Hangar One Blue Angel
#1
Thread Starter
Hangar One Blue Angel
For a while I'd been wanting to build something fast with swept wings retracts etc. At the same time Classic Pattern has been gaining popularity here in New Zealand so I started looking at what was available and quickly settled on the Blue Angel laser cut kit produced
here in NZ by Hangar One.
There's a pretty comprehensive thread on here already which showed there's a couple if us with this kit. I have decided early that i will need to make some modifications to suit my equipment choices. I'll be us8ng servoless retracts (sorry, have a strong dislike of air), dual aileron servos (it's so easy now so why not) and a piped rear exhaust petrol motor (i don't fly glow at all any more, sorry to the purists!).
For another read check out Mike's thread at
https://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/classic-rc-pattern-flying-379/3973867-blue-angel-build.html
here in NZ by Hangar One.
There's a pretty comprehensive thread on here already which showed there's a couple if us with this kit. I have decided early that i will need to make some modifications to suit my equipment choices. I'll be us8ng servoless retracts (sorry, have a strong dislike of air), dual aileron servos (it's so easy now so why not) and a piped rear exhaust petrol motor (i don't fly glow at all any more, sorry to the purists!).
For another read check out Mike's thread at
https://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/classic-rc-pattern-flying-379/3973867-blue-angel-build.html
#2
Thread Starter
I hadn't really planned on a build thread so don't have any early photos. I typically start with the horizontal flying surfaces then I can make sure they fit the fuselage as I'm building that.
Already some changes I've made are obvious. The retract mounts are as per plan but added aileron servo mount in the next bay out. Paper wire tubes for both units. Less obvious is the carbon tow I added to the spars and the shear webbing between them, which I don't think is mentioned on the plan. I made these last changes because i expect this plane to be flown hard so just being cautious lol.
More to come soon,
cheers Graham
Already some changes I've made are obvious. The retract mounts are as per plan but added aileron servo mount in the next bay out. Paper wire tubes for both units. Less obvious is the carbon tow I added to the spars and the shear webbing between them, which I don't think is mentioned on the plan. I made these last changes because i expect this plane to be flown hard so just being cautious lol.
More to come soon,
cheers Graham
#5
Thread Starter
#6
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#9
Thread Starter
For some of us who have done this before it comes as second nature to butt joint all the sheeting for the wing skins together before glueing to whatever wing structure you're using.
my process is to pin it to the plans, lined up against the trailing edge and one that sits just past the leading edge. On this wing about 5mm past the line in the plan. Also make sure to extend about 10mm past the centre line of the wing root to allow for curvature over the wing shape.
You'll find on this you'll need to trim a little off the forward sheet to match the rearward one.take a third sheet and line it up at what will be the wing centre, mark and cut to fit between the other two sheets, the off cut should still be big enough to be the centre piece of another wing skin.
then i use any old painters tape both across and along the joints. Flip the whole skin over and bend the joints and add a small amount of glue. Lie it all flat and tape the glued side to stay flat while the glue dries, wipe off any excess glue.
my process is to pin it to the plans, lined up against the trailing edge and one that sits just past the leading edge. On this wing about 5mm past the line in the plan. Also make sure to extend about 10mm past the centre line of the wing root to allow for curvature over the wing shape.
You'll find on this you'll need to trim a little off the forward sheet to match the rearward one.take a third sheet and line it up at what will be the wing centre, mark and cut to fit between the other two sheets, the off cut should still be big enough to be the centre piece of another wing skin.
then i use any old painters tape both across and along the joints. Flip the whole skin over and bend the joints and add a small amount of glue. Lie it all flat and tape the glued side to stay flat while the glue dries, wipe off any excess glue.
#10
Thread Starter
Then just for fun I glued all the laminate blocks for wing and stabiliser tips togethor. Ill sand the charring off once its together, giving me a flat surface at the same time.
Last edited by grahamj4; 02-03-2021 at 09:40 AM.
#11
Thread Starter
i got the wing and horizontal stab largely built. It all went together pretty easily, as you see it with the wingtips only roughly carved to shape it comes i at 18.5oz. Still needs fibreglass around the join and the belly pan but its mostly complete.
#12
Thread Starter
I've been looking at the fuselage plans before i start glueing anything together. Because i will be using a petrol/gas engine it needs a little more planning. It is about an inch too long for the design amd reading 8178s comments around the tendency for the swept wings to make a plane nose heavy, extending the nose isn't an option! I found and ordered a fuel tank with enough capacity but is significantly shorter, but former F3 will need some surgery as seen in the photo. On the plus side, the motor fits perfectly between the hardwood engine bearers. I will also need to move the nose keg forward an inch, for a longer undercarriage to accommodate a slightly larger diameter propeller. Pretty happy i figured this all out now before its too late!
#14
Thread Starter
After a bit of a hiatus I'm back on the Blue Angel build. I butt jointed the fuselage sides and added the ply doubler- weighed down with a toolbox to keep it flat. This short kit has ply engine bearers that need laminating together so have done that.
a few rechecks including everything held loosely in place with painter's tape and I'm ready to start glueing. I hope i didn't forget anything!!
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dhal22 (04-05-2021)
#15
Thread Starter
A little more progress with F2, F3 and F5 in place. Everything looks pretty straight at this point, next I'll add in the wood engine bearers which in turn support F1 which will hopefully allow me to pull the fuselage sides in straight...
i still have to modify the mounting location for the nose retract, but I don't want to finalise that until i have the actual units to confirm everything is in the right place.
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dhal22 (04-05-2021)
#18
Thread Starter
I added the two F15 pieces today. First I had to bevel the bottom edges to match the fuselage sides then clamp the hell out of it. Once the glue has dried, carve the top flat to match the formers ready to glue on F13 and F14
.
F14 added, so far havent found F13 as a cut part, but there is plenty of spare balsa sheet to make what I need.
#20
Thread Starter
That Blue Angel profile is starting to show itself! There's a bit of carving to do yet though!!
I found in the kit there was an extra sheet of cut parts for TB1, the laminates dor the block between fin and fuselage, but i had ti cut another 3 NB2 above the nose. I'll glue the nose blocks on for carving, but will get the tail block as close as i can before hollowing it out and gluing in place of the horizontal stabilizer.
#21
Thread Starter
I was just about ready to start planking the bottom of the fuselage when thought that adding the pushrod outers might be a good idea! I placed in a couple of standard size servos to make sure I was ending up in the right place, this was also a timely reminder of how little space there is in a classic pattern model.
Then I couldn't help myself and rested all the big bits togethor.
regards Graham
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dhal22 (04-14-2021)
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dhal22 (04-15-2021)
#24
Thread Starter
I worked out where F12 had to be to accomodate the longer u/c legs i require and glued it in. As you can see the fuel tank is a neat fit behind F2, but it fits and that's what matters!!
I also started carving the underneath of the rear fuselage. As you can see there is a lot of wood to turn into shavings but balsa is easy going so hopefully won't take long...
I've been thinking ahead again, this time about the throttle control pushrod. I think I need to open up the side cheek and dummy fit the engine so i can work everything our there before putting on the bottom nose block. Does anyone here have any thoughts on the matter?
Last edited by grahamj4; 04-17-2021 at 06:26 PM.