MJD

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I have a Midwest kit, I am using the kit parts but copied plans. I didn't like the quality of the 1/8" balsa main spar, so since it is pouring rain and miserable outside it seemed like a good time to draw up some fancy basswood spars. I found a stash of really nice Midwest basswood at the LHS the other day including a bunch of 3/16" sq for delta LE's. Boy does it cut nicely.

Time to assemble the wing then stink up the place with the tissue job. My wife has a couple of day trips planned next week so there you go!

This gets the engine on the plans, and Anderson Spitfire .045. This example I scored somewhere back, runs very nicely.

combatpigg

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That's a great looking spar..!
did you mill it, or burn it...?

MJD

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Laser cut. It's 1/8" x 3/8" root to tip, so I lightened it up and tapered the cross section. All for fun.

MJD

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The .045 looks way too big compared to the aircraft, but I have to remind myself it is roughly equivalent to a geared down TD .020*.

EDIT: * or less, now that I just audio tached the basement run! 10.5k on a 5-3 3 blade.

Tick me off - I had one, one only old Power Point 5-3 wood prop that would have been perfect for this. Managed to snap off a blade in a spaz move on the bench.

combatpigg

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I seeeeee, this is like Affirmative Action.....the little weakling engines that can barely pull their weight deserve some exercise too..!
It should provide much needed ballast as well...
How do you plan on controlling [or not controlling] this beast...?
If it were MY project, I'd get it trimmed out by flying it with a pair of servos and then try it with just 1 servo, then try it no servos after I got bored with it. The "no servo" flight would have to be powered by an electric motor that I could not care less about.
After seeing a really nice .020 diesel lost on it's maiden FF attempt, I have much respect for the courage of those intrepid souls who dare The Fates with these toys.

MJD

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That's why I nervously fly my FF models in foul conditions.

I'm putting micro 2 channel in it. A pair of HS-35 or 45's, Lemon Rx, little Lipo or Life pack. Should be around 1 oz.

When I get to it I'll tach the .045 on a 5-3. There's a video of it on a TF nylon 5-3 3 blade turning all of 10.5k here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtZsdMNLsmY

MJD

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Get this - I actually completely framed up the wing today. After a little sanding I'll get a pic or two. I lashed the wing to the fuse and stuck the tail group in place and did one vroom vroom pass through the living room. I showed it to my wife and asked what she thought - she obediently replied with an acceptable answer: "my, that's a cute little airplane". She uses that one a lot but it gets the job done, I truly do understand how hard it is to feign interest..

combatpigg

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I don't suppose you should try to explain the historical significance of this project to her...?
How many more times in Man's History will a scratch built Sniffer get paired with a .049 Spitfire and be flown...?

MJD

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She went to bed at 10:30, and I started to tell her all about it. That's when I spotted the flesh colored foam earplugs..

Progress! I miss a bit of stick and tissue, this is fun. 3.5oz as it sits here so far.

Pond Skipper

Turned out shaweeet Mike, are you going with a transparent covering to show off the wood frame?

MJD

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It's not good enough up close for that..

I like tissue and dope finishes, going that route. Hoping for 5.5 oz max. Good luck, but nice to dream - I'll take 6. 4.75" chord x 29.5" IIRC projected span about a sq foot if bits of my head are still functioning.

Pond Skipper

Last time I did a tissue / dope covering was back in 1974 a Guillow's free flight Pee Wee powered scale cabin cruiser.
Around a year prior at a friends house we where playing catch with a beautiful tissue dope finished jumbo rubber powered plane built by his father perfect balance perfect build in my eyes we could get back about 35ft apart and it would have enough lift to stay slow and level tossed back in forth was a real treat to launch and inspired me to build a 2 channel glider about 2 yrs later with iron on covering. Back then I used my dear moms iron to get the job done from there on no more tissue.

I would like to do a all bones view plane with my G Mark .03 RC the engine has a bit more weight than the .020 TD with similar power able to spin a 5x3 making it perfect for a floater. I would like to build the 24" span Thomas Morse Scout from Guillow's. You can get the Laser cut these days.

MJD

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Next is tissuing, but I can't dope at the house. Next hangar trip I'll get started.

Pond Skipper

Ah Mike the cat called apparently felt like it was upstaging the plane
and would prefer if you build the .15 size version.

combatpigg

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Are you going to add castor to the dope...?
I've never done this, but I have seen a plane that was done this way. The plane had kind of a creepy feel to it, like it was covered with intestinal lining instead of tissue.

MJD

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I wasn't planning to. I know it is added by some as a plasticizer, but overdoing it isn't great either - as you noticed.. The base will be non-shrinking nitrate (or more correctly, less-shrinking nitrate) then butyrate clear. I have colored tissue in mind.

combatpigg

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I thought the purpose of nitrate was to shrink...then you top off with butyrate as a fuel proofer...?