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Bowlus Super Albatross

Let us all watch your new project progress.
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Cliff Evans
Posts: 1032
Joined: 29 Dec 2019, 15:13
Location: Bristol
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Re: Bowlus Super Albatross

Post by Cliff Evans »

Brake operation all sorted.


https://lasercutsailplanes.co.uk
https://patteaklegliders.co.uk
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Peter Balcombe
Posts: 1399
Joined: 18 Mar 2015, 10:13
Location: Clevedon, North Somerset, U.K.

Re: Bowlus Super Albatross

Post by Peter Balcombe »

The RH wing structure has been assembled during the past week & is now virtually at the same state as the LH wing (once the joiner tube & top spar has been fitted). The airbrake has already been fitted.

Meanwhile, I have now received stabiliser joiner tube material from Hyperflight & fitted 13.8/12mm tube as the joiner tube & epoxied some9.8/8mm tube inside 11.8/10mm tube to make the joiner itself.
The 1.2m long rudder C/L guide tube has been made up from 3/32” aluminium tube, enabling this to be threaded through the tail boom rear assembly & then this epoxied into the tail boom, whilst fitting stabiliser joiner tube & fin LE pieces. With the balsa facing added to the stabiliser root ribs & then profiled to match the boom external shape, the tail feathers can be check fitted once again.
Stabilisers halves secured using M4 bolts
Stabilisers halves secured using M4 bolts

The tail feathers can now be given their balsa LE infill strips & profiled to provide glueing support for the 0.6mm skins.
The rudder has been fitted with a 3/32” aluminium hinge pin tube & then the balsa LE added ready for shaping. Twin rudder horns will be fitted once the LE has been profiled.
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Peter Balcombe
Posts: 1399
Joined: 18 Mar 2015, 10:13
Location: Clevedon, North Somerset, U.K.

Re: Bowlus Super Albatross

Post by Peter Balcombe »

Fin LE balsa infill added (hardwood at bottom where aluminium skid fits) plus additional balsa skin support on fin post, then sanded to follow rib profile ready for skinning.
Rudder LE also profiled & hinge pins fitted so that the rudder could be hung & then the twin horns fitted (retained by 3mm pin down rear of the rudder post).
When check fitted, the end of the rudder C/L tube can be seen inside the rear of the boom. The rudder movement is mechanically limited by the horns hitting the fin post, but the required +/-30 degrees looks to be there.
The C/L end loop will need to be fairly neat on the bushes fitted between the horns as there isn’t much space between the ends of the tubes and the horns at full movement.
Note that the fin skins form a rudder hinge shroud at the rear, the lower part is angled rearwards to cover the tapered rudder LE.

Rudder hinged & horns fitted
Rudder hinged & horns fitted

A view of the front of the tail boom, with the 2 C/L tubes & elevator servo cables existing via slots in the lower part of the boom.
Rudder C/L tubes & elevator cable exits
Rudder C/L tubes & elevator cable exits
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Peter Balcombe
Posts: 1399
Joined: 18 Mar 2015, 10:13
Location: Clevedon, North Somerset, U.K.

Re: Bowlus Super Albatross

Post by Peter Balcombe »

A photo of a Super Albatross tail group taken at the South West Soaring museum, Moriarty, New Mexico, by Ingo Warnecke.

N64JJ Super Albatross replica
N64JJ Super Albatross replica
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Peter Balcombe
Posts: 1399
Joined: 18 Mar 2015, 10:13
Location: Clevedon, North Somerset, U.K.

Re: Bowlus Super Albatross

Post by Peter Balcombe »

Fin & stabilisers now skinned & overall structure fully rigged whilst installing the rear incidence tubes on the RH wing.
Complete structure fully rigged
Complete structure fully rigged

Note that whilst assembling the tail boom assembly, it’s probably worth fitting a balsa (or similar spacer) between the M4 Stabiliser fixing captive nuts to keep them in place. Once the rear assembly has been fixed inside the boom, keyhole surgery is needed if the captive nuts should release themselves whilst inserting the bolts!! Don’t ask me how I know this 😉

Also, choose when to install the elevator servo cables.
Easier to do before the boom is fitted onto the fuselage, but you need to be careful not to trap the cables between tube & fuselage formers as you fit the tube.
Remember to pay attention to the plan note about initially installing the boom with tail upside down to ensure that the rudder C/L tubes (projecting from bottom) can safely pass the rearmost part formers.
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Peter Balcombe
Posts: 1399
Joined: 18 Mar 2015, 10:13
Location: Clevedon, North Somerset, U.K.

Re: Bowlus Super Albatross

Post by Peter Balcombe »

The fuselage pod is now very nearly sufficiently planked to allow it to be removed from the building board in order to complete the bottom section once the tow release etc. has been fitted.
The ply wing root stubs were fitted prior to planking.
The outstanding upper fuselage section will be planked once the boom has been installed. (The assembly is much easier to handle on he bench without the boom & fin attached!)

As can be seen, the cockpit canopy frame was clamped in position prior to planking as this ensures a smooth fuselage surface transition once the planking has been sanded to a smooth profile & then hopefully the canopy separated using a razor saw/scalpel along the frame/fuselage joints.
Attachments
AF34BCAD-D500-4E73-B0D0-90C01EC9C211.jpeg
DE367A2E-4230-49BE-913C-6AE6761D1CB2.jpeg
6C24E817-419C-4B9D-AC4F-AB00A000104C.jpeg
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Peter Balcombe
Posts: 1399
Joined: 18 Mar 2015, 10:13
Location: Clevedon, North Somerset, U.K.

Re: Bowlus Super Albatross

Post by Peter Balcombe »

Fuselge pod now released from the building board & FEMA wheel check fitted.
A start has been made on adding the hardwood block support around the skid spine in order to provide a firm attachment point for the laminated skid assembly.
C77A794C-C2A3-4C4C-993D-24635F40ED1D.jpeg
Mike F
Posts: 114
Joined: 18 Mar 2015, 14:08
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: Bowlus Super Albatross

Post by Mike F »

hi Peter
Beautiful planking! I think you must have been a boat builder in another life.
Thanks
Mike
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Peter Balcombe
Posts: 1399
Joined: 18 Mar 2015, 10:13
Location: Clevedon, North Somerset, U.K.

Re: Bowlus Super Albatross

Post by Peter Balcombe »

Each side of the forward keel is blocked in between each former to fill out the space between the the keel and 0.8mm ply keel side pieces. This solid assembly then forms the seat for the laminated ply skid.
The tow release assembly will be fitted on the rear of the front former (bottom loop entry) & a forward skid attachment block between this and the 2nd former.
Skid base
Skid base
Space for tow release & skid attachment
Space for tow release & skid attachment
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Cliff Evans
Posts: 1032
Joined: 29 Dec 2019, 15:13
Location: Bristol
Contact:

Re: Bowlus Super Albatross

Post by Cliff Evans »

Albatross video sent to me to post by Peter shows the elevator movement.


https://lasercutsailplanes.co.uk
https://patteaklegliders.co.uk
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