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SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 15 Sep 2015, 00:12
by Noël Rumers
Hi,
Here I am, finally, with the nose turned into this new build, parallel to the SF27 M, the SFS 31 Milan.
What is this Milan? Well simple described, the RF4 fuselage with the wings of the SF27 glider.
So we count: 4 + 27 = 31 or the SFS 31 Milan.
I have had great help of the owners in the UK of the D-KORE and now being the G-KORE.
Measurements have shown that the RF4 fuselage was changes on a few point to make it work on the Milan. Later more about these changes.
All was redesigned over the French drawing I have out of the French scale magazine from some years back.
The drawing was highly detailed and to a very good scale standard. This made my work more easy in the end.
All was copied and the real work could start, cutting the parts the old way, by hand.
Accordingly the design of the SF27 M in the section of building threads, I like a kind of jig saw puzzle.
This is the system I used again.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 16 Sep 2015, 10:07
by Noël Rumers
More work done now.
I finished all cutting and drilling by now.
Also the top and bottom spars are glued together.
A dry fit was also tested and all looks OK for now.

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 16 Sep 2015, 10:09
by Noël Rumers
More pictures...
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 16 Sep 2015, 11:41
by Peter Balcombe
Looking good Noel.
I will be following with much interest.
Peter

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 16 Sep 2015, 13:23
by Noël Rumers
Hi Peter,
Now the building will go till the end of both models, the Milan and SF27 M.

As promised I wanted to build ours 1/3 scaled first before having a PDF made of the drawings.
Good I did, in every design are always small bug that get into a design.
Also with this one although the checked and double check...the good thing was I had no need of cutting new parts due to the bugs.
I could change the minor mistakes in time.

I will change the drawings soon, so you can move on as well.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 16 Sep 2015, 23:31
by Noël Rumers
More work was done today to clean the formers and other pieces.
Again a dry fit was carried out to make sure that all fits properly.
The landing gear former...this is of special interest to us.
I have seen two fuselages, one 1/3 scale and one 1/2.5 scale, which needed a lot of reinforcement to hold the gear in at all times.
Nothing can be said about leaser cutting, but in both cases the formers were in layers of 3 mm ply with slots to get all together.
Cutting one slot from the bottom and the matching part from the top with glue is not strong enough for this purpose.
That is why I made a 14 mm thick ply former, being former 5 and 6 mm and former 5.1 being 9 mm ply glued together. I did cut a rectangular hole out in this formers, to be able to push the wheel box side tongue through this hole. This tongue matches with the seat former, that will be glued head to head and then supported by a double piece that is pushed in from behind. This double pc has also a tongue that will be glued to the wheel box side from the inside. This way the 14 mm (maybe a bit too strong) former will hold the landing gear under any landing condition.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 17 Sep 2015, 23:54
by Noël Rumers
More work done today,
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 20 Sep 2015, 21:42
by Noël Rumers
No time to post...
here the progres.

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 20 Sep 2015, 21:47
by Noël Rumers
...a few more...
So far so good!
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 20 Sep 2015, 21:51
by Noël Rumers
And more from today...
The rear and the front were glued together.
The top is the canopy line from firewall to the elevator and rudder platform.
The turtle back will be glued on later.

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 20 Sep 2015, 21:56
by Noël Rumers
...the last once today.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 20 Sep 2015, 23:38
by Peter Balcombe
It is coming on very nicely Noel.
Keep up the good work.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 23 Sep 2015, 23:20
by Noël Rumers
More work has been done,
the exhaust box was glued into place together with the firewall.
The rectangular edges of the back plate of that box need to be shaped to the side bottom covers later on.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 23 Sep 2015, 23:29
by Noël Rumers
Due to a room in our house that is refurbished all is a bit slower though...
The tail wheel shaft hole needed preparation.
Now the drawing is studied again to turn and mill the tail wheel.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 25 Sep 2015, 22:28
by Noël Rumers
...The tail wheel shaft was made to fit the fuselage. The other parts will be made soon too.
Now the hole can be drilled to install it.
Also the engine was taken apart so I can make the arrangements to make it fit the cowl.
Must be as narrow as possible. That is why I will install the elbow to turn the carburetor 90°.
This way the air will be taken out of the fuselage. Doing so the carburetor settings must be much lower than the original settings which means less fuel to fly!!! Also a new exhaust will be made to fit the exhaust hatch.
Due to the room, less time then I wanted to build the model...
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 28 Sep 2015, 22:03
by Noël Rumers
Due to work in the house less time ....
However the engine was stripped so that the carburetor elbow could be modified.
Also a new insulation piece was made so that the Original one is now obsolete.
Using this one would bend the trumpet up high.
I want it to be as far backwards and as low as possible.
To be able to do this the back plate of the starter needs some reworking as well.
The carburetor insulation piece is ready too.
Tomorrow the carburetor will get new controlling arms and springs.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 28 Sep 2015, 22:16
by Noël Rumers
...more...
See also the little help on the Myford, two damaged sliding calpers are now my digital help.
Had seen this before in the workshop of another modeler. Copy paste...;-)
Works fine, the depth measure stick is clamped with a strong spring.
On the diameter you need to devide all by 2... :?

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 02 Oct 2015, 23:13
by Noël Rumers
The exhaust parts are cut from old oil filters, paint was burned off before grinding all clean, the centre pieces was drilled by 8 mm, and fits the middle of both chambers.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 02 Oct 2015, 23:25
by Noël Rumers
...and more...
The longer prop hub was screwed on, the base plate was tested with the carburetor and a small piece was ground off.
The new distance pieces where turned and screwed on.
Now the starter must be back on with the new arms to control the choke and throttle.

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 03 Oct 2015, 23:13
by Noël Rumers
Starter and carburetor are ready now.
See the pictures,

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 04 Oct 2015, 22:52
by Noël Rumers
More work was done to get the engine to the firewall and prepare for the exhaust.
This is always a bit fiddling with the space and the parts.
All must fit under the exhaust box and cowl...
However the exhaust flange was connected to the engine and the elbow installed with the first half of the exhaust pot.
If you see the partly finished exhaust off the engine, all looks really mess up!!
But due to side trust, engine angle etc, all works out fine once screwed to the engine while on the firewall.
I use a fine felt-tip pen to mark the position before brazing things together.
Now I have to decide to go for the scaled exhaust on both sides or just fake once with a tube going out downwards...
I sleep over this problem tonight... ;)
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 04 Oct 2015, 22:58
by Noël Rumers
...and more...
I use the fiber glass reinforced brush on the drilling machine, it is safer than the metal ones.
No pins fly out while grinding the brazing etc...
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 06 Oct 2015, 13:39
by Noël Rumers
We decided to build a removable front hatch. This way one can get to the servos up front to control the engine and starter as well as access to the fuel tank and possibly the batteries.
These formers had to be designed and made.
A quick fit shows the size of the space underneath this hatch. I know now to the fuel tank will fit easy underneath it as well.
Two kind of fuel tanks are shown to be able to taken the best fit, but both are OK.
For the exhaust, the night has given me a thought, like always if you get to the point of counting sheep...
See what I found that could be used. Need more 10x.0.5 mm steel tube now,

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 09 Oct 2015, 22:00
by Noël Rumers
Hi, yes I am still working on the exhaust.
A few things had to be sorted in my cellar too.
Now I have a nice table to work from...
The exhaust...
I went for a scaled working exhaust seen a few years ago on this site.
The flat tube I have is something they use in wardrobes to hang your coat hangers onto.
Very useful and not too strong. I made some V-cuts to bend it and brazed it back together.
In the end I also made the exhaust tube holder separately.
This way the tube could be clamped in the milling machine to drill the two holes for the small tubes with holes in.
Some calculation was done to see how much exhaust surface I had in different places in the complete exhaust.
The drilling of the holes in the tubes were tested first. Hand drilling showed me that no one hole was in line...so a no go this way.
The milling machine made this easy, just counting the 3.5 mm for each next hole, 16 of them.
Now the link between the oil filter second pot and the flat tube must be made.
See the result so far.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 09 Oct 2015, 22:06
by Noël Rumers
...and more...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 15 Oct 2015, 09:44
by Noël Rumers
Hi Rossco,
it's the workshop...
He has a different one. The way I am doing this is less complicated for me ;) .
The film however is looking great!!! and all the others behind it too... ;)

Today I will get back to finish my exhaust.
Had a few other things to sort out first...done now!
The rear attachment plate of the K14 landing gear had pushed out the former where it was bolted to.
This was the only thing I didn't reinforce on this gear...now taken care off too.
Next was a problem with the ailerons on a bird. They didn't work on the other project, steering to the LH make it turn to the RH and visa versa...
Not good, now spoil flaps are just behind the main spar. Opening up the wing on the top, to be able to get reinforcements in.
Now all controls are fine, even so that with only 1 cm up one side, the bird turns to that side without use of the elevator.
Ailerons are closed up.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 15 Oct 2015, 14:36
by Noël Rumers
...by the way...I did miss the MW event last weekend...
However at our club we had also a smal meeting with guys from two clubs nearby.
See a few pictures.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 16 Oct 2015, 17:06
by Dave Smith
Noel,

Some pictures of a nicely done electric D-KORE built by a friend of mine in British Columbia....

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 16 Oct 2015, 19:09
by Peter Balcombe
Dave,
Do you know what scale/weight of model & what the power train components are?
I will be building a 1/4 scale Milan very soon, so would be interested in the setup used.
Peter

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 16 Oct 2015, 22:14
by Dave Smith
Peter, it's 1/4 scale, but I'll have to ask the builder what he's got in it and the weight.

DS

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 16 Oct 2015, 23:12
by Noël Rumers
Hi Dave,
Very nice model indeed!!!

More work was done to the exhaust and it is ready to go now. Took me a while, to go piece by piece, to work on the top exhaust pipes and get those fixed with the engine bottom screws.
I used two wedges to hold the 4 small pipes in place to being able to braze them to the flat tube. Secured this way I was able to work my way bottom up. The second exhaust pot at the bottom was fitted with a tube, elbow and more to end up to the top exhaust pipe.
Worked fine and lucky me, made no mistakes, all fitted perfectly the first time.
The cleaning was in the end the hard bit ;)
Now the carburetor controls will be installed, saying the servos to control the choke and starter.
With that done the gear retract has to be installed next.
From there on the fuselage building can be taken on to the finish.
Noël

BTW I misted the fly-by of the Vulcan last weekend, but who was at the controls you think...
High ladder to get at the controls 8-)
Or was it a dream...however...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 16 Oct 2015, 23:14
by Noël Rumers
...more exhaust steps...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 16 Oct 2015, 23:17
by Noël Rumers
...more fitting...
Note that I did close the flat tube only than when all drilling and cutting was done.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 16 Oct 2015, 23:19
by Noël Rumers
And the finish!!!
looks nice, hope the sound will be as good as it looks!

