Fixing an EF-1 racer...that won't any more.

[Frank v B]

Crashed my back-up EF-1 racer today at the end of its maiden flight.
I lost power and wanted to come in for a landing.  On the final turn it nosed down and went into an absolutely vertical dive and planted itself in the field.  Thanks to George for doing my walk of shame to retrieve it.

Here are the pieces.  The plug-in wings are mostly fine but the fuselage blew outward and the nose broke off.  The 8x8 prop is now a 1.5"x1.5".

The 4S battery will be donated to the accordion museum.  The front end was double the width.

Let's see if it can be pieced together. Humpty D......

Frank

[Frank v B]

Approach:

Step 1: Put all the pieces together with 5 minute epoxy.  Make sure all the critical parts are aligned (wing rod, thrust line, etc.). 
Step 2: reinforce everything so it stays together.

Photos
94- firewall/motor installed
95- all the puzzle pieces fit together- lots missing
99- all the pieces are missing will be covered up with a piece of 1/16" plywood shown at the top of the photo.
01- new plywood keel installed. Bottom contour was shaped after the glue dried.

[Frank v B]

The wing carbon spar repair.

The spar split badly both lengthwise and around the perimeter at the root rib.

Problem: the spar diameter is critical because the wing tubes fit exactly.
Solution: glue a smaller diameter carbon rod inside the broken one.  When glued, I tightly wrapped electrical tape around the entire spar while the glue dried.

Belt and suspenders: I slipped a hardwood dowel inside the twin carbon tubes just to make sure everything holds together.  Boy, is it strong.

photo 97: shows the split original tube (bottom) and the smaller new one that will fit inside.
photo 00: shows the dowel inside the repaired tube.

Frank

[ken Fluney]

That is to bad Frank but I know you will get the SS back together for tomorrow.
I have templates of the fuse parts if you want to ever build one.
See you tomorrow.

Ken

[Frank v B]

Here is what the accordion battery looked like before I disposed* of it.
Please note that it will never see the inside of my house. 

Frank

* I cut off the leads at different lengths and put heat shrink tubing over the leads.  Then take them to the City Dump's household hazardous waste on Saturday mornings.

[Andy Hoffer]

Nice pyjamas @Frank v B (photo #2095)!!

[Andy Hoffer]

Very inspiring repair log @Frank v B .  I think I'll go crash something so I can try out your techniques!!


Andy