Author Topic: New Project - Sort of a kit bash (Read 46936 times)

wwwarbird · « **Reply #50 on:** March 15, 2015, 09:16:02 PM »

Quote from: Robby Hunt on March 15, 2015, 09:01:48 PM

Randy, are those Scarinzi lightning bolts behind the fuse?

I had to look twice at that too.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #51 on:** March 16, 2015, 09:56:50 AM »

Tim,

Yes, normal. As I said, it will be very conventional. Just a stunt plane.

Remember, this started as an RSM kit. Due to laser cutters bed length, some piece had to be, well, pieced together. The fuse sides have those funky cuts to make them two piece. Fun stuff.

Bill Morell · « **Reply #52 on:** March 16, 2015, 01:27:50 PM »

Randy, what was wrong with the ribs that came with the kit?

Randy Powell · « **Reply #53 on:** March 16, 2015, 03:27:42 PM »

Bill,

I wanted a different airfoil. This is going to be electric and I felt like I didn't need the drag of the superfat Ted airfoil. Guess we'll see if I'm right. I had Pat cut me a thinner, more tapering airfoil for the ribs. Same length as the originals but with a somewhat more rearward high point and a bit more lengthwise taper. It's basically the same airfoil I used on my Hooligan design.

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #54 on:** March 16, 2015, 03:47:09 PM »

Quote from: Randy Powell on March 16, 2015, 09:56:50 AM

Yes, normal. As I said, it will be very conventional. Just a stunt plane.

If you say you're not painting it with at least three different colors of glittery metallic then I'm sending one of the Seattle guys to your house for a health & welfare check.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #55 on:** March 16, 2015, 04:24:15 PM »

Red, white and blue, Tim. that's it. An early Ted scheme, probably. Depends. This is to be a functional unit. I don't much give a rip about appearance points with this one. It's all about the performance.

On the other hand, I might splurge a bit if the airframe comes up light enough. but not too much.

wwwarbird · « **Reply #56 on:** March 16, 2015, 05:37:54 PM »

Quote from: Randy Powell on March 16, 2015, 04:24:15 PM

On the other hand, I might splurge a bit if the airframe comes up light enough. but not too much.

And it begins...

Mark Scarborough · « **Reply #57 on:** March 16, 2015, 10:36:21 PM »

Quote from: wwwarbird on March 16, 2015, 05:37:54 PM

And it begins...

I will not comment,, I will not comment I will not,,,,,,,,,,

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #58 on:** March 17, 2015, 12:46:45 AM »

Quote from: Randy Powell on March 16, 2015, 04:24:15 PM

Red, white and blue, Tim. that's it. An early Ted scheme, probably. Depends. This is to be a functional unit. I don't much give a rip about appearance points with this one. It's all about the performance.

Who are you, and what have you done with the Randy Powell we know and love?

Randy Powell · « **Reply #59 on:** March 17, 2015, 09:22:41 AM »

Randy has gone to the Bahamas. This is Randy's evil twin and this paint scheme will not be crazy. It will not.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #60 on:** March 29, 2015, 08:08:35 PM »

More progress. Machining a bellcrank took forever. And before someone asked, as the bellcrank sits there, it weighs about a 1/2oz.

wwwarbird · « **Reply #61 on:** March 29, 2015, 09:14:11 PM »

Wow!

That's cool.

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #62 on:** March 29, 2015, 09:52:51 PM »

Quote from: Randy Powell on March 17, 2015, 09:22:41 AM

Randy has gone to the Bahamas. This is Randy's evil twin and this paint scheme will not be crazy. It will not.

The bellcrank, on the other hand...

Randy Powell · « **Reply #63 on:** March 30, 2015, 12:10:51 PM »

Yea, yea. So I like my OCD demons out to play for a minute. It's done now.

