I'm closing in on the end of the build for my Pitcairn PCA-2 Autogiro.
The paint is all done and I'm now working on the "advertising" decals.
Since the PCA-2 was commonly used as an advertising platform, sort of like today's blimp. I decided to not try to recreate a historical one because, well, everyone else already has
So I made up a ficticious company called Red Ring Oil Seals or Red Reing Seal for short. I created an old timey looking animal logo from some clipart I found. As well as other markings.
Best thing is, I cut all these out of oracal vinyl at home! It's amazingly fast and easy, way too much fun
I used a Silhouette Cameo "Craft cutter" and boutgh several small rolls of oracal on line in various common colors. The software works great, simple and easy to use. I autotraces the graphics I made in photoshop using the cutter app. Text was done entirely in the cutter app.
Bets part is, if I decide to chage the size of somthing or ever need to make more to replace damaged ones it just takes a few seconds to do so
The paint is all done and I'm now working on the "advertising" decals.
Since the PCA-2 was commonly used as an advertising platform, sort of like today's blimp. I decided to not try to recreate a historical one because, well, everyone else already has
So I made up a ficticious company called Red Ring Oil Seals or Red Reing Seal for short. I created an old timey looking animal logo from some clipart I found. As well as other markings.
Best thing is, I cut all these out of oracal vinyl at home! It's amazingly fast and easy, way too much fun
I used a Silhouette Cameo "Craft cutter" and boutgh several small rolls of oracal on line in various common colors. The software works great, simple and easy to use. I autotraces the graphics I made in photoshop using the cutter app. Text was done entirely in the cutter app.Bets part is, if I decide to chage the size of somthing or ever need to make more to replace damaged ones it just takes a few seconds to do so
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Views: 156
Hinge point for the ailerons. -
Views: 156
It /seems/ like the parts for the aileron ribs were done wrong. Lots of people had this same trouble. I've watched a youtube video on how to do them right and I still couldn't figure it out :/ Anyway, I just elongated the precut ribs and the bottom balsa -
Views: 172
Underside. I didn't like how thin the plywood on the fuse was at the point where the wing dowels entered it. Plus it was kind of flat looking so I glued on an extra piece and rounded off the underside from the bezel back. -
Views: 132
Wing tip. I still need to find something to use as a light diffuser for the LEDs. The light needs to show above and below the wingtip and was teardrop shapped. Like a fishing bobble cut in half. -
Views: 137
Wing Saddle. Specifically the balsa that hugs the top of the wing there. Plans don't show any of this, but there are a lot of places you need to fill in with extra balsa in order to maintain a nice looking shape for when you cover it. -
Views: 150
Tail Feathers. Same here with the balsa on the stabs where they meet the fuse. Not shown on the plans but needs to be done to look right when covered. Tail light here also needs teardrop diffusers from somewhere. -
Views: 160
Dummy Radial. Local hobby shop just happened to have a Williams Brothers 1/6 scale wasp kit sitting around (For like the last 20 years). So I finally took it from them! It's a bit overkill, a 5 cyl would have been more realistic... -
Views: 154
I went electric so I made a motor mount that placed the prop shaft at the /exact/ centering and distance from the firewall as shown on the plans for a glow build. I was warned I had better follow the plans as close as possible here so I did.
Well second maiden actually. The first flight was a bit wonkey with an underpowered motor. Well I stuck a 130 watt motor on it and a larger prop and it flew MUCH better.
But it wasn't all rosy, the wind was up due to a storm blowing in in a day or two. This plane needs virtually still air, nothing more than a light breeze at most. This wind had the flags all the way up at times. Didn't think I was going to get to fly at all, but it died down for a bit and I went for it.
The take off was the slowest thing ever. I started rolling forward at like 0.5 mph and it just lifted off, more like floated off the ground. It flew well even in the breeze, but it really blows sideways when turning down wind and at one point almost refused to turn back UP wind when it gusted up again, that's when I decided to land after only two minutes in the air. The wind was really kicking up and I made a wild but pin-point vertical drop landing right smak center on the runway after being blown up, down, left and right.
Probably the most interesting looking takeoff and landing I've ever done In calm wind this plane should be a blast to fly around for 15-20 minutes on low throttle like a little powered kite. It looked nice in the air except for being blown around and having to fly to fast to keep good control.
Maiden video - HQ, MP4, 20Meg
Don't know how to do attachments right or links or something. Anyway, right click and "Save Target As" to save the video and watch it.
