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Author Topic: Finally Assembling The Brodak P40 ARF  (Read 3686 times)

Offline Dick Pacini

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Finally Assembling The Brodak P40 ARF
« on: June 01, 2011, 12:35:07 AM »
Well, after more than a year I am finally starting to build my P40.  I ran into a problem with laying out the fuselage outline on the wing per the instructions.  The fit between the wing and the hole is just not snug enough.  Trying to locate the fuselage on center and keeping it square in two planes was impossible.  Having to flip it over to mark the bottom side and not have it move was not going to happen.

I spent about an hour jigging the wing and fuselage up so they would remain in position for marking the top and allow me to restore the position when the model was turned over.  The cheek cowl on one side of the fuselage made it difficult to jig.  I was able to measure, square and mark with a reasonable degree of accuracy.  Then I pulled it apart and cut off the wing covering in fuselage area.  Got the flaps and horn epoxied and will work on it some more tomorrow.

All in all, it was a pain in the ass, but this is the first airplane I have worked on since 1975.  Hopefully it will get better.  I have half a dozen good kits to build and a couple of scratch builds I want to do.
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Offline john e. holliday

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Re: Finally Assembling The Brodak P40 ARF
« Reply #1 on: June 01, 2011, 06:29:08 AM »
Did you do a search for the Brodak ARF P-40?   Some people cut the wing and put in dihedral.   Mine is still in the box. H^^
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Offline Dick Pacini

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Re: Finally Assembling The Brodak P40 ARF
« Reply #2 on: June 01, 2011, 08:20:37 AM »
Quote from: john e. holliday on June 01, 2011, 06:29:08 AM
Did you do a search for the Brodak ARF P-40?   Some people cut the wing and put in dihedral.   Mine is still in the box. H^^

Yes, John, I am aware of the dihedral angle. (pun intended)  I have read just about every thread on the P40 ARF ever made.  I think those who didn't cut the wing were as satisfied with the plane as those who did.  Most say it doesn't make much difference in flying.  Given my difficulties last night, I can't imagine adding another another assembly and alignment issue to the equation.
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Offline Mark Scarborough

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Re: Finally Assembling The Brodak P40 ARF
« Reply #3 on: June 01, 2011, 08:21:53 AM »
The dihedral definetly helps, its not a deal breaker but it simplifies the trimming process by getting the vertical cg right. I posted a thread on here about how I put dihedral in the wing on an ARF. I know its been done to completed airplanes as well, same process will work
enjoy your P-40, its a great flying plane.
what do you plan on powering it with?
and welcome back to the fold as it were,,
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Offline Dick Pacini

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Re: Finally Assembling The Brodak P40 ARF
« Reply #4 on: June 01, 2011, 09:45:55 AM »
Quote from: Mark Scarborough on June 01, 2011, 08:21:53 AM

what do you plan on powering it with?

I have a Brodak 40 all broken in and ready to go. #^  Also have an OS35C, EVO 36CL, an OS 40FP by Tom Lay, a ST 46, an OS 46LA, a ST46, a ST G51 and an EVO 60CL.  Something will pull it.
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Offline Mark Scarborough

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Re: Finally Assembling The Brodak P40 ARF
« Reply #5 on: June 01, 2011, 02:16:57 PM »
Mine was pretty happy with the LA 46,, Looking forward to hearing how your return to handle goes,, best of luck.
OH one small note, Pat Johnston clued me into a way to keep the covering on the wings. He cut a strip of red covering a couple inches wide, and ironed that onto the leading edge over the seam. That way no air gets to the edge of the factory covering to give it a chance to lift.
Kind of looks like some form of squadron marking if you use red or yellow,, it helps a lot
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Offline Dennis Moritz

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Re: Finally Assembling The Brodak P40 ARF
« Reply #6 on: June 01, 2011, 02:52:36 PM »
Jam soft balsa in the wing  fues cutout when jigging up the wing to check for alignment. That will take up the space and allow you to adjust wing/fues orientation. It will keep the joint stable while marking the fues placement on the top and bottom of the wing. This way (hopefully) covering can be accurately removed so that a balsa to balsa glue joint is possible without removing too much covering. I would also mark the wing incidence in relationship to the stab and engine. Folks cutting these planes out sometimes make an error here. If there's excessive play in the cutout, definitely need to check this.
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Offline Dick Pacini