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 17 Oct 2015, 00:42
by Dion Dunn
Very nice craftsmanship Sir! It's almost ashame to cover any of it up.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 17 Oct 2015, 03:28
by Hobby Jackson
Very cool, this is an airplane I would build! Where would I find a kit for this or did you make everything your self?
Thanks,
Hobby

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 17 Oct 2015, 08:24
by Peter Balcombe
Many thanks for that information Bob.
Noel is in the final stages of checking out a new design for a 1/3 scale Milan (IC powered) and I will be making a 1/4 scale electric powered model from the same design (rescaled) so wondered what a suitable electric setup would be.
The similar, but shorter wingspan RF4, from the Mick Reeves stable has a recommended electric setup of a 3548 900kv motor on 4S I think which appeared a little underpowered I thought - intended for a 40-60 IC engine.
Peter

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 17 Oct 2015, 15:30
by Noël Rumers
Hi guys,

the 1/4 scale one looks great to me but a bit small.
I like them a bit bigger, they fly better and the best part, they soar much better too.
At this very moment I have the 1/3 scaled drawing ready. This needs a few changes due to minor mistakes that got into designed parts.
I almost know all that needs to be changed. All will be altered as soon as the last bits are glued onto the fuselage.

The Milan was based on the RF4 fuselage, "BUT"...it isn't the same, specially on the wing joiner area.
All was measured by the owner of the G-KORE for me and with the help of a lot of good pictures the RF4 design was altered to make it into the SFS 31 Milan.
I will have the drawings ready very soon, scan them into PDF and make them available for free.
The wing was tested twice yet. One time on a 1/3 not to scale fuselage, by my good friend and once on a 1/2.5 scaled altered RF4 from German ARF kit.
Due to being an over 20 kg model for the last one, all was tested due to regulations with help of the LMA.
MW in July I was able to see it the first time fly and was happy to soar together with Bob's very nice make over.
The original airfoils are used for his and our design. The same airfoil as on my SF27 B M on building thread in this site.
More on the Milan wing, elevator and rudder will follow very soon now, so just see what comes next... ;)
I will do a cowl and canopy for it with the possibility to reproduce them. Have bought the Mick Reeves 1/3 scaled cowl and canopy, but due to a cowling change and higher canopy, no good...
If someone want these to build the M.R. RF4...available for half price.

See the cowl of the D-KORE before and after the change...and the RF4...
See also the difference on the canopy and the turtle back behind it, the first two formers are lifted a bit...
See also the bottom on the RF4, the spruce skids, on the RF4 they are straight, on the Milan they have a very good curve and they are lowered in the centre as wide as the retract bay...On the RF4, the wing is in one piece, the Milan has two parts, one LH and one RH, joined like glider wings to the fuselage. Our model will have four parts for easy transport with a removable rudder and elevator too.
More on these differences later on.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 19 Oct 2015, 14:13
by Noël Rumers
The servo and fuel tank trays are in now.
The tray of the fuel tank must be cut to length later on when I know where the instrument panel will go.
Both servos for throttle and starter/choke are installed and a 3 mm push rod tube is glued in to guide the cables that will be connected between the carburetor and these servos.
The cables are on the carburetor and cut off long enough so that later on, when all is finished and the engine can stay on, these two cables can be connect on the servos to the required lengths.
I always use these cables, in fact fishing lines, cheaper than you get them in a model shop sometimes, to connect the carburetor with the servos, this way no or less stress comes to these servo... ;). See also how the servo for the starter/choke works.
To connect the line on, both the carburetor and servo wheels or arms, the same few bits are used.
Two cut rings of fuel tube, an 6 mm long push rod guiding tube, a bold, nut and washer, M2 and "NO" glue. The small rings slip over the tube and press them either end so the cable will fit in between. Easy not? You need of both the choke and throttle a spring on your carburetor...see before...
At last you need a 3 pos. switch on the TX. One end is the big wheel with connecting shaft, is place so that is not pulling anything. Mid pos. the starter will go due to, see the small white angled disk, it presses the contact switch to run the starter.
If the engine has been standing, e.g. one week or longer, there is no fuel in the carburetor. You need a finger in the carburetor and turn, some do that...to get fuel up front. With the starter, you do it otherwise. Now you open up your throttle first, fully!!! The other end of the 3 pos. switch will turn the wheel even more, so the cable will pull the choke valve fully closed, while the starter still is running, see the disk still pressing the switch.
The moment the engine wants to go, if you are fast enough, closing the throttle and switching at the same time the 3 pos. switch to its zero position, the engine will run. If not just restart and running!!!
The trim of the throttle is for starting always so far open that the engine will run on the low RPM setting, so the model stands, and for safety I put my leg(s) in front of the elevator.
The tail wheel shaft is also drilled and mounted on now...
Now the servo motor to control the main gear will be installed.

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 19 Oct 2015, 14:15
by Noël Rumers
...more pictures...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 20 Oct 2015, 22:17
by Noël Rumers
2015 10 200005Retract servo installation.JPG
Today the retract servo from Mick Reeves was installed under the pilot seat.
Due to the forces that come on the arm, pulling and pushing, all was made a bit stronger.
A M4 threaded rod was used with the good connectors and as a bonus a steel tube will prevent any bending of the rod.
A 6 mm ply base plate was cut to fit the seat and landing gear box.
Test running was done several times without any problem.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 23 Oct 2015, 00:09
by Noël Rumers
Today the servo gear box was opened to see why some play was on the disk that controlled the arm to the retract wheel.
I remember that on the K16 I had to Ag weld the outgoing gear wheel to the outgoing shaft.
This I have done again, so it will go without slipping over the knurled shaft...
After cleaning, greasing and putting it back together, it looked better when pulling in and out. Due to the big force needed an elastic from TC was installed so the wheel is hanging half way now, without the control arm connected. This way the sound the gear box makes is much nicer...no stress noise...
The small control servo with two switches for the retract servo was fitted too as well as the rudder servo.
The power box will be for later on.
Now the construction of the fuselage can be finished, finally!!!

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 23 Oct 2015, 07:54
by Barry_Cole
Blimey Noel, A retract servo from the Arc ???????????????

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

BC

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 25 Oct 2015, 22:18
by Noël Rumers
...the servo later... ;)
The finishing of the fuselage started now.
First the rear top and bottom part needed extra reinforcements. I have build in triangles to make it more stronger.
The rood rib needed to get a straight strip on so the gap to the fuselage could be filled. The spruce strip will be removed later when all is glued on.
The wheel bay doors have a kind of special hinges. These needed extra wood by gluing in 6x4 mm spruce parts.
Also to get to the retractable gear lower bolds, I decided to make a hatch at the bottom.
To be able to fit this in, one needs also hard wood strips glued in.
The bay behind the wing rood rib TE was filled with balsa block, sanded to shape and it looks OK for now.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 25 Oct 2015, 22:21
by Noël Rumers
...and more...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 13 Nov 2015, 23:40
by Noël Rumers
Hi all,
Ken, indeed this is a very powerful servo. The mechanical way of controlling it is simple with 4 switches. It is also small to build in. See the MR site for more info.
Due to more important works that had to be taken care of first, the Milan was still close but untouched...
The gardens, new henhouse roof and a few other works are finished now, just a lot of leaves...container by container will be filled, but these will be solved in due time.
Back to the Milan at last!!!
The bottom of the fuselage is taken care of now. A 10 mm balsa block cut to shape was glued in to have a wider edge to glue the bottom sheeting panel onto.
My thinking was that this way when lifting and carrying the fuselage around, the ply would hold more firmly to the first former.
This would more or less be the point to put your hand for lifting under the fuselage...
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 19 Nov 2015, 12:22
by Noël Rumers
With the back bottom part covered the front is on now.
The two side removable covers must be made as well as the doors for the landing gear.
I know the covers, just fill the up with balsa, shape them and covering finish...done...
However, I will make a mould of both covers, the lh, rh and gear doors, in this way epoxy parts can be made.
See the pictures as usual,

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 14 Apr 2016, 10:09
by Noël Rumers
...and yes, working on two models now...
The bottom of the fuselage needs to be finished first to be able to make proper moulds for the bottom side pieces and the doors.
All had to be reworked a bit but looks now what I want it to be.
The bottom is now completely sheeted and needs now a finishing touch to sand it down the last time, I hope.

But before I could filler the bottom sides and the rear, I had to put sheeting on the fuselage sides.
More to come...

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 14 Apr 2016, 10:15
by Noël Rumers
...the bottom part covered with 0.6 mm ply...
I had to take the plastic strips off again due to not high enough.
I needed to add another layer of ply to get level with the rest of the bottom.

The thing is, after the mould will be made most of the front bottom covering has to go to allow the epoxy parts, scaled, to go in.
This will be for later to show what and how...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 14 Apr 2016, 10:18
by Noël Rumers
...with the sheeting done the fillering could start...
...and the grinding, fillering, grind....etc...
Not done yet...

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 14 Apr 2016, 11:37
by Peter Balcombe
Lovely Noel,
Keep up the good work :)

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 29 Apr 2016, 23:08
by Noël Rumers
...a bit more has been done on the bottom part.
Waiting for some dry warmer weather now to make the epoxy mould...The good weather is coming next week, they say...fingers crossed!
But due to the cold, etc outdoors I did some work on the tail wheel.
And finished now to fit the tail of the fuselage nicely.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 02 May 2016, 09:13
by ChrisGordon
Stunning Noel...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 07 May 2016, 22:52
by Noël Rumers
Thanks Chris!
More done now on the bottom and ready to make the first epoxy mould.
Also a second fuselage was built...

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 09 May 2016, 17:59
by Gert J.
Hi Noël,

that's nice to hear you build a second model for me. :-)

Gert

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 18 May 2016, 15:17
by Noël Rumers
Nonono, Gert, no way!!!
More work has been done lately.
The mould was Ok and the first set of the front bottom, being the doors and side covers, is ready.
Now with still the wooden parts on I think is was wise to make the cowl first.
In the very beginning of this Milan project, I checked on the company in Germany, Putzer, if there were changes between the RF4 fuselage and the Milan. The answer was, that almost all was kept as the RF4. Later I did Google the net, I did find help with the owner of the real Milan in the UK.
Studying the pictures, told me that there were a lot of changes towards the RF4 fuselage.
This was when I asked for a few measurement to compare the RF4 drawing with I could see on the pictures.
This involved a almost complete new design around the wing joiner aria and the rear of the canopy and the first two formers of the turtle back.
The cowl was also modified due to another engine installed, I think.
Being smart at the time Mick Reeves came out with his 1/3 scaled RF4, I ordered the canopy and cowl. Later with all the necessary measurement in hand, I learn that neither of them could be used for my Milan.
That is why I make now my own scaled cowling and later the canopy too.
First the front top cover was made to be able to be able to grind all to this reference.
See the pictures, notice the small brass tube I used dia 2 mm inside 1 mm with a 1 mm spring steel rod to hold it in place.
Worked well because we decided to make the front cover removable to get better access to the fuel tank and battery location.
I designed also a new fuel filler cap to go into cover. Four small pins lock the panel in place...
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 18 May 2016, 15:20
by Noël Rumers
...now the cowl...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 18 May 2016, 15:23
by Noël Rumers
and...my bug friend flew in too... ;)
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 19 May 2016, 10:31
by Noël Rumers
Andy, I will!
...a lot of work is needed to make it look like the real Milan cowl...
...but I'm getting there slowly, these things can't be rushed. Each time you look at what you have comparing it with the pictures, you see new things to alter just a bit...in the end all will pay off.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 19 May 2016, 16:31
by spike spencer
The bump in the top of the engine cowl on G-KORE was not present on G-AYRL. What do they have under there ?

