What I've been doing during lockdown

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Toppsy
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#1 What I've been doing during lockdown

Post by Toppsy »

OK for those who have been following this speaker build thread http://www.audio-talk.co.uk/phpBB3/view ... f=4&t=7853 Ed had noted and queried what the tailplane and fin build mounted on a building board was. So not to take the speaker thread off topic I said I'd start a new thread and here it is.

I hadn't posted anything up before as I wasn't sure of any interest on this basically audio forum for RC aeromodelling, but then we have a couple long threads on motorbikes and cycling..

The model in question is a Jasco Flamingo. It must be over 15-years that I gave up on my aeromodelling. After a layoff of the hobby and with renewed envigored and endeavours, I had scratch built the tailplane and fuselage from a set of original plans, loaned to me but my enthusiasm flagged some when I got to building and strengthening the wing design. With the wings being all elliptical and 89" span x 15" root chord the thought of having to make from scratch all those under cambered wing ribs was daunting so the whole project ground to a holt until recently I discovered a new company was offering a laser cut parts set with full size digitally remastered plans. So I ordered the kit with the intention of building a set of wing panels and restoring my original built fuselage and tailplane.

It's been up in my loft collecting dust all these years so with lockdown and a renewed interest in RC modelling I have resurrected the build. The basic fuselage and tailplane/fin were covered in vintage solartex. Unfortunately this is now unobtainable and with time the tail plane had warped so I uncovered it and added the extra cross bracing from my structural engineering college study times in the 1970's to engineer out the induced warp. I did manage to buy a 5m roll of white Solartex and some matching white Solarlac paint together with a tin of lux blue solarlac paint. So the fuselage was duly recovered in this and added some the blue colour for a contrasting finish. The tailplane/fin await recovering and painting.

Some basic info on the model:
Design originally published in the 1938 Jasco yearbook.
Designed by Roger Hammer
Tail plane length 80cm
Tail Plane root chord 30cm
Wingspan 226cm (89")
Wing root cord 38cm
Fuselage length 145cm (57")
Proposed power plant, Saito 45s 4-stoke
Projected all up weight between 5.5 lbs to 6 lbs.
3-channel RC (rudder, elevator, throttle)

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More to follow.

EDIT. Duplicate posts removed.
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ed
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#2 Re: What I've been doing during lockdown

Post by ed »

thanks Colin

I checked out the oz plan earlier. It seems a lot cleaner than the one you posted but it's on one sheet. The oz plan doesn't show the dihedral brace though, which is very useful.

I think the section is a NACA 64 series, quite thick, so I imagine it will float quite sedately. The original was designed for a Brown Jr, which I think is about 30 size but spark/gas so I imagine your saito would be plenty, I think a 12 or 14" prop.

I get to the SAM35 meets at Warden quite frequently and I haven't noticed one there, but that doesn't mean there hasn't been one. Although vintage is not really my thing I have been tempted to build a Vic Smeed and join in the spot landing comps from time to time.

I think it's a super looking model and would love to hear how it flies.

...also, who did your laser cuts?. I very nearly pushed the button on a laser cutter about 18 months ago, but never actually did it. Very expensive bit of kit and it wouldn't really get used an awful lot and there's far too much competetion to offer it out as a service to try and recoup some of the outlay.

I also wanted to mod my airfoil plotter to produce dxf files for auto cutting of ribs but that got lost by the wayside as well.

edit: regarding covering....it's becoming a real pain... I have 3 airframes which have been gathering dust for over 12 months and lack of covering has been my main excuse. I wanted some transparent yellow solarfilm....but just can't find any. Since solarfilm stopped producing Hobby King have been out of stock with all their coverings as well.....very frustrating.
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Toppsy
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#3 Re: What I've been doing during lockdown

Post by Toppsy »

ed wrote: Sun May 31, 2020 11:17 am thanks Colin

I checked out the oz plan earlier. It seems a lot cleaner than the one you posted but it's on one sheet. The oz plan doesn't show the dihedral brace though, which is very useful.

I think the section is a NACA 64 series, quite thick, so I imagine it will float quite sedately. The original was designed for a Brown Jr, which I think is about 30 size but spark/gas so I imagine your saito would be plenty, I think a 12 or 14" prop.
Hi Ed,
I believe the actual airfoil section is a Gottingen 497 or so it is stated on this internet posted image Image

The wings are polyhedral so have to be built as 4 separate panels. But both the dihedral braces and the spars need to be beefed up to take the additional loading imparted on the wings due to the RC conversion for which the original was never designed for.

