Hi All,
With all the wet weather and non flying weekends combined with lots of weekend shifts for me means lots of time not flying and after the mediocre sucess of my Luton Minor, I decided it was time to take the lessons learned from that build and start another wet weather project.
This time I'm building a
Morane Saulnier A1 from a free set of plans I got from
Flying Scale Models magazine a while ago.
Lots or really intricate shapes to cut out from balsa. Clearly this plan has been designed for a laser cutter or cnc machine and not hand cutting, but not having access to either, I've resorted to my trusty (rusty??) exacto knife...
Fuse is constructed in two separate halves, bottom, and top, which once completed are glued together to form the completed fuse. By far the longest process has been cutting out the pieces. They are very fiddley with lots of tabs. Once all the pieces are ready, the fuse halfs go together pretty quickly. Pictures attached of the bottom half of the fuse being constructed as well as completed top half.
I do have a question. The plans state that "Basswood" is used for the struts of the plane. I'm not sure but I think that it must be some kind of hardwood. Does anyone know where I might be able to get some 1/8" (3mm) square Bassword or some kind of Equivalent?
More to follow
Mick
Gday Mick
Good stuff, the Morane Saulnier A1 is one of the prettiest aircraft around.
I have gone through miles of basswood building structures for my model railways. You would be able to get some from a Hobby Shop that deal with model railways. Woodpeckers in Pendo Hill may be a good place to start or Bergs in Parra.
You are going to be an expert on cabanes and struts when you have this one finished
Cheers
Rob B
(29-08-2011, 05:08 PM)Panspermian Wrote: [ -> ]Cool 
I got myself a Peter Rake Morane Saulnier A1 short kit http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=710085 a couple of months ago. I was in no rush to build mine, but now.....
We might have 2 of these beautiful aircraft at the field in the near future.
Hey wow! Thats the exact one that i'm building. A Paul Rake design that was published in the magazine. I wasn't aware that there was a short kit available. Where did you get it from and how much if you don't mind me asking. I'm not in any hurry to get it finished. It's taken me almost 4 weeks just to cut out the parts just for the fuse & I haven't even looked at doing the wings or anything else yet. Just been doing 1 or 2 bits of an evening.
Could be really great to see two flying in formation!
Mick
There's a train oriented model shop in West Ryde - Toms Hobbies or something like that. THey have some ply, etc. I haven't looked too closely.
Fuse construction has stalled until I can get some Basswood for the struts so I've started on the tail. Fairly straightforward and built on the plans, just a little fiddley. Need to get some 18swg wire for the tail to join the elevators.
Once I can get some Basswood, I can start to install the struts into the fuse and then place the balsa sheeting to finish it off.
Mick
Some more build pictures.
First, the Vertical Stab and the Rudder. Straight forward contstruction with nothing fancy. Just built on the plans, wait till the glue dries then lift it off.
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Next is the tail and elevator. Again, straight forward and built on the plans. The Elevators will be joined together with some 18swg wire when I can get some.
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Next is the top and bottom halves of the fuslarge. These are built on the plans with semi-circle shaped formers glued to a keel. Longerons are then glued into tabs on the formers to keep everything straight. The clever part is the tab and slot design to fit the vert stab and the tail.
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The top half of the fuse still needs to have the struts fixed and them sheeted in balsa before it's finished. I still need to get some Basswood or equilivent for this. The bottom half is pretty much done.
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The fuselage halves will be glued together to form the completed cylindrical fuse. The vertical stab and tail fit neatly into notches and slots designed for this.
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This is prob going to be the last post for a little while as I'm going overseas on Holidays for a few weeks. When I get back, I should be able to pick up the bits and pieces I need to finish the fuse then make a start on the wings.
Mick
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Looks really really nice
I've got a balsa glider on my bench at the moment, Kunlin electric glider on the floor(have problems with pull pull rudder, but I've bought a whole new system to install), E-Flite Advance still in box (waiting on servos from Ultimate Hobbies) and none of these are really getting any work done.... I most likely won't get to start my Morane till some time next year.
Use the "insert into post" button to show them in the order you want
(08-09-2011, 04:28 AM)kizza42 Wrote: [ -> ]Use the "insert into post" button to show them in the order you want
Thanks Kieran, I'll do that from now. not sure why it mixed the order of the photos up. Your way makes the post look better and make more sense too.
Mick
After an unexpected change of address, an overseas holiday and an operation and following the sucessful first flight of the
First Step and since this rain will not go away and let me fly, I've decided it is time to continue this build.
While down at Hobbies in the Hills I managed to pick up some hardwood so I'm working on the fuselage again.
The struts that hold the wing in place are glued into position and checked to ensure they are vertical.
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Next comes the sheeting of the top half of the fuselage. This is just a 1.5mm sheet of balsa glued and pinned down to hold its shape
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Then the sides are done in the same way. glued into position then pinned until the glue dries.
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Finally the battery hatch is sheeted in the same way as all the rest
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Thats enought for today. Next step will be to bend the wire for the landing gear and the elevators, glue into place the tail skid and then it'll be just the final finishing touches to the fuselage then it'll be time to start the wing.
Not much more done since last post due to christmas and work...