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 19 May 2016, 19:31
by Barry_Cole
spike spencer wrote:The bump in the top of the engine cowl on G-KORE was not present on G-AYRL. What do they have under there ?
Sandwiches.................

:oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:

BC

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 20 May 2016, 10:53
by Noël Rumers
Barry,
no sandwiches...could be worse though. ;)
Indeed the starter due to change of engine.
And yes not all have it... On some the cowl was kept as long as the RF4 one with a little bump for the starter, not that good looking.
See a few others...
I had great help from Jed and Susy, the owners of the ( D ) now G-KORE and I will do this one.
It would however be much easier to do a plain cowl...
If you look closely to all variant, not one looks the same in the end...
See also the D-KIRL the former G-YARL with the original cowl and changed one...
Scale is scale however, it could be easier to make a look alike :?
And it could be worse too, looking to the N55...more like pizza oven :D
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 21 May 2016, 00:41
by Noël Rumers
...see here the D-KORE with the old cowl as the D-KAEK and the starter motor on top of the engine.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 21 May 2016, 07:09
by spike spencer
Hi Noel
Thanks for the extra data. With the exception of the N55 modification, they are all elegant aeroplanes. I like that slitting saw on the Myford. Hadn't seen one of those before.
The D-KAEK photo shows just how little headroom there is under that canopy when a parachute pushes you forward in the seat.

Your Milan is an inspiring model of a much-loved prototype. Watching progress with great interest.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 26 May 2016, 00:20
by Noël Rumers
Hi Spike,
Indeed the saw is very handy and original Myford!
The owner of the G-KORE told me that although the back of the canopy was raised a bit, still not much clearance...
I managed to make a few bits again and finished the fuel filler cap.
The cowl will now back on, had to think and study a bit more on the shape to get it as close as possible scaled...
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 26 May 2016, 00:22
by Noël Rumers
...and more...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 04 Jun 2016, 12:12
by Noël Rumers
Well I had a problem...
These are as always to be solved, always! The help came from Mick and Jim Reeves this time. Thank you both!!!
Due to no longer getting the parts for the retract servo, they have sold for a long time now, I had a problem.
Jim and Mick have given me a hint to another reduction geared motor. I did order two of these and received them two days ago.
Looked very well made, and it wouldn't be me, screws on the top of the gear box, I had to look inside... ;)
I didn't take all apart due to, too small bits, shafts and gear wheels, I put it all back together.
I needed to know how the gear box was build up. I was happy with what I have seen. A worm gear combination to start with and after that a very solid gear wheel reduction. I knew from the past worm gear do have a lot of friction and it didn't work at the time. It was then that I bought the first M. Reeves servo motor, and that was OK. I think that was in 1989...this was a long time ago...I even think it was the old one...
With the gearbox in my hand, the design could be started how to get it into my Milan fuselage the second one...and I did promise Mick and Jim to keep them posted on the test I was going to do with it as soon I got it. Well this is what I did to have a nice fit in the fuselage.
See first the old gear box from Mick and the new one...
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 04 Jun 2016, 13:30
by Noël Rumers
With the 4 hole M3, I was able to fix a base plate, hard alu 2 mm thick.
On this plate two switches are screwed to so the bold pushes the switch to stop the electric motor in the in and out position.
With this behind, the other two switches could be arranged as well. Due the retract servo on the SF27 B M up and go, I had one setup for the two other switches ready. I soldered off the wiring and drew up the wiring diagram. In the end I made two wirings on both the new reduction geared motors. One with the control switches behind the motor and on the other way. The last one, I will have to change due to not practical in the fuselage. On the diagram I also have noted the length of the wiring. ThisWith the 4 hole M3 I was able to fix a base plate, hard alu 2 mm thick.
On this plate two switches are screwed to so the bold pushes the switch to stop the electric motor in the in and out position.
With this behind, the other two switches could be arranged as well. Due the retract servo on the SF27 B M up and go, I had one setup for the two other switches ready. I soldered off the wiring and drew up the wiring diagram. In the end I made two wirings on both the new reduction geared motors. One with the control switches behind the motor and on the other way. The last one, I will have to change due to not practical in the fuselage. On the diagram I also have noted the length of the wiring. This worked for me on the one in my fuselage.
I did cit a 8 mm ply base to be glued into the fuselage. Screwed the alu 2 mm to the wood and fitted the pushing rod, M3 to length with a brass tube, could also be carbon tube, to the servo disk and the retract arm. No need for a spring to help the retract yet, and even after testing several times, no need for it at all...can be added later anyway...The cutout for the servo needs to be made and a 85 MG will go in to command the switches to run the retract in and out. The distance between the up and down position is 33mm on the servo disk, the arm on the retract wheel dictates this measure. I made sure that the wheel is locked properly in the in and out position.
For Q you always can ask and me PM me.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 05 Jun 2016, 16:07
by Noël Rumers
Hi Cliff,
Not done yet with the 1/3 scale...
see the film how the landing gear with servo is retracting under:



Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 09 Jun 2016, 23:39
by Noël Rumers
Preparing for the elevator now...
The ribs are cut and the mid elevator hinge point is made.
The cowl will be for next week now,
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 26 Jun 2016, 18:49
by Gert J.
Still waiting :-p

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 02 Jul 2016, 16:45
by Noël Rumers
...after our holiday this will move on. :D
With the SF27 ready to paint the Milan can be build to the finished too.
Till later,
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 23 Sep 2016, 22:18
by Noël Rumers
With the SF27 B M ready...finally back to the Milan now to the finish.
The elevator is under construction now.
Servos are build in, the arms pop out and in the end all will be inside the fuselage.
The hinges are made and the control arm for the moving parts are drilled, cut and sanded.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 04 Oct 2016, 22:42
by Noël Rumers
...The elevator is finished for 95% now.
Hinges installed with a long 2 mm wire where a special brass nut was soldered to.
This way easy pulling out is possible.
The cowl is now under construction too.
All was grinded till for me the shape was OK. The glass fibers lay-up with epoxy is done.
Adding filler is on hand now as well as more grinding...more filler and grinding...etc. :roll:
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 30 Nov 2016, 21:20
by Elliot Howells
Noel,

you truly are an inspiration! keep those pictures coming, I had to post because it looks like no-one is interested otherwise and I'm sure there are lots of 'silent' viewers like me really enjoying your build and engineering skills!

Ell.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 04 Dec 2016, 12:57
by Noël Rumers
Hi Elliot,

Thanks for your kind words!!!
Indeed I see the counter from the viewers too.
Since MW last October I had no time for the hobby.
It was good to learn that a lot of the pilots over there had been following the building of the SF27 B M.
So posting info on the SS site is never wasted...
I will post more but three family affairs and garden work kept me from doing much on the Milan till now.
This will change next week I hope, if Murphy lets me, he had a hand in it too...

Till later and just a few more days...fingers crossed!!

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 04 Dec 2016, 20:55
by RobbieB
Yes Noel, we are watching with a lot of envy..............

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 07 Dec 2016, 22:28
by Noël Rumers
Hi Robbie,
thanks but don't, it's a lot of work in the end, probably I like it... ;)
I made some progress on the grinding of the cowl.
The problem is: " The master is watching..." and I am struggling...
In the end this will look close but still a long way to go.
It is not the easiest cowl to make, and different from the RF4 one.
From now on normally I will go forward again.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Jun 2017, 09:01
by Noël Rumers
Hi All,
After a long time not building much and posting anything, due to family matters and more,
I am now back at last back with some good news:
" I finally move on with the Milan!!!"
Over the last few months some building had been carried out but the progress was so slow that I didn't want to post.
Sorry about the long waiting... and Murphy, yes, if you can get hold of him... :( he also had a hand in it...

Well, due to the need of the elevator and rudder, to fit the fuselage before moving forward with the construction of the fuselage,
I decided to build these first. The elevator was finished before, and over the last few months I finished the rudder now.
Enclosed the pictures...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Jun 2017, 09:16
by Noël Rumers
...the hinges were made as I always do, a 2 mm dia welding wire with a soldered on brass inside threaded rod end with alu hinge points and nylon hinges.
This way the wire can be pulled out to have take the moving part off.
The rest of the buildup is simple and a gap was left into the guiding tube to take the bearings. All was measured before so I could point out the exact location afterwards.
I did glue in a few scrap balsa blocks to hold the hinges...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Jun 2017, 09:30
by Noël Rumers
... with a two year old girl, Flora, my niece daughter, as a very good assistent, and if she can, why wouldn't we,
the work moved on much faster ;)
The guiding pin, was made and installed so the sheeting could be prepared...
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Jun 2017, 10:28
by RobbieB
Just wait until you have twin four year olds 'helping'.

Nice to see you back Noel.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Jun 2017, 11:18
by Noël Rumers
Hi Robbie and thanks,

Yes that would indeed be a challenge!!!
A little too young but, young learned old done, we say...

To put the sheeting on, again the foam guiding blocks were cut to prevent the rudder from twisting while the sheeting goes on.
This was again done by contact glue, and works for me best.
After the sheeting was cut, first a kind of shear web went in. Both sides were sheeted and the leading edge went on too together with the top scrap block as well as the cap strips, cut from scrap .4 ply. The sheeting was also don in 0.4 mm ply.
The first fit on the fuselage was perfect, so I am happy!!

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Jun 2017, 11:26
by Noël Rumers
...when all was grinded to shape, the hinges were the next thing to build in.
Due to the measurements I was able to point out the exact location for the slots to be cut.
This was perfect and spot on so I could fit the bottom hinge first.
This was done by 2.5 mm rivets like I always do. To pull the rivet I had drilled out the back to make sure all would be flush with the ply to fit the fuselage afterwards.

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Jun 2017, 11:36
by Noël Rumers
...with the bottom hinge in place the top one had to be positioned too.
This one was marked and cut out to be glued in with 5 min epoxy mixed with Aerosil and micro balloons. This way it hardens much better out to solid and stays that way for even. Also one can grind it easy after a few more min.
Note that the moving part was also covered with 0.4 mm ply strips and cap strips.

So far so good, now we will see what happens next, with holidays to come...
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Jun 2017, 12:10
by Peter Balcombe
Very nice Noël,
Hopefully another model to bring to Middle Wallop in October?

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 09 Aug 2017, 22:36
by Noël Rumers
Hi guys,

little progress due to family things...
Anyway the work on the fuselage went a bit forward.
The front bottom part is solved. The doors need hinges now but these are not the top priority.
The turtle back is build on and now the elevator must be lined out and set under the right angle.
Note that the turtle back has a bend in the top line, other than the RF4 back and as the original Milan.
Most of the Milan fuselages are redone this way due to more head clearance.
This means that also a now canopy had to be fitted.
The canopy is the next step on the model.

