AP Super Tucano (FT Power Pack F | swappable)

[Aeronaut]

I got one built up to folding the wings over. I am planning on putting landing gear in and am going to try 3D printing the legs. To do that, I need to know where the CG of the model is but I do not see it on the plans. Could you tell me how far back from the leading edge it is?

 

[AircPirateNinsei]

Your plan sounds interesting. I would be very happy about a photo of your finished model.
The center of gravity is about 45 mm (1.77 in) behind the leading edge of the wing.
The plan is still BETA and the CG information is still missing, but I added the CG in the first post of this thread.

 

[Aeronaut]

Thanks! just to clarify since the wing is sorta swept/tapered, thats 45mm from the LE at the fuselage right?

 

[AircPirateNinsei]

Yes, that's right. That's how it was on the last test flight and it looked good.

 

[rmzalbar]

I just want to say that this plane looks beautiful and seems like a lot of fun to build and fly. I'm starting to order supplies for it today. How is the experience on 4s vs 3s?

 

[AircPirateNinsei]

Thank you very much! I prefer the 4s setup. The test flight with it was very pleasant. Here is a video with some impressions of the test flight with a lot of wind noise: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wbAHkK7HcGsVCgzyPMCpzIN8Ga0usrWT/view?usp=sharing

 

[w1lp33]

 

[w1lp33]

Don't know when I'll get to maiden it, but turned out pretty good

 

[JTarmstr]

Just printed plans for this. Hopefully i can build it over Christmas.

 

[rmzalbar]

I've started. Last night I made posterboard templates from tiled plans for one of the two sheets. This is my first from-plans build (I've done two speed-build kits) and it's a bit agonizing getting everything set up accurately. I'm hoping the other sheet will go more quickly tonight as my skills become more practiced. Very exciting!

 

[rmzalbar]

Indeed, sheet 2 went much more quickly and accurately. I printed it out on my work's laser printer for better accuracy - I suspect my home inkjet needs the paper rollers cleaned, because there's some small sub-millimeter inconsistency there. I pre-cut the cutlines in one job, and i laid them all out on the table and tacked them together at the same time. Before, I would chain them together in a strip, and the error would add up. I should be able to start transferring to foam tonight.

 

[buzzbomb]

Indeed, sheet 2 went much more quickly and accurately. I printed it out on my work's laser printer for better accuracy - I suspect my home inkjet needs the paper rollers cleaned, because there's some small sub-millimeter inconsistency there. I pre-cut the cutlines in one job, and i laid them all out on the table and tacked them together at the same time. Before, I would chain them together in a strip, and the error would add up. I should be able to start transferring to foam tonight.

You sir, need a build thread!

 

[rmzalbar]

Pardon me, but I've reached the wings part of the build and I have a question about servos. On the 4s Type R, are the 9g servos recommended for the ailerons too, or are they only recommended for the rear? Thank you,

 

[JTarmstr]

Pardon me, but I've reached the wings part of the build and I have a question about servos. On the 4s Type R, are the 9g servos recommended for the ailerons too, or are they only recommended for the rear? Thank you,

The 4s version recommends 9 gram servos for the ailerons too.

 

[AircPirateNinsei]

Questions are welcome! JTarmstr was faster with the answer!
Have fun with your build!

 

[rmzalbar]

My wing came out with an angle between the the top face of the wing, and the descending rear face of the wing that ends in the trailing edge, which is steeper than the cutout and lower wing sheet allow for - there is a gap at the top where it would meet the body, and the wing sheet interferes at the rear angle.

The forward and top faces of the wing match the cutouts correctly, and the lower sheet matches the bottom flat face and rear spar of the wing, so it's just the angle of the trailing upper surface that's wrong.

I'm not sure if I bodged it somewhere, or if the plans need an update. I should have taken a photo, but I'll draw a diagram. The only way it would be different is if the rearmost spar that closes up the wing is at the wrong height (too short.) Everything else on the rest plane matched up perfectly so I don't think my knifework could be that far off.

I thought maybe I accidentally folded the rear spar up as a B fold instead of an A fold, but if I had done that the cutout in the lower sheet would have made that obvious.

In the end, I forced the rear of the wing up to meet the fuselage and glued it in place, but doing so put a slight crease in the upper surface of the rear tab-shaped fairings that blend to the body.

 

[AircPirateNinsei]

Thanks for the information. I didn't have the problem with my last build, at least not obviously!
It's an A-fold. I marked that in the build plan:

Here are some pictures of my build:

Did anyone else have this problem? Maybe w1lp33?

 

[w1lp33]

Thanks for the information. I didn't have the problem with my last build, at least not obviously!
It's an A-fold. I marked that in the build plan:

View attachment 121441

Here are some pictures of my build:
View attachment 121442

View attachment 121443

View attachment 121447

View attachment 121449
Did anyone else have this problem? Maybe w1lp33?

I don't recall having any issue fitting the wing together and into the fuselage... Pretty sure everything lined up ok for me.

I'll have a look at my build when I get home and see if I had to do any funky business.

 

[AircPirateNinsei]

Thank you!

 

[rmzalbar]

Thank you both for checking this out for me. Strange, I wonder what I did. I discovered while centering the wing up in the fuselage it either needed to rock forward or back, with the rear surface flush or the front curve flush.

I remember now that I may have pre-formed the curve with the rear spar flat, in order to get a bit of overflex, putting glue in the creases to hold the strain, before laying it open to do the A-fold on the rear spar and glue it closed. Doing that may have added a bit extra to the curve at the rear crease. I bet if I were to cut into the wing at the middle spar I'd find a tiny gap there.

Well, I've finished the build, so I'll see how it flies at this point. I may do another one if my piloting skills fail me, and I'll make a note to watch my process.

This is my first scratch build, and third build in total (other two were speed build kits, you can see my Explorer and Fokker DR.I in the last picture.) All went well otherwise. The rear top sheet is not glued down yet as I'm waiting for servos to arrive.