Frank's Stinson Voyager 50" span- Death by 100 sticks.... no stones!

[Frank v B]

Fitting the tail feathers.

The plans do not show anything about how to attach the fin/rudder.  According to the plans they float on air and since I do not have any air glue had to fashion a surface onto which to glue the fin.

Used 5 pieces of soft balsa 3/16" thick to make a base for the fin.

The photos show the pieces glued in place.  They will be shaped once the glue is dry.

Frank

[Frank v B]

tail piece cone* sanded.


Frank

* Katized English.

[Frank v B]

Tackling the fin/rudder.

There was no attachment point.  I had kept the leading edge long just in case.
At last Wednesday's build class Piker encouraged me to leave it long for extra support.  See Piker, we all listen to you.

Cut a piece of 3/16 balsa 3/8" wide and made it to fit between two formers.  Cut a slot in it.  Then cut a cross piece to support the bottom of the fin's leading edge.

Decided to leave a bit of the stringer at each end so there would be twice the gluing surface.

Let dry.  Time to hit the hay.

Frank

[davidk]

tail piece sanded.

If I had a nickel...

[Frank v B]

David,

The original post has been Katized.

Nickel=Milionaire

Frank

[Frank v B]

The sticks torture continues.

Covering the wing.  Used yellow Monokote to cover the wings.  Here is how to do hinging using covering.  This is especially good for light structures and sheeted surfaces.

Photo 85- the covered wing
Photo 86- Fold the aileron flat against the top of the wing.  Use a 2" wide strip of covering the width of aileron and attach it to the aileron and the wing at the same time.  Make sure there is no gap.  Heat shrink it.
Photo 87- Do the same to the top of the aileron. Fold the aileron down to the max (full "down" aileron) and attach the 2" wide strip to the top of the aileron.  In this photo it has been attached to the aileron but not yet to the wing.  That's why it is sticking up.  Now attach the strip to the wing while you hold full "down" aileron.  Trim the excess, if there is any.  Make sure you apply heat to the aileron gap so the covering of the top fuses to the covering on the bottom.
Photo 89- Finished aileron hinge.  Gapless with free movement.  The photo shows full "down" aileron.

Frank

[Frank v B]

Didn't want you to think I was slacking off. 

Starting to cover the fuse.

Oh, yes.  At the last Build class it was decided by the group that this should have landing gear.  I was prepared to build it as a hand-launch.  Had to modify the design because.... if built per plan, the landing gear would have collapsed every take-off and landing.  Poor design.

Photo 96 shows the landing gear on the plan and the bend I added to it (red dotted line).  This extra bend sits in a slot cut into the middle of the landing gear block.
Photo 97 shows where the extra bend comes through the fuselage.

Frank

[Frank v B]

The completed wardrobe.  Finished covering the major parts.
- glued in the tail section (fin, rudder, elevator, stab)
- attached the wheels and test-fitted the nose. (? sounds weird)

Needs two things:
- a tail wheel or skid but there is no attachment point. Sh..!
- the nose looks awkward (photo 99).  It is a standard nose for two of Easy-built models.... but probably not this one.  Will somehow fix it.  Reminds me of a Pilatus Porter.

Am glad the group insisted on wheels.  Looks good.  Will not add the wide LG legs or the wheel pants.  They tend to get awkward after the first* rough landing.

The hatch behind the wing is a welcome feature.

Next- solve the windshield issue.  Want to make it opening to access the battery connection.

Frank

* First of many.

[bweaver]

@Frank v B This aircraft will certainly qualify as Cub type aircraft at our upcoming Canada Cub Day event, (Canada Beaver Day for some like @davidk ), for a number of reasons; including it is yellow, because it has a high wing and because it looks more like a Cub than A Stinson Voyager.   As you said "the nose looks awkward".   You said it, not me.

[Frank v B]

Prepping the Cub-Day special.

The tail wheel/skid.

First had to insert a hard-point on the bottom of the fuse.  Slipped in a piece of 1/8 hard balsa.
Made a tail skid out of piano wire and glued it to a piece of balsa to cover the new hard-point on the bottom of the fuse.

The reason for the tail skid is that once a burst of power is given, the back of the plane will be off the ground because it is so light. A lot simpler and lighter than a wheel.

[Frank v B]

Windshield.

I wanted to make this removable.

Made a frame and a new dashboard (two layers 1/32 balsa) out of balsa.  Taped a piece of plastic (cover backing) on the nose so the glue would not stick.  Built the frame in place.  Note that the balsa dashboard is long.  I will trim it to shape after the glue has dried.

Letting it dry overnight.

Frank

[SeeFernando]

Its looking awesome!

[Michael]

Great idea for a battery hatch!

[Frank v B]

Final details:

Photo 32- aileron servo connections done.
Photo 33- Battery hatch off.
Photo 34- battery hatch on.

Just have to go around and do all the heat touch-ups, cover shrinking and trimming.

Done!!!  Will make a final photo tomorrow with final weights and power calculations.

These 100 sticks just about killed me... but......I'm ready for another project.

Frank

[bweaver]

Wait for the final picture