It was Free to a Good Home...

[F22trainer]

So here I go again, saving airplanes that would have never flown. She will get all the structural refinements Goldberg should have done. I cut the wing apart as it was poorly assembled and I have always wanted to put ailerons on this bird. She’ll get a belly wheel and wing bolts also - no stupid rubber bands on this bird.
Figure I need something to build while I draw the M-600 plans. It’s all there and mostly framed, so it should not take long to get ready to cover. May fiberglass the fuselage too.

[F22trainer]

Used the parts sheets to make ribs that needed to be replaced - got lucky there and did not have to trace a template from the plans. Always good to hang on to those until after you get a few flights on your new bird.

[F22trainer]

A little break from the computer. Managed to make some surgical cuts and even saved the leading edge that was glued on upside down, the joiner ribs that were just plain wrong and left aileron is completed.

[F22trainer]

Got the left wing done and right wing fitted.
Whoever started this really wasn’t paying attention. One leading edge was upside down, wing tip blocks were wrong bevel, and all of the wing tip sheeting was poorly fitted but was lucky enough to be able to save those. Building in the 5/16 washout at tip as the outboard panels get secured. Ailerons coming out real nice. I want to program some differential so she doesn’t yaw all over the turn in the wrong direction. Might be fun to try a mix with flaperons. Can’t wait to start on the fuselage.

[F22trainer]

F

[F22trainer]

Wow, it’s really hard to edit / add text when photos are added. I can’t even find the stray “F” in the post above to add my text.

So, another post. Got the servo pockets cut and inserted. Right wing joined and setting up. The idea of adding spoilers has taken root, but I haven’t quite pulled the trigger.

[F22trainer]

Chasing the Goldberg out, before and after of the horizontal stabilizer. Vertical stabilizer and rudder also ready to cover. Wing is near ready too, just need to close up the center sheeting and run the fiberglass with epoxy in center.
Fuselage is a different story, we got some serious shiz going on up in here...

[F22trainer]

[F22trainer]

Landing gear block is mounted, gear wire formed and wheel fairings fitted nicely. I’m thinking of adding some foam around the fuselage to give it a rounder shape, it is going to get fiberglass anyway. Servo board went in also and really stiffened up the center section. The wing and stabilizers are ready to cove and look what showed up yesterday.

[F22trainer]

Reached the point where these birds truly begin to become graceful - aka, take u a lot of space.

[F22trainer]

Got a wee bit further along, and my clients this week have rescheduled...not great for the cookie jar fund, but I get to build!

[F22trainer]

Quite a good day of assembly

[F22trainer]

[F22trainer]

It’s alive, and we may have a name for this ship. It will mean however that the fuselage will need some curves added. :Cool:

[F22trainer]

Fiberglass and covering begins

[F22trainer]

Not a lot of progress, but there is progress. Fiberglass fuselage is coming out nicely. Will probably go dar gray metallic on that.

[F22trainer]

[F22trainer]

A good close up of the belly wheel strut and fairing blocks. In Arizona, it’s the height of the build season - which is only 3 months and we still can fly nearly every morning before 10 AM.
closing in on the final paint and assembly.

[F22trainer]

Got the table cleaned and began final assembly. Wings stretched out to 80” without the polyhedral. She’s going together nicely and am curious how it will balance.

[F22trainer]

Such as it is, she had a very successful maiden flight. The design changes make it a completely different airframe. Got a second flight with the RunCam on board, but will save that for later in the What did you fly Today thread.