SAAB Fighter

[staubkorb]

Photo supporting my last posting . Second boom under construction.

[staubkorb]

Got some more building done. Second boom is completed and the wing center-section. I was quite pleased that the fit of the booms to the wing was very close - requiring little extra trimming. I will have to open up the area where the wing passes thru to compensate for the tissue thickness, but that's no problem.

So far, the fuselage weighs 2.71 grams, the booms @ 1 gram each, stab @ 0.37 and the wing center-section @ 1.65 grams. Fins/rudders and wing outer panels will be addressed today (i hope ).

[staubkorb]

Tip panels are practically done - just need to add the main LE and shape the TE. The center panel needs just the boom support ribs and a sub-spar. Really pleased that the tip panelsare exactly the same weight at the same construction stage @ 0.85 grams.

Added bonus... everything seems to fit !

[staubkorb]

Just had to clamp everything together to get an idea of the whole mass of this puppy. For a 19 inch span model, it isn't "small"

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!

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I am a bit concerned about the survivability of the booms as designed...

[staubkorb]

Rudders and sub-rudders done. I've tack-glued the rudders to the booms. I've decided NOT to bother with the landing gear - I want to first determine the this thing flies and is somewhat survivable. Total weight of all components: 9gm.

[staubkorb]

Got the nose block roughed out and started covering. The booms are a PITA to cover and are very prone to SHS (starved horse syndrome) - have to figure out a lightweight cure...

[staubkorb]

More progress. Weight is climbing exponentially...

[staubkorb]

Covering is progressing, with the booms done except for the portions that go over the top of the wing (for ease of alignment). The nose portion of the booms was filled with StyroDur (green foam), which is easily shaped and then coated with thinned Titebond.

The fuselage is about 3/4 covered, aiming to have it ready for dope by Sunday (if it stops raining).

[staubkorb]

Was not able to do much over the weekend - lots of rain, high winds and shopping.

Fuselage is covered to the point where I can attach it to the wing. I've left the upper rear portion uncovered to aid getting everything aligned, and the same applies to the booms.

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Covering has gone on OK in strips - using a variety of methods (wet and dry) and adhesives (glue stick and thinned white glue). Areas with sharp and/or compound curve were covered wet with the white glue (I've not had any luck with glue stick while covering wet), and ALL seams are sealed with wicked-in white glue and burnished prior to shrinking.

I just might give Eze Dope one last chance...

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[staubkorb]

One of my posts has gone AWOL .

Had a wedding last evening (14 May)!
Booms joined to wing, horizontal stab attached and wing married to fuselage - all covered areas have two 50/50 coats of dope.


Balanced it out and gave it a few tosses to the bed - looks promising and then put the airframe on the scale... At first I thought the scale was in the wrong mode, but my back-up weighing utensil confirmed that the weight was correct at 14.92 grams as shown. The dope hasn't completely gassed off so it might even be a bit less.