Northstar

Papa · January 15, 2014, 09:52:13 PM

I was looking for intelligent technical responses not fatuous comment that was beneath my dignity to respond.

So there! LOL.

Enough of that, on with the build.

I had decided that I wanted to add about an inch to the motor height so I could use larger props. I had also decided to use thin wing servos in the motor pod for the elevator and rudder. These seemingly simple decisions have resulted in a cascade of modifications and opportunities for creative solutions.

After many, many excursions down blind alleys I finally decided to just raise the height of the fire wall. I did this to keep everything else stock and have a minimum of modification. Laddie did the same thing by modifying his design by adding a segment in the fin. I wanted it to leave as is as much as possible.

Inside the pod will be a tray to hold the two servos and the exits will be worked on tomorrow. The photos below show how I finished the motor end of the pod. The hatch will be opened only if I have to service the servos. The tray will be inserted from the other opening.

The photos show the various components. I cut a notch in the fin to match the hatch contour. The hatch has to slide forward to clear the fin so I had to do a lot of fiddling to make it all work. The finished bits look good together and I'm happy with it and it seems to fit nice and tight. All is rough sanded and will have to be rounded and made to look pretty.

Jack.

sihinch · January 16, 2014, 08:22:20 AM

Looks very racey! I love it.

Ededge2002 · January 19, 2014, 08:29:05 AM

That looks great Jack! The beans are in the details and the firewall, fin and fairing/cover look well engineered and made. All that thinking looks to have been put to good use!

piker · January 19, 2014, 11:01:18 AM

Yes! That does look like an elegant solution to the thrust line issue, and it will add a special look to your Northstar. I'm looking forward to seeing how it looks with the rest of the plane.

Papa · January 21, 2014, 04:44:51 PM

I have completed all parts and am at the point of assembly. Once I start gluing it will become a big awkward thing requiring lots of space. I think I will start FG on some small pieces. There are ailerons, rudder and elevator plus my new hatch cover to practice on.

Here's Laddie's electric version.

Jack

piker · January 21, 2014, 05:02:28 PM

Laddie flew this plane at Kingston (at the Saturday evening float fly) a few years ago. It was impressive!

Papa · January 21, 2014, 05:18:02 PM

Relatively speaking how fast was it?

Jack.

Andy Hoffer · January 21, 2014, 06:53:09 PM

Quote from: Papa on January 21, 2014, 04:44:51 PM
I have completed all parts and am at the point of assembly. Once I start gluing it will become a big awkward thing requiring lots of space. I think I will start FG on some small pieces. There are ailerons, rudder and elevator plus my new hatch cover to practice on.

Here's Laddie's electric version.

Jack

It looks beautiful. (Have you tried getting it out of the basement yet?!!)

Wingnutz · January 24, 2014, 09:55:08 AM

Wonderful choice and build Jack! Laddie' electric North Star is shown with wheels on grass!
Are you mounting wheels?
The smaller foam versions (Polari) work spectacularly off almost any surface except maybe asphalt without wheels. Take-offs at 2/3 throttle are non-issues even for the EDF powered version taking off from water. Ground steering with no wheels is pretty impressive too as the prop wash blows directly on the empennage surfaces and gives some thrust vectoring.
Not sure how the bigger North Star would react but adding wheels to the smaller Polaris would be a step backwards.

Papa · January 24, 2014, 01:07:03 PM

Thank you for the comments, Bill.

I never intended to use wheels, only water or grass or even snow (to stop Andy from whining).
Just been outside and that wind and cold is lethal.

Jack.

Andy Hoffer · January 24, 2014, 02:03:24 PM

Quote from: Papa on January 24, 2014, 01:07:03 PM
Thank you for the comments, Bill.

I never intended to use wheels, only water or grass or even snow (to stop Andy from whining).
Just been outside and that wind and cold is lethal.

Jack.

Sounds like the oxygen is getting low in Jack's winter cave!!

Andy

Papa · February 02, 2014, 03:46:08 PM

Getting some more building in.

The wing is now permanently installed and the bottom has been sealed. Next step is Fiber Glassing the bottom. For a start I will use 2oz. on the tip floats and the bottom from the tip to the step. I don't think I will use the 2oz. past the step.

The tail has been built and and the wiring has been run out to the nacelle.

I have carved a new mold for the cowl and fiber glassed it with random strips of 0.5oz. cloth. Once dry I will add some 2oz. strips to build it up to the desired thickness.

I have been holding off finally gluing the nacelle as once on everything becomes much more awkward.

I have been practicing glassing with some small parts. The stand offs are large pins and building board magnets. Works well. The whitish stuff is some left over filler that was getting old. I mixed water in until I got a sauce like consistency. I painted on the cloth as a sealer. Works very well. I just sanded it back and covered it with automotive primer. No hint of cloth showing.

Jack.

Michael · February 02, 2014, 08:54:41 PM

Looks impressive!

piker · February 03, 2014, 09:28:10 AM

That looks awesome, Jack! Keep moving. The big rodent said Spring will be here in 6 weeks!

Papa · February 04, 2014, 05:37:31 PM

Thank you.

Moving right along I tackled the motors today. I had put this off for a long time because I did not know how I was going to do it. Anyway I bought a pusher 11x8 for the rear prop and a standard rotation 11x5.5 for the front. That will give me counter rotation so torque won't be an issue.

The spinner is not fixed yet and I don't think I'll worry about a rear spinner yet. If it works well I may work something out during the Summer. Maybe a FG thing molded around a large plastic spinner. The rear prop is held in place by four bolts clamping a metal washer on it. I have to balance the system as I think I may have reamed the rear prop slightly off center. The rear motor turns the forward prop and vice versa.