IMAC Aero Tech 35% Velox Custom Build

[stangflyer]

The DS Mustang is looming ever closer and I need to get this done before I can move on to that project. With the Kolm tres cylinder on the way, I know I am not going to want to do anything when it gets here except play with them gorgeous....umm, cylinders. So to do a little catch up, this is what I have gotten accomplished with what little time I have had. Today I basically broke everything out of the plane room and got all set up again. I had to do some catch up reading of the manual and the photo layout. I seen this before, but really didn't like it much. Now, I "REALLY" don't like it much. They way the plans and manual indicates this plane to be built is to have the entire top part of the fuse a removable hatch. That is...the forward hatch, canopy and rear turtle deck come off to expose the entire inside of the fuse.



There are 8 locating plates that go in the fuse to hold the hatch/top fuse where it belongs. Along with large dowels in the back of the turtle deck that slides into recesses in the tail. Umm....NO!



I've seen many earlier model built planes this way. I have never liked it so I made a revision to more current model build technics. The rear turtle deck has been glued to the fuselage at the proper location. These photos show the location before setting the turtle deck and gluing it into position.



And now with it glued tightly to the lower fuse.



Along with many other steps completed, I also got the lower tail filler sheeted and the canopy flashing cut off. Yes that is buckshot in the Hitec servo boxes. Great little weights. LOL



There is much more done, but need to find them darn photos. I've had a computer replacement since I downloaded them and I am hoping I can pull them from that old hard drive. If not, I will just take new ones. There is no way I will have the main construction of this plane done before the end of the month. But I am going to try really hard to have it basically done and ready for covering before Christmas. By then the retracts for the Behemoth Stang will be here along with that really cool Kolm. I just really want to get started on the build of that fighter warbird.

More to come....

 

[stangflyer]

A little bit accomplished with the Velox today. Got the forward face cap on the turtle deck glued on and sanded. Also the rear turtle deck cover shaped. I did a quick sand on the now attached turtle deck. It really looks pretty nice. I also got the F1 and F1A firewall plates laminated. The forward hatch was kind of a pain in the ass. For what ever reason, it has warped from when I sheeted it a few months ago to now. So I saturated it with water and clamped it into position to match the fuse. Hopefully it will take the new shape once again and hold. Quite a bit yet to go, but it is really not a hard kit to build. I am pretty certain I can have it ready for covering before Christmas.



I will try to get more done and photos posted tomorrow. For now, time to make a headache go away.

 

[acerc]

How in the world did I miss this build thread? Looking good Stang.

 

[stangflyer]

How in the world did I miss this build thread? Looking good Stang.

Because it has been dormant for quite some time. Now it is resurrected and getting completed. Gotz me a "Behemoth Stang" to build. LOL.
Thanks....We'll see how she turns out.

 

[stangflyer]

Slowly being able to grab a file at a time from my previous laptop hard drive. It's been a chore but thankfully I have been able to retain some of my HP days learning. Darn thing about computers that some dont realize is you really can't hurt a computer. You just have to be more tenacious than normal. Lol. Anyway, got one file of the stab skins. I could easily just snap new photos. But I wanted to post the before and after pics. Plus other photos that I had saved are still locked in the dark layers of that dang hd.

Basically just like you all do. Edge glue my balsa sheets. Then trim to correct size and match the rest of the skins. After that, glue on the skins and foam cores then back to their perspective foam clam shells to be pressed until the glue cures.



I think tomorrow I will try to get the stabs/elevators and fin/rudder capped. Leading and trailing edges too.

 

[stangflyer]

Been feeling pretty weak today. Must have picked up a cold. But I vowed to get something done on the Velox every day. So, I removed the fuse bottom filler block from the foam shell and trimmed the excess balsa sheeting away. Lightly sanded it then set it aside.



I'll try to get more posted tomorrow after work.

 

[stangflyer]

Back on the Velox tonight. The events this week have been pretty exciting. Next Tuesday, the gear for the Mustang will be here. So I need to make some serious dents to the work load on the Velox. I trimmed the excess sheeting on all edges of the right stab/elevator and then sanded the surfaces nice and flat. Before I cut the elevator free from the stab, I capped all sides with the exception of the inboard elevator surface. I'll get that when the other caps are cured into position. There really isn't anything difficult about foam core construction in my opinion. Just time consuming. From the foam core planes I've built, they just always seem to have steps to do before you do this step before you do that step before... ugh. Lol.
Anyway, pretty good progress for a couple of hours. Will finish the right stab and elevator and start the left tomorrow.



And they even mate up to the side of the fuse quite nicely. More tomorrow.

 

[Snoopy1]

Don’t know how it happened but I was way behind all up date. Nice work all the joints look nice and tight and the foam sheeting also looks great nice work. Keep it up need to a Stang built. How do like working with foam I have mixed feelings. If the wing does not have landing gear in it just a tube and servos I like a foam wing but with gear and flaps and or retractable gear I would prefer a built up wing.

 

[stangflyer]

Don’t know how it happened but I was way behind all up date. Nice work all the joints look nice and tight and the foam sheeting also looks great nice work. Keep it up need to a Stang built. How do like working with foam I have mixed feelings. If the wing does not have landing gear in it just a tube and servos I like a foam wing but with gear and flaps and or retractable gear I would prefer a built up wing.

