Superwing MkXII

Not being a kit builder but have previously made repairs to traditional built planes I thought I would have go at making a fuselage. This fuselage by the way is the second one because I was self learning with the first one which was okay but the hatch was crap!

I had plans for a new power wing to replace the " Di'do" but never really put my heart n soul into it. With other diversions, mods, maintenance, etc, it had gone to the back of the queue. But the recent cold snap/windy weather and the fact my back had kicked off again so I could not drive anyway. So, anyway, the JP Si wing had been laying around for a while with just the motor mounted. Rather than using gutter pipe as per the earlier versions and which attracted wide ranging descriptions.........:whistle: I decided to have a go had constructing a proper fuselage using liteply and balsa.

So, tearing open a fag packet I scribbled down a plan, transferred it to a piece of paper with some dimensions on it and then went to work with a jigsaw, hole saw and a sharp knife. Previously, well months ago, before sticking the wing together I had made a profile template of the wing root plus 25mm towards tip as a guide for the cutting of the wing saddle in the fuselage.

The fuselage sides are liteply with 4 formers. These formers have 40mm holes bored out. Nose was made from 40mm balsa block. Hatch was created using tow formers (F2a and F3a) which were identical to F2 and F3. The hatch formers were slid in alongside their counterparts when the fuselage was skinned and then the hatch was cut out.

The wing had locating tabs fitted and these would have 3mm captured nuts to secure the fuselage to the wing.
The hatch was originally to have some air flow slots but I thought maybe the air may just go straight past so I cut up some servo covers and stuck them in the slots to capture passing air to help cool ESC and motor.

Fuselage has been covered and mounted on to the wing. ESC installed and motor direction confirmed.

Phil confessed that

Not being a kit builder but have previously made repairs to traditional built planes I thought I would have go at making a fuselage.

What he didn't mention was that, last Friday, he very kindly came along to help some scouts put their BMFA Darts together and ended up learning a bit for himself too. I'm sure that he was inspired to tackle this fuselage project by the three lady scouts who made putting their Darts together look a positive piece of cake. They even read the instructions, a process to which some of us are probably strangers as we already know it all.
In this case, Phil deserves a special mention this being not only his first new build but also his own design. Tomorrow the World.

Well done Phil, all it takes is a bit of imagination and enthusiasm. look forward to seeing the first flight.

Phil - Sorry to read of your back problem, was it all that bending Friday evening.
Nice job on the wing - look forward to some Powered Zagi formation flying at Cashmoor.
Colin

4Pedalsfly wrote: Phil - Sorry to read of your back problem, was it all that bending Friday evening.
Colin

No it wasn't. It was Sunday at Cashmoor. Instead of putting the planes on the table or such like, I bent right over to fit the wings. It did not hit me until I was driving home. My own fault.

Brian wrote: Well done Phil, all it takes is a bit of imagination and enthusiasm. look forward to seeing the first flight.

Imagination, Yes.Brian. But actually creating it is something else.

Have come to a standstill though. I need some 4 mm correx preferably white to make the vertical fins. Or I make them out of 3/16 balsa but the latter would not be so crash resistant...