More soon,

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 31 Aug 2017, 23:28
by Noël Rumers
Hi,
All holidays over, family matters almost sorted...a bit more was fit.
With the formers for the turtle back set up, the elevator was to be installed first.
I did cut two ribs with the right angle of attack of the elevator on, and glued them into place.
After that the cutout was made to allow the tongue to fit into the end former.
Later a piece of ply was cut to support the tongue from the bottom.
A M4 bolt is used to hold it into place.
Now the holding pins can be put in too...
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 06 Sep 2017, 14:38
by Noël Rumers
...work goes on now...
the tail part has been reinforce a bit to install later on the two hooks for the elevator.
The plug for the canopy is also shape and glass fiber reinforced.
Two layers of 20 mm foam are added underneath to allow the Vivak to shape all of the piece we want on the canopy frame.
There is always a rounded edge at the bottom...depending on shape, height and temperature.
The top coat finish must be put on now.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 06 Sep 2017, 14:57
by chris williams
Ooh, almost ready for this weekend, Noel...right?

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 06 Sep 2017, 18:17
by Peter Balcombe
Looking very nice as usual Noël.
I am sure you will bring it to MW for your usual trip in October ;)

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 07 Sep 2017, 15:10
by Noël Rumers
Hi Chris and Peter,
I am very sorry that I will not make it to MW this weekend and even October is not sure either.
Family matters took me too long, and kept me from modeling and even flying...
This is changing now back to more free time.
That you will see in the next few weeks to come finishing the Milan and more...
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 13 Sep 2017, 00:19
by Noël Rumers
Hi,
the canopy mould was sanded down and ready to pull the real canopy for my Milan.
Together with two other canopies the work has been done this afternoon.
Some of you maybe ask how one does this. A friend was there to film the process.
Once the plug is in the machine the Vivak sheet is place onto the frame and secure by a counter frame. Vivak is the plastic sheet that I use. Works also with Pet but the temperature, if too hot, make the sheet milky, so not clear any more...How do I know...
Both sides have some sharp pins to hold the Vivak in place.
Also sealing rubbers are all around to be able to do the vacuum pulling.
I look down to check on the Vivak sheet for the hanging down, telling and showing me if the sheet is ready to go. I learned how much this has to be...
From that moment on all goes fast and a little waiting has to be done to let all cool down a bit before letting go of the table.
See the result...

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 13 Sep 2017, 00:25
by Noël Rumers
...also the cowl for the Milan is almost ready to be made in a top and bottom half moulds.
A last time grinding will do the job before waxing all.
This is for later this week.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 13 Sep 2017, 16:35
by Peter Balcombe
Lovely work as usual Noël.
However, I cannot get the tube video to play -asks me to sign in?

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 13 Sep 2017, 16:51
by chris williams
Could be it's set to 'private'...?

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 13 Sep 2017, 20:48
by RobbieB
Noel, if you ever find that vac machine becomes too much for you, please give me a call...............................

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 14 Sep 2017, 11:18
by Noël Rumers


It should work and it is not private...
And Robbie, nonono nevr too much for me.
Ask my wife, she would say yes.... :roll: and about most of the stuff I have... :cry:
Let me know if it works now,
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 14 Sep 2017, 11:28
by Peter Balcombe
It works perfectly now Noël,
Is the vac forming equipment your own design?

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 14 Sep 2017, 11:50
by Barry_Cole
It works for me, now.

Thanks goodness for Sarik Hobbies.......

Nice one Noel.

BC

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 29 Sep 2017, 23:56
by Noël Rumers
Cliff, sorry about the smile...couldn't help it ;) after all the work that goes into the mould etc...
And no it is not my own design, the vacuum machine. I have seen a smaller version in a model shop once.
At that time, my 1/2 scaled Moni had a very big canopy and much bigger than the 600 mm machine in the shop. So I was able to look into this machine and redesigned it and had it made a bit bigger as a school project that I sponsored...
A local company wanted to charge me a lot of money to pull a plug for me...
Now I have my own 950x550 mm big and in height about +220 mm.

More building on the Milan now...
The rudder was build up like Cliff Charlesworth did, with a pin and a plywood tongue. One screw will hold the rudder in place, easy in transport.
And know that the real rudder could be taken off as well.
The rudder control arm is made and also the tail wheel control arm. I used epoxy plate for this. These will be glued in after covering with fabric.

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 30 Sep 2017, 00:09
by Noël Rumers
...the elevator is also installed and that was not so easy.
I used Alu L-shaped profiles. After not lining up properly I glued them on first after drilling new hold and that did the trick.
When the glue was set, a smaller hole was drilled to put the screws in. Easy enough afterwards.
With the L-shaped hook on piece in place the elevator hooks where glued in with 5 min epoxy.
A ply strip was cut to hold the elevator in the right position while the hooks where glued in.
One screw will hold the elevator in place.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 30 Sep 2017, 00:30
by Noël Rumers
...and then the most difficult of all: "The Cowl".
The mould was ready now, and to make the top and bottom moulds, not that simple...
The spinner line was also not the dividing line on the two sides.
See the drawing. The height difference was 8 mm.
A piece was made that fitted around the cowl outlines like a glove.
The very small gap was sealed off with TEC 7, have it set and then cut of so a very nice gap free support was made. Due to the waxed plug, the TEX 7 will not stick hard to the plug and can be taken off easy.
All was again waxed so it will come of easy.
Sorted in the end and now the bottom part was made first.
The top part will be for tomorrow.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 03 Oct 2017, 01:16
by Noël Rumers
...the bottom part was ready and hardened out. Now the support part could be removed, but carefully, not to push the bottom mould of...
This was done in steps. All went well and the edge, containing the TEC 7 gap filler could be removed and waxed as well.
With that done the top part was made the same way.
First the gel coat was put on to have it set a bit, next the glass with epoxy.
This morning the parts could be taken of the plug...
All was very easy and later the plug was unscrewed from the front fuselage.
A gentle push and it was of as well.
I did cut the plug to the right size and put it back in both the bottom and top part to mark the cutting line once the real parts are made.
Later I grinded the edges down so all was a bit safer to handle.
Now both mould must be cleaned and waxed to start making the cowl that goes on the fuselage.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 03 Oct 2017, 01:19
by Noël Rumers
...and more...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 03 Oct 2017, 01:25
by Noël Rumers
...also the covering of the turtle back is started. Due to the little bend in the top line, this had to be done in two parts.
The first part is one and the second part is ready to be glued in place.
I made paper design first before cutting the 0.6 mm ply.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 03 Oct 2017, 09:45
by Peter Balcombe
Wonderful as always Noël :D

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Oct 2017, 01:15
by Noël Rumers
Thanks Peter!
Here is a bit more...progress is slower than hoped for...
The rudder is sorted now and ready to cover.
I added a small wedge to have it fixed even better.

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Oct 2017, 01:19
by Noël Rumers
Also the elevator is sorted now and got the LE and tip blocks sanded to shape.
All ready to cover.
The turtle back of the fuselage is finished too.
Now the controls and cables must be build in before closing up the fuselage sides.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Oct 2017, 22:38
by Noël Rumers
The cowl is now under construction, meaning, epoxy and glass fiber work.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 22 Oct 2017, 00:45
by Noël Rumers
And work goes on...
The cowl came easy out the mould. All was cut and grinded down to the good shape. The holes were drilled for the screws and the two halves came together as they should.
It was screwed to the top of the firewall with one screw. Perfect fit it is.
The only spinner that I found that was a bit longer than the dia, was from PAF modellbau in Germany. The diameter had to be 64 mm to scale.
The engine was screwed on to fit the cowl onto too.
The ignition cable for the G38 just pops out as well as the elbow of the exhaust which toughed the bottom of the cowl.
Also a hole was cut in the rear bottom part to have a better cooling of the cylinder/engine.
So far so good and the spinner with scaled prop has been cut out but needs some more for the proper fit.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 22 Oct 2017, 00:59
by Noël Rumers
The canopy has been worked on as well.
The frame was made and the canopy got a rough cut to see how it would fit.
Now the frame needs the hinges and the locking system first.
Later the canopy will be glued to the frame.
BTW my friend lost the canopy of the big K8 1/2.5 scale. This was a perfect fit for it too.
The seat was cut in foam blocks and covered with brown tape. Two layers of 163gr glass fiber was put on with epoxy and one layer of 40 gr.
Cut to shape it is now screwed in so the pilot has the bottom seating ready. The back needs a ply plate that will be secured by two magnets.
And yes, a nice pilot is ready to go...
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 24 Oct 2017, 00:48
by Noël Rumers
The canopy has now the hinges fixed as well a guiding pin on the locking system.
The handle was made to the sketch and works fine.
The window will give access to lock and unlock the handle and the spring will do the rest.
On the outside also a folded handle will be installed.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 24 Oct 2017, 00:55
by Noël Rumers
The scaled spinner is sorted as well as the non scale one with a cheaper propeller.
Scale or no scale...easy enough to put them on.
The bottom of the cowl was cut out to set the spark plug free, needs a bit more though, and the ignition cable.
Now the hinges of the doors are made and are in the process of building them on.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 17 Nov 2017, 14:28
by Noël Rumers
...the doors are now installed too.
Home made hinges are with alu rivets installed on the doors and screwed in place into the wheel bay of the fuselage.
The problem with the hinges is that they stick out a bit to allow the door to turn away and give more clearance to the wheel going out or in.
Need to work on the closing spring now.

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 17 Nov 2017, 21:54
by chris williams
Wow, look forward to seeing that at Middle Wallop, Noel... ;)

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 04 Jan 2018, 11:56
by Noël Rumers
Hi,
All the best with a lot of nice soaring to everyone who loves to do so!!!
Haven't been doing nothing...
I am now building the second Milan fuselage to the same finish as the first one.
Here the engine was also the difficult part.
An old but not much used Tartan 44 cc I bought some years ago, onboard starter fitted,
at the time, and now the fitting to the fuselage.
The cowl was to fit the engine without parts popping out.
And yes it did fit nicely.
Enough talking...
Pictures...
And yes Chris, MW this year is on my list!!!
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 04 Jan 2018, 12:04
by Noël Rumers
...I had the original spinner for the engine.
This sits on the hub outer.
The new spinner being only 64 mm dia was a problem to fit.
Hole to big to center well and the supporting dia for the prop tooo small.
So a new back plate was turned and fitted.
The exhaust was more easy... ;)

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 04 Jan 2018, 12:06
by Noël Rumers
...See more on the exhaust...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 04 Jan 2018, 12:12
by Noël Rumers
...and more...
I did reinforce the exhaust flange due to previous experiences...
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 05 Jan 2018, 12:06
by john greenfield
Interesting Noel. The original Tartan twin carb faced forward. Have you made a new intake to turn it round ?

