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Swift S1 - 2.88m


Phil.Taylor

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Phil.Taylor

In case you are wondering what us "Swifters" are on about here - its how to make sure the tail & elevator linkage is easily removable for transport

Further ideas welcome!

Phil.

Swift_rudder_tail.thumb.jpg.3d15dc4c056dSwift_fus_end.thumb.jpg.69e5f34557c6c0ee

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Of course with my Graecalis I was way more brutal - I just sawed the last bit of tail off!  It's the last thing you would notice in flight really..

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Phil.Taylor

After a couple of hours trying things out - I now understand the problem better - and why Andy was talking about removing the rudder!  - you cant lift up the tail to get to the elevator horn connection, and theres not enough elevator throw available to lift the horn above the fus.

I'm liking Chris' simple solution of disconnecting the linkage at the servo, so the tail can slide back a couple of inches, enough to disconnect the elevator - on my setup wouldn't need to completely remove the linkage from the fus

I'm also considering an F3F type solution - cutting off the top half off the end of the fus under the elevator to create a removable "tail cone" like on the F3F planes - would then have full easy access to the elevator horn - just tape the removable part on with Diamond tape.

Andy's ball-joint idea is elegant, but getting a support into exactly the right place is not going to be easy at all, and I haven't got any suitable ball joints & wire here - would have to go on another raid of "308 Models"

Phil.

Edited by Phil.Taylor
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isoaritfirst

Simple option that isn't especially elegant, in fact it isn't elegant at all - but would be very easy to live with;

 

fix an L bend onto end of push rod two thirds of the width of the fuselage at this point.

Drop the tailplane ito place and slide the horn over the L bend before screwing it down.

Fix the elevator horn off centre to improve.

If everything is positioned correctly the L once in place wont be able to dislodge as fuselage side would be in the way.

Consideration would need to be made to push rod twist. it would need to be fixed to ensure that it cant otherwise mounting would be much harder.

 

re reading Andy's post I didn't understand it first time.thats the better option. Some of the scale buffs make elevator horns that are slotted to drop over an actuater. End the  push rod with a cradle affair that puts a cross bar across the back of the fuselage, drop slotted horn over the bar and screw down tailplane. A complete assy could be made from epoxy board and fixed to end of push rod before pushing into place and fixing. 

Edited by isoaritfirst
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Phil.Taylor

Its alive !

Elevator pushrod built & connected - elevator wiggling happily & elevator throws set - major milestone. In the end I've gone for Chris' disconnect the servo option - thanks Chris, I wouldn't have though of that one! Getting the tail off is 2 secs to disconnect the servo clevis, then unbolt the tail, slide the tail back 30mm & the elevator clevis is then easy to access & disconnect. Pushrod stays in the fus - front end is still above the servo tray - reconnect to servo clevis for storage. I've used the supplied gf board elevator horn, and the 3mm clevises, which were intended to go on supplied glassfibre snakes - didnt like that idea so I'm using carbon tube pushrods - nice stiff 8mm wide one for the elevator.

On to the rudder & fin post?- or beer? - hard decision...

Phil.

Swift_ele_linked.thumb.jpg.2269f3935f01e

Swift_tail_slideback.thumb.jpg.3c6919defSwift_ele_servo.thumb.jpg.6f7f46f583ea49

 

Edited by Phil.Taylor
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Phil.Taylor

The beer(s) won

So today its on the the fin & rudder. Rudder linkage made up - carbon tube, wire end with 2x angles to clear the wing joiner tubes & line up with the rudder - not 100% stiff because of the angles - snake would actually have been better - may get replaced at some future date (or not). Slot cut for rudder clevis & more tweaking of the pushrod angles. Fin post cut, shaped, epoxied in with lots of masking tape to keep it all tidy - all nice & solid on the back end now.

Swift_fin_post.thumb.jpg.e3d4b9e7ee7ceec

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Phil.Taylor

Fin post profilmed, rudder fitted, connected up, centred & throws set, all wiggling nicely & looking rather Swift like !