Allan Perret · « **Reply #64 on:** March 30, 2015, 01:04:12 PM »

That is one serious crank you got there, bullet proof to the Nth degree.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #65 on:** March 30, 2015, 01:50:47 PM »

Allan,

After having one break and destroy a really good flying plane, I want the thing strong enough to lift my car. This is the second one. The original bellcrank I was going to use would have cast the post into the bellcrank and used bearings at either end. Unfortunately, I messed up the mix on the epoxy or perhaps it's time to replace my epoxy. The thing never really got hard enough. So it went to the side and I machined up this one. Much more standard setup with a very large bearing surface. I'll try again on the one piece deal when I figure out what went wrong with original. I still that that will work really well.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #66 on:** April 03, 2015, 07:37:34 PM »

Didn't get a lot of chance to work on it this week but did get some work done last night and today.

wwwarbird · « **Reply #67 on:** April 03, 2015, 11:28:07 PM »

Very nice Randy, too bad that high-zoot bellcrank will be covered up.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #68 on:** April 04, 2015, 01:11:51 PM »

Not as high zoot as you think. Just a chunk of aluminium all hogged out. But it is solid and works. Hope to button up the wing today and get the fuse mounted.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #69 on:** April 05, 2015, 12:04:34 AM »

Well, I didn't make it. The wing IS almost done. Screwed up the elevators and had to start over. Joy.

wwwarbird · « **Reply #70 on:** April 05, 2015, 12:27:49 AM »

Quote from: Randy Powell on April 05, 2015, 12:04:34 AM

Well, I didn't make it. The wing IS almost done. Screwed up the elevators and had to start over. Joy.

Just the way it goes with these things sometimes, one step forward, two back.

After the latest hiatus on it I got my "almost-ready-for-paint" P-40 bash back out tonight and gave it a good looking over, making a mental "yet-to-do list". As it turns out, I've still got quite a bit of work to do before I dig out the paint.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #71 on:** April 05, 2015, 08:46:05 PM »

Wing's done. I'm trying a new assembly method and haven't figured it out yet.

Mark Scarborough · « **Reply #72 on:** April 05, 2015, 10:33:05 PM »

yeah,, its always something,,
I just sanded virtually all the carbon off the fuse and reapplied it on the new beast,, I guess 8 months ago I didnt do as good a job blocking out the fuse as I thought I had,, sigh,, its much MUCH nicer now

Randy Powell · « **Reply #73 on:** April 06, 2015, 10:23:52 AM »

Well, I just need to figure out how to align the fuse while keeping the wing in the jig. I'll come up with something.

Howard Rush · « **Reply #74 on:** April 06, 2015, 11:12:04 AM »

Quote from: Randy Powell on March 16, 2015, 03:27:42 PM

This is going to be electric and I felt like I didn't need the drag of the superfat Ted airfoil. Guess we'll see if I'm right.

I could have told you whether you are right, but any excuse to have an airplane to paint.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #75 on:** April 06, 2015, 07:54:39 PM »

Gee Howard, thanks. The real question would be, would you have been right?

So, I did attach the fuse and then pinned the rest together to get a since of what it was going to look like (pretty much what I thought it would look like). I need a new canopy but other than that, it's OK.

Howard Rush · « **Reply #76 on:** April 06, 2015, 09:41:05 PM »

Quote from: Randy Powell on April 06, 2015, 07:54:39 PM

Gee Howard, thanks. The real question would be, would you have been right?

You'll have to finish the airplane to find out.

wwwarbird · « **Reply #77 on:** April 06, 2015, 09:44:33 PM »

Looks pretty cool Randy, are the profile outlines your design?

Randy Powell · « **Reply #78 on:** April 07, 2015, 09:26:41 AM »

Howard, you are supposed to mentor me and give me advice, not hold out on me.

Wayne, Not really. It's just a copy of some of Ted's earlier stuff that I liked.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #79 on:** April 12, 2015, 07:14:35 PM »

So, it's coming

wwwarbird · « **Reply #80 on:** April 12, 2015, 09:19:51 PM »

Cool, I kinda like the ventral fin thingie.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #81 on:** April 12, 2015, 09:24:53 PM »

It's set up sort like Ted's Excitation. Should be cool.

Wing tips, shaping the leading and trailing edge, putting in a hatch in the bottom of the cowl and landing gear aling with the control surfaces and it will be ready for for finish. Seems it always takes longer than you think it will.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #82 on:** April 17, 2015, 08:02:53 PM »

Well, it's coming along. this is with the bottom hatch cut in. Will set that up next and clean up the cowl entry (glopped on some glazing compound and will grind that down tomorrow). This is mostly fixing a mistake (gads!). Tips are done with leadout slider and tip weight box. Leading and trailing edge taps are skinned off and leading edge is rough shaped.

wwwarbird · « **Reply #83 on:** April 17, 2015, 10:27:18 PM »

Lookin' really good Randy, I'm wondering what your trick is gonna be to do the tailwheel with the ventral fin doohickey being right there.