The plans I have are on 2 very large sheets and were redrafted and traced by a Al Patterson and are very crisp lines and true to the original. These came with the parts kit I purchased from Belair Kits http://www.belairkits.com/. They have a massive range of plans and parts kits on offer.
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#4 Re: What I've been doing during lockdown

Post by Toppsy »

ed wrote: Sun May 31, 2020 11:17 am edit: regarding covering....it's becoming a real pain... I have 3 airframes which have been gathering dust for over 12 months and lack of covering has been my main excuse. I wanted some transparent yellow solarfilm....but just can't find any. Since solarfilm stopped producing Hobby King have been out of stock with all their coverings as well.....very frustrating.
Ed,
Solarfilm though not manufacturing any more products are still running a web site selling off existing stock. I have just done a search of their current stock of solarfilm and guess what, they have a 5m role of transparent yellow avail to buy online. Check out here: https://solarfilm.co.uk/products/solarf ... 9666050092. It's where I bought my white solartex, clearcoat and solarlac paints that were delivered last week. This is a link to their home page that explains the current trading arrangements due to the current situation we find ourselves in https://solarfilm.co.uk/
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Ray P
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#5 Re: What I've been doing during lockdown

Post by Ray P »

Super project Colin.

You've got me thinking about digging out my 2metre RC catamaran project, for which I started designing a two section wingsail. Principles are similar but the stresses are greater on a wingsail so need to build stronger/stiffer.
Sorry, I couldn't resist!
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#6 Re: What I've been doing during lockdown

Post by Ray P »

Ed, I have had some ply laser cut ply before (for an earlier wingsail) and the results were first rate - I'll see if i can dig out who i used though I imagine the service providors will all be much the same.
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#7 Re: What I've been doing during lockdown

Post by ed »

many thanks Colin, I've just ordered it....not happy about £28 in comparison to HK which was £7.50 but at least I've got some...which leaves me no excuse to get all that amplifier malarky off the workbench..

btw it wasn't a bad guess about the airfoil
airfoils.jpg
the outerzone plan is oz6950 if your interested. Outerzone is a fantastic resource for plans if you're into building. Sadly most people seem to want off the shelf or foam these days....that's not modelling!
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#8 Re: What I've been doing during lockdown

Post by Mike H »

Wow well cool. :thumbleft:

Me and my dad used to dabble a bit when I was a nipper, never got as far as an engine tho. :D
 
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Ray P
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#9 Re: What I've been doing during lockdown

Post by Ray P »

How's this going?
Sorry, I couldn't resist!
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#10 Re: What I've been doing during lockdown

Post by Ray P »

Are either of these of interest/use?

http://www.profili2.com/eng/default.asp

http://www.devcad.com/eng/default.asp

I've used Profili software for developing wingsails for model boats and have had foam cores and laser cut ribs successfully made from the files.
Sorry, I couldn't resist!
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#11 Re: What I've been doing during lockdown

Post by Toppsy »

Ray P wrote: Fri Jun 19, 2020 8:10 am How's this going?
Hello Ray,
Unfortunately no progress on the build since last I posted.

Though I have a complete CNC parts set for the plane with a new set of full size plans (3 large sheets) from here: http://www.belairkits.com/ I have been awaiting delivery these past 4-weeks for the balsa sheet and stripwood and spruce wing spars together with some other small fittings to build the wings and aid install the radio gear in the fuselage.

The good news is I received this morning an email from both Balsa Cabin and Hermes that my parcel is on it's way. The delay apparently was Balsa Cabin awaiting delivery of the Cyano and aliphatic glue which has been in short supply since the lockdown that and an unprecedented demand for balsa and general aeromodelling materials since the lockdown.

The bad news is we are having a new bathroom being installed at the moment which has required a complete strip down of the existing bathroom which has been occupying most, if not all my time these last few weeks. However I am hoping to work around this upheaval to start building the wings, over the weekend as a welcome break from all the bathroom issues we have encountered stripping out the old suite ready for the new. A problem I'm afraid with living in an old 1930's Accrington brick and stone built house. I'll post up picccies when I start the wings.
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#12 Re: What I've been doing during lockdown

Post by Toppsy »

Ray P wrote: Fri Jun 19, 2020 8:57 am Are either of these of interest/use?

http://www.profili2.com/eng/default.asp

http://www.devcad.com/eng/default.asp

I've used Profili software for developing wingsails for model boats and have had foam cores and laser cut ribs successfully made from the files.
Thank you Ray for the links. I'll download both and save the files for later reference.

