beech 18s. I think it was a reserve squadron, but nonetheless I would see them all the time. I have always loved the plane, 2 big radial engines, twin tails, tail dragger, just a cool plane for me. I was excited when I found a short kit of the plane by Acme Aircraft Company, and ordered it. I got it last week, and decided I had to see the thing fly this summer, so I put my Chipmunk on ice and started it. It is small at only 48 inches but there is a lot of building. I would like to do retracts if I can figure something out. The die cutting is perhaps the best I have ever seen. The kit includes 2 plastic cowls, so I will not have to fuss with that. I am trying a new glue, Super Phatic. I hope it works as advertised, as the fumes from CA with all the stingers make my eyes water. Anyway, glued up the left fuse tonight and hopefully will get to the right side before we leave for FLA for a week. The nose is complete too. I think I will finish it in the RCAF colours I remember as a kid.

[octagon]

Headed for Florida (Going to fly in Sarasota with Roger Mason) but the Beech is beginning to look a bit like a plane. Probably will not get much more done before I go. I am enjoying building this little guy.

[octagon]

So we are off to Florida for a week tomorrow. In between the car show this morning and packing this afternoon, I had a chance to work on the Beech a little more. I truly am impressed with the quality of the die cutting in this short kit. I cut the stringers 1/8 X 1/16 from a sheet with a stripping tool, which works but which is kind of a pain, and I think is a learned skill. Anyway, the next order of business is the horizontal stabilizer an rudders. I hope to have my magnetic building board ready to build these as they are made by laminating 1/32 X 1/8 strips, and then braced with ribs. Should be fun and give me something to mull over the best way to do while south.

[Frank v B]

Rob,

Just keep it in bones.  It would be ashamed to cover the beautiful structure.

I love your safety equipment, ear protection ("I can't hear you!") and a bottle of Jamieson's (back right).  Are you trying to improve on Wingnutz's requirement of having a beer bottle in all build photos?

Consider using clear Monokote to do all the flat windows.  I will show you how and will donate the material.  The benefit is that the material sits on the outside. Acetate windows are glued to the inside.
My .46 size Norseman was done this way when Jack H. encouraged me to try it and it was waaayyyy easier and cleaner.  In fact, my windshield was done with clear Monokote.  No fingerprints on the acetate, permanent adhesion, and cheap to re-do when CA fumes cloud the issue. 

Frank

[Michael]

Beautiful!

[Wingnutz]

Rob,
Fuse framing looks great!
Happy retract cobbling...at first glance, it looks easier than Glenn's Mosquito cobbling, but that scissoring mechanism looks like a challenge.
I know you're considering RCAF livery, but how about a Matt Younkin colour scheme? If you haven't seen him fly his Beech 18 at an airshow,
http://youtu.be/C46lMbaMBqM
Are you in Sarasota? If so, enjoy the weather! I'm in St Pete Beach area.
I would post a photo with a beer bottle in it to keep Frank happy but right now I would have to use an American bottle and my commitment to Canadian content would be in question, eh?

[Frank v B]

Bill,

Great to read your post.

re:"I would post a photo with a beer bottle in it to keep Frank happy"

Patriotic!

Keep well and safe home.

Frank

[Frank v B]

Rob,

Dug into the 1000 plan collection and found Cyril Carr's plans and write-up for his Beech 18 project in RCM&E June 2012 issue.  I will bring to the build class tomorrow.  It may give some ideas on linkages , CG and stuff as a double check.

Photos of his foam model 44" span http://www.modelflying.co.uk/albums/member_album.asp?a=20504

Frank

[octagon]

As I keep saying I am enjoying building this little plane. I had been struggling with how to make the battery accessible. The instructions  call for removing the wing and slipping the battery in that way, but with 2 motors ailerons and retracts it seemed like a big hassle before every flight, and sure to cause more hangar rash than necessary.I was inspired by Michaels DC3 which has the whole cockpit removable to get at the battery. I found a build log from a few years ago and they guy made the nose cone removable, and cut out the bulkhead so so the battery would fit that way. Problem was that you cannot get your hands inside to connect the battery, so I made a removable tray out of thin plywood and will simply connect the battery outside the plane and then insert it inside. Magnetic nose cone on and ready to fly. The rudders are made by laminating 4 stips of 1/32 by 1/8 balsa. The short kit includes templates to do this. The hardest part was stripping 1/32 inch sheet into 1/8 wide strips, but it went pretty well and the laminations are drying as I write this. Next step is to finish the rudders and vertical stabilizers, and after that, the wing. I think I am going to sheet the wings with 1/32 sheet and am on the fence about trying to do the same to the fuse. The real plane was all metal and I do no want the thing to look like a starving horse, so I will see how it goes. I was able to get quite a bunch of 1/32 by 36 by 3 Bud Nosen contest balsa, so I will add very little in weight if I do sheet the whole thing. I think perhaps the most challenging part with be the motor nacelles. Lot of compound curves there. Maybe I will give it to Frank VB to do those, he has lots of experience with sheeting compound curves after that Corsair he build!

[Andy Hoffer]

Elegant solution Rob!  Way to go!

Andy

[octagon]

Bit more work on the vertical stabilizers and rudders. Lots of little pieces of 1/8 square. Have to figure out how to hinge the rudders, I don't think 1/8 balsa is thick enough to cut the slots needed for fibre/ca type. Open to suggestions.

[octagon]

I decided to sheet the vertical stabilizers and rudders. they were built up out of 1/8 inch stock and seemed rather weak, I was afraid they might warp when I shrunk the covering. I use 1/32 contest balsa for the sheeting and it seemed to work well. I built the centre section and fitted it to the fuse. Needed a bit of nursing to get a good fuse to wing joint (which I did after I took these pictures) but I am happy with the way it is coming along. I laminated 1/16 by 3/16 balsa soaked in hot water and ammonia to form wingtips. Next step for tomorrow night will be to continue the wing. That should be straitforward, but the nacelles are looming in the future, and they scare me a bit. 

[octagon]

Got to working on the wing. I have kind of been fearing the nacelles as I have never built one before, and this thing calls for two. But, it looks like it will not be so bad after all, and the kit includes cowls. I put it all together to get an idea of how it fits, and it is pretty good. Happy with the way it is coming along. Next step is sheeting the wings. It only calls for sheeting of the leading edge to the main spar, but I think I will sheet the entire wing. 

[bweaver]

I an always amazed at the speed with which you can put together a plane. 

Not only that, the results are beautiful too! 

[octagon]

Thanks Bruce. This kit in particular is a joy to build. The die cutting is so precise, and the plans very informative. I need to figure out motors, I have never heard of what they suggest.