I enjoyed building the Alien Aircraft Dragon 42, so I decided to build more balsa planes to keep me busy while I'm sitting at home.
My new project is the Dumas Pietenpol; a lightweight small (36" wingspan) scale model.
Details here:
https://www.greathobbies.com/productinfo/?prod_id=DUM1803
I've been working on this for about 6 days now; a few hours each day. This is not a beginner's kit, but with patience, most can build one. It's just that it's so light and there are so many delicate and thin parts, that I've damaged and repaired work at least 20 times since beginning construction. That's OK, since I want to take as much time as possible. It is fun for me.
Anyway, I'm almost finished basic construction. I am customizing as I progress, and am not following the instruction manual in order, but I'm pretty sure I know what I'm doing.
Some of the work is tedious and slow, but that's the point. Take a look at the thread-wrapped landing gear struts. Working and gluing just a bit at a time, that took a few hours.
More work on wing struts, landing gear and wheels (built and sanded). Several hours of work.
Total 2.4 ounces / 69 grams weight so far.
Such a pretty plane. I love the balsa wheels.
I am really working slowly on this, to help pass the time, and to stretch out my enjoyment.
I spent several hours yesterday and today: installing the servos and control hardware, sheeting the fuselage top with balsa wood instead of the supplied card stock, making a hatch at the front-top fuselage, and building a dummy engine and radiator.
Engine and radiator painted, dash boards fashioned and printed, and covering started.
Michael,
The details are amazing.
Frank
Thanks, Frank.
More covering, slow and steady.
I'm applying coloured tissue, using a glue stick onto the balsa. When dry, water is gently applied, and the tissue dries nearly drum tight. When fully dry again, I gently brush on a coat of white glue / water, approx. 50-50 mix, as a sealer and protective coating. This also simulates a textured surface.
Michael,
Have you decided on the power system?
Frank
Quote from: Frank v B on March 25, 2020, 10:12:45 PM
Michael,
Have you decided on the power system?
Frank
Yes. Electric! ;D ;D ;D ;D
Flite Test 1800 motor. It's bigger than an E-Flite 180 but smaller than a 300. It can handle 2 to 3 lipo cells.
It does not come with a prop adapter (prop sits right on the motor) and there is no motor mount. I made minor changes to the front of the fuselage to suit.
Simon,
re "Yes. Electric! ;D ;D ;D ;D"
I guess I asked for that one. :)
Now get back to work baking my cookies. ;)
Frank
Hey Michael,
Cool subject!
Do you remember the Pietenpol at the York airport where we had our fun fly for a few years? The first year, some of the local full size owners took a bunch of us for flights around the patch. I got to go up in the Pietenpol and it was AWESOME! Leather helmet, goggles, tube (or was it wood) and fabric construction, and a dinky open motor out the front. The fuselage was no more than my shoulder width, and when I looked over the side there was nothing between me and the ground, far below, besides a spoke wheel and bungee suspension. It was SO cool. It was like a motorbike with wings. Small and open.
Then Glenn went up and during his flight one of the magneto's quit, so the plane had to be grounded for the evening.
Covering and painting continues.
Fantastic Michael!
(See how it is done Frank?) ;D
Bruce,
re: "See how it is done Frank?"
That's why Michael is the president and you and I are not. :D
Frank
ps: looking great Michael.
That's not why I'm president.
Motor installed; customized and painted cowl tack-glued on; dummy engine glued onto removal front-fuselage-top.
The wing is currently being covered.
Looks amazing Michael
Wing is done, rear flying surfaces hinged and installed, pushrods and horns installed, wheels installed, dummy engine glued on, and the whole assembled. Speed control and receiver loose inside for now.
I still need to make a battery tray and a hatch (on the bottom.
Total weight approx. 173 grams / 6.2 ounces, without the battery.
Unfortunately, the motor isn't turning properly (timing issue? fast, then slow, and screeches). I don't know how to fix that.
Details still to do:
Pilot, windscreens, and decals.
Finished. I'm not doing decals.
Windshields done, pilot carved, painted and installed (his face is really ugly, so his name is Captain Pike), and weights in the nose for balance.
Total weight 230 grams - 8 ounces, ready to fly with battery.
