Skyshark Dauntless Build

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chistech
Posts: 102
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2011 10:20 pm
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Skyshark Dauntless Build

Post by chistech »

Anyone who's looked at my past threads they know my admiration of the smaller .50 size kits that are out there or were out there through the years. I like to take those smaller kits and make them as close to the prototype while still maintaining fly-ability and my own sanity! LOL
I've searched on many sites and while I've found some on the SS Dauntless, most of those threads drop off before the maiden and never come back to life. I hope to continue this thread all the way til the maiden and give it a total review. Like my other build, it will be doing some modifications to make it more prototypical. The SS kit is high quality as most know with a really nice scale outline. While it offers scale like hinging of the flight surfaces, the retracts are an area that aren't even close. On the prototype, the struts are at a slight angle with the axle at a corresponding angle to put the wheel at 90d to the wing. To accomplish this with working oleo struts, a strut will have to be made up on the lathe and vertical miller. I am using simple Hobby King electric retract units and old Kraft/Haynes scale 3" wheels. Instead of mounting the retracts level or close to level with the lower wing skin, I've mounted the retract at the greatest angle I could that would allow the retract to fit into the wing without the retract body from contacting the upper wing skin. Of course, mounting the retract unit this way, removes a lot of the reinforced rib that the retract mounting plate mounts to. Additional sheer web type reinforcing, with light ply, of the retract box will be added. Started the typical areas of the tail and also assembled the center section to the point of retract modifications.
The SS kit uses the same sheeting and leading edge technique that the Top Flite kits do with the sheeting butting up to the back of the leading edge. I personally do not prefer this method as it's not as strong as laying the sheeting over the leading edge. I take the leading edge material and cut the matching angles of the upper and lower ribs on my dremel table saw so that I can lay my preglued sheeting right over the ribs and over the leading edge. Then the sheeting and leading edge are rounded together. My Tettra kits from Japan are designed this way and I will be doing this type of change to any kit I have that's done with the "butt" technique.
The SS kit also uses a unique system for the drive brakes that's tied into the flap servo linkage. This system only allows 1/2 flap because full flap deploys the dive brakes also. I am thinking of using torque rods for the dive brakes with a separate servo located centrally behind the aileron servo. I have the room in the center section because I will not be using air retracts. I will most likely stay with the nyrod type aileron linkage vs dual servos as this type of plane doesn't require anything more than that. I am thinking of putting the aileron horn on the top of the aileron edge which is prototypical but not sure as of yet. Rudder and elevator linkage will also be internal vs the plan's external configuration. Sig elevator horn is a great item I used in this build.
Power will be one of my .72 or .82 Saitos and will most likely have a bomb drop. Finish will be glass and paint with painted graphic, no decals. Going with an ordinary type color scheme on this one with weathering. Will probably be building a pair of .30 cals and gun ring for the back too.
Well, that's the layout for this build so lets get it started. Here's some early shots of the fin with scale line hinging and the elevator with Sig elevator horn for internal linkage. Robart pin hinges will be used on most the hinged surfaces.
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Ted Brito
chistech
Posts: 102
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2011 10:20 pm
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Re: Skyshark Dauntless Build

Post by chistech »

Got back from FL yesterday and did some more work on the Dauntless today. Had the retract units with the Kraft wheels on mounted in the frame and forgot to take a pictures. I made up the wheel well rings and sanded them down level with the top ribs. Can't get a picture now with the wheel well rings in place. Don't want to cut the rings at all until they're glued to the top sheeting. I epoxied in my retract mounts and made up some hardwood supports to strengthen the whole area. Took a picture of the HK retracts with the struts I'm using. Need to pickup some carpenter's glue to glue together my 1/16 sheets for the sheeting. Need some gorilla glue for my Aerotech Sea Fury kit too.
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Ted Brito
chistech
Posts: 102
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2011 10:20 pm
Contact:

Re: Skyshark Dauntless Build

Post by chistech »

