DH Venom

Dave has given me the task of finishing the model and radio and turbine installation.
First problem is the previous owner has glued the rudders in a fixed position using 3mm steel pins and epoxy. Hmmm how to free these up without trashing the fins and rudders, after some grey matter scratching i decided to heat the areas around the pins with a heat gun hot enough to soften the epoxy but not burn the paint
After 5 mins of heating and wiggling the rudders were free with no damage :woohoo:
I was intending to cut hatches in the fins and using 9mm thick mini servos, but the fins and booms are very thin fibreglass and it would have weakened them too much. I am now going to cut hatches in the bottom of the booms and fit the servos there which will drive the rudders via rods glued into them, will post some pics later to show the set up.
Problem no 2 is going to be getting the c of g without stripping my local church roof for the lead.
As with David's vampire it has a short nose with the turbine fixed in a very rearward position, but i have a pair of heavy 5000mah/30c Lipos and with the turbine Lipo and uat shoved up the nose im hoping it won't be far out. I'm also going to make and fit a ply plate to fit under the canopy for the radio, valves and turbine pump.

Excited! Thanks Pete...look forward to updates

Rudders with 3/16 Dubro hinges ready for glue.
Marked out the booms and cut away with fine tooth razor saw, jr D's 181 super slim servo fitted ready for the pushrod

Jumped straight into it then Pete....... I am always very cautious with a razor saw, not following the lines I have previously accurately drawn and then, :oops:

When it is finished I just hope it doesn't get taxied around and then parked up like the Hawk

Elevator servos in and hooked up.As the model had fixed rudders before ,no provision had been made for the servo wires hmmmm how do I get over this.
I glued a 6mm hss bit to a length of 6mm dowel and put it in the bit of my battery drill and on slow speed starting from the rear drilling through the lite ply boom formers.About 250mm from the end I came up against a 9mm ply former so I had to cut a hatch and with a flat bit drill a hole through the former and with a draw wire I could get the wire through and do the same on the other boom.The piece I cut out has been glued back in and I will fill and respray the area.

Had a good day on the venom.Fuel tanks and air tanks in,turbine rails and turbine in,made up a new former for the tail pipe and made up and fitted the tail cone.