Mark P Posted August 5, 2018 Share Posted August 5, 2018 I am currently making some aerobatic models. Greg Dakin kindly supplied me with a French aerobatic model called a Sonic. The fuselage is excellent but unfortunately the wings leave a little to be desired so I decided to make my own wings and tailplanes using a different wing section. As the original plane is the Sonic I thought I would call the updated version the Hedgehog. Things are progressing well so I thought I would share a few build pictures to show how we used to make planes in the good old days before mouldies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark P Posted August 5, 2018 Author Share Posted August 5, 2018 Did the tailplanes earlier in the week. They came out at 14g each Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark P Posted August 5, 2018 Author Share Posted August 5, 2018 Templates are home made from good old fashioned 1/16 birch ply. Supergluing the edges means they can be polished up to a hard smooth finish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark P Posted August 5, 2018 Author Share Posted August 5, 2018 First wing out of the press. Good torsional rigidity. Weight is 145g. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wookman Posted August 5, 2018 Share Posted August 5, 2018 Nice work Mark. Hopefully your HQA section is not too far from SV96. Sonic was all about light, low and slow. Your work is impressively light. Is that where you are going with this one or are you planning a more sky eating kind of performance from your Hedgehog variant? One thing for sure you are guaranteed a great looking plane. Keep us posted as you progress with the build. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark P Posted August 6, 2018 Author Share Posted August 6, 2018 Looking to build a model that will fly aerobatics in light air but not with as much emphasis on low and slow as the VTPR models. Not looking for sky eating performance with this one. Airfoil is slightly lower camber and thinner than the SB96 so should have slightly better inverted performance and be a bit more slippery at the expense of some lift in positive flight. Keeping the plane as light as possible to compensate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark P Posted August 6, 2018 Author Share Posted August 6, 2018 2nd wing out of the press - this one weighs 146g. Pretty damn close to the firs one. Also made a foam balsa/rudder/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wookman Posted August 6, 2018 Share Posted August 6, 2018 1 gram in 145/6 is impressive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTR Posted August 8, 2018 Share Posted August 8, 2018 Hi Mark, Did you use epoxy to get the stiffness? What type of foam and what is the thickness of the balsa? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_B Posted August 8, 2018 Share Posted August 8, 2018 OK if I drop Gregs Le Mande fuz off to you at the English open ..? assuming hes ok with tHAT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark P Posted August 8, 2018 Author Share Posted August 8, 2018 15 hours ago, Andy_B said: OK if I drop Gregs Le Mande fuz off to you at the English open ..? assuming hes ok with tHAT No problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark P Posted August 8, 2018 Author Share Posted August 8, 2018 15 hours ago, CTR said: Hi Mark, Did you use epoxy to get the stiffness? What type of foam and what is the thickness of the balsa? Epoxy Laminating Resin from Bucks Composites. Balsa is 0.8mm thick with 49g glass cloth at 45 degree bias and an extra layer at the root, Foam is the type that Builders Merchants sell for flooring - under screeds etc. Got mine from my local Jewson. As the balsa is only 0.8mm I will also be skinning the wings with 49g cloth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark P Posted August 10, 2018 Author Share Posted August 10, 2018 Steady progress to date. Tailplanes are nearing completion. Joiner boxes made for the wings together with some shaped wingtips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark P Posted August 11, 2018 Author Share Posted August 11, 2018 Tailplane shaping finished. Quite pleased although I say so myself. Wings trimmed and ready to be joined. Didn't get as much done as I had hoped - been out setting up my new Freestyler ready for the English Open next weekend. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gromit Posted August 11, 2018 Share Posted August 11, 2018 Following with interest Mark, nice work . Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark P Posted August 12, 2018 Author Share Posted August 12, 2018 No flying today so back in the workshop for some more work on the Sonic before Greg's Redshifts arrive for fitting out. Time to get the wing joiners in starting with the main carbon joiner. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oipigface Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 Can you give a few more details of the construction of your joiner boxes, please, Mark? Looks like the joiner itself is 10mm CF rod, but what else is in the box? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark P Posted August 12, 2018 Author Share Posted August 12, 2018 Joiners are 9mm CF rod. Box is 1.5mm birch ply sides with 10mm square spruce either side of K&S 10mm brass tube, CF rod from Hyperflight, brass tube from Ebay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark P Posted August 12, 2018 Author Share Posted August 12, 2018 Front and rear boxes installed. 5mm CF joiners. ply boxes with 6mm pine strip from B&Q. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark P Posted August 12, 2018 Author Share Posted August 12, 2018 Aileron wires fitted and leading edges glued. Fresh blade in the razor plane and then some serious carving next time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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