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Re: Finally Assembling The Brodak P40 ARF
« Reply #7 on: June 01, 2011, 06:53:28 PM »
I don't have any balsa, Dennis.  Next time, I will use shims of pasteboard.
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Offline bob branch

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Re: Finally Assembling The Brodak P40 ARF
« Reply #8 on: June 02, 2011, 07:14:09 PM »
Dick

Welcome back! I flew the P-40 with an evo .36 prior to converting it to electric. Flew very well with the evo. Even better electric, but then most go that way. Doesn't sound like you are going in that direction. Oh, btw, I flew a wet 2 cycle on the evo. Never did get the key to a 4-2 run. Plane does not seem to care.

bob branch
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Offline Dick Pacini

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Re: Finally Assembling The Brodak P40 ARF
« Reply #9 on: June 02, 2011, 09:15:37 PM »
Another snag!  I thought I would give the instruction book a chance and I installed the hinges with CA just like the directions.  I also used Gordon Delaney's method of employing silkspan tabs to act as a wick.  I used melted Vaseline to grease the barrels and was very careful with the CA.  Still, most of the hinges are sticky.  None are so hard that they are frozen, but they are definitely too stiff.  I tried a little more grease without much improvement.  Bummer! HB~>
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Offline bob branch

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Re: Finally Assembling The Brodak P40 ARF
« Reply #10 on: June 02, 2011, 10:24:07 PM »
Dick

Been there bought that t shirt.  HB~>  The good news is you can recover them with enough time with a sharp scalpel. the bad news is "with enough time with a sharp scalpel." A few folks have said they can make it work consistently, not in my hands though. Also have read Gorilla glue works, but I have had it fail in the air on several occasions. No mater how much I dislike it epoxy is the only thing that works in MY hands. Everyone else's mileage may vary. I guess that is part of what has made the hobby continually challenging all my life. Trying to find out what works in my hands.

Good luck,

bob branch
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Offline john e. holliday

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Re: Finally Assembling The Brodak P40 ARF
« Reply #11 on: June 03, 2011, 08:20:08 AM »
Quote from: Dick Pacini on June 02, 2011, 09:15:37 PM
Another snag!  I thought I would give the instruction book a chance and I installed the hinges with CA just like the directions.  I also used Gordon Delaney's method of employing silkspan tabs to act as a wick.  I used melted Vaseline to grease the barrels and was very careful with the CA.  Still, most of the hinges are sticky.  None are so hard that they are frozen, but they are definitely too stiff.  I tried a little more grease without much improvement.  Bummer! HB~>

Just fly more often.   The vibration and moving of controls will loosen up the hinges.  I have had some that I thought would never come around.   Even my cloth hinges are a little stiff when I first start flying a plane.   H^^
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Offline Kelly Wilson

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Re: Finally Assembling The Brodak P40 ARF
« Reply #12 on: June 04, 2011, 08:44:28 AM »
Dick,
The next time you go to Home Depot or Lowe's go to the flooring section where they sell the ceramic tile spacers. They will also have some little plastic wedges that are about 1/2 wide. The taper on them if from (estimate) 1/32 to 1/8 and they are ideal to use as spacers and/or to level up the wing or stab on a plane. Glue doesn't readily stick to them either. I think a bag of them is a couple of bucks.


Kelly Wilson
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Offline Steve Hines

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Re: Finally Assembling The Brodak P40 ARF
« Reply #13 on: June 09, 2011, 05:53:41 AM »
I used engines offset that I had to shim a supper clown. Pacer makes a water base hing glue that work good and it cleans up with water. Q tip and water works to clean the hing line.
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Offline Garf

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Re: Finally Assembling The Brodak P40 ARF
« Reply #14 on: July 19, 2011, 11:12:01 AM »
One of my local flying partners has a new Brodak P-40. On the second flight, the down leadout pulled out of the wing. The crimp failed. After the second loop, the engine quit and the plane stalled. It then fell straight in. Didn't appear to be damaged, but you know how that goes.
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