Originally Posted by BJ64

Good build day today Jindi.

How you gettin on with the F-111 sloapie?

BJ

Went to Rally Calder last couple of days, must have slept wrong Thursday night, because I woke up with a spasming neck muscle Friday. Put up with it out a Calder, but it has been giving me grief today. So, while I didn't get any building done per-say, I have been doing some planning and working out my next steps.

First off, need to get the brass tube and carbon rod for the elevators, need to glue the foam engine pods onto the sides of the fuselage and drill holes for the elevator controls.

I have to skin the wing cores, this is the bit that I am most worried about and am trying to put off as long as possible. I haven't got the finances to set up to vacuum bag the wings to get the skins on nice and tight, but at the same time I don't want to risk stuffing them up by not getting enough weight on them while the glue is curing. Also trying to decide if it is worth/necessary to add some strengthening to the wings before I put the skins on, the plans don't call for anything, but that doesn't mean its not going to help.

Still have to fit out the fuselage for the radio gear and wing attachments. I am making the cockpit and top of the fuselage between the cockpit and wing removable to allow access to the radio gear. I wanted to be sure that i had plenty of access to allow moving stuff around for CG, but also to allow me to add ballast if needed for higher winds.

Thats the main stuff, after that it is mostly cosmetic and fitting the radio gear. Was thinking I might glass the wings, foam and underside of the fuselage, but nothing is set in stone yet, sort of working it out as I go along.

Chris

Nice to see your're sitll giving it a red-hot go.

And even more nice to see that you have got the 'butt ugly' snout of the Pig sorted.

Top job - keep the build pics comming...

BJ

Originally Posted by Jindivik

Went to Rally Calder last couple of days, must have slept wrong Thursday night, because I woke up with a spasming neck muscle Friday. Put up with it out a Calder, but it has been giving me grief today. So, while I didn't get any building done per-say, I have been doing some planning and working out my next steps. Chris

I didn't realize you were a fan of rallying Chris. If you're not doing anything next weekend you should come up here, the Begonia Rally is on which is the first round of both the Victorian Rally Championship and the Victorian Club Rally Series. I'm navigating for former Australian Rally Championship (1600 class) winning driver Ross Stapleton in his Nissan 200SX (turbocharged and rwd, this will be fun ). The bulk of the rally will be in the Ballan, Newbury, Blackwood and Greendale area and there are plenty of spectator points dotted around the place. The first stage is a lap around our car clubs track out at the Ballarat airport which is great for spectators.

Originally Posted by Frenche

I didn't realize you were a fan of rallying Chris. If you're not doing anything next weekend you should come up here, the Begonia Rally is on which is the first round of both the Victorian Rally Championship and the Victorian Club Rally Series. I'm navigating for former Australian Rally Championship (1600 class) winning driver Ross Stapleton in his Nissan 200SX (turbocharged and rwd, this will be fun ). The bulk of the rally will be in the Ballan, Newbury, Blackwood and Greendale area and there are plenty of spectator points dotted around the place. The first stage is a lap around our car clubs track out at the Ballarat airport which is great for spectators.

Scott Pedder has a photo of him plowing a bit of dirt just near the old drag strip at Ballarat Airport hanging in his office that I took many years ago at the Begonia Rally. That was the year he won the VRC and the year before the Pedders team made the step up to the ARC. Unfortunately I wont be able to get up to Ballarat this coming as I have a ton to do here that I haven't been able to do for a couple of weeks, plus I am going to the F1 GP for four days the week after, so probably should spend some time with the wife and kids.

Will you be doing any of the other VRC rounds? My brother, some friends and I usually try to get to one or two rounds if we can.

Yep that pic of Pedder must be on our track as it's right next to the old drag strip. I went down to rally victoria a few years ago for the test day and the stage we were running was for the Pedder boys. You couldn't ask for nicer blokes, they let me look all over their car and did everything we asked them to with a smile, they were even a fan of our bbq lol. You're going to the F1 for 4 day!?!?! Lucky little lol.

I'm not sure if I'll be doing anymore rounds, I think I'm just kinda filling in for his normal navigator this weekend as he is driving this weekend but if he likes my work I might get another ride. Keep your eye out for a Subaru blue Ford Mk2 Escort with Bruthen Bakery signage on it at any rounds you go to, it's got a bored out Nissan FJ20 motor (now 2.2 liters) putting out somewhere near 250hp and revving to about 9000rpm. That was the previous car I was in for a state round and is an absolute weapon! We were doing over 200 between the trees at one point and had it airborne several times, got a trophy from that event, gotta love winning ya class .

Went to xtreme hobbies on the weekend for their grand opening sale and had to ask for the update on the F-111. There was just a sign of OMG, I could tell that there have been a few delays in this bird so fingers crossed its ironing out all the bugs within the flight envelope and making it better. New shop is good as you can actually walk around without bumping into the shelves.

Shane

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Shane

Originally Posted by shanesmadhouse

Went to xtreme hobbies on the weekend for their grand opening sale and had to ask for the update on the F-111. There was just a sign of OMG, I could tell that there have been a few delays in this bird so fingers crossed its ironing out all the bugs within the flight envelope and making it better. New shop is good as you can actually walk around without bumping into the shelves.

Shane

Thanks for the update, Shane.

Counting the days until I get a lil AusPost note in my mailbox

BJ

BJ, you know that once you have it there will be a lot of others ever so desperately waiting for your first flight report? I will be one of them for sure. Then just have to save the pennies till I can call a pig my own.

Shane

That's if the ever pull their finger out and finally release it, Shane

Ordered and paid for mine something like August (?) last year...

BJ

We shall all wait and see. Make sure you let us all know when the postie arrives then I am sure we all want photos straight away.
Shane

Will do

BJ

Say....Jindi...

How you getting on with that build, mate?

BJ

Originally Posted by BJ64

Say....Jindi...

How you getting on with that build, mate?

BJ

Well, see, the thing is..........

It has actually been at a stand still, work and family have been the focus lately. Will get back to it, just not sure when yet.

Chris

went out to the shed yesterday afternoon as I had been putting off doing the wing skins for a bit too long.

Have got the skins on one wing so far, but am a bit concerned that I may have spread the glue a bit too thin in some spots. I am using the Sika brand PU and it seems to have worked pretty well, but a few spots on the leading edge haven't held properly which I can fix up easily but what concerns me is if there are any spots in the middle of the wing where it hasn't stuck properly. Is there an easy way to spot if it hasn't stuck down properly?

Got to start planning the cockpit too, as that is a job I can do some of in the house.

Chris