Rudder linkage is F3F-inspired - brass horn, clevis in a slot which might get a fairing over it if I can find something suitable. Did I say that I hate fitting hinges? - they always get stuck up & it take ages to free them. So this time I added a bit of grease(*) along the hinge line - worked a treat, no stuck hinges. Happy to use the hinges supplied - big chunky things. Not happy with the bendy rudder linkage, not stiff to prevent blowback at speed - will have wait to until after the first flights. Minor design glitch under the fin - needed a cutout to clear the tail bolt.

So that's it for RC gear in the fus - aerotow release will have to wait until theres a likelihood of needing an aerotow somewhere.

(* - heavy duty moisturiser - only suitable thing in the flat)

Swift_fin.thumb.jpg.36ccb5c1925d5a38e4afSwift_fin_connected.thumb.jpg.40f5ef819a

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Phil.Taylor

Next up - the canopy - not looking forward to this, lots of scope for going wrong - don't have to do these on an F3F plane.

I foresee scissors & grey paint in the near future...

Swift_canopy_1.thumb.jpg.3eda0c67b64e10b

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Phil.Taylor

Canopy & canopy tray cut & trimmed to size - markings for the tray were not too bad, but checked the canopy markings & not good so did my own. Sprayed the tray with grey primer & while that's drying...

Added a hardwood anti-crush brace between the wing roots - with the added carbon thats all pretty solid & will hopefully survive the inevitable slope "landings". Wing joiner tubes came already fitted, with generous fillets of what looks like glass/epoxy mix - also already had some carbon around the wing roots.

Swift_anticrush.thumb.jpg.5faadcdd1b566b

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I think a neat radio install and some bling is far better than a choddy cockpit.  Cockpits and dolls are for girls ;)

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Phil.Taylor

I think a neat radio install and some bling is far better than a choddy cockpit.  Cockpits and dolls are for girls ;)

Yep - wont be any dolls in this one !

Phil.

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isoaritfirst

I think a neat radio install and some bling is far better than a choddy cockpit.  Cockpits and dolls are for girls ;)

I think Bling is for cissy's. :P

Keep it RAW..

 

 

 

 

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Phil.Taylor

Canopy all done - nice & shiny now the protective film is off - registration added. So that's the fuselage & tail all "ready to fly" - just needs some wings now...

Canopy fixed to the tray with double sided tape, then Diamond tape round the edges, then trimmed up with white electrical tape cos it streeeeetches around the ends in one piece. Minimal instrumentation - altimeter, airspeed, vario - cut-it-out stickers with the kit, and a fun aerobatics sequence for the non-pilot to follow - must learn to fly this routine. Theres a nice canopy latch to fit, but this can wait - Diamond tape will be fine for the first flights (and probably the rest too)

The registration was cut for me by ebay seller "Woozinator" - comes complete on a backing sheet so really easy to apply - I've used him before for other stuff - recommended. G-SWFT - non-scale but had to be done !

I'm well pleased with how its turned out so far - comments welcomed !

Phil.

Swift_fus_done_1.thumb.jpg.aae8441a9f798Swift_fus_done_2.thumb.jpg.ea9e9b4573ba7Swift_instruments.thumb.jpg.fedbc0c8d860

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Phil.Taylor

I can't see any point in making a scale model then making it look very non scale by omitting a pilot.

I can !

we're serious flyers here, we're not playing with toys & dolls :)

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I can't see any point in making a scale model then making it look very non scale by omitting a pilot.

To me its a model scale or not and I like it for that. I personally don't like dolls in the front but the great thing is, we all build for our own satisfaction.

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You hit the nail on the head when you said 'personally'.  We all built whatever floats our boat but a bit of forum banter is always a laugh. :-) 

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Phil.Taylor

Never mind the debate about a scale pilot

What about the colour scheme? - should a scale glider be:

a. accurate scale scheme & markings

b. plausibly scale - looks like it might be scale(ish)

c. anything goes

I'm debating between b & c for this Swift

Phil.

 

Edited by Phil.Taylor
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