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Building Tips and technical articles. => Building techniques => Topic started by: Ron King on September 15, 2007, 04:25:40 PM
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Attached are a couple of pictures of my latest Alouette stunter. I won't go into the gory details, but it was originally designed around a .76 engine. I used 1/2" square motor mounts to give myself some room for the bigger tank, it has a 2.25 inch spinner, and it looked real nice. Then I put it on the scale....
Sometimes we just outsmart ourselves. Add a gram or two here and there and we end up with a 70 ounce tail heavy pig. Even with 710 square inches of wing area it only took a couple of flights for me to realize this wasn't going to work and it is very depressing to waste six months worth of hobby time.
I moped about it for a while, then decided to either fix it, or toss it. Looking at it again, I thought I could at least get it to balance if I performed a "Turtledectomy". I grabbed the scalpel (plus the Dremel tool) and operated. The result is a 67 ounce plane that balances great and actually flies pretty well. It's still a little heavy, but the wing seems to fly just fine. It's now powered with a PA 65 and can run a more normal sized tank. I used the grinder to remove as much of the heavy wood as possible and the new straight deck with a bubble canopy doesn't look too bad, IMHO. It's growing on me.
Anyway, the moral of the story is to never give up. I'm now trimming this plane out - while I build a lighter version for next year. But at least I have a fairly decent ship to fly right now.
Take care,
Ron
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Looks Great either way Ron. When you want to throw it away I'll send you my address LL~ LL~ LL~.
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Dr Ron-en-stien(!) I think I like the flat top better than the turtledeck NICE JOB! CLP**
I think the numbers do not sound far off either - I think with some trim work and more time on the bird you will get all the performance the bird has to offer.
BTW I think your experience has convinced me to resurrect a over weight and under powered old bird of my own... Will post when I got someting to show.
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Looks great Ron, I have a SIG Mustang needing the same 'ectomy, you inspire me!
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I did the same sort of thing (except it was the bottom block) on a plane last year. It flies OK, but it was a real toad before. Makes a nice backup plane.
I like the new look.
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Dr Ron-en-stien(!) I think I like the flat top better than the turtledeck NICE JOB! CLP**
I think the numbers do not sound far off either - I think with some trim work and more time on the bird you will get all the performance the bird has to offer.
BTW I think your experience has convinced me to resurrect a over weight and under powered old bird of my own... Will post when I got someting to show.
Guys,
Thanks for the support. I grew up in the "Lots of side area aft of the CG" era and it was very difficult for me to change my thinking. But the more I fly this, the more I realize that today's modern pipe ships might have enough side area anyway. We have deepend the fuselage to cover the pipe and that might be enough side area by itself.
Anyway, I borrowed the canopy and fin idea from Claire Sieverling's Phoenician and it has sort of a Classic look. It's growing on me and I may even build the new one like this. It should be lighter from the start.
I forgot to mention the extra 2 ounces of nose weight it took to balance the original version. By chopping off the turtledeck, I not only eliminated the tail weight - I also eliminated that extra nose weight needed for balance. Lots of bang for the buck.
Ron
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I Ron,
I enjoyed the phone chat a bunch! AND, I like the *NEW* Alouette! y1
I did pretty much the same thing to a Parrott P-47 I built back in '92. Lost a TON of weight in the rebuild! Still has the 3" BC, and short horns, though......
Looking forward to seeing you, again, at Huntersville. (BTW: I got the sugar level down from 400 to 101, but it is hanging around 150 now. :'( )