CL-415 winter project.

wollins · November 11, 2013, 12:03:20 AM

Well, after about ten years of very persistent nagging ... err ... I mean encouragement ... from Rob, (Pike) I've finally bit the bullet and committed to actually building a balsa/ply model.

I'm excited and nervous at the same time ... nervous because I suspect that this is going to be my most challenging build to date ... simply because its just that ... an actual "build".

The Typhoon which was my most complex build to date was a fiberglass kit which is basically made up of a ready made fuse and wings etc that you have to (in this case) sheet and fiberglass. I have fairly extensive experience with fiberglassing etc so that was not a huge challenge. However I have never build a Balsa model and have never really built anything off of plans.

Having said that I'm gonna call this my CL-415 accountability thread as opposed to a build thread. This is strictly to keep me on track!

I'm also gonna use this as my practice build because after this is done I'm gonna be building the plane I'm really excited about! A Grumman HU-16B Albatross.

I know building two kit planes over the winter is an ambitious plan (those who have followed my Typhoon thread may recall how long that took!) but hey nothing ventured nothing gained, right? Rob has kindly offered to help out with the CL-415 build in terms of advice and problem solving etc so if it turns out like crap ... its all HIS fault! lol!

Colin

P.S. This coming week I hope to button up the Typhoon's repairs so that from next week my workbench will be cleared in preparation for this build.

P.P.S Pics show the actual planes (CL-415 and Albatross) that I'll be attempting to replicate with my models. I hope to go super scale on the Albatross since it's my understanding that the kit is very true to scale. The waterbomber will be 72 inch span and the Albatross 100".

Wingnutz · November 11, 2013, 08:50:50 AM

Your Albatross will make you TEMAC's reigning Jimmy Buffet (or is his a Widgeon?)...very cool choices!..

piker · November 11, 2013, 11:09:47 AM

We spent a couple of hours on Saturday night looking over the plans. I think I pee'd a bit from laughing so hard.

I don't know what got into Colin's head, but I'm very happy to see that he wants to discover the immense satisfaction gained from building his own models AND he's chosen a couple of awesome flying boats. I've brought him up well

wollins · November 11, 2013, 12:52:00 PM

Yeah that was fun even though the plans looked like complete gibberish to me! This will surely be "interesting". lol! Anyways, found a cool vid with the Albie starting up etc ... kinda puts the scale of the beast into perspective.

Colin

http://youtu.be/mOBfR4jYoNc

piker · November 11, 2013, 06:09:11 PM

Dramatic!

Grumman Albatross on Lake Tahoe

flying IT · November 12, 2013, 10:33:55 PM

how about this

wollins · January 18, 2014, 11:55:48 PM

Finally! I'm attempting to start.

After a million other things got in the way and the desire to repair the Typhoon before starting something new, I've finally cleared the workbench and pinned the plans for the CL-415 to it. As you can see I've got my box of "bits" and my extra "wood". (which Rob had graciously helped me to select!)

I've decided that its either gonna be Tanker #272 (earlier pic) or #275 shown here. Don't have to decide that til the end though since the only difference for all practical intents and purposes is just the color scheme.

It's funny how after ten years doing this I STILL have NO sense of how long a project will actually take and I always make overly ambitious goals. I remember Rob laughing when I told him that I intend to finish BOTH this plane and the Albatross in time for this coming season, and thinking that it was quite doable. Then I remembered that I started the Typhoon back in 2010 I believe and it was on only last year that I got it to the "flyable" stage and it still has a lot of work (mostly cosmetic like painting/weathering etc) to be done!

Having said that I would like to get this done by mid March so I have just under 8 weeks.

But here's the thing ... this is the first time EVER that I'm attempting to build a balsa "kit" and which one do I pick? Not only is it a short kit but it has absolutely no instructions!

lol! I look at the plans and its like looking at gibberish! I have no clue how to read the three dimensional aspect of these plans ... thankfully Rob has been a great help in giving me some understanding as to how things should go.

Again just like any other thread that I've done, this is primarily for keeping me on track and accountable. However I welcome ALL comments and suggestions cause I'm betting I'll need all the help I can get!

Colin

P.S. Couldn't resist adding a pic of my 6 month old daughter's expression when she heard that Daddy was gonna be spending even MORE time on planes! For some reason her face does not jive with the apparent "thumbs up" that she's giving me! lol!

sihinch · January 19, 2014, 10:10:30 AM

Was that a thumbs up, Colin? Or is she just imagining what it would be like holding the transmitter, flying your CL415! I think the latter!

Papa · January 19, 2014, 10:39:49 AM

Beautiful daughter, way to go.

Start with something simple like a stab or rudder.
Check out another build blog to see how they tackled it .
Try RCCanada someone may have instructions and might scan them for you.

Jack.

piker · January 19, 2014, 11:11:50 AM

That's a "Yes Daddy! You can do it!!!"

wollins · January 19, 2014, 02:06:43 PM

Thanks guys! Here's a cool "unofficial" tour of Tanker 271.

Colin

http://youtu.be/kz5hW2y8tu8

wollins · January 21, 2014, 09:36:18 AM

Well, I might be slow but I'm getting some stuff done! Hard to do stuff when you have to wait for kids' naps.

Framed up the fuse and cut out my bulkheads.

Colin

piker · January 21, 2014, 09:46:14 AM

Excellent! I was just about to ask where the pictures were. You promised to post last night

The frameworks looks good to me! Very nicely done. The next step is the fun part where the flat structures start to take the shape of the fuselage.

Andy Hoffer · January 21, 2014, 07:01:33 PM

Quote from: wollins on January 18, 2014, 11:55:48 PM
P.S. Couldn't resist adding a pic of my 6 month old daughter's expression when she heard that Daddy was gonna be spending even MORE time on planes! For some reason her face does not jive with the apparent "thumbs up" that she's giving me! lol!

She's beautiful Colin. Very scale looking. And the covering job is excellent. I'd say she's your best work to date!! Bravo!
Your CL-415 should be a piece of cake now!! Good luck on the build. (Allow 9 months!)

Andy

Bigstik · January 21, 2014, 08:38:18 PM

While in the Navy, Fleet Air Arm at naval air station Shearwater, I had a flight in an RCAF Albatros, and water landing in Halifax Harbour, Eastern Passage. I was surprised at how low in the water the aircraft sat. Very exciting.

Matlow