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Author Topic: Peacemaker Build from Top Flite kit  (Read 2429 times)

Offline IdRatherBeBuilding

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Peacemaker Build from Top Flite kit
« on: February 21, 2019, 03:22:51 AM »
Thought I'd share my first real CL build. I have never built any CL planes bigger than 1/2a, and those were back in the early 80s! Well, actually I started on a Ring Master Jr, but never finished it. And that's a profile. This one is going to be a full built up fuse and everything! I can't wait!

Just beware, I like to talk, so I end up bantering around from time to time. I will try to stay on topic though.  :D

So I actually started working on this about a week ago. I started out by cutting out the wing ribs from the die cut sheets. They were actually not too bad considering how old this kit is and how die cutting can be die "smashing" at times. This wasn't too bad. But the ribs were far from uniform with each other. The Peacemaker wing is a constant chord platform so I just ganged all the common ribs (W4) and proceeded to sand them to uniformity. I tried not to sand to much, and after all was said and done, the profiles didn't look to far off the plan outline. I was pleased and looking forward to getting this bad boy laid up!

Next I moved onto the leading and trailing edges. These are really cool. Not only are they notched for each rib, they are channeled and the ribs have a sort of "tongue" that nestles into the channel. Light stock, more glue surface for the rib, perfect! Well... until I noticed a flaw into the channels.
I assume these channels were routed into the material stock, and unfortunately, in my kit, the stock was misaligned. The channels don't run true down the length of the material stock. Instead, they start out of center on one end and then travel out of center on the other end. So, if the router channel sits high on one end, it'll sit just as low on the other.
I contemplated courses of action to remedy the problem. I went from cutting each rib individually so I can locate the tongues to match the misaligned channel at each appropriate station. This wasn't too bad an idea, as I'm not that thrilled with the little discrepancies from my sanding them anymore. Then I thought about milling new LE and TEs altogether. But then after I cut new ribs, I wont have much of the original kit left in the wing. For me flying these models that have been sitting in their boxes for decades just gives me a special feeling when I'm building and flying them. So that idea was brief to say the least.
I did come up with something though. It's hard to describe, so I'll just take some pictures once I get to that part.

Here are some pictures to help understand what I'm talking about.

So that's where I'm at today. My schedule is very erratic, but I'll try to get some more work done on the Peacemaker in the up coming days.

Thanks for joining me on my build!

David Miller

David Miller

A society grows great when old men plant trees the shade they know they will never sit in

Offline IdRatherBeBuilding

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Re: Peacemaker Build from Top Flite kit
« Reply #1 on: February 21, 2019, 03:36:30 AM »
I ended up ganging up all the ribs, like I did previously with W4, to get them all closer to the original airfoil. The W4s got a little this in some areas. I plan to cap strip the W4 ribs so I just copied the W3 ribs since they get sheeted with 1/16.

I laid out a straight edge over mt bench (computer desk) and discovered a dip of about 1/16 over the 4' length. instead of fixing it, it works fine as a computer desk, I figured I'll get out my old Adjusto jig. I love building with it anyway.

So I glued all the tabs to hold them together, then I drilled them to match my jig, then I just used some small sections of rod to hold all of them together along with the template and sanded them on a belt sander. I did double check the small table on the sander to make sure it was 90 degrees. It was.  y1

DM
David Miller

A society grows great when old men plant trees the shade they know they will never sit in

Offline IdRatherBeBuilding

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Re: Peacemaker Build from Top Flite kit
« Reply #2 on: February 21, 2019, 03:42:12 AM »
I set up the jig by placing it right over the plans. Then I set the rib mounts to each station as shown on the plans.
This time, when I double checked it with the notched spar, it was off. Probably due to shrinkage. The plans that is.

So I just moved them around to match the stock in the kit.

DM
David Miller

A society grows great when old men plant trees the shade they know they will never sit in

Offline IdRatherBeBuilding

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Re: Peacemaker Build from Top Flite kit
« Reply #3 on: February 21, 2019, 03:53:48 AM »
Like I said, this is my first CL plane. And CL wings are flat. I'm not used to that.
I usually build each wing half, then join them and add the center doublers when I join them together.
I looked at the 3d illustration on the plans, and it look like a pain to build it that way.
So as the plan shows, I'll build the wing together. This will be a first actually.

I had to add the second 36" section to build the 46" Peacemaker's wing. So now my jig is 6 feet long  :o But I did get all the rib station in place.

