Official Nexa 2060mm SBD-5 Dauntless Discussion Thread

[downwindleg]

Ok got the outer wing panels attached and wired. Also got the first two battery connections soldered for 8s.

[downwindleg]

Alrighty, got the center section of the canopy installed, cowling temp mounted and centered, drilled out the ignition ring ports for 1/16” aluminum tubing to represent spark plug lines, and installed the little elevator control rod hoods at the back. Also got all 18 pushrod sleeves glued in place on the dummy radial.

[Twowingtj]

downwindleg Coming along very nicely! Going to be a sweet looking bird.

[downwindleg]

Thanks Twowingtj. Was starting to wonder if anybody was watching or benefiting from the progress. It wouldn’t hurt to get more input on this build.

[Twowingtj]

I've found that most people that get planes this size and type, don't do much posting on forums. I'm not sure why that is.

[rifleman_btx]

Probably because most people now don't care much unless it's a repainted jet or warbird. But even then it's becoming a dime a dozen.

[downwindleg]

Here’s my theory. Thanks to the folks at Motion RC and others, we were all included in the process of each new foam plane…even during development and release. That started a whole group of us regulars that wanted to share their ideas for mods and progress. But the Nexa type plane is a different animal and different folks, with the exception of crossovers like me who just needed bigger planes that the foamy industry wasn’t supplying,

[downwindleg]

OK more progress Got the dummy radial almost done. Finished the rear seat guns and antenna. Not sure what to do with rear canopy. BTW this is the primo rattle can paint for cockpit interiors, wheel wells, etc.

[downwindleg]

So here’s what the dummy radial looks like in the cowl with prop and spinner mounted. Still some fine tuning where the motor seems to rub a little.

[Twowingtj]

Awesome!

[MrSmoothie]

I'm curious about the flexible molding provided to cover the juncture between center and outer wing sections. The real plane had such a molding as it covered the bolted flanges joining the sections. I'm working on a 71" ESM Dauntless and I'm having a hard time coming up with a good solution to fabricating this molding so that it will be flexible enough to go around the front third of the airfoil. Can anybody tell me more about the material provided in the Nexa kit? It looks like it can be purchased, but unfortunately as part of a large hardware pack that costs $65.
--Specifically, how wide is the molding?
--Longshot I know, but did anybody opt not to use the material and willing to sell it?

[downwindleg]

I’m thinking maybe making a profile pattern for a 3D printer instead of the supplied material. For this Dauntless, the problem is that if you use the supplied material, you can no longer remove the wing. But a T shape that you could attach to the center wing section that overlaps the outer wing panel might work. Not sure I want to go to all that much trouble for squint scale.

[downwindleg]

I’m thinking maybe making a profile pattern for a 3D printer instead of the supplied material. For this Dauntless, the problem is that if you use the supplied material, you can no longer remove the wing. But a T shape that you could attach to the center wing section that overlaps the outer wing panel might work. Not sure I want to go to all that much trouble for squint scale.If I decide not to use the supplied material, I’ll let you know

[MrSmoothie]

I was tipped off (by LDM on RCG) that the furnished molding is next to useless. I had already wondered about making the molding as a 3D part and printed tests yesterday. Getting the section and scale was the easy part. For my model, it would take two pieces to span the wing chord. The hard part was conforming to the airfoil contour, especially at the leading edge. But I did some tests with a heat gun and was actually surprised by my results. I'll report back when I do them "for real". On the ESM, the outer wing panels are glued, not removable. But I agree there could be a way to make them permanent to the center section. These fairings/moldings were wider than I think most people realize. I've carefully scaled photos and decided that on my 1/7 scale Dauntless they should be 17 or 18mm wide, meaning 5" or so actual size. Too bad I don't know anybody visiting the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola this week! That's one museum where, with most aircraft, you can walk right up to (or crawl under!) them.

[MrSmoothie]

My test today making the molding as a 3D part was more successful than I thought it would be. After printing, the parts were heated with the lower of two settings on my cheapo heat gun, and then were easily formed to the airfoil section. Interestingly, the parts didn't get too hot to touch, or too hot to contact the wing surface. I refined the part's section a bit more and printing new parts now. It'll take two sections on top and bottom, but the real moldings were at least two or three sections. Finishing these off to a smooth surface will be easy -- some sanding, followed by multiple coats of SEM brand high-build primer, with a bit more sanding.

[downwindleg]

Very nice. Looks like the bottom of your pieces are flat. If that is the case, I could use the same thing and just glue it only on the center section side so that the outer wing panel could still be removed.

[downwindleg]

Hey MrSmoothie, any chance you could send me the files for those farings? I am about as far away as I can be from you and still be in the continental U.S. so that might be the best way to go. I have a friend that could print them for me.

[MrSmoothie]

The wing-join fairings worked out very well -- after sanding, priming (I use SEM high build primer which is an outstanding product) and painting (BEHR latex which I matched to the original blue), these were attached with canopy glue, although in one area I used BSI Gold thin CA with a fine applicator. I've made and painted the bottom ones (a different profile to account for dihedral) and ready to glue them on.

[handyman220]

I'd be interested in those wing fairing parts also. Any chance you'd be willing to sell some?

[Matt Mathias]

Tempted …. Does anyone know if a small Saito radial 33 would fit in this. It’s how I save on buying planes .. no radial, no plane))

Yes it fits great. I have the Saito FG33R3 in mine and flies it great. I have the heavy scale wheels and a aftermarket working bomb drop. must epoxy in the baffles though.