hi there from Toledo

Hey Wingloada

I applaud your efforts and creativity, especially as a first effort, wow. And if it is not perfect, so what, any good builder can "adjust and fit as necessary". Back in the day of die cut (aka die smash) kits, parts replacement and fitting were the norm not the exception. Well done and please do update the tail feathers to the HH profiles, I would.

Weak spots:

The typical weak spot on woodie fuselages is directly in front of the Vstab. Most designers use 1/64 ply fuselage side doublers in that area, typically from the rudder hinge line to 6" forward of the Vstab LE. It weighs little and really helps.

You might also consider making the nose doubler extend from the nose to the wing TE including the wing mount reinforcement in 1/32 ply. Then add a smaller wing reinforcement plate in the area of the mounting hole and a fuselage former to support and stabilizes the wing rod.


ciao -rjf

Originally Posted by solo6796

Well, I have the second HH built, and it still flys.

I can't believe there is not another Condor Fuselage mold somewhere in the world...

AJ

Couldn't a new mold be made off of an existing fuselage? I'm not really up on the whole fibreglass thing but I believe the correct term is splashed.

Thanks, Ray. I have incorporated your suggestion about the tail reinforcement. That way if someone wanted to keep it woodie rules legal and not use CF strips, the tail area is a bit stronger. I also incorporated the extended nose doubler to under the wing. I appreciate your time and help. If I get time today, I'll draw up the HH tail.

Bill

A per Ray's request, here is the fuselage with the Houston Hawk vertical tail.

** It came to my attention after drawing up the fuselage and posting for suggestions here that it looked quite a lot like the Genie. I hadn't known of that plane before that comment (I was away from the hobby for over 20 years) but I see it is true. As such, I have taken down that version and replaced it with one that is not so Genie-like. It can be found in a later post in this thread.

hi there from Toledo

Good job, Bill. The drop nose fuselage looks great.

One rule that I have been hammered on over the years is "use a consistent font size" on your CAD drawings. Yeah, I know, fussy but if you ask an engineer for help, then you get all sorts of help. sorry. BTB, you have two overlapping notes back by the Vstab.

ciao -rjf

Thanks for the help, Ray.


** It came to my attention after drawing up the fuselage and posting for suggestions here that it looked quite a lot like the Genie. I hadn't known of that plane before that comment (I was away from the hobby for over 20 years) but I see it is true. As such, I have taken down that version and replaced it with one that is not so Genie-like. It can be found in a later post in this thread.

If anyone is interested, I was experimenting over the weekend with a shoulder-mount wing version and as a result I have scaled and modified the drop-nose fuselage to work with the Bantam. I am thinking of making a wood-fuse Bantam as a first go at the fuselage prototype.

Bill

One more variant from the weekend. This is a rough sketch of a straight backed, less dropped nose approach.

http://wkleinsasser.net/download/Str...H_fin_Fuse.pdf

**This was developed into the version that is posted later as a replacement to the earlier design.

B

Ok, ya got me, ordered plans and short kit from Mountain Models...asked about the wood fuse plan...not avail yet....

My fuselage prototype design is not part of the official Houston Hawk or its potential and current kitting (see earlier thread posts here). These are design prototypes so I have not yet built, flown, tested them. I posted them to ask for help with the design to make it strong, light, elegant, etc. Right now they are only ideas in the form of drawings.

I hope that has not muddied those waters (or clouded those skies?).

Bill

No, I understand, I read in an old post one could also order a set of Sagitta plans and use that fuse....I like the nose on your current drawings....it would get a lot of positive comments, esp when you tell them its a wood fuse....

I have worked up a laser cutting dwg file and there are places like National Balsa who do custom one-off laser cutting. They have quoted me about $55 for the wood/cuts and about $15 for shipping. I think I will make the order and build the prototype HH drop nose and see how it flies. It will take a while since I have less time than I used to but that's my plan now. I think I'll give the drawings another week or so to raise comments and suggested changes then it's off to the laser cutter. I already have the HH plan set so I need to also order a short kit of the wood parts, sheets, sticks, etc. I'm really looking forward to building it. I just completed an Allegro Lite (electric) and that was a blast to build. Still needs to have its first flight. Soon, I hope. The wood-fuse HH, while larger, should be a quicker build.

If anyone has any constructive (or construction) criticism regarding the fuse plan, there's no time like the present to drop me a note.

Bill

Originally Posted by solo6796

Well, I have the second HH built, and it still flys.

I can't believe there is not another Condor Fuselage mold somewhere in the world...

AJ

Well, there is the extended Condor fuselage available from Possum Works. I have one and so does Jack. There is a mention of it here: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...um+work&page=2

hi there from Toledo

The design with the not so droopy front end in post #233 is the best so far. It has truly classic lines and screams "TLAR".

It could easily be realized as a total woodie or as a pod and boomer. The slim profile is really appealing. This is the variant I think you should build and test with a set of HH wings and tail feathers and if you don't, I just might have to.

Alternatively it would not be too hard to build several or all the variants as pods with a removeable boom and tail feathers and then try them all. To make the boom and tail feathers assembly interchangeable would be fairly easy. Hmmm

If you overlay all the variants in cad and sculpt them so the boom assembly matches up nicely ... again Hmmm.

ciao -rjf

Thanks for the comments and ideas, Ray. I like the last one too. I'll fill out the drawing of the third design asap and post it here. It shouldn't take too long.

Bill