Funny thing I want to point out. I'm missing one W4 rib.. but I have a W5 (?) rib that doesn't match anything and it doesn't show a W5 rib anywhere on the plans. There is a W5. But that's a flap. No big deal. I'll just make another W4. It's just kinda odd.
David Miller

A society grows great when old men plant trees the shade they know they will never sit in

Tom Vieira

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Re: Peacemaker Build from Top Flite kit
« Reply #4 on: February 21, 2019, 08:22:09 AM »
very nice!

Offline Jim Carter

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Re: Peacemaker Build from Top Flite kit
« Reply #5 on: February 21, 2019, 11:11:10 AM »
Greetings!  I seem to remember this type kit being in one of our local hobby shops when I was a kid but I could never afford one.  But a couple of years ago, I found the plan for the Peacemaker on the Outerzone website.  It's a British plan but I didn't know there was anything different about it so I built two of them.  It was a fun build and I powered one of them with an OS .10 engine and the other with a Fox .15 engine.  They both flew nicely although the .10 was a bit too small for power. 

Offline IdRatherBeBuilding

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Re: Peacemaker Build from Top Flite kit
« Reply #6 on: February 21, 2019, 01:15:34 PM »
Hey T.J. and Jim. Thanks for taking an interest in my build.  :D

Jim, Nice Planes! I love your bench. A Place For Everything and Everything In It's Place!
The kit I'm building is a full fuselage plane. The planes are in nice shape considering their age. Just a little yellowing and probably a slight shirink as I mentioned. That wouldn't matter in a scratch build. Let me know if you'd like a copy. I'll have it scanned and send you a pdf so you can have a copy printed at a local printing shop.

DM
David Miller

A society grows great when old men plant trees the shade they know they will never sit in

Offline IdRatherBeBuilding

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Re: Peacemaker Build from Top Flite kit
« Reply #7 on: February 21, 2019, 11:37:25 PM »
Today I sanded the LE to mate together at the center section.
I noticed another problem with the kit. Not big, just a little more tuning.
The center ribs are shorter to accept a plywood doubler. But they were not made short enough. As they are they wont allow the W4 ribs to slip into the notches in the leading edge, but it comes perfectly flush up to the leading edge. Simple mistake on their part. Easy fix on mine.
I'll just have to cut the 3 center ribs back 1/16' and all will be fine again..  <=
But I need sleep...
David Miller

A society grows great when old men plant trees the shade they know they will never sit in

Offline Jim Carter

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Re: Peacemaker Build from Top Flite kit
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2019, 08:51:31 AM »
Hey T.J. and Jim. Thanks for taking an interest in my build.  :D

Let me know if you'd like a copy. I'll have it scanned and send you a pdf so you can have a copy printed at a local printing shop.

DM
Thanks for the offer but a little bit ago, I found the plan on the Aerofred website so I downloaded it and it on my "If I live long enough To-Do build list"!!

Offline IdRatherBeBuilding

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Re: Peacemaker Build from Top Flite kit
« Reply #9 on: March 03, 2019, 12:09:57 AM »
It is basically a rounded off Flite Streak/Combat Streak.  George was "thrifty" that way. LL~

So does it fly as good as the Flite Streak?
I haven't really heard much about the Peacemaker. I just decided to build it and was happy when I noticed it was designed by G. Aldrich.
I just wish Top Flite executed the kit a little better.
David Miller

A society grows great when old men plant trees the shade they know they will never sit in

Offline IdRatherBeBuilding

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Re: Peacemaker Build from Top Flite kit
« Reply #10 on: March 03, 2019, 12:11:57 AM »
Sorry for the delay in the build.
I have a demanding schedule and can just get to it when I can. But I should be getting some work done on it in the nest couple days. Fingers Crossed of course

David
David Miller

A society grows great when old men plant trees the shade they know they will never sit in

Offline IdRatherBeBuilding

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Re: Peacemaker Build from Top Flite kit
« Reply #11 on: March 03, 2019, 01:35:25 PM »
My  understanding is He designed it for the UK where Diesels were in vogue more than methanol engines. D>K I have never heard any thing negative about it, and trust me, if it was a bad plane, we all would be aware of it. H^^

That sounds great.
I have noticed most pics on the internet show diesels in them.
I love the looks of the plane and it's getting me back to making balsa dust!! And that's all good for me!
I nothing comes up, I should have a couple hours this evening to get back at it.

David
David Miller

A society grows great when old men plant trees the shade they know they will never sit in


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