pat teakle vega

[jack]

Does any one have any info on the Sport Vega with fixed u/c??,l have a Pat Teakle vega kit that l am thinking of completing as a sport vega,but details seem to be a bit sparse,cheers guys,jack.

[Peter Balcombe]

Jack, there is an image of the Sport Vega main wheel/fairing & fixed tailwheel on the Vega 3-view in Martin Simon’s Sailplanes 1965-2000 book.
I can scan & post tomorrow if you haven’t already seen that.
Peter

[jack]

Peter,that would be great if you could ,l dont have those books unfortunately,they are always out of my price range,l have found some pictures of the sport vega,but none are any good for the details l need,your very kind offer is much appreciated,l will,of course cover any costs,cheers,jack.

[Peter Balcombe]

Jack,
Ive tried attaching scans of the Vega 3 view & text from the Martin Simons book as PDFs below.
(1st text sheet is rotated but no problem if you print it anyway).
If you cannot print then I can send by mail if you email/PM me your address.

[jack]

Thanks peter,l will be able to print off the pdf,s,the three views have most of the info l was looking for,is there anything in martin simmons books regarding the main wheel attachment??,l can design/fabricate something to do the job,but would like to get a look at the full size mount,many thanks anyway,all the best,jack.

[Peter Balcombe]

Jack,
No more info in anything I have, but a quick look on the web shows a couple of shots of Sports Vegas, with & without the wheel fairing.
It looks as if the (GRP?) fairing is removeable on full size gliders for maintenance & sometimes left off altogether, as was also the case on the ASK21 where dried grass could collect & catch fire if the brake was applied enthusiastically!
It looks as if the wheel itself is mounted on axle plates which protrude just below the bottom of the main fuselage line, putting the axle just below, with bolt-on fairing covering this & part of the wheel.
This full size arrangement probably has some kind of simple springing, but possibly not. (ASK21 has a swinging trailing arm suspension arrangement inside the fuselage).

Note that the item just in front of the wheel on the pic without the fairing fitted, is likely to be the TOST release.

I would suggest building a simple wheel box with downwards projecting axle support plates which can be securely fixed to the inside of the fuselage above a rectangular slot for axle plates/wheel. An external fairing is then fashioned & attached to the underside around the wheel. Remember that PT fuselages are Polyester resin, not Epoxy resin based.
Peter

[Jolly Roger]

Hi Jack,
Comprehensive list of Vegas including Sport Vegas, here: http://www.rcawsey.co.uk/vega.htm
As well as the main and tail wheel differences, the Sport also had a simplified brake system with rigid trailing edge air brakes and no separate flap function.
I built TE airbrakes into my PT Vega and found they stopped it in its tracks, even at just 2ft long per wing. Lovely model. Enjoy the build.
Rog

[jack]

Thanks for the help gents,peter,you are thinking along the same lines as myself,l am planning to mould a fairing from glass cloth and epoxy,but it will be removeable,l believe l am right in thinking that epoxy resin doesnt take to polyester resin?,or is it the other way round??,l build wooden gliders as a rule so l am a bit vague on the subject ,Rog,thanks for your input,that list made for interesting reading,is it my imagination or were there a lot of whoopsies with vegas??,given the short production run there seems to have been a lot of accibents,anyway its a pretty aircraft,l will post build pics as l go,thanks again gents,very much appreciated

[Peter Balcombe]

Jack,
I tend to use polyester resin (Fastglas or similar) on a polyester Fuz & epoxy on epoxy ones, but Roo reckons epoxy is ok on either if you rough up the surface well before applying epoxy.

[jack]

I used to be involved in the boat building world....sorry .....and from that l learned that polyester resin-grp- definately does not bond to wood,it may appear as though it does,but the resin doesnt penetrate and will very soon delaminate,seen whole glass fibre decks simply peel off....so anyway ,l reckon roo knows his onions so l plan on using epoxy to install the various formers etc,one last thought..any right angles or sharp changes of direction should be given a radius of thickened epoxy..the cloth doesnt like going round or over sharp edges...dont ask me how l know ,thanks peter,jack.