AEB

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 07 Jan 2018, 16:40
by chris williams
Never mind getting it off the ground, you'll never get it out of the car with all that engineering on board... :D

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 12 Jan 2018, 14:29
by Noël Rumers
Hi Chris and John,
Chris...you keep telling me...but the only thing I can say is wait and see... 8-)
And " no ", I will not pass it on to you...
John, indeed the elbow I milled it out of a POM or Acetal kind of quality nylon.
In the early days you could order the carburetor elbow in 3 models,
front, downwards or back...
But since long these engines are not build any more in Italy.
When the creator retired they stopped building them I have been to the company...
Anyway John, not to difficult to make see enclosed the drawing.
It is drawn on mm paper so you have to measure... I used a round block, dia +/-60 mm.
Milled it square first...but you know how to do it.
Works fine, the engine can't reverse with the starter and the ignition on now...
hope this helps,

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 12 Jan 2018, 14:43
by Noël Rumers
...the doors had been fitted, but now the scale springs for opening and closing are fitted too.
Good you have friend to help...The hot water inventing...
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 12 Jan 2018, 14:53
by Noël Rumers
...more pictures how...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 12 Jan 2018, 14:59
by Noël Rumers
...With the doors open I installed an extra gliding stick at the mid door closing.
This hold the doors open like it should, scale view...

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 12 Jan 2018, 15:17
by Noël Rumers
...had a problem with the post above with double pictures...Sorry...
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 25 Jan 2018, 00:23
by Noël Rumers
Hi,
the servos are in place now too.
All electrical work is finished also as there is:
the ignition connection, the ignition switch, the landing gear switch, the receiver switch and led controls and the onboard starter switch.
All connections are also soldered and secured. I like the switches on the instrument panel so that is nice but work also.
Before all goes in the fuselage, this needs now the final hand and then all can be painted where it should.
See the result,
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 25 Jan 2018, 00:33
by Noël Rumers
...and to secure the soldered leads, I did buy last year this little alu block.
The Green connectors fit in nicely.
The leads fit also, screw the two halves together and with the hot melt gun you just fill the chamber.
After cooling down, not long, you can open up the blocks and take the nicely covered and sealed connecter out.
This way you also have a much better grip to disconnect the M and F parts.
I also did buy a special stripping pliers, that fits all sorts of wires. Perfect too and no copper leads cut at all.
Both items helped me a lot solving the electricity arrangement in the model.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 25 Jan 2018, 08:51
by john greenfield
I use the same aluminium tool to mould the ends onto MPX connectors. Very simple to use and available in the UK from Bernie at esoaringgadgets.

Highly recommended for anyone who uses MPX plugs and sockets.

AEB

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 29 Jan 2018, 00:59
by Noël Rumers
Hi John,
Indeed it works very well!!!
I managed to finish the canopy on my fuselage...
It fits nicely now with all in place.
See the pictures,
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 29 Jan 2018, 01:01
by Noël Rumers
The locking system...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 29 Jan 2018, 01:05
by Noël Rumers
The aligning pin and hinges...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 29 Jan 2018, 01:12
by Noël Rumers
...and the Vivak has been put on the frame with canopy glue, and after cutting the edge, hinges, a nice fit!
Now the window must be made and the rails.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 29 Jan 2018, 01:23
by Noël Rumers
The front cover needed also a small magnet to hold the wire hook in place when the canopy is closed.
Now the fuselage can be closed up completely. I needed the two holes at the rear of the seat to get to the locking system while installing the canopy.
When the window will be in I can open and close the canopy easy enough.

The front corners of the cover have been filled with thickened 5 min epoxy to be able to grind a bit off.
This to allow the installing and taking it off again without the need to take top cowl off (a few screws on there...)
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 29 Jan 2018, 09:33
by Peter Balcombe
Noël,
It looks as if you draw your carburettor air in through a flexible pipe through the main firewall to the forward fuselage where you have your air filter. Thus you draw engine air from inside the fuselage.
Is that done in order to reduce air intake noise & therefore overall noise.
I know someone who was thinking of doing that with his DLE powered Titan tug.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 30 Jan 2018, 01:39
by Noël Rumers
Hi Peter,
indeed I always take the air from the inside of the fuselage!
I used the flexible tube and made a small filter, not to fine wire mess but to keep dangerous particles out of the carburetor and engine.
What is more, this helps a great deal to keep the noise level down indeed!
The other benefit I have doing this is that the high needle screw needs to be opened less than normal.
This means fuel saving and flying with Aspen this helps to reduce the cost.
The Tartan, it has been test run but not properly yet, I will know soon what that will do.
When a carburetor is popping out from the cowl or just sits in the open air, a lot of fuel is blown away. I never have found proof that I lose fuel in the fuselage...
The trumpet helps here also a lot!
That is why I put ( some ) work in the carburetor arrangement like I have shown, it pays off!

The window is made and screwed onto the canopy now.
The one I bought from Graupner was a bit small so, milling and cutting had to be done to shape a few strips of 5 mm SQ Polycarbonate plastic.
The window has springs on to keep it steady in place. These are made from sheet Silver solder that is hard enough for this job.
1 mm rivets hold the springs in place. Work fine! I used a clear round plastic rod to make a handle to open or close the window.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 30 Jan 2018, 11:23
by RobbieB
Noel, there just aren't words..................stunning (apart from that one).

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 05 May 2020, 00:49
by Noël Rumers
:oops: :oops: :oops:
Hi back on the planet...again :)
I have been very bussy since my last post and even made it to Middle Wallop but that was probably the last time over there as well...
Due to a lot of other things on hand I managed however to get something done last year.
Due to less time and a lot of PC time for the other things, I never came to posting more on my projects. :?
Sorry about that, that is why I want to show what I have done since my last contact...

I started first with the first Milan with the G38 engine.
Behind the pilot seat I install a few small pieces of wood to hold the base of the radio installation.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 05 May 2020, 00:58
by Noël Rumers
Below the radio the two new batteries where installed with the switch of the retract.
The electric system was finished too so all just had to be connected properly. The fuel tank was also arranged in a little angled way and a small extra box was installed for the Lipo starter battery. The instrument panel got the switch to activate the starter system. note that a separate battery was used for the retract, you never know… Also the overflow tube from the fuel tank was fitted to the firewall too.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 05 May 2020, 01:12
by Noël Rumers
The inside had been painted before the installation of the stuff that I have shown.
The outside was the next step. with all parts ready that was not to difficult but I never spray paint.
Works for me... The red was done as second layer and all went very well. The Wings had been ready covered and flew on the old fuselage...another story though... :oops: So they could be fitted to the fuselage and servo's set and tested too.
The canopy was wrapped in with tape so the edge could be sprayed.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 05 May 2020, 01:22
by Noël Rumers
The doors and sides were fitted and the spinner and prop finished.
The fuselage protecting sky were fitted as well as the aluminum exhaust protecting plates. The canopy installed with painted tail wheel. The rudder installed with one screw as Cliff learned us and the cables fitted.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 05 May 2020, 01:31
by Noël Rumers
The rudder cables attached together with the tail wheel cables. See the fake spring on here, I hate the lack of rudder control while taxiing with wind!
The engine was installed cowl fitted with spinner and prop. Fuel tank filler cap painted so almost ready to go.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 05 May 2020, 01:42
by Noël Rumers
With all on the fuselage ready there was the first build together of the first Milan.
And yes it looked very well indeed. I even know the guy in the model... ;)
I do hope you enjoyed the update on the first of the two Milan’s.
Did it fly…?
Well it did, it soared very well too. Shame that I couldn't make it no longer to MW last year.
The scaled exhaust works very well too. The sound is fine too.

All the best for now and more later on Milan 2.

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 05 May 2020, 02:04
by Noël Rumers
One more thing…
Like on all new things, you need to make a few small adjustments.
I reinforced the firewall with some glass fiber and epoxy, made a new back plate for the spinner with more screws.
Also the wing supporting wheels were to weak. The printed spoke wheels gave way after the first flight. I changed them with full Acetal or POM material hubs and nylon rods instead of the epoxy once...
The last flight was just before winter time and now with the lock down, it hasn't been out the trailer yet.
I will look into it again soon because there is hope that we will be allowed to go flying again in two weeks time from now.
Fingers crossed that we all did a fine job staying locked inside as much as possible.
I hope you all stay safe too!!! And as someone told us lately: “ We meet again!!!”

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 05 May 2020, 07:53
by Cliff Evans
Very nice model as usual Noel. Good to hear from you after such a long time, glad to hear that you are well, the main thing is now, stay safe, even though you may be able to go flying in a couple of weeks, best to be careful.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 05 May 2020, 09:08
by Peter Balcombe
Beautiful work as usual Noël.
Well done & nice to see you back on the forum :)

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 06 May 2020, 00:21
by chris williams
Nice to hear from you again, Noel... ;)

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 06 May 2020, 07:56
by Ian Davis
Hello Noël

Great to hear from you after such a long time. The Milan is truly wonderful work, just like your ASK16 that I remember so well.

Best regards

Ian

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 06 May 2020, 09:13
by VinceC
Noël, you are an ace modeller. Nice to hear from you again

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 07 May 2020, 00:40
by Noël Rumers
Thanks to all of you for the nice words! I know that you all are very fine builders, and that is the most important thing.
And yes, I am back and I will post more again.
I do hope that all of you keep safe and stay away from that BUG! :(
All the best and more later,
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 13 Feb 2021, 00:10
by Noël Rumers
:oops: :?

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 13 Feb 2021, 00:41
by Noël Rumers
...Hi...
I am back...
Since last time and with good intentions...but the impossible always happens, or Murphy...
But a lot happened since than on my modeling.
We are still no were with that Bug, so as you are, we are as well in a self organize lock down, or better, in a building lock down!
Looks nicer and one can enjoy it much more...
So, a not to short review on the Milan 2 actually.
Milan 1 flies and it has the ZG38 with Fema starter on it.
For Milan 2, I had the old Tartan 44 ready and it fitted in perfectly. But, yes there is always a 3th option.
This came to my mind not that long ago. However this looked a good idea so I went fully for this option.
I did have the motor, bought for another project that I had cancelled. So the ESC was there as well, so why not give it a try.
The parts supplied by the motor were however not fitting the prop, so new parts had to be made.
The prop had to be the Biela scaled prop, a 20 x 10 " prop that I also used on the Milan 1.
So, that said, I designed a few new parts to fit that motor and looked for the materials to start machining...
The new cross had to be made, because the one that came with the motor didn't fit at all.
Than the new propeller shaft was made. The new back plate for the spinner with 10 scaled holes instead of the 2 original once.
A new washer was made as well with the 4 distance pieces to mount the motor to the firewall of the fuselage.
The back plate was fixed to the propeller shaft as well. All was top, lucky thing is that Murphy is somewhere in lock down too ;-)
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 13 Feb 2021, 00:49
by Noël Rumers
...with all the new parts ready, the assembly could start.
The spinner fitting was first done so all of the assembly would be a piece of cake. And it was.
The holes in the firewall had to be drilled to fit the new parts to hold the motor.
The fit of the cowl, previously done for the Tartan, was perfect for the new electric setup as well!
All well so far!
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 13 Feb 2021, 01:05
by Noël Rumers
... The next thing to do was building the ESC on. That was not too bad.
The motor was a difficult one. Never found any info on the prop sizes...
But still it was big and capable of 6 S to 10 S Lipo bats.
The only thing to know what I had screwed to my fuselage was test run the motor and measure what was happening pushing the throttle.
So I did last Sunday, freezing cold but I had to know!
The read out was what I had hoped for!

