1/4 scale Sea Fury

David Jones · Postby **David Jones** » January 26th, 2015, 6:06 pm

Once satisfied that all was in line, the remaining stringers were added.

David Jones · Postby **David Jones** » January 26th, 2015, 6:08 pm

With the framework still pinned down on the bench, the 1/8” Balsa sheeting was added. After an initial sanding, the structure was then removed from the bench. I found it to be really rigid with no sign of twist anywhere, which should bode well for when I start to add the bottom half.

Ret Vinsent · Postby **Ret Vinsent** » January 29th, 2015, 5:17 pm

wow! there is much for you to do, still I hope you will be lucky with this model!) thank you for such detailed photos!

David Jones · Postby **David Jones** » January 29th, 2015, 7:42 pm

With the fuselage turned upside down and resting in foam cradles, the 1/4” ply internal frames were fitted. The main former F1B, which is located at the leading edge of the wing, was then fitted along with the three sets of half formers in the wing seat area. Again, there were some inaccuracies with the half formers, and some adjustment was required.

David Jones · Postby **David Jones** » January 29th, 2015, 7:45 pm

The design for the fitting of the wing bolt plate is not suitable for a model this size. It’s positioned at an angle parallel with the upper wing surface, which would mean the wing bolts would go through it on an angle instead of at 90 degrees. Also, it was only retained in a notch in the lower edge of the 1/4” ply internal frames, a disaster waiting to happen. The notches were filled in, and 1/4” ply doublers were made up, with slots in to house the 3/8” ply wing bolt plate, the slots being parallel with the wings’ lower surface. This assembly was then epoxied in between the two internal frames. This now gives the wing bolt plate more anchorage and the wing bolts will pass through it at 90 degrees to pick up the 6mm T nuts.

David Jones · Postby **David Jones** » January 29th, 2015, 7:48 pm

The 3/16” Balsa wing seat doublers were then glued in position

Dave Jones · Postby **Dave Jones** » February 2nd, 2015, 10:34 pm

Hi David,

I was told today what a nice Sea Fury I was building! I see why now! Same name! Lol

Nice build btw,

Dave.

David Jones · Postby **David Jones** » February 3rd, 2015, 10:40 am

I can't understand the confusion, I mean to say......we have such an uncommon name. Thanks for the kind remarks. Progress with the build has slowed a little as I'm waiting for some parts to arrive, but I should be back at it in the next couple of days. Jonesey.

dave tilbury · Postby **dave tilbury** » February 3rd, 2015, 11:31 am

looking great Dave.......sierra retracts?.....moki 250?.......nice!

David Jones · Postby **David Jones** » February 3rd, 2015, 1:56 pm

Yes, yes and thanks.

dave tilbury · Postby **dave tilbury** » February 3rd, 2015, 7:17 pm

i'm doing the smaller one 1:4.5.......sierra retracts...moki 150....must get back on with it!

looking forward to seeing more

cheers

Dave

David Jones · Postby **David Jones** » February 5th, 2015, 4:49 pm

I don’t want to do any more work on the fuselage until I receive the retractable tail wheel unit. Once I have that I will be able to make up the extra former that will be required and then start on the bottom formers. Also, until I get the engine, I don’t want to get involved with the engine box and firewall. So, it’s back to the wings.

Although I’m still waiting for a missing joiner tube, I can carry on with the left outer wing panel. Blanks were made up for the joiner tube sleeves to block the ends up, and the sleeves were bonded to the sheer webbing.

David Jones · Postby **David Jones** » February 5th, 2015, 4:51 pm

The inside of the flap recess was faced with 1/16” ply, and 1/8” balsa sub ribs were added for more stiffness. I found a discrepancy with sub rib 8A, which is located where the flap and aileron meet. I don’t know if it is the wrong profile, or if I fitted it incorrectly. Either way it didn’t look right so a bit of surgery was required. The trailing edge of the flap will now sit flat and line up with the centre of the false trailing edge for the aileron. A fair bit of head scratching took place but, now I’ve done one, the other panel will be straight forward.

David Jones · Postby **David Jones** » February 5th, 2015, 4:52 pm

Without wanting to jump the gun, I decided to make up a top skin for the panel, which will be stuck on in due course.

David Jones · Postby **David Jones** » February 11th, 2015, 8:48 pm

I took delivery of the Moki 250cc, 5 cylinder, radial engine this weekend. What a fantastic piece of engineering it is. I’ve never seen one in the flesh before, only heard them at the shows. The carbon spinner is also a work of art, although my wife thinks it looks like a helmet that a Norman soldier would have worn at the battle of Hastings. See what you think.

David Jones · Postby **David Jones** » February 11th, 2015, 8:51 pm

I couldn’t resist seeing what the engine would look like when offered up to the fuselage, so I thought, let’s do it. The way things have progressed so far, I thought fitting the firewall would be straight forward, as per the plan. Not so, the instructions with the Moki state the firewall should be “at least” “ 1/2” thick, I decided I’d go for 5/8” (you know me “belt and braces”) and the 3/8” on the plan was scrapped. Also, there is no mention on the plan about down or side thrust, so it was at this point I needed some advice. As a result, I’ve decided zero down and two degrees right thrust.

Using a protractor, I drew the two degrees right thrust on the plan at the centre of the firewall. At the point where the centre of the prop driver meets this datum line, there is a gap of 1/4”, and that was how much I needed to offset the engine to the left (when looking from the cockpit).

Before progressing further, FS2, the top of the engine “box” only extends as far as F1, the front former. Because of the heavier, and more powerful engine than the standard engine for the design, I made up a new “top” which would extend back to F2, to give more strength and rigidity.

I decided, instead of just getting on with it and mixing some glue, I would dry fit the firewall, install the engine, and see how it looks.

David Jones · Postby **David Jones** » February 11th, 2015, 8:53 pm

What a good decision that was! With the engine fitted and the cowl positioned, it just didn’t look right. The spinner is supposed to visibly recess into the cowl, it did on the right, because of the angle of right thrust, but on the left, it looked too far forward.

David Jones · Postby **David Jones** » February 11th, 2015, 8:55 pm

So, I moved the firewall back by 1/4” and offered it all up again. As you can see by the “before and after” pictures, it looks much better.

David Jones · Postby **David Jones** » February 11th, 2015, 8:56 pm

Checking from the front and from above, the visual offset of the engine is negligible.

David Jones · Postby **David Jones** » February 12th, 2015, 3:36 pm

The firewall was glued in last thing yesterday with 24hr epoxy and today I’ve started adding the hardwood triangle reinforcements to the inside and outside of the engine box, using the same adhesive. I’ve also epoxied some balsa triangle along the edges of the top panel to reinforce its joints with the central crutch. I’ll leave it all now to cure overnight and start to fit dowel plugs and screws around the edge of the firewall tomorrow.