Aerotech 42% - Twin Build

[Fixed Wing]

Bill,

Thanks for your offer. I'm not ready to decide on the pilots yet because I haven't finalized the color schemes. I'll contact you later when I make that decision. As you can see in the picture I am already using one of your pilots in an Aerotech Extra 300. He was practically the only thing that survived from a mid-air I had last year at an IMAC contest. I hope he brings this newer plane good luck.

Dean

[sweetpea]

Never re-use the pilot from a Crash.......If he lived than he has no fear of doing it again.

Ask lazyboyflyer about that......

[Fixed Wing]

Ever heard the saying "get back on that horse and ride"

[Fixed Wing]

My next step is to start sheeting the sides of the fuse. This will be done with 3/32nd balsa planks which need to be edge glued together. This picture shows a jig made to ensure all the edges are true before gluing them together. It’s basically a right angle aluminum rail that has been screwed to the table. 180 grit sticky back sandpaper was then stuck to the back (vertical) side of the angle. This allows each piece of plank to be pushed against the jig and sanded for a very straight edge. Not much sanding was really needed because of the quality of the wood that came with the kits, however, I wanted to make sure.

[Fixed Wing]

Once the planks were glued together I then sanded both sides to be flat and to remove any seams. This picture shows a large sanding block made of MDF with a piece of depron foam between 120 grit sand paper and the block. This makes for easy sanding which stays very straight. Sheeting of the fuse will begin next.

[JeremyHolt]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Fixed Wing
	This picture shows a jig made to ensure all the edges are true before gluing them together. It’s basically a right angle aluminum rail that has been screwed to the table. 180 grit sticky back sandpaper was then stuck to the back (vertical) side of the angle. This allows each piece of plank to be pushed against the jig and sanded for a very straight edge. .

Oh man why didnt I think of that!! GReat Idea! My way takes way longer. I am glad I read this before I started putting the sheeting to my wings together. Keep on sharing Dean.

[JPrc]

Damn, you and Jeremy post all these tips and tricks AFTER I get my stuff done. That right there would have saved me a couple hours trueing up balsa sheeting for the wings. Oh well, looks great Dean.

[Fixed Wing]

This picture shows the process for gluing the side sheeting to the frame.

[Fixed Wing]

These pictures show fuses after phenolic tubes have been epoxied in place. Wing tubes and stab tubes were positioned in place with equal lengths protruding from both sides of the fuse and then shimmed to triangulate equal distances from wing tube tips to stab tube tips. Also, a laser level was used to shim and make certain wing and stab tubes were exactly parallel to each other.

[Fixed Wing]

These pictures show firewall plates being marked and cut for mounting a DA150. An SWB motor mount will be used which has 3 degrees right thrust built in. This required offset mounting from the center line of about 7/16”. The firewall itself will be glued into place with 0 degrees thrust for both pitch and yaw.

[Fixed Wing]

These pictures show the firewall plates being mounted. Levels were used to ensure proper thrust alignment (not shown in pictures). Plane #3’s firewall has not been drilled for a motor because I don’t know who will ultimately own this plane or what motor they will put in it.

[Fixed Wing]

The first picture shows the dowel pins that have been glued into the firewall sides before they were trimmed flush. The back of the firewall was also strengthened with triangle stock. The second picture shows the opening in the top of the motor box which has been set up for a removable plate in order to close it in.