BIG F-14 Tomcat scratch build project

[invertmast]

Originally Posted by Tintin1977

Cool stuff.. got any video of it flying?

Martin

just finished it a few hours ago. so not yet

[Bullitt5094]

Talk about a diversity in projects!

[invertmast]

Originally Posted by Bullitt5094

Talk about a diversity in projects!

ya gotta keep it interesting

[DominicD]

Originally Posted by invertmast

ya gotta keep it interesting

AKA too wussy to fly his helis.

[invertmast]

gettin some work done on the wings:

[FlamingDrongo]

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=be5_1247196550

This is kinda cool. Time lapse of building a super hornet.


I have a gyrokite basically an auto gyro kite shaped like a heli. only good in moderate to strong winds though.

[invertmast]

Originally Posted by FlamingDrongo

LiveLeak.com - Constructing A Super Hornet: "A time lapse of the construction of a Super Hornet"

This is kinda cool. Time lapse of building a super hornet.


I have a gyrokite basically an auto gyro kite shaped like a heli. only good in moderate to strong winds though.

Thats a cool vid! thanks for posting it.


One more short update before bed.

Both wings are framed and ready for sheeting. I have to install the leading edges for the slats still and havent decided if i will do that before or after the wing sheeting. Most likely i'll do that before the sheeting so it will be 2 more "planks" of wood to keep the wings from twisting and bowing. As usual with scratch building, some of the wing ribs had to be adjusted for the spars to fit in place, but this was just a minor setback and didn't slow me down to much... Well, here's some more more pictures:

[FlamingDrongo]

I'm curious if you get a stressed back working over that bench? I thought it would be a bit more comfortable if it were a bit higher? And considering how monumental the build is gonig to be. What type of OH&S ergonomic steps do you take to get comfy for the long haul? BTW I think your build is inspiring, astonishing...... words can't describe really. Looking forward to seeing more.

[invertmast]

Originally Posted by FlamingDrongo

I'm curious if you get a stressed back working over that bench? I thought it would be a bit more comfortable if it were a bit higher? And considering how monumental the build is gonig to be. What type of OH&S ergonomic steps do you take to get comfy for the long haul? BTW I think your build is inspiring, astonishing...... words can't describe really. Looking forward to seeing more.

I built the table low so that when i begin building the fuselage, i can reach the entire top side of it, and so it would be comfortable to stand over (fuselage is about 18" off the top of the table top). Building the wings and tails, I typically just pull up a chair and lean over to get to work, or neal down beside it...

If i had the room, i would of had a 2nd table thats about 12" taller than the one in the photo's so i could stand up and work on the wings and tails comfortable, but as you can see in the pictures, space is somewhat of a premium in my shop/room.

But i do get a stiff and hurting back when i'm standing up and leaning over the building table unfortunately...

[invertmast]

Few more update shots of the wings. I had intentions of sheeting them today, but the more i looked at it, the more it became apparent that i wouldn't be able to get the 2 root ribs in place accurately, which would post a big problem, as these are the ribs that the pivot bearing holder mounts to..

The initial response was to sheet the top of the wing, then remove from the building board, sheet the bottom, then sand the leading edges and make the slats. But in doing so, i would end up with the problem above...

So what i ended up doing was modifying the 2 inner root ribs by cutting off the leading edges of them. This allows them to be installed to the wing and then the wings sheeted on the top and the bottom. Since the leading edges are removed (they are just big balsa blocks anyways b/c they are carved to fit into the fuselage in this area) I am still able to sand and shape the wing leading edge and the slats. This took me the better part of 3 hours to figure out and lots of head scratching. I've got one wing ready for sheeting now, and the other will be ready by the end of the night. I believe tomorrow is date night with the wife, so i probly wont get any wing sheeting done until saturday.

here's some pictures of the wing process and the big ole sanding block (4 foot bubble level w/ self adhesive sand paper).







I'll have another update later this evening when i get the other wing pivot block and ribs in place.

[invertmast]

2nd update for the night:

Both wings are ready for skinning. The pivot blocks are installed in the wings as well. You have to be carefull when installing these, as the pivot needs to be perfectly vertical in 2 directions, or the wing will swing in an arc and throw off the incidences and screw all sorts of things up when you sweep them. The second picture shows the upper wing skins glued together and ready to glue to the structure. I may get off work early tomorrow and come home to sheet the wings, then come saturday i'll sheet the bottom of the wings and install the 2nd leading edge cap.

And THEN i can get a few pics of the wings mounted to the fuselage bulkheads and the temporary wing box.

[Skiddz]

Do the SweetTarts help?

[invertmast]

Originally Posted by Skiddz

Do the SweetTarts help?

of course!!

[invertmast]

The basic wing structure is complete.. The leading edge is ready for final shaping, and the flight controls are ready to be cut out and capped. I'll probably wait to do this until after the basic fuselage is done. Reason being, since this wont be a flying model, i'm not going to spend the time to hinge everything. So with the flaps and all still attached to the wings, it will make for an easier time building the wing glove on the fuselage.. So the next updates should have some progress with the fuselage...

Here's a few pictures..

[Bullitt5094]

Not to be picky or anything but it would be really cool if you would turn the pics right-side-up. I'm gettting a crick in my neck.

[invertmast]

Originally Posted by Bullitt5094

Not to be picky or anything but it would be really cool if you would turn the pics right-side-up. I'm gettting a crick in my neck.

no problem at all, just flip the monitor on its side

[Thrasymedes]

Hmmmmm, I think you should have went bigger.....

[invertmast]

Originally Posted by Thrasymedes

Hmmmmm, I think you should have went bigger.....

i was thinking the same thing!

[invertmast]

Since the turbine in my eurosport wouldnt start at all this weekend, i decided to give up on attempting to fly (and it would figure its clear blue skies and no wind at all). So after about 4 trips to lowes and home-depot and constantly arguing with those people i finally got some stuff done on the tomcat. The jig setup you see in the photos is probably what i'm going to go with.. It consists of a 1/2" thick piece of ply that runs the length of the fuselage down the center-line, and another that runs down the intake / exhaust centerline. I then have a piece screwed to the end of the table with 2 holes drilled in it (at the center of the intake/exhaust center lines). A 5 foot piece of 1" electrical conduit runs from this to the forward most intake former, where i have another cross piece w/ 3 holes drilled in it. This cross piece receives the intake centerline conduits, then another conduit runs the length of the fuselage (this piece of conduit goes into the center hole) then i have another upright that is attached to the end of the 1/2" ply centerline jig (used for spacing) that receives the end of the fuselage center line conduit. Pictures probably work better, so look below.

Since i got this far, i couldn't help but put the stabs and one wing panel on (the second one wouldn't fit b/c my shop is to small). So here's pictures of that. I've got to adjust the aft wing box bulkhead another inch, so i can get the wings to swing back completely.. Gotta go pickup a better laser level tomorrow, and i should be able to get the fuselage bulkheads attached together w/ 1/4" square balsa pieces, and then i can start the planking.

Lots of pictures today:










So does everyone think its big enough?

[asdf1234]

not only is it too small, but you need to build FASTER