With 8 S batteries, the motor ran 5400 rpm, pulling only 44 Amps with 1250 W.
No vibration at all and I had to hold the fuselage firmly on full throttle!
I could or can go to 9 S or 10 S but that would be an overkill.
The next thing to do is measure the ZG38, how much rpm that one turns!
I believe it will be a bit more but not much. I think I measured an another model some time ago and I have a figure of about 5800 rpm in mind...With the same prop…
Time will tell. But once flying I have to throttle back anyway...
This will be set for now...
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 13 Feb 2021, 08:08
by Ian Davis
Hi Noel

Glad to see you are back. Wonderful work as usual.

Best regards

Ian ;)

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 13 Feb 2021, 09:12
by VinceC
Hoorah ! Noel is back. In your absence there is a new plan shortly available for the Blanik Motor Glider.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 13 Feb 2021, 10:23
by RobbieB
Great stuff as always Noel.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 13 Feb 2021, 19:02
by Noël Rumers
Hallo to you all, and yes, thanks for still wanting me! I'm happy to be back too.
Hi Vince, what do you mean by a Blanik motor glider?
The Blanik with the motor on top of the fuselage or the Vivat, where the motor is mounted up front and sits under a cowling?
This last one is still somewhere on my to do list and not that far away...I worked on it last year a bit…It was in the air I believe.
First however finishing what is in the way to take on a project like the Vivat e.g. Drawings I have ready to go...scale 1/2.75.

But first the Milan 2 now. The electric motor is on thing that is ready so far, but the exhaust pipes, two on each side of the fuselage had to be made too. I didn't want to cut them of the Tartan engine, so ne tubes were cut and drilled. A small steel plate was drilled to so the silver brazing did the rest. The only thing they nead now is a bit of exhaust paint. But first the cold weather has to go now.
The fit was again perfect due to the guide bloks that I used on the Milan 1 to set the exhaust pipes.
More to come...
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 13 Feb 2021, 21:20
by Cliff Evans
Jilles has produce a great plan for the L13 Blanik, seeing as the Vivat used the same wings and tailplane, it made sence to do the Vivat fuss as well!

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 17 Feb 2021, 00:16
by Noël Rumers
Hi Cliff,
To which scale will the the Blanik/Vivat be? I look forward to see the design!
I have been working on mine last year November too. It had to be in the air somewhere...
Years ago I did cut the polyurethane foam blocks to size... never got to the point to start gluing them together due to other projects.
Last year I had to reorganize the space I have so, this was the time to sort things out. I also did find mistakes in the shape that had to be solved.
All blocks are at the highest point painted black so I can sand to that line to get the right shape in the end.
The scale of mine is 1/2.75. The fuselage shall be in two parts as well as each wing. The hinges for the elevator are milled by CNC to fold up like the real plane, both the Blanik and the Vivat. Will be for next year...
I have lots of detailed info on both planes as well. We had two Vivats in Belgium flying. One had be written off due to a forced landing on a lake in the south of Belgium. It had been salvaged from a depth of 10 m. I have the main landing wheel and e few other part of it at home. The fuselage welded construction, not often seen from a plane, is fully measured as well as other things.
See the drawings as well…
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 17 Feb 2021, 00:29
by Noël Rumers
...the Milan again...
The landing gear had a weak spot. The bold that was used to arrange for the pulling in and holding it into place both in and out was the problem.
After some study of the system A new part had to be made. This already was OK for Milan 1 but not on the second one. So back to the cellar to make the part.
The gap between both sides of the brass retracting arm was 30 mm. With the guiding block being only 10 mm this was asking for trouble with a harder landing. So the new block supports the bold over the full width of the gap. All is strong now and a nice job done again.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 17 Feb 2021, 01:06
by Noël Rumers
First I did want to reinforce the firewall to the sides of the fuselage a bit more. Had to do this also on Milan 1. Glass fibre cloth and epoxy did the job with some thinkened epoxy to fill the corners and round the sharp edges a bit. The fuselage inside was painted and the fuselage sides at the point where the radio and other stuff was installed had to be closed. Most of the time the fuselage is always too small to work with both hand in... so I left these parts open to the very end.
A template was made and a reinforcement spar installed to give the 0.6 mm ply some more stable setting.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 17 Feb 2021, 07:47
by Cliff Evans
The Vivat is 1/3 scale will email the plans for you to look at.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 17 Feb 2021, 15:06
by Noël Rumers
OK Cliff,
I look forward to see them. Maybe better a bit smaller, but the engine I had in mind was the ZG62. Now we have other options too. Also electric is better now than in the old days, when I was planning the Vivat.
Still, bigger plane, fly better! ;)

Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 17 Feb 2021, 15:21
by Noël Rumers
...and the Blanik...
This one was owned by a good friend. He was serviced and after it got back the wing tips were changed.
A storry with a strom and things on the road... But still a one off! and easier to build I recon.
See also the wings TE. I was able to measure the wing. At mid wing, the start of the aileron, the wing TE was 40 mm up from the straight line.
The LE however was straight!
Wing at rood 4°, at mid wing 1.5° and at the tip 1°. Wing rood to mid wing, is the Naca 63²A-615 and at the tip the Naca 63²A-612. Being 15% and 12% thick.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 08 Mar 2021, 22:47
by Noël Rumers
...right, here we are again with the finishing of the fuselage of Milan 2.
The wing joiner is a 25 mm glass fiber rod that runs from wing to wing for about 200 mm in each wing. Because the fuselage is not flat where the wing fits the fuselage, I needed to add an extra rib with two pieces to fill in the gap between the rib and the fuse. These parts were added on with thickened 5 min epoxy for fast working. Later a small strip of .6 mm ply was gleud on top all around the rib.
This way the wing fitted perfectly to the fuselage in the end!
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 08 Mar 2021, 22:56
by Noël Rumers
…now the fuselage was so far ready that some paint was waiting to be put on! this was not to bad. The striping was a copy paste job from Milan 1. The lettering, I had enough ordered last time for the two models. The only thing that I changed was de G-KORE to the original D-KORE to have two different models but still the same in the end...
The aluminium protecting sheets were made and screwed onto the fuselage together with a few spots of TEC 7. The scale exhaust pipes were fitted as well. Now the rest of the fuselage is on hand to be finished...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 08 Mar 2021, 23:44
by Noël Rumers
... I never have posted anything on its wings.
The build started last year for Milan 2. The setup is simple. Ply, ribs, spars end glue...
Most of us have a system to do this. I have also one that works for me.
So here we go...
I use Compufoil that suits me best to design all of my wings. The ribs are printed and the paper glued to the ply and cut roughly to shape. I have that way one of each. Then I nail these ribs to a new sheet of ply and cut the two together as close as possible to the line. Next, I grind all down to the very thin printed line, half way the line ;) .
With that done I start cutting the spar slots are done too. Note that all the cutting is done by my hand controlled laser machine :?
The next thing I do is drilling the holes in the ribs to save weight...a bit... and to be able to run the servo cables through the wing.
The wing joiner tube and incidence pin are also drilled very precise to the spot! I use for all wood drills and I always drill both sides to have a very clean cut on both sides of each rib. Saves a lot of time cleaning the lot from remaining wood splitters on the back side...
The paper is taken off again and a fast rub over the sanding belt clears the glue remains.
All this takes let’s say two days for the wing of the Milan being 45 ribs long.
The spars are sorted too to length before the building can start.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 09 Mar 2021, 00:09
by Noël Rumers
The wing joiner tube is made to be fitted into the ribs.
Then on the drawing I start with the bottom spars. They have in the end not much use because there will be a epoxy glass rowing spar in the end in.
So all ribs are glued on with care but it goes fast! The first rib is put in under the correct angle of 3°. I have made a guide to do this.
All is done on the flat table without any help of supporting edges on the ribs. Know that at that stage the wing is very flexible so the lineup is for later.
Note that there are a few ribs that have been laser cut...these come in handy from the previous build the SF27 B M. I changed the wing rib distance on that one. I kept these ribs and now, it saved time. The TE of the wing gets a 30 mm wide .6 mm ply strip that goes into a slot that is cut on the centre line of the rib rear. The LE however is build up differently.
I use a 2 mm 25 mm wide balsa strip that goes into a slot cut to level with the wing cord line. This strip sticks out front of the nose of the rib with 5 mm. Both top and bottom get than a 5 mm thick balsa strip. That strip is shaped to the top and bottom line of the wing rib.
In the end that 5 mm strip is still 10 mm short of the real LE most forward point.
Another 10 mm LE strip will be added much later to finish the job.
The aileron spars are also glued in top and bottom and shaped to the top of the ribs.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 09 Mar 2021, 00:25
by Noël Rumers
I believe I first have to explain a bit my wing design before I move on...
Enclosed a few PDF files that I made in the time I designed the SF27.
This was the best way to explain it now too.
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 26 Mar 2021, 23:09
by Noël Rumers
The wing was now so far ready that the fake spars and the so called gutter was in...
Now the shear webs could be made and put in as well. At the root, where the wing joiner is, the shear webs are 1.5 mm ply. The gutter at this point is also made from 6 mm ply the same distance. The rest of the gutter is made in balsa, simple and good.
The shear webs are printed in Compufoil, so I know how high they have to be. The grain of the balsa has to be upright !!!
I calculated the total amount of wood I needed to make all the webs. The strips of balsa were glued together on a piece of scrap paper where the glue didn't stick onto. All was sanded a bit and the strips were cut by my old ruler and knife.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 26 Mar 2021, 23:20
by Noël Rumers
With the shear webs cut to height the job comes easy to make them to fit between the ribs. Note that it is not that important that the webs fit 200% between the ribs... I leave some room 1 à 2 mm so I can get them in easily ;)
I use the back of the knife to mark the cutting line. Goes fast, just push the strip from one side mark of a wing rib, to the other side and mark the next length, etc, etc... afterwards just cut the all and keep them in line for the height!
I glue them in fast first one side than the other side. I have two shear webs in, they outline the gutter very well.
At the wing joiner only the front part is glued in!!!

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 26 Mar 2021, 23:47
by Noël Rumers
The next step is the wing joiner part.
here the shear web on the back side must be put into place.
For me it is very important that the top and bottom spars, can't move to each other lengthwise at all. the wing would break if that was possible.
So to make a strong point I fill the gap around the wing joiners always fully with thickened epoxy with micro balls or cotton flocks...
Maybe overkill but that is what I do... I can lift one wing tip and take the fuselage of the ground that way, I am happy.
The next step is to cut glass roving to length, soak them with epoxy and lay them in the gutter. On top a balsa strip is pressing everything down so the roving are squeezed from shear web to shear web front and back and I leave a small gap too, so the roving are squeezed in there too. This way I get a kind of “ I ” or ” U “ shaped real spar that is very strong. The epoxy glues everything together in the end!!!
The balsa strip is grinded down to the shape of the wing ribs afterwards. Ready to build in the rest of the top wooden parts now.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 27 Mar 2021, 00:04
by Noël Rumers
How I know that I have a strong spar ...
Well I did build this one a few years back...
Flying on another field ...I still can cry one eye out, there was a small tree...I hit it with the LH wing tip...
This was not such a good idea in the end.
What I learned from the bits that I had left, and I had more than I build into the model...
The spar was still fully there!!!
But that wing I kept it, now it is repaired to flying conditions too. Waiting for a new designed fuselage of a very strange bush plane...
The Lawhorn Kee Bird.
See the rebuild...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 27 Mar 2021, 00:19
by Noël Rumers
... and more...
The model was the Boeing Scout, only 12 build and one back into flying conditions! I was in contact with the owner builder in Alaska for detailed info.
It happened that the same wing of the Boeing Scout was also used to build the very special Lawhorn Kee Bird. The designer/builder was also living in Alaska. I was able to track him down too and have now the original drawings, pictures and much more to build that plane as a model instead of the Boeing Scout! I hope to finish that model too by the end of this year!
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 27 Mar 2021, 00:31
by Noël Rumers
...I must say, the Boeing Scout was the weirdest thing I ever have flown! Very stable and a very strange set-up...
The New one will beat that experience I believe...

