Ercoupe Balsa Build

[Wildthing]

Thought I might as well start a thread on this new guy I picked up last week. Few weeks ago I landed a FS 120 Surpass and now needed something to put it into and the Ercoupe fit the bill . The plane came from a former club member that had passed away last year and he had never finished it, he had loads of planes he never finished but he had even more that were done, he loved building and was very good at it.

 

[Wildthing]

First lets give it some legs and get the engine mounted.

 

[Wildthing]

Redoing the control surfaces, they were made in a way which looks like you would have to use piano hinges and surface mount them on the top or I could use hinge tape but I don't think that would last very long .

 

[Wildthing]

Figured out how I am going to be able to align and glue the horizontal and verticals together and be properly aligned. I used toothpicks as dowels, so no guessing and measuring required when I get to that point.

 

[Wildthing]

Control surfaces are now hinged. Next to start running control rod tubes for the steering, elevator and throttle.

 

[Timmy]

Quite a funky looking plane

 

[Wildthing]

Quite a funky looking plane

It is, my wife nicknamed it Fat Boy

 

[GrizWiz]

Looks cool though!

 

[Wildthing]

With the center section of the wing I was finally curious about the servo lead holes on the end of the wings, the hole didn't go all the way through the wing so where do I drill some holes. Looking closely and through the fiberglass you could just make out 2 little targets so what the heck, they were in the perfect spot .

 

[Wildthing]

All the main hardware for the controls in the fuse are all in now less the rod for the elevator which has to wait until I have one . Oh, fuel tank is in and mounted also.

 

[Wildthing]

Now getting ready to fit and drill some holes into the cowl.

 

[Wildthing]

Been lazy and haven't done much work to it lately and lazy posting any updates so here are a few new pics.
First here and one I always hate cutting that first hole but fitting the cowl.

 

[Wildthing]

Sanding is all done so fuel proof the firewall, my sanding is not car show worthy

 

[speedbirdted]

Curse you for not putting this in the balsa section. Didn't see it until now!

It looks like whoever built this initially did a good job at least. I wonder who made this kit? Surprisingly few manufacturers have kitted Ercoupes, a real shame if you ask me because I think it's quite a pretty ship.

I would have personally side mounted the engine, it would look sleeker without it exposed out the top. Most 4-cycles will run perfectly fine on their sides. But, now that the hole is cut there's no going back really. At least in this configuration, there will not be any cooling problems.

 

[Wildthing]

To make transporting easier because that wing is 80.5 inches long and in one piece the only way it would fit into the box is diagonally and basically not giving me any room for anything else including the fuse SO let's make it so the wing can be disassembled . Figured out where the spar end in the center section, then made some wood dowels that fit into the spars and glued those inplace. Now two nice little threaded through the wing and spar the wing now can come apart. The center section really then never has to come off the fuse inless you need to work on something inside of it.

 

[Wildthing]

Curse you for not putting this in the balsa section. Didn't see it until now!

It looks like whoever built this initially did a good job at least. I wonder who made this kit? Surprisingly few manufacturers have kitted Ercoupes, a real shame if you ask me because I think it's quite a pretty ship.

I would have personally side mounted the engine, it would look sleeker without it exposed out the top. Most 4-cycles will run perfectly fine on their sides. But, now that the hole is cut there's no going back really. At least in this configuration, there will not be any cooling problems.

Whoops, didn't know there was a balsa section, didn't really look though, me bad.

 

[Wildthing]

Let the covering begin What a pain doing around the skirts or whatever they are called ?

 

[Wildthing]

Curse you for not putting this in the balsa section. Didn't see it until now!

It looks like whoever built this initially did a good job at least. I wonder who made this kit? Surprisingly few manufacturers have kitted Ercoupes, a real shame if you ask me because I think it's quite a pretty ship.

I would have personally side mounted the engine, it would look sleeker without it exposed out the top. Most 4-cycles will run perfectly fine on their sides. But, now that the hole is cut there's no going back really. At least in this configuration, there will not be any cooling problems.

The guy who started this build also did the Maddness I have, he loved building but for some reason only finished half of them ? His skills were just magnificent .

I have the blueprints for the kit, I will look closer at them to see who's name is on it .

I looked at side and even upside down but the steering gear mount and with the gear mounted it got in the way of the intake and carb

 

[cyclone3350]

Great post! Just gave U a bunch of likes. Looking forward to seeing the completed project.

 

[Wildthing]

Great post! Just gave U a bunch of likes. Looking forward to seeing the completed project.

Thanks