Firstup, I bent the undercarridge wire into shape. That was a bit of a challenge as it involed 3 separate bits of wire which are supposed to all fit together in the end. Lots of careful bending and it mostly fits (sorry no pic of this one yet)
Next, the tailskid is glued into place and then another mock fit together to make sure all the bits are still mostly straight and nothing has been damaged since the move.
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A close up of the tail assembly
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And the strut detail. Actually this is just the start of the struts. There will be a lot more once the wing is completed
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Not bad Mick - what are you going to cover it with?
(26-12-2011, 04:31 PM)yarrumevets Wrote: [ -> ]Not bad Mick - what are you going to cover it with?
When I was down at Hobbies in the Hills last, I was chatting to the guys about what to cover it with and they suggested something I think was called "Silkspan" which seemed to me to fit the bill perfectly. It will give a fabric appearance to the covering and can be painted which is good cause I want to go for a colour scheme similar to this:
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so I want to spray paint it.
nice
(27-12-2011, 03:21 AM)Kedumba Wrote: [ -> ] (26-12-2011, 04:31 PM)yarrumevets Wrote: [ -> ]Not bad Mick - what are you going to cover it with?
When I was down at Hobbies in the Hills last, I was chatting to the guys about what to cover it with and they suggested something I think was called "Silkspan" which seemed to me to fit the bill perfectly. It will give a fabric appearance to the covering and can be painted which is good cause I want to go for a colour scheme similar to this:
so I want to spray paint it.
I've heard about Silkspan but never seen or used it. The only one I've used is Solarfilm and I wouldn't use that if I were you, because it will take your tailplane and fin and twist them into pretzels - something I learned on my first off-the-plan build. The other problem I had when trying to cover lightweight thin structures like those was that the Solarfilm from each side managed to touch together between a couple of the ribs and there was no way to fix that.
Good luck with it - hope it turns out well.
Silkspan looks a lot like tissue but stronger.
Hobbies in the Hills were selling it at around $4 per Sheet.
Comes in various weights.
Quote:I've heard about Silkspan but never seen or used it. The only one I've used is Solarfilm and I wouldn't use that if I were you, because it will take your tailplane and fin and twist them into pretzels - something I learned on my first off-the-plan build.
I have covered 2 models now with monocoat/solarfilm/shinkwrap stuff. It's not the easiest stuff to work with (see my comments on covering in my
Luton Minor build log) but I think I'm slowly getting the hang of it now, not that I am an expert at it....
Quote:Silkspan looks a lot like tissue but stronger.
Hobbies in the Hills were selling it at around $4 per Sheet.
Yeah, they are selling it at $4 a sheet. Not sure how big a sheet is so not sure how much I'll need. Also need some dope and thinners. Apparently it gives a very authentic fabric look and feel to the model, plus it is easy to paint with almost anything. As this is a fabric WWI plane, I think it will be perfect and I'm looking forward to giving it a go.
I've read up a bit on various articals on the net and it doesn't seem any more difficult to use than monocoat/solarfilm. Essentially, you coat the area to be silkspaned with a 50/50 dope/thinner mixture and allow it to dry. Next, soak the silkspan in water and lay it over the area to be covered. Next, paint it over with the 50/50 Dope/Thinner mixture which shrinks/tightens glues the silkspan to the aircraft and allow it to dry. That seems to be pretty much all there is to it.
OK - well as long as it doesn't develop warps. You might be able to pin-down the parts as you apply the dope/thinners mix to prevent it twisting.
(27-12-2011, 06:40 PM)yarrumevets Wrote: [ -> ]OK - well as long as it doesn't develop warps. You might be able to pin-down the parts as you apply the dope/thinners mix to prevent it twisting.
As I haven't used this stuff before, I am planning on building some "test structures" first (just a few left over bits of balsa glued together) and covering them to see how it goes. Spent too much time on this build to risk it on a new technique that I've never used before.....
G'day Mick
The material I was talking about is called Bem Silk which is a dress lining taffeta.
Costs under $10 per metre, technique is the same as silkspan.
Cheers
Rob B
(02-01-2012, 08:34 AM)robair Wrote: [ -> ]G'day Mick
The material I was talking about is called Bem Silk which is a dress lining taffeta.
Costs under $10 per metre, technique is the same as silkspan.
Cheers
Rob B
Thanks for that Rob, I'll have to look that up and see if I can find anywhere that sells it.
I have been told that Cabramatta is the clothing material capital of Sydney. There are a few fabric shops that I walk past on my way to work at Penrith & will enquire for you. Colour?
G'day Mick
Wayne is right, if you can't get this stuff in cabra you're blind.
However, I know lincraft stock it.
Cheers
Rob B
(02-01-2012, 07:30 PM)Flying fisho Wrote: [ -> ]I have been told that Cabramatta is the clothing material capital of Sydney. There are a few fabric shops that I walk past on my way to work at Penrith & will enquire for you. Colour?
Uhh, not quite sure about a colour, but I'd guess either a white or off white as a base that I can paint over with my camo scheme. If you could find a price that'd be extremely helpful, otherwise I maybe up for a trip to cabra!
Thanks
Or lincraft in Parra Westfields. Will look anyway
Started on the wing today. First up, started by laying the plan out on my work table then pinning the main spars into place
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Next, start added the ribs into the wing. This bit may take awhile, cause for each component, I want to make sure it's vetical, straight and properly lined up before gluing into place and double checking it.
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