Top Flite DC3 82.5" wingspan

[piker]

Very nice, Michael!!!  I'm plugging away at my Stranraer again after a period of little progress, so it's nice to see others building away for motivation.

Great work... as always!

[Michael]

Thanks Robert, but truth be told, you are the who motivated me to start building again.

I'm really enjoying it!

[Michael]

Plans change! I've made 2 corrections/deviations from earlier planning.

The first correction was due to a mistake I made with one of the flap servos. I installed the servos in opposite directions, like we normally do with ailerons, but the flaps servos need to move in the same direction, both pushing at the same time; not one pushing while the other pulls, like needed for ailerons. I could have solved this problem by using separate channels and transmitter programming, but I preferred not to do that. I re-positioned the servo and opened a new hole in the flap servo hatch cover. The new hole and closed old hole are visible in the photo.

The second was a result of the electric conversion. The retracts take up quite a bit of room in the nacelles and it would have been difficult to get the power wires around them, so I repositioned the motor with the wires on top, and cut channels for the wires to get into the wings. There is about a centimeter of clear room above the retracts, and that's where the wires will be. You can see the cutouts in the firewall, nacelle wall and rib, in the photo. This will be completely covered up once the nacelle is fully constructed.

[Michael]

All wing-interior wiring complete, and the wing is ready for top sheeting, and then nacelle construction.

Note the 2 flap servos in the same direction.

I'll take a break now and consider building something small and simple for the indoor funfly.

[sihinch]

Love it - 2 days until the indoor fly and Michael decides to just knock something together! Something simple. We all know it will be a masterpiece!

How about a small, depron DC3?

[Michael]

How about a small, depron DC3?

Actually, that was the plan, but there's not enough time for that.

I'm working on something smaller.

[Michael]

Not enough time (or interest) to build a micro model for tomorrow.

I did build a fuselage and put together a power and radio system, but I'd rather work on the DC3.

I'm working slowly on the top skins of the wings.

[piker]

See!  It's hard to get excited about a dopey indoor model when you're building an awesome scale masterpiece!

[Michael]

Masterpiece? I'm not sure, but it is more fun! 

Wing bottom fully sheeted and top outer wing panels sheeted.

More to go, and the split flaps covers and ailerons to build, and then of course, a whole lot of filling and sanding.

[Michael]

Flap covers installed. Each cover is made up of 2 pieces of balsa and a piece of plywood, cut to size and then sanded to shape.

Also, the center section of the wing has been cut open, for access to the wiring.
Note the wires are labeled for radio functions, and the opening has rounded corners; I'm pretending to be organized and neat. 

[Michael]

Aileron construction underway.

[Tom M.]

  Looking really good Michael- have you decided on the covering method yet?
  Tom

[Michael]

Water-based polyurethane and fiberglass, and then paint.

[Tom M.]

 Was wondering if you were going wirh WBPU or epoxy resin- enquiring minds.... 
  Tom

[piker]

Lookin' great!  Keep up the good work!

BTW, don't forget Colin's excellent recommendation for sealing the wood before you apply a heavy coat of WBPU... Is THAT what you were asking about last night?