I got my wingtips covered and put some fake exhaust stacks on the P-40 bash this week, it's something at least.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #84 on:** April 18, 2015, 10:32:31 AM »

Wayne,

It's a trick.

wwwarbird · « **Reply #85 on:** April 18, 2015, 06:09:40 PM »

Quote from: Randy Powell on April 18, 2015, 10:32:31 AM

Wayne,

It's a trick.

Oh, I had no doubts about that.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #86 on:** April 18, 2015, 09:15:28 PM »

So, the hatch is in and I slopped some SuperFil in the thing to close up a couple of gaps. Not too bad, overall. Should have some pics tomorrow. Just some sanding, cutting in vents and setting up the timer button and arming switch then finish up the elevator and build the flaps and landing gear and it's on to finish. Hope to have it in one piece by tomorrow night. Or close anyway.

Mark Scarborough · « **Reply #87 on:** April 18, 2015, 09:50:36 PM »

hey Randy, its starting to look like an airplane,, cant wait to see it fly , I hope both our new ones provide good service,, Roseburg here we come

Randy Powell · « **Reply #88 on:** April 19, 2015, 12:11:24 AM »

If I can get it done in time. Here's hoping.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #89 on:** April 19, 2015, 05:47:00 PM »

OK, hatches in, start button and arming switch mounts in. Just need to cut in vents and mount the thing in the air to finish up. This cold slowed me a bit but it's coming along.

john e. holliday · « **Reply #90 on:** April 20, 2015, 09:59:51 AM »

The front inlets look big. Hope you have some place for the air to exit. Sure looks different and I like it.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #91 on:** April 21, 2015, 10:56:53 AM »

Doc,

I've now cut in exit vents in the top and bottom. About twice the size of the intake (or a little more). I have a problem with the battery mount interfering with the hatch that I will have to fix next. Then it's on to finishing it up.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #92 on:** April 25, 2015, 10:06:06 PM »

I got a new computer and playing with it has slowed me down. But the electronics and such are finally fitted. Why is it that no matter how big the area it seems you are always taxed for space? Anyway, it's finally hanging in the air and most of the initial sanding is done. About half done with the control surfaces and still need the cockpit and canopy mounted and the gear built, but should be close to finishing in a few days. I'll post some pics in a day or so (as soon as I figure out how to do it with the new rig), if anyone is interested.

Dane Martin · « **Reply #93 on:** April 26, 2015, 07:43:16 AM »

Very interested. Thanks Randy!

Randy Powell · « **Reply #94 on:** April 26, 2015, 10:27:56 PM »

OK, pictures. The electronics, top and bottom and the unit hanging on the finishing fixture

Randy Powell · « **Reply #95 on:** April 30, 2015, 09:33:06 PM »

So, I went to dye the canopy tonight and managed to turn it into a plastic straw. I got distracted and left it in the hot water too long. Joy. So, I ordered another one from Eric Rule and we'll try again.

Randy Powell · « **Reply #96 on:** May 03, 2015, 10:02:22 PM »

The cockpit is done and the canopy is on. No work on it today. Spent the day fixing and refinishing the deck. Joy.

john e. holliday · « **Reply #97 on:** May 04, 2015, 11:32:44 AM »

Glad you are making progresss. I too am held up replacing a front deck on the house. May not get one plane done in time for the Topeka contest that was moved up a week.

wwwarbird · « **Reply #98 on:** May 04, 2015, 06:04:04 PM »

I keep wondering, do you have a tiny BMW decal for just above the cowl opening?

Randy Powell · « **Reply #99 on:** May 04, 2015, 09:26:20 PM »

Wayne,

Cute.

The canopy has some filler around it and I got the mount fixed. Hopefully, I can get the control surfaces on by the weekend and get the gear done. I can probably start finishing this weekend. I'd really like to have this done by the Regionals. We'll see. I have other stuff to fly but I'd like this beast done.