Ohh not again! Two days, two crashes, same plane!! Tail Dancer suffers again!

[Hogster]

This new plane of mine has a magnetic attraction to the ground! :o

Having just repaired the motor mount this afternoon in this thread:

http://rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2595394

I went and annihilated it this evening! :( .... and a lot more of the front end of the plane too! :eek:

http://hogster.rchomepage.com/dancer/second_crash_1.jpg

http://hogster.rchomepage.com/dancer/second_crash_2.jpg

Bah humbug! Oh well, I suppose it's time I learnt how to mend bad damage on balsa planes! :rolleyes: Now where shall I start ....... :o

[ashdec87]

Sorry to hear about your plane..........again. :)

damage doesnt look too bad.

[Hogster]

Sorry to hear about your plane..........again. :)
:D Hehe! I hope this doesn't become too regular an occurence! :rolleyes:

damage doesnt look too bad.
You're absolutely right. It looked a bit of a mess to start with, but as soon as I removed the SolarFilm, it was already looking much better! :p Should be repaired by the end of the evening.

I think the cause of the crash was pilot error yet again. I had been flying a mean and punishing routine with my Tiny, and I just hadn't gotten out of the aerobatic mood ... I think I was pushing the Tail Dancer a little too much. It wasn't a glitch this time, but more a gust of wind. I was doing a low pass across the wind when a gust made me lose control .... I overcompensated yet again and put the plane in myself! :o

I'll be posting step by step piccies of how I repaired it. :)

[Hogster]

Step by step as promised!

Firstly I stripped off the SolarFilm to reveal this:

http://hogster.rchomepage.com/dancer/second_crash_repair_1.jpg


I then cut and filed off the protruding parts of the side walls at the front of the fuselage:

http://hogster.rchomepage.com/dancer/second_crash_repair_2.jpg


To replace the two vertical sides of the fuselage at the front, I simply glued two new pieces of balsa in place with CA.

http://hogster.rchomepage.com/dancer/second_crash_repair_3.jpg


I could have then cut out a new firewall using the plans as guidance, but it was much quicker just to rest the front of the fuselage on a piece of 1/8" balsa, and trace round it! Traced it, cut round it, glued it, sanded it!

http://hogster.rchomepage.com/dancer/second_crash_repair_4.jpg


Next I drilled the hole for the shaft and stator-mount to poke through, as well as cutting a slot for the wires and making the holes for the motor-securing screws.

http://hogster.rchomepage.com/dancer/second_crash_repair_5.jpg


I then recovered the whole front section with more white SolarFilm.

http://hogster.rchomepage.com/dancer/second_crash_repair_6.jpg


Nearly done! I then screwed the motor back in position (having bent the copper support back into shape!) using my special CA and screw method described in post 4 of this thread (http://rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=271636). I also gave the paint a quick touch up at this point.

http://hogster.rchomepage.com/dancer/second_crash_repair_7.jpg


Finally, I mounted a little balsa shelf at the front-top of the fuselage, to which I stuck some furry Velcro (the lid has prickly Velcro on it).

All done! :D

http://hogster.rchomepage.com/dancer/second_crash_repair_8.jpg


I'll try to be a bit more gentle with her on the next flights! :) :rolleyes:

[ashdec87]

WOW, that was a very nice fix!!! Now please try not to crash it........again!! :)

Ash

[Hogster]

Thanks!

Now please try not to crash it........again!!
:D I'll try mate, I'll try!

[Ron H]

Excellent repair! Since you can fix it that quick, crash all you want!

[Viper Pilot]

Hogster,

We now see why you were so consistent about starting this Forum.

:p :p :p

But, seriously, a great repair job. Anyone who can re-kit like you must have great patching abilities!!!

Let us know how it flies.

Viper

[Hogster]

We now see why you were so consistent about starting this Forum.
Lol! :D Hopefully I won't have too many other crashes to contribute! :rolleyes:

But, seriously, a great repair job. Anyone who can re-kit like you must have great patching abilities!!!
Thanks! It's interesting actually, as I really enjoyed repairing it! The joy I got from rebuilding the plane is similar to the joy I got from actually building the plane in the first place! :)

[JDCochran]

...The joy I got from rebuilding the plane is similar to the joy I got from actually building the plane in the first place! :)

You (and I, and many others) suffer from the Kraft Cheeze and Macaroni syndrome: we enjoy making it just as much as "eating" it.

:D

-- JDC