Made some more progress on my NAMCV2 Mig29 V4 today. Finished all the final sanding, cut out the holes for the servos, installed the motor and the control horns. All fussy work, but good to have done, now she is ready for paint... :)
And here is where I will be installing my aileron and elevon servos on this plane. I moved them forward 1 and 3/4".
Rudder servo holes also cut out, the push rods will run outside the vert stabs and rudders to try and keep the prop slot and prop wash area as clean as possible.
Bottom view showing control horn positions. The aileron servos will be angled to meet up with the control horn that is almost in the centre of the aileron. I'm not sure how this will affect airflow over the bottom of the wing, moving the servos forward increases the length of the aileron and elevon push rods, thus causing greater angle on the aileron push rod, so it might be one of those "trade offs" you have to live with sometimes when modifying a plane... :/.
I also managed to score some paints at the dollar store today that are a pretty close match for my paint scheme. I will take pictures at each stage as I apply each shade for the three tone camo pattern to give an idea of the technique that I like to use. I hope to get started on the paint tomorrow. I already have my radio programmed, I essentially just copied the setup that I have for the Mig29 V4 NAMCV1 since it seems to work really well, then I will fine tune from there since the ailerons are slightly different and the rudders are about 55% bigger in moving surface area.
Then after paint, final installation of the Rx, ESC, all the rat's nest of wiring, etc, put on the decals/insignia and she will be ready to fly! Thus far I am about an oz lighter than I was with the NAMCV1, so as long as I don't goop the paint on too thick, I should get down around 20.5 oz with a 2200 battery... :)
Cheers,
Scott
Scott, beautiful work! The aircraft looks beautiful! One question. On the servo mount do you use Loctite on the set-screw? Set screws make me nervous so I braze a union that allows me to thread and lock-nut and Loctite each servo and control horn connection. I know this is heavy and a bit redundant but it's a set-up that has served me well for years.
ReplyDeleteHi Dave -
DeleteThanks very much. I will use the blue Loc-tite for metal gear servos where it is metal screw going into metal gear to attach the servo arm.
Since almost all the servos I used now are nylon gear except when I build a plane with the NTM Prop Drive motor where I put metal gear servos on the elevons, I don't.
Touch wood, the little screw that comes with the RC Timer nylon gear servos that I like to use http://www.rctimer.com/product-458.html bites into the nylon gear pretty snug when I attach the servo arm and I have never had a problem with them backing off or loosening.
I do use blue Loc-tite on the little quick connects http://www.rctimer.com/product-181.html you see in the second picture that attaches my carbon pushrod to the servo arm. I put the loctite on the tip of the threaded shaft that goes through the servo arm, so that when I put the little round nut on that holds the quick connect on, it will hold snug and it won't back off. Again, touch wood, thus far no issues.
I don't loctite the little black grub screw as I need to be able to adjust this, but I tighten them just enough to bite into the carbon a little and that holds them snug.
I always say go with whatever works for you and gives you confidence that something minor like that isn't going to be the cause of you losing a plane.
Thanks again for the kind words... :)
Cheers,
Scott
Dave,
DeleteI read on a forum not to use Loctite on the servos control horns, especially plastic gears. You definitely want to use on the the control rod linkage stoppers. Not the allen nut that tightens into the rod, but the one that tightens it to the control horn. I lost all of the nuts sanding a plane!
Stephan