Week 61 - 21 Januaray 2004

I didn't get the rudder controls built this week.  So we started the night by cutting holes under the horizontal for the elevator controls so the servo could be placed  forward of the tail section..  Our original plan was to mount the tail servos inside the side crew door.  But after talking to Randy Linderman  over the week-end we have decided to move the tail servos further forward  to right behind the wing.  Randy Linderman has already build a B17 and his was soo tail heavy that 7 pounds of lead was needed to balance it.

We moved on forward to the navigator station and cut in the side windows, overhead window, and his rear facing gun window.  The gun window needed a balsa frame work.  Our decision was to form a foam block and sheet the foam with balsa.  Next week we will cutout most of the foam to create the opening for the window.  But for tonight this allowed us go get our "lines right".

--
Gary Himes
 

Week 62 - 28 Januaray 2004

Tonight's work actually started last Saturday.  Gary had found some heavy wall tubing and took it to Larry Johnson of Action Arms Inc. to be machined down to thin wall tubing.  Thin wall tubing of the correct inner diameter could not be found so Larry volunteered his services on a metal lathe.  Thank You very much Larry!

Today after work the metal parts were delivered to Rick and he brazed them together.  Now we were ready for tonight's work!

The control rod was cut to approximate length, then fitted into the bottom of the rudder.  Once we were happy with the fit, the top portion of the control was permanently mounted to the rudder.  Necessary oval hole was cut into the fuse at the bottom of the rudder.  A delrin support bracket was made to support the bottom portion of the control assembly.

Meanwhile up at the navigator's gun window work was being done.  The window was cut to shape and transferred to the fuse.  The wood and foam were removed as necessary then 1/32" balsa was used to "line" the inside surface and cover the remaining foam.

Attention was now totally given back to the rudder controls.  After much active discussion the decision not to decide was made.  We are confused whether to run the rudder pull pull cables low in the fuse or higher with the elevator push rods.  We will decide next week after we make up elevator push rods and install them.  We are running one servo for each elevator and one for the rudder.  We did decide to move the servo locations all the way forward to at least the rear of the wing area.  We then called it a night.

--
Gary Himes
 

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