Winter? Build...Avro Anson

[Wingnutz]

After much cogitation over which model to focus on next, decided to have a run at the partially completed Avro Anson which has been waiting in various corners for nearly two years for some of Frank's "it will complete itself" magic.
Since the Anson is not as well known as other Avro aircraft such as the Lancaster, the Arrow and the Vulcan, a little about the aircraft I'm trying to model.
First built in the mid 1930's, the Anson was the first RAF aircraft with retracts. (Damned retracts have been frustrating modellers ever since!) Conceived as a light bomber, it was rapidly outclassed by other new aircraft in that role but because of its stable, gentle flying characteristics made an excellent twin engine and navigation trainer.
Several variations were produced and my Dad flew two of them, Anson IIs and Anson Vs as part of the WW II Commonwealth Air Training Plan out of Somerside PEI.
The ones Dad flew were yellow, lacked the greenhouse window treatment, the turret and the blistered cowling of the Anson I ...I'm still not sure which way to go with the model...Anson I or II...definitely not a V which has a different shaped fuse. I can make that decision later.
First two pics are I's, last two are II's. The picture of the Anson being moved was taken in Nova Scotia recently and I'm still researching to find out if the aircraft pictured is being repaired to airworthy condition. We have one Anson V in the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum collection in Hamilton, but it's outside, in sorry shape and unlikely to ever fly again.
Pictures below...I'll post about the model itself when I get a minute...have to go play Monopoly with my newly inherited grand-daughters while they're here visiting as part of the seasonal insanity.

[Andy Hoffer]

Very eclectic choice!  Looking forward to photo day!!

Andy

[Wingnutz]

Okay,...the model to date...
In the beginning...
For the last several years, my Dad and I met weekly for lunch at his local pub to discuss airplanes, full size and model. The WW II airplanes he flew were often the focus.
"I'd like to build an Anson model" he announced at one lunch in late 2012.
"Okay, if I can find one, I'll build the wing, you build the rest", I  answered...silly me!
...and so began a three month search for a suitable Anson model...

The Traplet/Hutson Anson
From Traplet Publications in the UK, we bought; a plan drawn by Duncan Hutson, a wood kit of laser cut balsa and lite ply and plastic cowlings, turret, windshield and underside tail fairing. The model is about 85" wingspan and designed for two .30 glow motors. Even with the laser cut wood and thermo vacuum formed plastic, this is not a beginners' build...so why try it? It was the only Anson kit we could find!

The Retracts
Functional scale retracts for models of WW II aircraft are a challenge...the Anson is no exception.
The plans show a builder constructed scale retract system...which a skilled machinist or model engineer could build, but which I couldn't.
So, another internet search resulted in a set of retracts for a 103" DC-3. These were close in the mechanism operation and in size but silly expensive...but I've already identified silly me and I bought them.
They sat for two years in the basement and when I first plugged them in....sizzle...burnt plastic smell...smoke, unplug too late, and poof, the retract controller was toasted!
They're going back to an outfit called Century Jets in the US for a complete rebuild...silly expensive just got ridiculously silly expensive!
I'll finish the post tomorrow...seasonal fatigue is overcoming insomnia!

[Andy Hoffer]

Couldn't help but check out the Traplet and Century Jets web sites.  Very impressive. I was particularly impressed by the Traplet video featuring Barry Atkinson doing a walk through of their wood packs and their laser cutter.  That is SO seductive.  Excellent quality, and  the time saving on the wood packs makes you want to cry.  And for the price of the Century Jets retracts you can almost buy yourself a used (full-scale) Cessna! Very high end.   

I'd be really interested in knowing two things:

1.  what went wrong when you powered up the retracts;
2.  how you could restrain yourself from playing with them as soon as they arrived, as opposed to waiting fro TWO years!!

Good luck on the build.  It should be a fantastic work of art when you're done, and a really fine tribute to your dad.

Cheers.

Andy

[piker]

Hey Bill,

This will be a fantastic model.  Good luck with the build.

I recall you saying the retracts worked in reverse from what you really need.  Is there any change that while they are rebuilding the retracts, they can reverse the function?

[Andy Hoffer]

Hey Bill,

This will be a fantastic model.  Good luck with the build.

I recall you saying the retracts worked in reverse from what you really need.  Is there any change that while they are rebuilding the retracts, they can reverse the function?

What novel idea - gear down for in-flight, gear up for take-off and landing.  These would be perfect for Frank!! 

