Greyhead

I quite agree with your comments on “perfection”, in fact I deliberately introduce the odd scratch and / or dent on my models but what’s happened here is that I let the heat work too much on the covering whilst shrinking the edge tape. Luckily the TE is fairly wide so there’s still enough contact to hold the covering and it will eventually be covered.

Greyhead

When finishing the fin / rudder assembly I turned up the heat on the iron to shrink the edge tape around the curves, with the covering only attached to the 1/16th edge of the rudder I couldn’t afford any shrink back as happened on the fin. The litho plate shroud conveniently covers that fault and really finishes it off; the hinges and incidence adjuster now look the part.



Incidentally the tapes on the rudder are in fact parallel, for some reason they just look that way on the photo.

wonwinglo

Yes you get that distortion sometimes when doing close up work Grahame,the lens tends to show up the convex nature more.
This is one of the most detailed tail fin/rudder assemblies that I have seen in a long time.
That strip really sets things off.

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Greyhead

The tail plane presents several problems, not the least of which is how to operate the elevators. I prefer to use the same method as the full size aircraft even if this is quite complex, as with the Elf (Another Parnall Elf); in that case the linkages were external so easy to check and maintain, but I have reluctantly decided that using the scale closed loop system is not practical for the SE5a tail plane, I still intend to use it for the ailerons. With the rear of the fuselage being open I should be able to hide the non-scale linkage.

The main spar, made from 4mm carbon fibre tube, will have a piano wire pin into the fuselage held by a grub screw similar to the wing fixing; it also acts as a pivot point for the variable incidence. I’ve also used a carbon fibre tube for the TE; this is short because the tail plane tapers towards the tip.



The ribs are cut long so there is sufficient strength around the hole for the carbon fibre TE during construction and are trimmed back later for the addition of a 1/64th ply facing.

Here’s a photo of one half, complete with piano wire pin, ready for the hinges and bracing wire hard points.



The tail is 2 separate units so I’ll connect them with a short length of carbon fibre slid into each TE to ensure that any adjustment to the incidence is equal both sides.

Greyhead

I’ve used the simple but effective core method for the elevators. With hindsight I shouldn’t have cut the lightening holes in the 2 outer bays; because the tail plane tapers down to just 1/16" at the tips there is very little strength left.



I’ve added some carbon fibre tows, which help. The carbon fibre TE joiner is only glued on one side to allow the 2 piano wire pins to slide into hard wood blocks in the fuselage, which are then held in position by 2 bolts tightened through holes in the bottom. If I can find a 0.9mm Allen key long enough I’ll replace the bolts with grub screws; I might have a go at extending the one I’ve already got.




The photo is blurred where it matters; the camera insisted on focussing on the very rear of the fuselage and not the blocks!

Finally a photo of the finished tailskid in position.



For practicality I’m going to bolt it in position, this will mean that I’ll be able to easily remove the skid, fin / rudder and tail plane halves from the fuselage if it becomes necessary. Once every thing has been thoroughly tested and proven, then I may attach the skid permanently as per full size.

Bunkerbarge

Grahame, just something you may find usefull one day.

Most camera's have a two stage shutter release and the vast majority set focus and exposure on the first stage and then actually open the shutter on the second stage.

In your picture above if you had placed an object next to the subject at the same distance away from the camera as the point you want to focus on, focused on that by pressing half way and then holding the shutter release button at the first stage point. Then simply swing the camera across to your actual subject and press the shutter release button all the way. Holding the button at the first stage holds the focus and exposure settings which can be usefull for just the type of shot you have tried there.

If your camera does not do this then I apologise but I think it was worth mentioning anyway.

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Greyhead

Richard

Thanks for that tip; it’s still not perfect but a lot better and the technique obviously works!

porschenut

Wow, thats an impressive model. Its amazing reading your construction commentry!
I want more.
Euan

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Bunkerbarge

Definately an improvement and at least the camera is not focused on the end of the tunnel now.

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Dirk

Hello Grahame,

now that some weeks passed since you last read a message from me I really have to post here in your SE5a development thread. It's great to see the plane get better from day to day. Most pleasure for me is that you don't lock your know-how away. It seems that you're doing your best to improve our modeling skills.
Seeing how you lay your interest on details and how you scale them down to an eyecatcher that is looking real is pure joy.

Thank you for that, Grahame.



Dirk.

p.s.: Please greet your brother from me and tell him, that even if he doesn't like to document his project here, I would be very happy about finding some photos in my mailbox or just some written lines about the kit and the differencies to the original.