SHORT SOLENT MARK IV – 2014 WINTER BUILD

[wollins]

I decided to do a somewhat unconventional internal linkage assembly for my rudder and elevator. Certainly something I've never tried before but so far (just finished the rudder) I like how it turned out even though it was extremely finicky to put together and get installed/aligned just right.

Basically since the vert stab and rudder were gonna be removable from the plane for transport and storage purposes, I made the rudder's control rod (first pic) to basically "key" into a corresponding receptacle (square brass tube) in the rudder itself. In other words, the "male" is attached to the fuse proper, and it keys into the "female" (which is embedded in the rudder) whenever I remove or attach the rudder/stab to the plane.  Clear as mud right? The pics should explain it better.

Colin

[Papa]

i'm assuming now all control surfaces mechanics will be internal?


Jack.

[wollins]

Yup.

[Wingnutz]

First time back to the thread for a while...WOW! TEMAC continues to find ways to inspire all of us wannabe builders!
Colin, I'm intrigued by your use of a laser in the last photo. Can you elaborate a bit please?

[piker]

That's cool!  Nice work!

[wollins]

First time back to the thread for a while...WOW! TEMAC continues to find ways to inspire all of us wannabe builders!
Colin, I'm intrigued by your use of a laser in the last photo. Can you elaborate a bit please?

Bill, the laser is just used to help me make sure that the Vstab was properly aligned to the fuse and equally spaced with the elevators.

Colin 

[wollins]

That's cool!  Nice work!

Thanks.  Not looking forward to doing the ele linkage cause now I'll have even less space to work with inside back there!   

[wollins]

Making some progress, albeit slow. (but steady)  This is the most finicky part yet. (elevator internal control linkage) Alignment is crucial so I have to get it just so. In the meantime here's a treat for flying boat fanatics. (you know who you are! ) It's a short clip on the plane that started it all ... the Empire boat S.23


Colin






http://youtu.be/V-63IBn6c_M

[wollins]

Ok, part one of this whole internal elevator linkage challenge completed. Next the real PITA part ... matching the actual elevators to the linkages to ensure a slop free and perfectly aligned (both halves the same) fit.  Pics below just to show how tight it was to work at the back there on this stuff.

Colin

[battlestu]

nice work.... now that is some advanced engineering .... you should come and work here (at AMD)

[piker]

Hey Colin!  How are you holding the stab halves and fin in place once on the rods... to prevent them from sliding off during flight?

[wollins]

nice work.... now that is some advanced engineering .... you should come and work here (at AMD)

Thanks Greg!

[wollins]

Hey Colin!  How are you holding the stab halves and fin in place once on the rods... to prevent them from sliding off during flight?

Haven't figured that one out yet ... I'm playing with a few options but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. 

[piker]

Duct Tape will work

[wollins]

Not much difference in terms of pics here as its the same concept as the rudder.  Anyway tail feathers are all done and came out ok.  Only regret I have is being lazy and using brass tubing that I had on hand and not going out and buying CF rods for my assembly rods etc, The brass does create some binding in installation and removal of both the rudder/V stab and the V stab/elevators.  CF rods would have made everything slide soooo much easier.  Robert, at this rate I won't need an attachment method, they'll stay on just based on friction! 

Hopefully over time they will become a little "looser" since right now it is a slight PITA. (it's mostly the H stab/elevators) If not the male rods are all removable so I may just change them out later.

Colin

P.S. Sooooo glad to be done with these, I spent what seems like an eternity on them. Now I can move on to more fun stuff, ie ... more "rounding" of the fuse, then onto flaring the chine rails, then upper deck etc etc etc.