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Mike Dowling

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Everything posted by Mike Dowling

  1. After a whole afternoon of struggling I managed to get all the control wires to and from the elevator (I stand corrected). Sadly despite my efforts it hardly moves at all with the stick. I did add a couple of tiny metal pieces to the bottom pulleys to stop the cables coming off (John) in case it made a difference but it didn't. I think there is just too much flex or maybe stretch in the thread provided or just too many places the cable can manage to move between the stick and all the places the cables pass through. The only thing I could think might help is if I glued the thread in the elevator horns instead of letting them run free so that at least part of the cable is fixed somewhere else. Any thoughts people ?
  2. Wonderful ! I think your summary is correct. On the model those pulleys are just imitations on the rudder bar but do not move. On the restoration you have found the pulleys are free to rotate which I guess would not really interfere with the rudder bar as such. I suppose such is the limitation of a 1/16 model which isn't really supposed to work anyway but just look the part. Thank you though for your labours - a useful piece of research which has helped my simple brain !
  3. Slainte, although rather complicated I understand - thank you. I am still not sure why the tail aileron should connect to the rudder pedal though. Unless it's just for stability ?
  4. OK John, I know which bits you mean. Now, questions for anyone !! I have no idea how to fly a plane because I don't know how the controls work but, I can work a rudder out without trouble. It attaches to a foot operated bar which turns the rudder (and in this case the tail skid) left and right depending on which foot you press. Nice simple mechanics. How the control stick works seems to be a whole different ball game. Why should the tail aileron be attached to the stick and the rudder bar ? I know when you push it forward and back the aileron should go up and down but why connect it to the rudder pedal. Presumably when wings are attached the stick works the wing ailerons up and down as well but then what is the side to side motion for ? All contributions to my dense brain are welcome !!
  5. Thanks John, that is a great help especially regarding this silly idea of standing the fuselage on it's nose - it's just so unstable. I didn't think of using the engine mounting hole - brilliant! Don't quite understand about the protrusions on the stick. Do you mean the bits they call pulleys? As for how far I go with this thing I'm not sure. I have done the control leads for the rudder but don't know if they work yet - waiting for them to dry ! If they do then I will keep trying with more but as you say - who on earth is going to play with the controls once done ? !
  6. John, I have done the same with PVA but I expect you found as well that fast grab is needed in places. As the thread is nylon (I think) it may be OK. I know cotton thread becomes very brittle. Can you give any help on 'bracing' the control stick and, when you did the elevators did you start at the stick as per instructions or did you start at the back ?
  7. Another question John - did you find that CA glue fixed the control line thread easily ?
  8. Side bracing complete. I have decided to leave the under fuselage bracing until after I have done the control wires, I think it will give me more space. I have also attached the tailplane and hope to rig it later today. I kep't knocking the tail skid off so I have sneakily attached a wire to the pin it rotates on which I hope will keep it in place. A question for you John. The instructions say you have to brace the control stick to do the wires. How on earth did you do that ?
  9. I think that looks great Carl, I think the thickness is fairly critical but less than 1cm rather than more. Max width 1.1cm. Good luck !
  10. Wow, what a guy !! I await your efforts with keen anticipation !!
  11. Are you going to sell it to me when finished ?
  12. Carl, the propeller is 17cm long and 1cm thick in the centre. It is a peculiar shape which didn't help my efforts at all. I think if it was a normal shape I might have managed better. Thanks for the comment anyway.
  13. Thanks John, I did indeed mean the control cabling. I'm not sure about the jigs either. I didn't use the twirly one at all!
  14. John, with hindsight, would it have been easier to do all the tailplane rigging before adding the side braces ? I know the instructions don't say to do that but I wondered what you thought.
  15. Update folks, The cockpit is more or less finished. There is the surround to do (I think it's called combing) and a few more pipes which have to be done later. I had a huge fight with the machine guns which took me ages to fit but got there in the end. I hated the seat which came with the kit so have customised one which I think looks a lot better. Also added a firewall that wasn't included in the kit. Next stage is to tie loads of turnbuckles onto the sides before doing the fuselage cross bracing.
  16. Thanks for that John. I have found several sites including the one I 'accidentally' ordered from but they are all far too big. I will keep hunting but I can see my pathetic attempt going on the front after all.
  17. Carl, any luck with the prop ? I have been looking everywhere and can't find one. John, if it's not too cheeky - how much of the pipe plumbing did you actually mange to do ?
  18. Carl, amazingly enough no one seems to make propellers that small in wood - only plastic and not many of those. I may try and scale it down though.
  19. Popeye, I have sort of given up on my prop for now after all I won't need it until the end. The one I ordered came today ! Teensy problem is that it is 17 inches long not 17cm !!
  20. I really do find the instructions for this build confusing. The five plan sheets all vary slightly in their measurements so trying to get sizes right is a real challenge. Also I realised when I started that the 'supplies' to build the plane with are less than generous and in some cases simply not enough. I have had to add some spare wood from other builds in order to make up the shortfall. Anyway, enough of my whingeing, the fuselage is done and next it is on the really fiddly bits !!
  21. Brilliant, thanks John - the diagrams are very confusing, one seems to show it above and one below so your help is much appreciated.
  22. Hey John, a really tricky question for you ! Fuselage, horizontal formers, position 'D' on the plans. Should the bottom former attach to the bottom of the side uprights or should it attach on the pre-cut ply frame above the square cutout ? I know it is only 3/32 lower if that is the case but piece CAF13 the fairleads frame has to sit on top of it by the looks so the small height difference will be crucial .
  23. Good tip John, thanks for that. When you built your fuselage did you use the recommended jig ? It looks from your log a if you didn't.
  24. I love your doors with the bars, looks really good and I would leave them brass as well. I gave up using the silly coils of brass that come with kits ages ago and splashed out for various sizes of rod. Not cheap but well worth it for me, I have never had success with straightening coiled wire.
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