Now back to the Milan.

The airbrakes box was build in together with the wing retainer system.
A special alu hook was made to fit the system.
With these things ready the top sheeting was the next step to do...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 27 Mar 2021, 00:49
by Noël Rumers
...for the sheeting of the wing, I used 0.6 mm ply on the root side and 0.4 mm on the tip side of the wing.
Holes are cut so not all of the wing was covered with ply.
The wing tip however is sheeted fully with ply top and bottom.
Until now no worry about the twist in the wing. The only thing I did so far was when the epoxy spar went in, let the epoxy harden with the wing flat to the table.
Now the top sheeting will go on the same way with no extra help... this comes later only for the bottom sheeting...

I drilled in the corners a hole so I could cut with my knife easy the rest of the holes where the cover material had to be ironed on.
I know again that I could have saved material, but all the joints grinding them down an gluing all perfect takes a lot of time too.
The joint at about mid wing was grinded down to have a almost perfect top surface.

Know that you have to mark the ribs on both the top and bottom sheeting before closing one side. It save a lot of extra work... ;)

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 27 Mar 2021, 01:07
by Noël Rumers
...to glue the sheeting on I always use contact glue.
Look at the pictures of the Boeing Scout wing that had been beaten... the glue was still very firm on the bits that were not torn off!
So I like this system. You cover all on the top wing in two parts, first the root part and later the tip part with contact glue.
I rub it down with the toothed comb that comes with the glue.
Then I glue the sheeting also the same way.
I use a sheet of baking paper to prevent the pats from sticking together the wrong way.
I first line up the LE and press the sheeting on.
I use a wall paper rubber roller to press the gluing firmly together.
Gradually I pull the baking paper backward and press and roll on.
It as faster done than explained!!!
With that done I cut the edges down to outer the shape of the wing and grind it to be perfect.
Than the tip part is next, all the same way.
Two wings, job done!
Note that the first 3 ribs at the root, are different from the rest. The wing TE sits a little up to the fuselage. The SF25 and others have this too! A change on Milan 2 to Milan 1… I did cut a small strip of balsa wedge to be able to hold the angle while rolling the sheeting on.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 27 Mar 2021, 13:10
by Noël Rumers
With the top sheeting installed the wing starts looking as a wing...
The best part is now on hand. The installation of all that has to be build in the wing for proper funtioning after it is ready.
So the two servos need a proper place and I always design the movement of the arms etc to make sure that all does what it should do controling the brakes and ailerons.
The brake servos came first...BUT...
there is a very important thing to do first before I would forget about it...
Drilling holes to mark the cutting line of the top aileron shape.
To do this I use a 1 mm drill and drill enough holes so that I can easy draw a line with a ruler to mark the exact shape.
No cutting yet, the aileron should be sheeted first before cutting it from the wing. The wash out on the tip has to be build in properly in the aleron as well!!!
So with that job done faster than ecplaining, the angled blocks are cut to fit the airbrake bottom with the spars around it. The hole was cut in the airbrake box to fit the servo arm and controls.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 27 Mar 2021, 13:36
by Noël Rumers
...using beech blocks to make the servo holder from, I did cut a sleeve in them just fitting the attachments lips.
A firm ply was cut to fit the angled supporting blocks. These were cut to the proper aligning of the servo to the airbrake.
The hole for the servo arm etc, was cut, all glued together and screwed too, to make sure the airbrake servo never would break free from the base ply! Murphy you know…
A wide headed screw holds the servo in place.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 27 Mar 2021, 14:00
by Noël Rumers
...around the servo, reinforcements are glued in to screw the servo cover onto later.
For the aileron servos the same work was done more or less...
The only thing was the servo arm operates different so this was also sorted in a scale way.
The small supporting wheel mid wing, is held in place by a beech block.
The servo arm on the aileron was made in balsa and shaped to the wing ribs.
...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 27 Mar 2021, 14:15
by Noël Rumers
... now the servo wiring had to be made to length.
I use the cut the wires and solder a long lead on, and in the end a MPX plug to fit the plug in the fuselage.
Now the wing is so far ready that the bottom spar can be made and placed in the gutter again...
But before that can be done I need the most important bit of the wing building: “ The guides !”
These are cut from foam which are so made that the wash out on the wing fits these guides 100%!

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 27 Mar 2021, 14:35
by Noël Rumers
... the cutting of the R-Glass or S-glass roving is done on my table. I know how many strings I need to fill the gutter with them. One string contains 2400 very fine endless threats. Is used in real gliders wings too or Carbon…
I wind the roving around screws on the table. Afterwards I just cut them lose on the screw. The epoxy is going on them and the white shining color has to go. This way I know the epoxy is fully around all the threats. With an old back card or so, I rub the too much epoxy off as much as possible.
There will be always too much... But no harm done this sees to it that all is properly glued together in the end!
Also a balsa strip is closing the gutter off so the roving is squeezed again to all parts, the shear webs and all the rest...
Metal block do the job here.
The wing stays on the foam guides until the epoxy is set!

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 27 Mar 2021, 14:43
by Noël Rumers
... when the spars are set for a day I start to plane down the balsa strip to the shape of the wing again and grind it down at the end.
That way the wing is ready for the sheeting at the bottom too.
Very important now that the foam wing supporting blocks stay perfectly in place under the wing.
The TE is extra under filled by a scrap balsa block so this TE will be straight in the end.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 27 Mar 2021, 14:48
by Noël Rumers
... and more...
And yes they both have the same shape mirrored, TOP ON!!! :)
Now so far done but the most important thing misses still, the LE!!!...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 27 Mar 2021, 15:00
by Noël Rumers
...the LE is for me always a 10 mm balsa strip cut to fit.
Plane it down to a almost right shape and then the sanding starts.
This is the most important bit of all the wing. It flies much better when done as perfect as one can get it!
So some time and dust later, all is ready to work now on the ailerons...
To mark the aileron on the bottom too, you drill from the top wing side down into the bottom sheeting.
This way you can draw a line top and bottom to mark the cutting line...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 27 Mar 2021, 15:20
by Noël Rumers
... the cutting line is about 2 mm wide so no problem cutting down the line.
All is sanded down to the aileron spars, both on the wing and on the aileron itself.
On the aileron the spars are build in at an angle for the movement of the aileron downwards.
Both holes are now sealed off by a strip of 0.6 mm ply to have the full torsion stability of the ailerons.
This has to be done with care not to deform the aileron from the wing wash out!!!
I use wood glue to do this, because the height is to small and contact glue. It is to flexible for this job at the beginning.
Later it hardens out more, I know this from the Boeing Scout wing. But I learned from it that I need more firmly closing of the boxes, both on the wing and the ailerons...
The aileron control arm, was cut from Epoxy plate 1.5 mm, as well as the control linkages...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 27 Mar 2021, 15:32
by Noël Rumers
...now the wing was ready for a fit to the fuselage at that time.
And as expected, it was a perfect!
One small part needed to be made, the airbrake!
Here I kept it simple too.
On a 0.4 mm ply I build a frame in balsa 1/4". in the cutout of the airbrake in the wing I put a scrap piece of ply 0.6 mm and grinded the balsa down to fit the top wing contour. Now a top ply could be glued on and sanded to fit the wing cutout with some play on all sides.
I marked the brake control arm and milled it out.
All parts ready now to cover the wing open places. With that done the wings are now waiting for the painting with some warmer weather to do this!!!
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 03 Apr 2021, 01:22
by Noël Rumers
With the wings ready to paint, the fuselage was back on to finish a little further.
The seat was first to be installed so that the new wing retainer system could be reached at all times with less effort.
That was easy due to make a hole in the seat epoxy base lining. A cushion will be put on top to cover the hole and more.
The seat cushion was made by sewing it together with a foam inlay to have a nice soft seat for the pilot. The magnetic safety belts were fitted as well so the pilot and the cushion could be taken out easy to get to the wing retainer system with the LH/RH turnbuckle.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 04 Apr 2021, 13:03
by Noël Rumers
Hi guys,
to all of you a Happy Easter!!! Different than we use to have but still!!!
Also here all is quiet...

The hobby goes on, and that is something...
On the fuselage the doors were fitted too? The round spring is fake, the 1 mm spring steel rod is a kind of torsion spring and works well.
Note that I changed the rod with on both sides a very small Seegering. I learned from the Milan 1 with the G38 on that due to vibration these rings are a bit weak. Now I made from a welding rod of 2 mm my own long bold. I soldered a washer on one end and cut M2 threat to the other end with a M2 lock nut on there. So this is save now too!

With these things done the last bit to the fuselage had to be made, the instrument panel.
Here first the outside was on hand. The upholstering was done with thin foam bits and the compass was made out of scrap pieces POM or Acetal. (Turnable nylon quality) Due to the removable cover in front of the canopy, held down by a 1 mm spring steel rod, this instrument panel was in the way to pull the wire out or push it back in. All batteries will be under that cover so easy access was necessary. That is why I build in some strong magnets to hold the panel in place and can easily be pulled backwards out...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 04 Apr 2021, 13:17
by Noël Rumers
...and more...
The throttle stick with the feathering prop handle was made to fit the picture.
This handle too had to be movable as well to allow the instrument panel to be pulled backwards too...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 05 Apr 2021, 11:29
by Noël Rumers
...see these pictures that show the magnets and the wire...
All the wires in the front reception room are sorted as good as it gets.
The battery bay still waits for finishing.
I do hope that all batteries can be put up front so no extra weight will be needed like in Milan 1. Fingers crossed here.
The extra electronic systems are special and more about that comes soon too.
The rough cut instrument panel is ready and drilled, now the turning/milling work can start.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 05 Apr 2021, 11:42
by Noël Rumers
... the rudder has been finished now and the last hand to install the control lines are almost ready too.
After all the Milan 2 will look exactly the same as Milan 1! Only on the outside the registration # is different.
First the Milan flew as the D-CORE and now the G-CORE. Milan 1 has the G-CORE on the model and Milan 2 will have the original D-CORE on.
Some details will be different on the inside...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 05 Apr 2021, 12:48
by chris williams
Great stuff as usual, Noel...!

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 05 Apr 2021, 18:23
by Ekke
Hi Noel,
nice to see you still going strong with modelling!
best regards
Ekke

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 05 Apr 2021, 23:30
by Noël Rumers
Hi Chris and Ekke,
thanks for the comment!
And yes I still like building and finally I do have more to do so!
Ekke see the PM I send you!

