Hellcat build

[smiling albert]

Hello
I was going to wait until I’d finished before I posted anything as still not sure whether it will fly but have hit a problem.
I’ve been building this Hellcat from rc old guys site.
https://www.foamflying.com/rc-prop-planes.html
Here are the plans and tips from the man himself.
https://www.foamflying.com/uploads/1/4/9/0/14901388/old_guy_rc_hellcat.pdf
https://www.foamflying.com/hellcat-build---curl-and-form.html
The servos are fitted upside down underneath the fuselage stuck to the bottom of the wing.
It’s the other end that’s the problem
When fitting the control rods the one for the rudder presumably comes straight out of the bottom hole at the rear of the fuselage (see upside down photo below where pen top is pointing!) .
I assume for the elevator rod you poke an ( ugly)hole through the fuselage somewhere near the rear?
Had an idea though,probably daft but here goes
What about gluing it’s popsicle stick / control horn to the barbecue stick instead of the elevator ,moving the barbecue stick a little way back from it’s present position then the elevator rod could come through the bottom hole at the rear of the fuselage as well,thus avoiding making an ugly hole in the fuselage at the side?
Maybe crazy and there’s probably some common sense reason it won’t work.
any thoughts anyone?
Thanks

 

[Grifflyer]

I think you might have to bite the bullet and try and poke a hole for the elevator. If you were to glue the control horn to the BBQ skewer your glue bond between the two surfaces would be quite weak due to having a very small surface area which could cause the glue joint to fail.

 

[smiling albert]

Hi
Thanks
Sadly I think you might be right.
I hate poking holes in the side though.
Here are some more pictures to show what I mean .
What about cutting off the bottom end of the rudder just above the current slot for the control horn ,then poke the wires for the rudder through that small hole above the elevator at the rear of the fuselage ,and create a new slot for the control horn higher up?
Hope that makes sense!

 

[Grifflyer]

Hi
Thanks
Sadly I think you might be right.
I hate poking holes in the side though.
Here are some more pictures to show what I mean .
What about cutting off the bottom end of the rudder just above the current slot for the control horn ,then poke the wires for the rudder through that small hole above the elevator at the rear of the fuselage ,and create a new slot for the control horn higher up?
Hope that makes sense!

Yes that makes sense, and should work just fine.

 

[smiling albert]

Hi
Been very busy and have another problem.I spotted this idea for inserting something in the elevator so they move together.
The problem is I want to attach a control horn to it(see above )but if I make it out out of a paper clip etc its metal and wood doesn't stick to it?
Any thoughts anyone?

 

[FDS]

If you use an epoxy adhesive wood will stick to it. Roughen the paperclip surface first to help it glue.
You could also just move the bevel cut for the elevator back 10mm and use a strip of lite ply or balsa to strengthen the thin bit by the rudder cut out. That would be super light and give more elevator authority.

 

[smiling albert]

Thanks for that,good ideas.
If I use a paper clip/bit of control rod was thinking of inserting it in the foam so would the epoxy adhesive stick the metal to the foam?

 

[FDS]

If you make a shaped channel for it then use the epoxy like you would hot glue, so a bit round the wire and on top, then it should stay there. I would go with the lite ply option if I was building that design.
Test epoxy on scrap first in case you buy one that melts foam. It shouldn’t, but it never hurts to be safe. Watch using too much glue. You could use the thin piano wire you bought instead of a paperclip, as it will hold its shape better.