Got a chance to work on the center section some more. Glued up and sanded my sheeting then sheeted the top. I decided to go with torque rods and a separate servo to control the dive brakes rather than use the single flap servo with special linkage. Set the retracts in and tested them for operation and angle. All looks good and they tuck in pretty good when retracted. Will need to make a servo mount behind the aileron servo to put the dive brake servo. Tomorrow with start putting the flap hinge supports and nyrods for the ailerons. I'm going with the old school single servo set up as it will be fine for this bird.
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Ted Brito
chistech
Posts: 102
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2011 10:20 pm
Contact:

Re: Skyshark Dauntless Build

Post by chistech »

Finished setting up the dive brakes linkage and servo in the wing top center section. Sheeted the bottom of the wing and cut out the retract/wheel well openings. Installed the recommended Y-harness for the flap servos and also the flap hinge blocks. Framed up the right wing and got it ready for sheeting.

One thing that's not mentioned in the instructions is the need for having your radio and receiver set up so you can properly align the bell cranks and flexible pushrod lengths. While most experienced builders understand this or use the small servo test boxes to do the set up, some might not and can end up with improperly set up bell cranks.

As I explained earlier, I prefer tapering the leading/trailing edge wood before I glue it to the framework and running the sheeting over the leading edge rather than doing it the kit designed way of butting the sheeting behind the leading/trailing edges. It is somewhat time consuming setting up a taper gauge to make these cuts but boy does it save a lot of time/mess planing/sanding of those edges.
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Ted Brito
chistech
Posts: 102
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2011 10:20 pm
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Re: Skyshark Dauntless Build

Post by chistech »

Dive Brake Hinging: I'm using robart 1/8 points and glued in my balsa support on the trailing edge. I used full width stock so I can put both the dive brake and flap hinges in the same block. I drilled the holes at a downward angle for more "meat" in the block with my intention of getting the hinge just under the height of the sheeting once it's applied. Using the Dremel table saw I held the 1/8 ply dive brake at a slight angle and cut slots for the hinge pin to lay in. This slot is just deep enough to again allow the hinge to be just under the height of the dive brake's upper surface. I sanded the back inside trailing edge of dive brake down to 1/32 to allow for a nice tight and thin match with the flap. I also sanded a 65d angle on the front of the dive brake so it can open up against the trailing edge of the top sheeting while still allowing virtually no gap while closed. Will start sheeting the top of the panel next. This kit builds the right outboard panel then the left. Happy with the outcome so far.

While I glued up my sheeting and had it drying I worked on the aileron. I'm not a big fan of the beveled leading edge for ailerons so I doubled the aileron trailing edge between the ribs with the 1/4 balsa and I added a piece of balsa to the leading edge of the aileron. I then rounded the aileron leading edge completely and then sanding a corresponding half round into the trailing edge. I drilled both pieces for the Robart pin hinges and then put slots with the dremel so the hinges pivot point can be where it needs to be on the aileron. I made up my own ply control horn and cut into the aileron leading edge at the proper angle again with my dremel table saw. Will finish sanding the whole aileron down once all the sheeting in on and I have the proper shape to sand to.
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Ted Brito
chistech
Posts: 102
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2011 10:20 pm
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Re: Skyshark Dauntless Build

Post by chistech »

Got the top sheeting on the outer right panel. With a friend bringing up the concern of the ply control horn wearing out, I changed them out for reinforced fiber board/circuit board. Got the flap installed with it's hinges and also put in the flap in the center section. If the builder takes their time, very nice joints and gaps are easily made with this kit. The flaps, dive brakes, and ailerons really fit all nicely together.

