Stearman build

The 3D printed engine I have is the Continental R-670 as used in the Boeing Stearman PT-17. Just for fun, I've printed the bell housing to see what it looks like, to be honest I'm impressed by the detail. There's a ring of hex headed bolts, the only thing missing is the lockwire on the bolt heads. Spooky!

Brian wrote: I've printed the bell housing to see what it looks like, to be honest I'm impressed by the detail. There's a ring of hex headed bolts, the only thing missing is the lockwire on the bolt heads. Spooky!

That's awful, :ohmy: no locking wire. They will come loose guaranteed. :lol:

Phil Ford wrote:

Brian wrote: I've printed the bell housing to see what it looks like, to be honest I'm impressed by the detail. There's a ring of hex headed bolts, the only thing missing is the lockwire on the bolt heads. Spooky!

That's awful, :ohmy: no locking wire. They will come loose guaranteed. :lol:

I agree this is the standard we expect.

Yeah, but that's a real one ennit.

With lockdown imminent, its time to continue the Stearman. this link is where i got to with the Cabane struts

wimbornemac.org/forum/kits-and-scratch-b...arman-build?start=10

Now i need to rig the structure and establish the correct brace measurements and the logical method would be to base it on full-size practice which uses jacks, spirt levels, plumb blobs, chalk. and a tape measure. Ive adjusted the fwd roll wires to centralise the cabane and the temporary fore

Must have built to a reasonable accuracy because the alternate handed fore & aft test brace wires measure within 2mm

The kit has no provision for fuz servos so built this box structure for the tail servos. Still not easy working inside this structure but at least in its virgin state you can ensure a clean direct run. I glued some drinking straws to the rear fuselage longerons to make pull pull wire guides then capped them in balsa to provide a base for the covering.

A lot easier when you can see where your hands at. Especially at the glueing moment.

Today i fabricated the tail wheel assembly. Ive shrunk the fun-size drawings to 23% scale to obtain the basic shape which were cut out and stuck to some thin stainless sheet x 2. Then beat the metal to create convex / concave profiles. The two halves were silver soldered to form a rigid section
Final pic of finished unit compared with full size drawing. I'm shying away from a sprung assembly.

No prizes for guessing yesterdays error - I cut the tailwheel fairing way way out. Fortunately i was able to resecure the sections with glass cloth & cyan.

Not much room for error where the rudder swings around this fairing.