Later today I may re-cover the whole tailplane that I rebuilt with the added cross bracing strengthening. I have the white Solartex and a new purposed designed Prolux 230v LED temperature controlled sealing iron for applying the covering. By keeping careful control of the iron temperature I'm keeping my fingers crossed this will help prevent the warp like the original un-strengthened tailplane developed over time, otherwise it will act as a very large rear airscrew! Again I'll post up piccies.
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#13 Re: What I've been doing during lockdown

Post by Toppsy »

I hadn't realised it's been near on 18-months since I last posted any progress with this build.

Notwithstanding the new bathroom, that seemed to be never ending with problems, we then did other home improvements that were carried out during the first lockdown. I also had the stress and strain of dealing and sorting issues with my 94 year old mother who has dementia. Though she had home help through Nottingham Social Services it was quite apparent to us when visiting and talking to mums neighbours the worsening of her dementia and that mum wasn't able to stay at home and be safe without 24-hour full time care. Dealing with social services is a stressful nightmare and it has taken months to get mum into full time care.

We only have LPA for mum's finances and not for health and well being. A failure on our part to understand there are 2 different LPA's that one has to apply for. So mums health and continued lasting well-being is unfortunately out of our hands and the responsibility of the local social services. That's where all our issues have been with getting mum full time care.

I then suffered a heart attack due to a blocked coronary artery (probably exasperated by stress) resulting in a week's stay in hospital and minor heart surgery. Part of my recovery therapy has been to resurrect this project and refurbish a couple old RC trainers that were stored away in a corner of the attic and forgotten I had.

Reading up on an old Ben Buckle 'Plans Handbook and Catalogue' and the advise Ben gives regards converting these old free flight planes to RC, I realised the tailplane that I rebuilt and posted piccies needed some redesign. Ben Buckle, who unfortunately is no longer with us, was one of the UK pioneers and gurus for converting vintage FF model airplanes to RC. So his advise was not to be ignored.

A new tailplane with larger elevators was built. I also scrapped the original built fuselage and rebuilt a new one. So with a newly built set of wings, strengthened and modified to be joined in the middle for ease of transport this is an entirely new build model.

For those that have read through my rant and may be interested in seeing below are a few piccies I took last week of the finished airframe ready for covering with some DIACOV 1000 – Extra-lightweight iron-on polyester fabric covering.

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#14 Re: What I've been doing during lockdown

Post by Ant »

Bloody hell colin, i hope youre on the mend now
Take it easy, i know full well how much of a pain in the arse social services are to deal with in terms of care of the elderly, they are just the same across the board. The amount if stress i had to put up with going through rdash when my wife was diagnosed with bipolar disorder was enough to cause me significant stress related issues so i can imagine the stress of trying to get your mother the best possible care and seemingly being blocked and fobbed off at every turn. Especially when you end up feeling like its all on you to deal with
Go steady and stay well
Lovely job on the airframe, should look great when its skinned
Cheers ant
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Toppsy
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#15 Re: What I've been doing during lockdown

Post by Toppsy »

Thanks Ant,
I must confess it's been a very trying last couple of years.

Hope to see a light at the end of the tunnel later this month when we hope to complete on the sale of mum's bungalow. This has been forced on us to pay for the full time care costs which will be over £850.00 per week once the sale goes through. Currently the weekly charge of just over £179.00 and is paid monthly out of mum's bank account. However, this is based solely on what meagre savings mum has and what income from her pension payments she receives. It does not take account she has property. This comes into the equation once the sale price less expenses goes into her bank account. If we were to hold on to the bungalow I would be responsible to pay the full cost of the full-time care package! I could enter into a deferred payment plan with Nottingham Social Services, assuming they would to offer me one, which is not guaranteed. But then, I as executor for mum's will would then have to settle the debt upon mum's death. It's a bloody minefield.

Looking forward to the spring and next summer when I can enjoy flying this large airplane. Should be a nice relaxing flying model.
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