Page Aviation 80"Cub build

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Got a small start on the fuselage tonight, after making a trip to Home Depot for "damaged drywall". Spent $5.80 and got four building boards, each 17" x 48". Nice and flat and will take pins.

The laser cut pieces of lite ply easily fall from the sheets, so the first step is to join two pieces per side to get the complete length.

Bill

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The fuselage "doublers" got installed next, then some "longerons" along the top and bottom of each side; then it was time to dry assemble the sides with several formers that notch into each other, with the whole thing being held together with elastic bands until the correct alignment can be verified.


Bill

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Help..!

In case this thread is being watched by other builders with a typical "junk box"....I am in need of a landing gear block as shown in the attached drawing. This is one of those specialized items that is NOT included in the short kit.

Generally made from spruce, the block has a center groove that allows the placement of two separate wire landing gear struts, side by side.
The picture contains the measurements.

In the old days, this item was stocked by the shops along with their extensive balsa selection....I'm talking pre ARF days..!

Nowadays, some modellers with table saws are making up their own blocks.

LATER EDIT: I heard from Steve, who will make me this item from a block of oak..! Thanks Steve!

Bill

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more progress,

Steve came through for me with a real nice landing gear block made from OAK.....s-t-r-o-n-g....!

Now a bit of engineering to get it installed so that it will not get ripped out with a "hard landing" (an Air Canada term), while at the same time keeping overall weight in mind.
How many times have I landed somewhat rough and tore out the gear plate...too many. On the other hand, this Cub should be a pussycat to land slowly. But on the third hand, the words of Mr. Dean echo in my ear...."jeez you build heavy..!"

Anyway..I have found (the hard way) that spreading the load within the fuselage helps prevent a tear out of the gear. So, first step was to fashion a larger plate upon which the actual oak block will be attached. Second step was to raise the oak block up with blocking and then secure it to the plate. I kept the oak block 1/16" below the finished fuselage bottom, so that after the wire landing gear is installed, a 1/16" plywood cap can be installed before the covering, and everything will be out of sight.

Bill

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In that last picture above...I have reinstalled a portion of the "laser cut ply knockout" that was earlier removed from the fuselage side. Took a while to locate the correct knockout, so they are worth saving. This will add side strength to the gear block

Bill

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So here we have the LGB (landing gear block) epoxied into place, and a dummy wire fitted to one side, and then a 1/16" ply cover fitted on top to finish it off. Cover with be attached with four small screws. The actual wires will get a splash of epoxy to hold them in place. If that doesn't work, I'll resort to "J" bolts.

Bill

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Bit of an update here; seems like progress slowed somewhat, but that's because little problems arose that took a day here and a day there to resolve.

First off, I'm all for lightness in a model, but not if, with the first mishap, it tends to shatter or in this case splitter..so I've been adding a brace here and a brace there, for survivability..! (I'll admit, I like big motors that go Zoom Zoom..!)

After that step, the Nyrods were installed, then the outside 1/8" dowels that give the fuselage it's proper shape when covered.
Then the landing gear was drawn out on paper, (I would have liked to have seen this outline on the plan) and the 5/32" wire was heated and bent to the correct shape.
Then I tackled the two doors on the right hand side, and this is where I blew a number of days, before I felt I had the situation under control. The first thing that occurred was the frame of the upper door cracking as I worked on it's installation. It is 1/8" lite ply in thickness however the top frame is about that same measurement in width and it was not surviving , so I made the decision to remake this frame in a different type of 1/8" ply and to make the window frames much wider. (picture attached, however windows not cut out yet)
The bottom half of the door has knock out panels, however this model will represent a military version, so I opted to fill the laser cuts of these panels with baking soda and C/A glue and use it as a solid door. Keep in mind that this is the access for installing the big fat 5S lipo, so you want this door to perform day after day.
That brings me to the hinging of the door...plan called for nylon pinned hinges, I tried those, they are not that nice to work with. For once I found a neat solution right in our own backyard. Lee Valley has a great selection of miniature hinges. I opted for a pair of small brass piano hinges, roughly 6" long by only 3/8" (total open width) for like $2.40 each, and I think they will be perfect. It may be that after the model is covered, these will be color matched to the "olive drab" covering.

So that's it for now, the wood for the wing that I could not source locally, is coming from Great Hobbies next week, so I should be able to get on with the wing. The covering is on it's way from BalsaUSA, and another goody has been ordered from
Fiberglas Specialties as a Xmas gift, so it should come together in the frosty months of January and February..!

Bill

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more pics.,

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pics showing the revised doors on the right side. (windows still to be cut out of upper door)

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Got the windows cut out of the new upper door on the right side. This wider frame will work better and survive the riggers of battery loading.

....and speaking of batteries, some time back (when our dollar was much better) I came upon one of those 83% off deals for 5S, 5000mah "hump back" lipos at a cost of $18.00 US each...! So I bought three..! When they arrived I thought..oh crap, these suckers are large..! Well, looks like the fuselage of this Cub will swallow up one of these nicely, without having to reconfigure the pack. I did that to one pack, stacked all five cells on top of each other, so it would fit a narrow fuselage. Anyway, it will be something to try out, once the maiden is complete. Might be a lot of weight.

Bill