96" Grumman Albatross flying boat kit/scratch built model

[Michael]

Lower fuselage sheeting is complete, but I still have to construct a keel for the front fuselage bottom.

[Papa]

Boy does that look like very strong construction!


Jack.

[Michael]

That's it for today!

I feel like I have a pound of balsa dust and glue fumes in my lungs!

Canopy/cockpit/battery-hatch constructed and planked.

[Papa]

Wait 'til you start sanding!!!


Jack.

[Michael]

I made some progress, but not as much as yesterday's marathon.

The nose is nearly sanded to shape; the keel has been constructed (that was challenging); and the internal linkages for the rudder and elevator have been prepared.

[Michael]

All major fuselage, fin, rudder, stabilizer, elevators and canopy/hatch construction, carving, shaping and initial sanding is complete.

Servos and linkages are installed (except at the tail), magnets are on the hatch and fuselage, receiver and receiver battery are in the fuselage.

Total weight including everything mentioned is 1.148 kilos, or 2½ pounds.

Visually, it's not too different from previous photos, but a lot of work has been done.

I'll work on finishing the shaping and initial sanding of the wings, nacelles, cowls and motor installations next. That probably will take a few days.

[Papa]

Is this all CA?


Jack.

[Michael]

95% CA

3% 'express' white/yellow glue

2% epoxy

[wollins]

At this stage what are you guessing your final AUW is gonna be, Michael?

[Michael]

I'm hoping for under 9 pounds.


The weight indicated in a couple posts above does not include fiberglassing (of the fuselage), paint, flight battery (probably a 3-cell 5000 mah), wings, covering, 4 wing servos, motors, speed controls, covering, etc.

[Michael]

The model has to be light.

Despite the amazing engineering that went into this design, it's construction is essentially like a huge but ultra-light park flyer type model airplane; the structure is not really robust, and the plane will have to fly slowly and gently.

[wollins]

flight battery (probably a 3-cell 5000 mah), 4 wing servos, motors, speed controls

Cool.  What of the following components are you intending to use?

Motors?
ESC's?
Servos?

Also is that ONE 3s 5000mah pack?

Just trying to gauge/extrapolate what my weight might be based on what your weights are! Thanks!

Colin

[Michael]

I'll be using E-Flite 15s, 60 amp E-Flite ESCs, and high voltage servos throughout, standard size for the tail, minis (not micros) in the wings, and a single 3S 5000mah pack.

Others who have built this plane have used E-Flite 10s, and they say they fly at half throttle.

My DC3, which weighs 9 pounds but with a smaller wing, flies on 4S and E-Flite 32 motors.

Most planes this size tend to weigh in the 12 to 15 pound range, and need bigger motors. My Hangar 9 Twin Otter (which I sold a few months ago) flew well on 25-size motors and 3S batteries.

[Michael]

More carving and sanding; cowls shown.

[Michael]

Today I worked on the servo bays in the wings, closing (waterproofing) the wings under the flaps, carving and sanding.

Before installing the motor system, I want to fill and fine-sand everything, so I took a photo of the assembled model before making a huge mess.

Everything here weighs just over 4 pounds, or about 1865 grams.