Back to the Milan 2...
A real motor glider with an engine makes some noise that, we all know who like airplane, sounds like the best music in our ears, isn't?
Well building the Milan 2 with an electric motor with no sound of music after all isn't OK... my thinking... ;)
So I came across a sound system to be build into the model too. The two small prints that are posted in this picture show the module and the amplifier. That was the easy part of it.
The speakers who are involved too, two of them, 70x70x35mm, needed some special care. No pressure can be put to the membrane of the speaker because that would damage them and no sound would come out anyway. That said I had a problem... They had to go under the cowl. Room to put them was big enough It looked if there was anyway. Inventing the hot water, or it felt like doing so anyway.
But I manage to find a way...
First the speaker boxes had to be made. The boxes had to be separated to guarantee a proper functioning!
I had also an idea how to fix them too, so a drawing was put on paper...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 05 Apr 2021, 23:43
by Noël Rumers
...the wooden box, with two chambers had two front and back slots to fit the two bottom distant pieces of the electric motor installation.
I must say it looks if it was a straight forward job... It wasn't at all so!
I had to cut fit and cut again the front and the back were made twice too.
In the end all fitted very well under the cowl without any cutout so the speaker box would stick out at some point.
Job done... This was only the start of it!
Looking at the Milan Cowl you have two air intakes and the exhaust pipes run out at the back close to the fuselage top side.
That is why the pressure would be high on the membranes leaving them unprotected.
Because the noise comes out of the back because of the exhaust pipes, it would be best to guide the exhaust music to this spot!
But how and would it be safe to do so?

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 05 Apr 2021, 23:49
by Noël Rumers
The idea was to build two elbow like pieces that would fit the speaker top and guide the sound of music toward the fake exhaust pipes.
I had some pieces of polyurethane foam, easy to grind and to shape, and one can glue these parts easy with ZAP glue together.
So small blocks were cut and shaped to fit the inside of the cowl as well.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 06 Apr 2021, 00:05
by Noël Rumers
... lucky for me the speakers had a plastic cover to protect the rubber seal around the membrane.
The plastic cover was " THE " most helpful piece at the time!
I cut of the equal height of the foam blocks and with glue I mounted the two parts together to fit the speakers 100%.
After this check if all was like it should fit, I had to cover the foam with tape to be able to have the inside of the elbow as smooth as possible.
I taped the brown tape between two plastic sheets and cut each strip in smaller strips to have almost no folded parts of the tape.
Afterwards I covered the parts with small pieces glass fiber and epoxy. Not too difficult in the end and all looked OK to me!!!

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 06 Apr 2021, 00:18
by Noël Rumers
... the next day I did cut all to shape as close as I could before drilling out the foam. The tape was pulled out without too much effort.
A few cuts and grinding to make all fit to the speakers and their boxes.
The plastic on the inside was also removed and the fit was perfect!
The speakers got the wiring and in each box at the rear got a 13 mm hold to allow the air to move when the membrane goes back and forward...
20 W speakers will do I believe, but a test will tell me afterwards if that was enough...
The elbows also got a bit of paint and all was mounted with straps to the two bottom distance pieces of the motor.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 06 Apr 2021, 00:30
by Noël Rumers
...once in place the rest of the electronics could be put in. I used Velcro tape to do this.
The wires where sorted so all is safe to fly the model now.
All fits very well under the cowl and yes I ran the motor with the sound of music... ;)

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 06 Apr 2021, 07:02
by Cliff Evans
Another work.pf art Noel.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 06 Apr 2021, 07:41
by john greenfield
Noel

Fantastic work with the sound system but I see it fills the air exit holes in the cowl completely. How are you going to get cooling air for the motor and speed controller out of the cowling?

AEB

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 06 Apr 2021, 11:05
by Noël Rumers
Hi Cliff and John,
Thanks!!!
The gap is not completely sealed off at the exhaust opening.
Also the real Milan or see the RF4 have at the bottom an opening where the hot air can get away.
This will also cool the motor battery down.
So I thought about these things too but the first test run of the motor with the Amps it drew out looks OK to me now. Further test will follow but then I need to do this in the open with the wings on.
At this very moment no painting weather at all, we have snow and hail... :cry:
I did run the motor with sound and the cowl on, I will try to upload the film later.
This has also shown that the motor is not to hot as well as the batteries...
I will however keep an eye on these things, you don't want to mess up...
In the end I always can add some vanes in to guide the air if necessary. But that means again extra work... :roll:

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Apr 2021, 00:48
by Noël Rumers
...with the sound system OK now the instrument panel was to be finished.
I had a good picture of the real instrument panel and that was the basic thing.
I turned flat disks in POM or turnable black nylon. I used Tec7 to glue a few parts in. Once cured this is a firm rubber substance and paintable!
With the printer I scaled the pictures of the instruments down to size. A clear tape when on them and a double sided tape at the back. The rest was scissors work and very small fingers...and some time!

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Apr 2021, 01:24
by Noël Rumers
...at the left hand side I did build in my receiver switch and the battery system control lamps.
Now the bottom of the instrument panel needs some work, but that will come soon.
And then that one instrument was a special one, not happy with the result now but still…

The rudder was also connected to the servo as well as the tail wheel. And with one screw can the removable rudder be taken off the fuselage for easy transport. The hole was drilled, 2 mm into the two blocks of ply either side of the rudder tug. Cliff Charlesworth way, I learned it from him.
Than drilled on side only with dia 4.3, taped with M5 just one block of ply. I put the fuselage ten on the side and put a few drops of Cyano glue in. Let it set into the ply and make sure all is hardened properly with kicker. Then I run the M5 tap again in the hole to clean it. After that the bold will grip in the hole without the change to turn lose without help. DO NOT OVERDO the tightening of the screw!!! When the wooden threat is turned/pulled out, you have a problem...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 14 Apr 2021, 17:43
by StephenB
Stunning build Noël, superlative engineering and some very finely crafted details. I can learn a lot from reading this thread, even if I can't emulate your building skills!

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 26 Apr 2021, 00:19
by Noël Rumers
Hi Stephen,
You know, I learned a lot too by looking at work of other builders, and I still do!
The most important thing is to post these ideas so we all can learn.
Pictures are speaking here, so I like to post a lot ;) Thanks that was able to help you forward!!!
Now the smallest part was to be made, the tail cover on top of the elevator, from the rear fuselage back up to the rudder LE.
Know that the guy how has not trouble with Corona or any other bug, had a helping hand in here too... :(
This means that I had to deal with extra work, but I am almost there now!
See what it should be in the end.
I covered the fuselage, elevator and rudder with some tape, the wrong one it seemed in the end...
On that tape no epoxy sticks to it, nor any other glue, so that was the OK bit.
A few layers of glass fibers with epoxy were put on first.
Later foam block where cut to shape and sanded and cut to fit.
I had to do this for both models so...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 26 Apr 2021, 00:37
by Noël Rumers
...with the shape done, more glass and epoxy went on to shape the cover.
That was the easy part...
The rudder is build on removable. That was a good thing.
I have taken all off with not too much trouble... But then the tape had to go...
It was on for a few days, and also in the sun... and that did it I think.
The plastic film came off but the glue stayed...
However, with what we call White Spirit, I was able to wash the glue rather easy.
The trouble was only on both fixed parts of the rudder.
These were covered with Solartex and while removing the rudder from the epoxy part or visa versa, on one side the fabric let go of the glue to iron it onto the wings etc..
This never had happened to me! I tried to iron it back on, heat it with a heat gun, nothing helped.
So I took all of the covering off again to start with new covering...
On the elevator all was OK after the glue was taken off.
Trimming of the covers was easy and the weight was only 31 grams in the end.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 26 Apr 2021, 00:51
by Noël Rumers
...the covers where then shaped to a perfect fit.
This means that I had to filler the gap between the LE of the elevator and the fuselage more to the original.
I used masking tape this time! And that worked well!
A magnet on both the elevator and the cover was glued into place with 5 min epoxy.
There was a tape between both magnets while the glue was setting...
A small wooden block was also glued into place so that the rudder hold the cover down at the rear.
I have to lift the rudder to take the cover away. So it is a perfect fit!!!
This was all not too bad, but now the finishing was on hand...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 26 Apr 2021, 23:53
by Noël Rumers
...now the finishing was started. Not too much work but still.
After a lot of grinding and filler, paint and paint in the end, the job was done!
The small scaled screws were installed and pre drilled first.
These screws are just there for scale purpose! The magnets and the rudder hold all down firmly!
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 27 Apr 2021, 00:18
by Noël Rumers
With the rudders both stripped down again, only the fixed part, I was able to install the scaled Pitot tube too.
I had not forgotten but was still a to do job. In the end the model looks nicer with this detail too.
The bags are ready so the tube had to be removable. That is why I taped a M 4 thread on the connecting end. A small O-ring locks it in place.
On the second Milan, I had to fill the gap between the elevator and the rudder bottom too.
A balsa block was made to fit and now ready to cover.
Now the covering and painting will be done a second time!
With only the wings to paint now, I can start dreaming of flying both models!
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Jul 2021, 00:54
by Noël Rumers
...because of the very wet and rather cold weather in May I had a problem painting...
In the end all had be done on the building table and it took me some time to do all of the parts.
The wings, being 2.4 m long was not that easy... But in the end all was fine indeed.
Wing bags were also made so all was save put to one side. Also the smaller bits got a soft cover...
The instrument panel was completed as far I had info on it. Also an extra switch was put in to activated the retract system.

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Jul 2021, 01:16
by Noël Rumers
And now finally the Milan 2 was put together last week for the first time!
The CG was OK too and no extra weight was necessary!!!
The pilot was happy in this one too ;) .
And again waiting for better weather, the first flight will be soon I hope.
Milan 2 is the D-KORE where Milan 1 is the later G-KORE.
Also gap tape was used on the ailerons for better performance of the wing.
I am very happy with both models finally finished to what I had in mind!
Hopefully this rather long build was a bit to your liking too.
One day I hope to fly again in the UK with them, if Covid 19 and its changing variants, stop driving wedge between us... :?
All the best and until later and stay save,
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Jul 2021, 01:17
by Noël Rumers
...a few more...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Jul 2021, 01:20
by Noël Rumers
... and ...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Jul 2021, 01:23
by Noël Rumers
...and...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Jul 2021, 01:26
by Noël Rumers
...and more...

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Jul 2021, 01:38
by Noël Rumers
Finally, the story started with a RF4 with a cowl and a weak not so good working landing gear...
The cowl I kept it... See the difference...

Up to the next project now! The weather helps anyway!!! :D ;)
Noël

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Jul 2021, 08:44
by Peter Balcombe
Well done Noël.
Another build well up to your usual high standard :)
Hopefully, you will be able to fly both very soon.
Peter

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Jul 2021, 09:08
by Barry_Cole
Well done Noel. 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)

We'll call it "Wallace"

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Jul 2021, 09:32
by chris williams
Not bad...for a beginner! :D :D :D

Re: SFS 31 Milan

Posted: 11 Jul 2021, 19:01
by B Sharp
Very nice Noel! Your workmanship makes me feel so inadequate, but spurs me on to do better.
Brian.