Andy

[Wingnutz]

Hey Bill,

This will be a fantastic model.  Good luck with the build.

I recall you saying the retracts worked in reverse from what you really need.  Is there any change that while they are rebuilding the retracts, they can reverse the function?

What novel idea - gear down for in-flight, gear up for take-off and landing.  These would be perfect for Frank!! 

Andy

Andy, err, Frank?
Up tidilly up, up for flying and down tidilly down, down for landings and take-offs...even the retracts I have (ESMs)are designed that way...and Rob, contrary to what I'd been told, the mechanisms on a DC-3 and an Anson work the same way,...the front legs scissor forward around the rear radius rod, so using DC-3 gear on an Anson is fairly scale...turns out the difference is that the upper part of the legs pivot 180degrees on an Anson whereas my ESM DC-3 retracts only drive the upper part of the leg 90degrees. Retract photos below are worth a lot of words.
Andy, the retracts (ESMs to be rebuilt by Century Jets)  themseves work okay plugged directly to a battery, but the controller (the retracts use their own battery) blew up first plug in! Way too much going on in my life last two years to open all the toys when the mailman brought 'em and the retracts waited nearly two years.
First photo shows Down, tidilly, down, down (landings and take-offs) and second shows Up tidilly up,up(flying)
Wheels are 4"...added Ed's size gauge for reference...see Ed? You left your mark on TEMAC in many ways!
The second photo shows the twisted and warped case of the retract controller unit...a real stinker!

[Wingnutz]

Dad framed up the fuselage and empennage at least a year ago and now it's up to me to complete the model. He and I talked about using foam as part of the build and he used it for the elevators and the leading edge of the rudder. Ed's size reference looks a bit lost in the fuse...I was tempted to use a six pack!

[bweaver]

Wow.  That is going to be some big plane.  Looking like a great project.

[Wingnutz]

Happy New Year anyone who's reading!
Woke up early this morning and ordered the blistered cowls from Traplet, so, Anson Mk I it is.
The Traplet plan is for a wet fuel power system and custom fabricated retracts. I'm electrifying(the model) and using ESM retracts.
Those choices necessitated a re-thinking of the nacelles...and using other people's ideas for the rest of the wing.
RCGroups has an excellent build thread for this model, started by Pat Lynch, an Aussie who is a museum quality model builder, machinist, model engineer...http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1817579
I am simply hoping to build something which captures the character of the real airplane and flys well but I am using Pat Lynch's ideas throughout my build...including the decision to split the  2100mm(7') wing into three pieces.
The wing centre section will extend out to the flap/aileron split making it about 1000mm (40"). Plan is for this section to carry the motors, batteries, ESCs, retracts, flap servos and receiver.
The Traplet wood kit should include two 1/8" main spars which are laminated to form a 1/4" spar. I could only find one and had to cut a new 1/4" main spar. I'm using Traplet's drag spar.
Below are photos of the centre section test fitted so I can understand how all the bits go together.

[Frank v B]

Bill,

I looked everywhere on photo of this morning's post but could not find a single beer bottle ...anywhere.
You either have this project under control or you have completely lost it.


Frank

ps: the wing centre section looks great.

[Wingnutz]

Since my retracts are different from the ones called for on the plans, I've re-designed the retract mounts/ motor mounts. Each engine/retract bearer will consist of two 1/8" ply extended "ribs" with a 1/4" ply plate between them and a 3/16" ply firewall.
So far I've cut and test fitted the extended ribs...the nacelles and therefore the "extended" part of the engine bearing ribs are inclined down about 4 degrees from the wing chord which will provide down thrust.
Next, I'm going to build a jig for all these bits to check and hopefully keep everything aligned...
Frank, my world is back to normal...see the photo...

[Frank v B]

 Mr. Nutz,

re:"Frank, my world is back to normal...see the photo..."

Glad to see you are feeling fine and discretely hiding the frustration indicator in the top left hand corner of the photo.   

Frank

[Wingnutz]

Mr. Nutz,

re:"Frank, my world is back to normal...see the photo..."

Glad to see you are feeling fine and discretely hiding the frustration indicator in the top left hand corner of the photo.   

Frank

Three bottles hardly captures the frustration of trying to get things to line up. Using the laser cut ribs and my home made main spar, things weren't bad but adding two friction fit engine-bearer ply ribs on each wing and tying to avoid twist in the wings has been a fiddly business. Time to jig it all or..."the jig's up!"

[piker]

Great work, Bill.

It'll get easier once everything is secured and in the right place.

It's look really good so far!