Rob's Beech 18 Expeditor Build

[Andy Hoffer]

THAT is a REALLY nice weather vane!!

http://temac.ca/smf/index.php/topic,6500.msg42626.html#msg42626

Andy

[octagon]

So I have not had much of a chance to work on the Beech lately. Been busy with grandaughter and Easter and all. But I got back to building and covering. I am using parklite silver to cover it after using 1/32 sheet on the top and bottom of the fuse. Parklite is really nice to work with but even with that, silver and compound curves, yikes. I did the sunscreen on the nose, but it is awful and I will redo it or maybe just paint it, it should be flat black anyway. retracts should be in this week so I can get going on finishing the wing. BTW, the control surfaces are not glued yet, hence the gaps. all the servos and linkages are in. Used goldenrod with cable .

[Frank v B]

Go Rob!  I love the bones of a nice stick plane.

Frank

[octagon]

Well, got to work covering today. I don't like covering much really, and this little number is a mass of compound curves. Also notice that they decided to paint the thing white on top of the fuse, but instead of stopping the white above or below the windows, they brought it 1/2 way down the windows. That may have been easy to paint but it is a bugger to do with Monocote, at least for me. The wing is built, but not sheeted or motors installed so that will be the next order of business. This little guy is proving to be a real challenge. I should have the retracts soon, which will allow me to finish the nacelles and then cover the wing. Oh no, the nacelles, more compound curves both to sheet and then to cover, yikes.

[Andy Hoffer]

@octagon

It looks really good Rob!!

Maybe your buddies at CKYZ tower might let you use 33 for the maiden flight!!   

Andy

[octagon]

I just need them to look at it with binoculars so they think it is full scale. Otherwise I doubt I will get clearance.

[Crazyflyer]

Don't forget to leave some wiring for an FPV system! Imagine the view from a camera on top of the fuse 

[piker]

Awesome Rob!!!

[Gregor77]

Great work Rob!

[octagon]

So I stopped working on the Beech 18 because I was waiting for retracts for it and the only set I could find that I thought would fit were on back order for over a year. I put it aside and got interested in other projects, but have started back at it again. I sheeted the parts of the wing that need to be sheeted with 1/32 balsa, and then built and framed the nacelles. The speed controls are installed and I have motors ready to go in. Next is to decide seperate aileron servos or just use a central one with bell cranks, and the fabrication of a windshield. After all my waiting I have decided to install fixed gear.

[sihinch]

Looks great Rob.

[Frank v B]

Rob,

Great to see you get back at it.

I would encourage you to use separate servos.  Soooo much easier.  They are so cheap now that I glue them in the corner of a rib and a spar and then use a cover plate out of balsa with a cut-out for the top of the servo.  This cover plate is important so the covering can be sealed around it.

The real benefit is that the full servo arm is exposed and can be adjusted any time.

If the servo connection is not long enough, I attach a "Y" connector to it and bury it in the wing.  see the photo of the Tiger Moth.

Frank

[electroflyer]

 Hi Rob,
  That looks amazing! Happy to see that you are back at it.

  Glenn

[octagon]

So I  decided that instead of working a bit on 3 different models at a time I would finish 2 of them and then resume the major build of the FW 190 short kit. The Expeditor is coming along well. I have to paint and properly mount the cowls, make gear legs and do a bit more work like making and extension for the escs to reach the battery, which goes in the nose, and control rods for the ailerons but it is pretty much finished. I made the black nosecone removable and the battery will slide in there and so I just have to figure out how big of one I can get in.

[davidk]

Personally, I like the gear legs in image 1304 

That's a beautiful build Rob.