How about a little update on the "Community" Pitts? I have taken a break from covering for a few days to start installing some components in the fuse. Since all that is left on the covering is the trim on the upper and lower wings, I figure I can afford myself a little break from the actual "building and covering" stage to get down to the nitty gritty of the installations.
It is really nice when you go to your supply cabinet and shelves to discover you have plenty of items previously purchased to get the ball rolling. Most everything I had to purchase for the build was acquired during the build. However some of the items I needed I knew I had already.
First came the "Star" fuel dot from TDRC. I really like these guys. They are nice looking and are ultra easy to install. Course, aren't all fuel dots? LOL. I cut out a 3/32" lite ply doubler for the back of the fuel dot since the mounting location was 3/32" balsa fuse sheeting. Hardly enough to keep it in place without destroying the balsa sheet. Mounted to the inside of the fuse, the dot was installed through the fuse side and then secured with the 6 hex head screws into the glued in place doubler.
While I am at it, I might as well install the 24oz. TDRC clear fuel tank. The shape and dimensions are slightly different from the original tanks I have purchased from them. But I think I like this one better. It is narrower but taller. Fits the tank cradle in the Pitts just right.
Next a single switch on the side of the fuse that will power up the Smart Fly Power Expander Micro 12. Normally I use the Pin and Flag with the SF boards. Nothing I hate seeing more than a pretty fuse all scared up with a butt load of unnecessary switches cluttering the looks. Because Smart Fly designs their components the way they do, All electronics are powered up and shut down through the SF and the single switch.
On to the SF Micro 12 and Hitec Optima 9 rx. Nothing too elaborate there...just lay it in and start wiring. I decided to run one channel for each elevator and one channel for each rudder servo. I would have liked to had one more channel available so that I could run one channel for each aileron. Hopefully a new Hitec radio will be released soon as this would offer more options for this setup. I would like to be able to "fine" tune each aileron individually, but since I am one channel shy, I chose to "Y"....(which I hate doing) the lower ailerons to one channel and the upper ailerons to one channel. Not as many options for fine tuning, but hey...we did it this way for years right? Oh well.. I will get to the aileron wiring tomorrow. Along with the ignition and kill switch and throttle servo. I still need to figure out where I am going to put that dude.
Last thing to mount this evening was to re-install the 3w 70 twin.
At this rate of progress, it is feasibly possible to have this girl ready to blast off when the snow is finally done coming down and the rain drys up. Then again, with the abnormal winter weather we have had, that could be like sometime late Aug. or Sept. Just in time for the year to be over and the winter to set in again. UGH!!!! Did I mention how much I absolutely hate snow?
More tomorrow everyone.