Michael,
Neat!
I love the radiator. It serves as a radiator, windshield, instrument rating test hood and dive brake. The Swiss Army knife of airplane accessories. ;)
Both of us are going to be looking for a wind-free day.
Frank
Beautiful, I love the detail.
Quote from: Frank v B on March 31, 2020, 12:39:38 PM
Michael,
Neat!
I love the radiator. It serves as a radiator, windshield, instrument rating test hood and dive brake. The Swiss Army knife of airplane accessories. ;)
Both of us are going to be looking for a wind-free day. Stay away from the beans. ;D
Frank
Michael,
Definitely a Master Build! Well done...
Quote from: Michael on March 31, 2020, 12:30:18 PM
Finished. I'm not doing decals.
Windshields done, pilot carved, painted and installed (his face is really ugly, so his name is Captain Pike), and weights in the nose for balance.
Total weight 230 grams - 8 ounces, ready to fly with battery.
:P
Captain Pike from Star Trek (1960s TV show) was disfigured after an accident.
Just a coincidence. ;D
WE ARE BORG, RESISTANCE IS FUTILE, YOU WILL BE ASSIMILATED.
Michael, I am very grateful to have found this forum and your Pietenpol posts and pictures. This is my first RC project, having only built rubber band powered airplanes for a Science Olympiad event called Wright Stuff. I began this project because I want to build a real Pietenpol and thought building a scale model might help me see what I'm facing.
Your pictures are a godsend and make interpreting the plan so much easier! You can see in the attached photo that I am taking full advantage of them! I look forward to completing this project and getting the Piet airborne. Thanks again for your post and I look forward to other tips I'll be able to pickup from the forum.
This is a great build topic that will help you with your project.
The Forum Build section is a great resource containing a lot of great stuff, both current and past. Using the 'search' feature has help me find many useful tips on builds and repairs that are both helpful and motivating...
Mike L - Enjoy the build and I hope you will put its progress on the club Forum to encourage others to give model aircraft construction a try as well. All the best with your future project(s).
Thanks for your reply and the helpful information. I suspect I will be using the "search" function often and staying up to the wee hours as I sort through ideas by accomplished builders. I will certainly post pictures of my progress going forward. Thanks again for the comments and I am off to the races!
Beautiful work for sure!
Put it over the mantle in your home for pride of place. :)
Whew! I have finished the fuselage, I think. ;) I hope Michael will see this post, because I used the pictures of his project every step of the way and I am grateful for them! This part was fun and challenging. I made a mistake interpreting the plans on how to view the bottom of the fuselage and had to redo several cross members, but I was able to correct my errors before getting too much further. Please don't ask me about my gusset stupidity. :-[ All-in-all, I am happy with the way it turned out and ready for the next step. Side note, my pilot is getting inpatient and wants me to build at a faster pace. ;) Stay tuned for the next step. All the best!
Looks great!
Thank you Michael! Thanks for setting up this board and your most helpful pictures and comments!
I was not satisfied with the way this flew. Since building it, I flew it only twice, and have not tried again because it was no fun.
With no ailerons and virtually no dihedral, and perhaps a bit tail-heavy, this model just couldn't turn nicely, and could barely fly straight.
I finally decided to make some improvements by adding ailerons and an electronic 3-way (ailerons, elevator and rudder) stabilizer.
First, I cut off, removed, and sanded off the older tissue covering. Then I cut out aileron bays, and constructed ailerons and servo mounts.
Then, I recovered with matching (to the fuselage) red tissue. It was glued on with a 50/50 mix of white glue and water, and when dried, coated with gloss medium.
When totally dry, it tightens up nicely.
Now waiting for very calm and warm weather.
Looks great Michael!
After those modifications, I finally flew it, today, twice.
With a bit more nose-weight (still under 250 grams), the new ailerons and a 3-axis stabilizer, I'm happy to report that it flew nicely, and it was fun!
Amazing Michael. Looks fabulous.
Would you mind letting us know which stabilizer you used in such a small model, please? Thanks!
The model is not that small. The fuselage is about 2" wide.
Unit shown here:
https://temac.ca/smf/index.php?topic=7899.0