This bird really looks good with the dive brakes and flaps open. In other build threads for this Skyshark kit, I've noticed many decide not to build in the dive brakes I think because of the complexity of the linkage used to operate them in the Skyshark manual. I'm glad I went the torque rod route and put the brakes in. Now, I couldn't see building it any other way. I have to say this is a pretty impressive kit that builds real nice. Because of all the moving parts it does take some time and some planning but I believe it will be worth it.
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Ted Brito
chistech
Posts: 102
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2011 10:20 pm
Contact:

Re: Skyshark Dauntless Build

Post by chistech »

Set up the right flap servo linkage. I used a small CG control horn cut down some on the inside of the flap and put the control rod through the rear trailing edge. Using the small horn I needed less throw and a small servo arm. Because of the need for the flaps to close with some tension I set the control rod to allow the servo arm to be almost 180d (in the closed position) from the flap, lowering the tension on the servo drive gears and putting the tension more on the servo body. Setting it up this way allows the extra tension (tension is needed to fully close the ply flaps because of the slight warp they have and no hum from the servo).

Made up the support framework for the servo access door and sheeted the bottom of the wing. Sheeted the wing bottom and cutout the servo access opening. Because of the way the two flap servos are mounted in the wing, (because of the opposite rotation) one control rod needs towards the top of the rib, the other towards the bottom. Using the small servo arm allows all this to stay inside the wing with no issue.

When using the torque rods for the dive brakes, there is some movement of the brake end of the torque rod as the dive brake opens because of the dihedral. I made a small box to capture the end while still allowing the movement. Now the dive brake and the right side flap connections are all finished. I still need to make the connections on each side of the center flap to the respective outside flaps. I believe I will need the same sort of small box to allow for the control rod movement at these connections also.

Set up some values in my trans for mixing Aux 2 to flaps. Now when Aux 2 (dive brakes) is actuated, both the dive brakes and flaps open/close. Attached a couple pictures of half dive brake and full brake positions all with connections made to servos. Seems to be working well.
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Ted Brito
chistech
Posts: 102
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2011 10:20 pm
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Re: Skyshark Dauntless Build

Post by chistech »

Didn't get much done today, didn't have a lot of time. Did get the wing tip shaped up and finished then framed up the left wing panel. I don't do the majority of the wing tip shaping with the tip glued to the wing. I instead trace the airfoil shape on the tip block then using the bandsaw, cut the tip to the first shape. I then use the razor plane to continue to shape it as close to what I need before I glue it on. Once glued, some blue painter's tape on the wing sheeting to keep the sanding bar off the sheeting while I sand the tip level with the sheeting. Doing it this way allow me to get the tip to shape much faster than trying to do it all while it's glued on. Starting to look like a Dauntless wing.
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Ted Brito
chistech
Posts: 102
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2011 10:20 pm
Contact:

Re: Skyshark Dauntless Build

Post by chistech »

Here is some pics of the wing all done. All linkages are hooked up but no hinges glued in yet and gear is in place. I realize that the gear legs on this and many dauntless models don't line up in the proper location on the wing dihedral joint but I'm OK with that. I more concerned with getting the proper strut look out of it. I don't like a lot of the new wave of Seagull and VQ Dauntlesses with the gear struts on the outside. Nothing wrong with the ARF's, just the retract strut layout.
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Last edited by chistech on Tue Jan 19, 2016 5:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Ted Brito
chistech
Posts: 102
Joined: Sun Nov 06, 2011 10:20 pm
Contact:

Re: Skyshark Dauntless Build

Post by chistech »

Got some work done on the fuse with the top section all finished. I got Brian's drawings and followed his suggestions for doubling up the stringers in the front. I cut all the grooves deeper before I started assembly. With the fuse formers so flimsy, I kept the 1/4 x 1/4 long and once the #8 former was square, I glued the 1/4 to it and pinned it to my board at the back. This allowed me to keep it square as I squared up the next one and glued it in place. Once the back was done, I took another full length 1/4 and lined up my forward formers while I had the 1/4 pinned to the rear 1/4sq. Picture will explain. All the rest of the fuse procedures was per the instructions. I used the 1/8 ply cut out pieces from the wing spar as the spacers for the sheeting at the 1/4sq fuse side spar.

NOTE: I am using a Saito .72 and to get the proper location for the motor thrust washer, the firewall was moved back 1/8" or just the width of the F13 firewall and F2/F2A
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Ted Brito
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