4m Glider 30 Day Build Challenge

[ThomasMartino]

I wish I had an interesting update. Unfortunately life got in the way and I haven’t been able to work on my planes much for the last two weeks. The good news is I ordered the fabric covering for this glider and I got the rest of the parts I needed for my big 3D plane. Hopefully we will get to see these planes fly this summer. Thanks for your interest in my projects. I will have progress to report by this weekend!

 

[cyclone3350]

What R U using for a laser cuter?

 

[ThomasMartino]

What R U using for a laser cuter?

I bought a Boss Laser LS1420

 

[cyclone3350]

Thanks. I see U were already asked that and found your answer. I've just got my Thunder Laser a few weeks ago and haven't had time to set it up. Looking at your project just got me motivated to make some time for it this week. Very nice work. I too, am a big fan of Gull Wing gliders.

 

[ThomasMartino]

Thanks. I see U were already asked that and found your answer. I've just got my Thunder Laser a few weeks ago and haven't had time to set it up. Looking at your project just got me motivated to make some time for it this week. Very nice work. I too, am a big fan of Gull Wing gliders.

Congrats on your new laser. They really open up a lot of new possibilities that would be cumbersome without.

Thank you! Hopefully I will have time to finish it in the next week or two.

 

[ThomasMartino]

I started covering the tail feathers. I’m using Oratex. This is my first time using it and so far I like it a lot. It has the convenience of covering film and the durable paintable finish of fabric.

 

[cyclone3350]

Looking good my friend. The blue on this 9 foot thingy is Oratex from Balsa USA. I was extremely impressed with it and will use it on all my fabric covered airplanes. Unfortunately, the color choices R slim, so I just bought a batch of the natural white and hope it takes paint. ( from what I have heard, it does take paint very well )

 

[ThomasMartino]

Looking good my friend. The blue on this 9 foot thingy is Oratex from Balsa USA. I was extremely impressed with it and will use it on all my fabric covered airplanes. Unfortunately, the color choices R slim, so I just bought a batch of the natural white and hope it takes paint. ( from what I have heard, it does take paint very well )

Lovely plane! I’ve also heard that it takes paint very well, so I look forward to adding some yellow trim to this plane.

 

[cyclone3350]

Lovely plane! I’ve also heard that it takes paint very well, so I look forward to adding some yellow trim to this plane.

Let us know what U use for paint and how it turns out.

 

[ThomasMartino]

In case anyone was wondering why this plane still isn’t done, the aerotow event was cancelled so I no longer had a strict 30 day deadline. I’m going to try to finish it up quickly, but I’m also going to devote more time to my other builds and regular life commitments.

 

[ThomasMartino]

Back to the fun stuff! My attempts at forming a clear plastic canopy were pathetic, so I’ll make a fiberglass canopy and paint it black or something. I also glassed the front half of the fuselage.

 

[ThomasMartino]

I brushed on a coat of Duratec and sanded it back, then used Evercoat body filler to fill the larger low spots. After a bit more sanding it was ready for primer.

 

[ThomasMartino]

This part was really nerve wracking. Accurately measuring and marking a curved line on a compound curved surface is truly challenging. Any mistake could cause the canopy to be disastrously asymmetrical. I’ve been contemplating (and dreading) this task for weeks. I spent about two hours today just making the marks and checking my work. The actual cut only took a few minutes and was totally uneventful thanks to all the prep work.

 

[ThomasMartino]

I was worried that the elevators were not stiff enough. I don’t want to take any risks when it comes to flutter so I removed the covering from one side and glued on some 1/32” thick balsa sheet. I oriented the sheeting so that the grain runs at an angle for maximum stiffness. After that was done I recovered them and glued in the hinges.

 

[ThomasMartino]

I permanently mounted the fin and temporarily fitted the horizontal stab. Tomorrow I will put the wings on so I can align everything and glue the stab in place. I could make it removable, but I don’t feel like it’s worth the trouble.

I will also install the control horns and mount the elevator servos. I’m still trying to find a way to route the rudder pull-pull cables. If there isn’t a good way to route them I will install a pushrod for the rudder, but I really prefer pull-pull setups on large planes.

 

[cyclone3350]

Back to the fun stuff! My attempts at forming a clear plastic canopy were pathetic, so I’ll make a fiberglass canopy and paint it black or something. I also glassed the front half of the fuselage. View attachment 200304 View attachment 200305

Oh how I feel your pain. I have been building for many decades and had mastered things like vacuum forming and fiberglassing custom parts. But I will be Delta-Alpha-Mike-November-Echo-Delta to the infernal valley of disappointments when it comes to making clear plastic canopies

 

[ThomasMartino]

I put the wings on to make sure the tail feathers are aligned. She looks like a sailplane!

 

[ThomasMartino]

I just realized I never updated this thread. I finished the gull. Last week I was in Kill Devil Hills near where the Wright Brothers made their first flight. I was hoping to do some slope soaring there but unfortunately I was only able to do two quick test glides before the wind flipped the plane and damaged one of the spars. There’s an aerotow event nearby next weekend so hopefully I will be able to fix it up and fly it again.

 

[The Hangar]

I just realized I never updated this thread. I finished the gull. Last week I was in Kill Devil Hills near where the Wright Brothers made their first flight. I was hoping to do some slope soaring there but unfortunately I was only able to do two quick test glides before the wind flipped the plane and damaged one of the spars. There’s an aerotow event nearby next weekend so hopefully I will be able to fix it up and fly it again. View attachment 208697
View attachment 208698
View attachment 208700
View attachment 208699

Too bad about the broken spar! It’s such a beautiful model.

 

[cyclone3350]

I just realized I never updated this thread. I finished the gull. Last week I was in Kill Devil Hills near where the Wright Brothers made their first flight. I was hoping to do some slope soaring there but unfortunately I was only able to do two quick test glides before the wind flipped the plane and damaged one of the spars. There’s an aerotow event nearby next weekend so hopefully I will be able to fix it up and fly it again. View attachment 208697
View attachment 208698
View attachment 208700
View attachment 208699

Dang! That came out nice! The Wright brothers suffered a similar incident on their maiden day . Except that, when it flipped over, it was pretty much done. Keep us posted if U get it going again.