Not particularly fond of foam builds Snoops. Mainly because I hate dealing with all that static electricity charged scrap foam that sticks to everything. Work tables, clothes, tools....even fingers are magnets for the stuff. Good thing I have no hair. I would look like father Christmas. LOL.

This plane has the gear on the bottom of the fuse. Which in itself is pretty normal for this type of airplane. The thing that bothers me is that the foam wings have no provisions for any kind of stiffener or spars. This is the first one I have done that does not mention it in the manual or even show it on the plans. I suppose they figure it is not needed? Who knows? For my own personal piece of mind.... and primarily because this is a plane that is being built for my friend, I am not taking any chances. I would feel horrible if he attempted a snap roll in flight and the wings blew apart. I figure that if a guy trusts me with building a plane for them, I really need to build it better than my own personal criteria would dictate. I have some pretty high expectations for my own airframes. I figure a build that someone is paying for damn well be better with higher expectations than my own. So, yes....I will be adding full length spars, top and bottom to the wings before they are sheeted. After all the piece of mind is well worth a couple of extra bucks out of my pocket and a few extra added ounces of weight.

Yes, that Stang build is constantly on my mind. I think this is a good thing that I have this Velox to build while I plan for the Behemoth Kolm Stang. It gives me time to think about how I want to approach the build. Time to decide on amenities. Even consider how and what I want for gear and how it will operate. Just the other day my son and I were talking about the new MZ32 and all its capabilities. He offered an AWESOME suggestion. He says, "You know, you can program the starter on your Kolm to operate and "spool" up just like the real Mustang." And he is correct. I may run a 4 blade prop and I think it would be very cool to flip a switch on my tx., the starter starts spooling up the engine...the four blade prop turning like the real ones....once the engine kicks on full choke, flip the choke switch to "half" choke setting. When the engine becomes more alive, flip choke completely off and engine would be running. The programming on the MZ32 is so advanced that I can program other functions along side primary functions. For example, in the scenario I just described, I can program the sequencer for the inner doors for the landing gear to be timed. When the engine starts, the starter button is released.... and after the proper timing with the engine running, the inner clam shell doors come up just like the real Mustang once hydraulic pressure starts coming up. The MZ32 has opened doors to building and flying planes like there has never been. Yes, I do have some really cool ideas planned for the big Mustang build. The Velox is giving me time to think about everything I want to do.

So on to the rest of the Velox....and more thinking of the Big Stang Project.

 

[Snoopy1]

Not particularly fond of foam builds Snoops. Mainly because I hate dealing with all that static electricity charged scrap foam that sticks to everything. Work tables, clothes, tools....even fingers are magnets for the stuff. Good thing I have no hair. I would look like father Christmas. LOL.

This plane has the gear on the bottom of the fuse. Which in itself is pretty normal for this type of airplane. The thing that bothers me is that the foam wings have no provisions for any kind of stiffener or spars. This is the first one I have done that does not mention it in the manual or even show it on the plans. I suppose they figure it is not needed? Who knows? For my own personal piece of mind.... and primarily because this is a plane that is being built for my friend, I am not taking any chances. I would feel horrible if he attempted a snap roll in flight and the wings blew apart. I figure that if a guy trusts me with building a plane for them, I really need to build it better than my own personal criteria would dictate. I have some pretty high expectations for my own airframes. I figure a build that someone is paying for damn well be better with higher expectations than my own. So, yes....I will be adding full length spars, top and bottom to the wings before they are sheeted. After all the piece of mind is well worth a couple of extra bucks out of my pocket and a few extra added ounces of weight.

Yes, that Stang build is constantly on my mind. I think this is a good thing that I have this Velox to build while I plan for the Behemoth Kolm Stang. It gives me time to think about how I want to approach the build. Time to decide on amenities. Even consider how and what I want for gear and how it will operate. Just the other day my son and I were talking about the new MZ32 and all its capabilities. He offered an AWESOME suggestion. He says, "You know, you can program the starter on your Kolm to operate and "spool" up just like the real Mustang." And he is correct. I may run a 4 blade prop and I think it would be very cool to flip a switch on my tx., the starter starts spooling up the engine...the four blade prop turning like the real ones....once the engine kicks on full choke, flip the choke switch to "half" choke setting. When the engine becomes more alive, flip choke completely off and engine would be running. The programming on the MZ32 is so advanced that I can program other functions along side primary functions. For example, in the scenario I just described, I can program the sequencer for the inner doors for the landing gear to be timed. When the engine starts, the starter button is released.... and after the proper timing with the engine running, the inner clam shell doors come up just like the real Mustang once hydraulic pressure starts coming up. The MZ32 has opened doors to building and flying planes like there has never been. Yes, I do have some really cool ideas planned for the big Mustang build. The Velox is giving me time to think about everything I want to do.

So on to the rest of the Velox....and more thinking of the Big Stang Project.

Make sure you write them down as they come up in your mind.
On the foam wing on the few I have built all of them have 1/4 square spare running from the root rib to 18 inches past the end of the tube. Just used a router with a 1/4 bit set the depth and ran it along a piece of wood done. The spar is made from Sitka spruce

On the MZ32 been reading everything I can get my hands on manuals and everything else. Very capable radio. Will most likely buy one in the very early spring. Or pick up one at JoeNall will see how thing go and if they will be there.