Frank- trying to make an 80 year-old retired pilot smile- a 50" span Tiger Moth

[Frank v B]

Wiggly bits covered.

Only the top wing to go!!!....  then final assembly.

Frank

[Frank v B]

Got a note from Roger of John's Hobbies that the owner dropped by last week.  He knows that TEMAC will take care of this whole project.

From his e-mail:

Ray was in just before the weekend to hand me $200... I told him to use the money for the holidays "We've got this". He isn't a believer just yet..


Frank

[Frank v B]

Update:  The Reveal!

We will let Ray have a look at his project next Saturday, Dec. 14 at 3 pm at John's Hobbies 2188 Danforth Ave, just east of Woodbine (north side).  The plane will not be completely ready but I aim to have the covering finished, radio, battery and electronics in place and wings in their proper position.

Any TEMAC members (Gerald?) who happen to be in the area are welcome to join the official presentation.  Hope to post photos after the event and get all the details about the pilot from the man himself to answer "Roger That's" questions.

Back to work on it tonight.

Frank

[Frank v B]

Upholstery- 

The covering is now finished but not shrunk yet.

Made balsa inserts to lock the covering in place in the cockpits.  Made balsa inserts to size for the seat backs, instrument panels and forward cockpit floor (2 pieces) and covered them in black MonoKote.

Photo 16- upholstery pieces
Photo 17- plane without the upholstery
Photo 18- pieces in place.

[davidk]

Lookin' better and better.

[Frank v B]

Thanks David.

Gotta keep going....

Photo 719 - masked off the fuselage to spray paint the cabane struts.
Photo 720 - spray painted the raw wood of the wing supports.
Photo 721 - glued in all the cockpit upholstery and floors (black).

Frank

[Frank v B]

Trying to get it ready for the reveal this Saturday:

- shrunk all the covering- WOW! much nicer than I thought it would look.  Of note: the Solarfilm I used had a price sticker on it of $7.95 and was bought at Toronto Hobbies.  That puts the age at about the mid eighties.  At least 35 years old.  It did not behave when shrinking.  In two spots it melted a hole in the covering so I had to patch them.
- hinged the ailerons.  All hinges are now slotted and fit.  They still have to be glued in place.  The old hinges were glued in with too great a gap and were not in line so I had to cut them out.
- installed the servos. 
- selected the ESC.  Found a 30 amp ESC that can take 2-4S.  Once I power it up I hope to fly it on 3 cells but if it weighs too much, I will switch to 4S to get the right watts/pound.  Will go through the power calculations in a later post.

Remember the motto:  Always overpower an airplane.  You can always throttle back.... if you have to.  

Next up:
- pushrods
- battery tray
- install ESC and receiver.
- install the upper wing.  That will be a challenge to get it aligned and strong and all the struts in place.

Sorry, no photos.  Left my camera at work.  Doh!

Frank

[Frank v B]

Done today:
- attached the elevator and rudder horns
- installed the elevator and rudder pushrods and connected them to the servos.  Tested movement with the handy dandy servo tester.  See photo 29.  It shows how the pushrods cross so there is a more natural bend from the rudder/elevator to the servo.
- covered the hole in the back of the fuselage bottom once the pushrods were glued in place at the proper angles.

Note in photo 30: the clamp with the two pieces of balsa was to keep the elevator centred while connecting the pushrods.  For you eagle-eyed observers... the hinges have not been glued in place yet that's why the gap between the elevator and stab is not constant.

Photo 31 of the fuselage was after the covering was shrunk.

Starting to look like a plane that could fly.   


Frank

ps: Bruce- note the CO detector in the background of photo 30 and 31.  Just for you!

[Frank v B]

Done tonight:
- installed and tested the ESC-  Works!  The motor even spins the correct way.
- installed an Orange receiver.  It works and the elevator and rudder move properly.
- glued the hinges in place- rudder, elevator, two ailerons.
- installed the aileron control horns.
- covered up the hole in the bottom of the tail used to feed the pushrods.  No longer needed.
- lightly sanded (cleaned) the fibreglass cowl.  It still had mould release on it which appeared as white spots.

Frank

[Frank v B]

Tricky glueing in the left aileron.  The leading edge had a slight curve to it so it had to be squeezed in while the glue dried.  Locked in the aileron with two pieces of balsa wood and a clamp, then used a rubber band to close the gap by squeezing the aileron into the trailing edge of the wing.

See photo.

Frank


Note: the coloured pin is a temporary hinge pin I use during construction.  Later I will show how I attach them properly.

[davidk]

Two pieces of balsa wood, a clamp, a rubber band... and a partridge in a pear tree.

It's going to look great in the air.

[Frank v B]

Tadah!!

This is the way it is going to the reveal on Saturday afternoon at 3 pm.  The bottom wing is securely in place and aligned.  The top wing is on temporarily installed but not aligned properly yet.  Total weight is 4 lbs 15 oz ready to fly.  Will aim for about 400-450 watts. (85-90 watts per pound).

The photos are poor for two reasons:  1) I am a model builder and not a photographer and 2) to drive Mr. Hoffer nuts.

It looks like a plane.  Yeah!


Frank

[davidk]

Now THAT'S an airplane.  Nicely done.

[bweaver]

The plane looks great! 

(Hoffer would suggest that in order to really improve your photography indoors, try turning on the lights.)

[sihinch]

That's awesome Frank. Congrats.