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Scratch built Pilatus B4 to 1/4 scale.

Let us all watch your new project progress.
User avatar
terry white
Posts: 508
Joined: 18 Mar 2015, 21:08
Location: wareham,dorset.england

Re: Scratch built Pilatus B4 to 1/4 scale.

Post by terry white »

Looking good Brian, :D
B Sharp

Re: Scratch built Pilatus B4 to 1/4 scale.

Post by B Sharp »

Thanks Terry, its nice to be back working with wood once again rather than messing about with foam, glass and filler.
Brian. :?
B Sharp

Re: Scratch built Pilatus B4 to 1/4 scale.

Post by B Sharp »

The build of the right wing continues. The joiner reinforcement, bottom main spar, the ply and balsa webbing and the balsa false leading edge have all been added. I have now added the underside, leading edge sheeting. No real dramas and I even managed to arrange the pins tastefully.
On the other bench I have the rear underside sheeting cut, scarf joined and glue drying ready to be stuck in place once the aliphatic has set on the front.
Brian. :)
Attachments
Right wing progressing.
Right wing progressing.
B Sharp

Re: Scratch built Pilatus B4 to 1/4 scale.

Post by B Sharp »

This afternoon I tackled the bit that I dread when I am building wings – fettling the joiners. I fitted the main joiner into the completed left wing and the right wing shell before mounting them on jigs that would hold them both at the same angle of incidence. Then the right hand incidence peg tube was slipped onto the incidence dowel. Low and behold – it fitted perfectly! Well actually no it didn’t. :x :x :x
There then followed a good half hour of sanding, filing, paring back and cursing before I finally got everything fitting and sitting square. The incidence looks right, the angles all look right and it comes apart with only a little persuasion. :)
I took it outside my workshop to show my wife who was working in the garden. She saw it propped up against my workshop and was appalled by the size – so I must have got it right then! :D :D :D :D :D :D
The next job is to build all the gubbins into the right hand shell before finishing the sheeting.
Brian. :)
Attachments
Left and right wings introduced to each other.
Left and right wings introduced to each other.
Centre section and joiners.
Centre section and joiners.
Great news - my wife was appalled.
Great news - my wife was appalled.
User avatar
Ray Watts
Posts: 128
Joined: 18 Mar 2015, 06:31
Location: Basingstoke

Re: Scratch built Pilatus B4 to 1/4 scale.

Post by Ray Watts »

You clearly need to go to third scale then Brian to keep her satisfied :lol:

Ray
It's always calmer indoors :D
B Sharp

Re: Scratch built Pilatus B4 to 1/4 scale.

Post by B Sharp »

I tried that a couple of times Ray and earned myself the really grumpy treatment.
Brian. :D :D :D
B Sharp

Re: Scratch built Pilatus B4 to 1/4 scale.

Post by B Sharp »

Both wings are now fully sheeted and sanded and have the root ribs fitted. The next job will be to cover the wings and fuselage with 25gm/m2 glass cloth and epoxy resin. However before that I took the opportunity to assemble all the bits to check out the fit and see what the finished machine would look like.
I have to say that I am quite happy with it so far!
Brian. :D
Attachments
The embryonic B4.
The embryonic B4.
B Sharp

Re: Scratch built Pilatus B4 to 1/4 scale.

Post by B Sharp »

I started on the covering of the airframe this afternoon. Everything on the airframe is being covered in glass cloth except from the tailplane and elevator which have been covered in Oracover previously. The glass cloth I am using is plain weave 25 gm/m2 cloth from East Coast Fibreglass which I have found to be very good in the past. I am using the EL2 Epoxy Laminating Resin from Easy Composites which goes on very nicely and usually sets nice and crisp within 24 hours. I always mix too much resin on the first batch and I have managed to cover half the fuselage, half the fin, half the rudder and the top side of both ailerons and still had some resin left in the pot.
Brian. :)
Attachments
Fuselage, rudder and ailerons all covered in wet glass.
Fuselage, rudder and ailerons all covered in wet glass.
B Sharp

Re: Scratch built Pilatus B4 to 1/4 scale.

Post by B Sharp »

Something always goes wrong! Last night I trimmed all the parts that I had glassed then turned them over and glassed the other sides. Today I checked them out only to find I had put 2 coats of glass on the left side of the rudder and none on the right. Duhhh! :oops: :oops: :oops:
Brian.
Jolly Roger
Posts: 573
Joined: 30 May 2015, 20:35
Location: Sutton Bank, North Yorkshire

Re: Scratch built Pilatus B4 to 1/4 scale.

Post by Jolly Roger »

Now I would NEVER do anything like that. ;) says the man who falls off seats. :oops:
You could just glass the other side twice too (I have this thing about symmetry). I’m sure the rudder could use a little extra glass, with the usual slope side wear and tear. I reckon the second layer of glass adds less than 3g at the back.
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