At the start there is a high pitched whine, it's not the Blerio motor it's a heli spooling up out of frame. After landing yo can see the wind start to blow the plane backwards down the runway
But it wasn't all rosy, the wind was up due to a storm blowing in in a day or two. This plane needs virtually still air, nothing more than a light breeze at most. This wind had the flags all the way up at times. Didn't think I was going to get to fly at all, but it died down for a bit and I went for it.
The take off was the slowest thing ever. I started rolling forward at like 0.5 mph and it just lifted off, more like floated off the ground. It flew well even in the breeze, but it really blows sideways when turning down wind and at one point almost refused to turn back UP wind when it gusted up again, that's when I decided to land after only two minutes in the air. The wind was really kicking up and I made a wild but pin-point vertical drop landing right smak center on the runway after being blown up, down, left and right.
Probably the most interesting looking takeoff and landing I've ever done
In calm wind this plane should be a blast to fly around for 15-20 minutes on low throttle like a little powered kite. It looked nice in the air except for being blown around and having to fly to fast to keep good control.Maiden video - HQ, MP4, 20Meg
Don't know how to do attachments right or links or something. Anyway, right click and "Save Target As" to save the video and watch it.
At the start there is a high pitched whine, it's not the Blerio motor it's a heli spooling up out of frame. After landing yo can see the wind start to blow the plane backwards down the runway
Finally got to finishing the Blerio. Just need to mount the battery to get the CG right.
I'm nervous about the AOA of the hoizontal stab as well as the wings and possible wing warpage. I spend a lot of time on the rigging and it looks ok by eye, but without any ailerons to compensate with time and the wings being such a wide chord and severe undercamber, any tiny changes in wing angle from side to side could have devistating effects that the rudder may not easily trim out.
Going to do short run hops at first on this one definately. And a lot of running too as it has no way to stearso I have to chase it after every taxi or landing
I'm nervous about the AOA of the hoizontal stab as well as the wings and possible wing warpage. I spend a lot of time on the rigging and it looks ok by eye, but without any ailerons to compensate with time and the wings being such a wide chord and severe undercamber, any tiny changes in wing angle from side to side could have devistating effects that the rudder may not easily trim out.
Going to do short run hops at first on this one definately. And a lot of running too as it has no way to stearso I have to chase it after every taxi or landing
I bought myself an E Star Models Blerio XI for xmas last year and have been lazily putting it togeather.
The kit consisted of several sheets of laser cut ply and balsa. Some rubber o rings used for the tires and a couple pieces of metal and the plans. The price of $170 was frankly a bit high, you can buy a complete arf kit this size for that and it would have come with a lot more hardware and covered!
There was also some terrible issues with miscut parts. One one sheet of ply across the main wing ribs and parts to align the wing spars (things that set the wing position, angle and dihedral!) were all badly miscut. I wasted a lot of time recreating some parts and repairing damage to a ton of others. Neither Esprit Models where I bought it from nor E Star were very responsive or not responsive at all to getting me a fixed sheet.
But the plane is coming out nice in the end, mostly having fun building it, I'm glad I got it overall. The shock absorber wheel carriages are nicely done and the little engine facade piece were nice touches.
The kit consisted of several sheets of laser cut ply and balsa. Some rubber o rings used for the tires and a couple pieces of metal and the plans. The price of $170 was frankly a bit high, you can buy a complete arf kit this size for that and it would have come with a lot more hardware and covered!
There was also some terrible issues with miscut parts. One one sheet of ply across the main wing ribs and parts to align the wing spars (things that set the wing position, angle and dihedral!) were all badly miscut. I wasted a lot of time recreating some parts and repairing damage to a ton of others. Neither Esprit Models where I bought it from nor E Star were very responsive or not responsive at all to getting me a fixed sheet.
But the plane is coming out nice in the end, mostly having fun building it, I'm glad I got it overall. The shock absorber wheel carriages are nicely done and the little engine facade piece were nice touches.
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Starting with the flying surfaces. Went togeather quickly. -
Views: 218
Much further along, the fuse is almost done, just need to mount the horizontal stab and link up the servos to the control surfaces. Then finish the wings and rig those up. -
Views: 230
Close-up of the little motor facade. I replaced the hidous square pistons that the kit would have had you make entirely and put some dowling with black wire wralled for fins on there. Probably should have added the rocker arm covers and such but the entir
