Quick advertisement for those who haven't seen it: I'll be collabing with NighthawkGliders at the Jim Richmond Open this weekend. Not only will we be playing with gliders, but this kit will be present, and the prototype Hourglass II, and the microfilm models and all of it. Yes, we're going to have a gathering of the ultimate indoor stuff!
Moving on...
Here's a first: a kit that includes a preassembled bracing jig for the wire bracing. Hourglass II prototype shown to clarify its usage.
And we have covering frames (and other cool stuff)
I finally got around to slotting the outer panels of the wing template. I'm going to tweak the laser files for Hope's build so we don't have to deal with that particular issue anymore.
The prop, wing, and stab ribs are all there...
And packed safely away
Here are the forming mandrels for the motorstick, stick extension, and tapered tailboom.
For those wondering how all that mandrel stuff works out, here's a video:
Another first for a kit: preglued boron. The little drawplate in the middle there is filled with duco cement and the boron is drawn through it to coat it with a thin coat of glue. It's bonded to the tubes by laying it in place and hitting it with drops of acetone. The effect is very quick, and it stiffens the fuselage drastically.
Here's a tutorial on the coating:
http://jhaerospace.com/boron-gluing-tool/
Mechanical bits in a bag: bearing, hook, wing and stab posts (.027" cf tubes), tissue tubes, and oh yeah, a J&H Aerospace variable pitch prop hub!
Here's a tutorial on how we mount the bearings into the motorstick:
http://jhaerospace.com/installing-wire-bearings-and-rear-hooks/
And I'll leave you for today with this little fun bit. We had a Hangar Rat contest at our monthly indoor meet on Saturday. I won the mass launch, and Dohrm Crawford (holding his model over my head) won the timed event (best three out of 6 flights). Dohrm is a Vietnam vet, having flown Cessna Bird Dogs in combat. He later flew F-4s in the reserves and then went on to F-15s before transitioning into a very successful career at Delta, retiring some years back as a 777 captain. His pension got yanked when Delta got themselves upside down, so he worked another five years as a sim instructor before retiring again last year. He's been building like a madman ever since!
My mass launch flight was 2:19, and Dohrm's winning series were all in the 2:50 range. Not bad for a tissue covered model with a balsa plank prop