757Driver

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A few more pics...

rhklenke

My Feedback: (24)

Jason,

Do yourself a favor and replace ALL of the gear door hinges NOW with new ones from Tamjets. If you don't, you'll be doing it one at a time as they break in use and it will be much harder once the jet has everything in it...

Bob

757Driver

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Thanks Bob, I think I will. What is the best way to remove the old hinges?

rhklenke

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Jason,

On mine, I removed all of the screws and simply used a knife to pry them off. They came off pretty easily and in most cases, I used the old screws and a bit of Hysol to hold the new ones in place.

Bob

Eagle Driver

by the way .... if you are looking for very strong gear-door-hinges have a closer look to this new epoxy glass hinges from www.jet-zubehoer.de




Steven

drdoom

My Feedback: (9)

Jet Model Products also sells a great hinge. They are included in his kits.

Eagle Driver

JMP also sells the "BEST" Sportjet i`ve ever seen ....
but i will get a kick from my wife when i buy one more this year [:@]


Steven

drdoom

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Yep... But the swift kick is a small price to pay...

757Driver

My Feedback: (90)

Thanks guys, my hinges are hysol'd in place so it looks like I'll have to grind them out. It came this way from FEJ. I found CA on the balls' threaded end and on the nut as well. The good news is that I got the stabilators completely installed and the servo wires run forward for them and the rudder servos. Both access panels are installed the flying surfaces are complete. I had to make holes for the aileron and flap servo wires. Love my unibit! I worked on the air system tonight some as well. It would appear that FEJ needs to do a few things to make this a really solid ARF. First is to fix all the air leaks. Second is to throughly clean the fuel tanks prior to assembly ( I found alot of trash in mine) and test the tanks for leaks at the factory. Third is to switch over to foam or solid wheels. Fourth is to include restrictors and more "T"'s in the air line package. Include two air gauges and two fill valves. Also adding one more air tank would be nice. Fifth would be to double pack every airplane that leaves the factory so that we don't waste time with damaged birds.

Pics from tonight...

SO, anyone know where the lazer cut wood goes??????

drdoom

My Feedback: (9)

Dom you guys think that those Sheet metal screws are good enough that mount the retracts or should they be changed out to (T) nuts and socket head cap screws?

757Driver

My Feedback: (90)

The screws as is seem to be very solid. That said, if you were to drill the hole out and then harden the wood with CA then through bolt it with an 8-32 and use washers (large area) and locking nuts that would probably be stronger. My fear in that would be the entire gear and bulkheads ripping out of the airplane if you were to have a hard landing or running off in the dirt. The setup as is will most likely just rip the threads out and leave the airframe intact.

USSCAT

Jason,

They recommend replacing the sheetmetal screws with the blind nuts. I think the shettmetal screws will rip off on each rough landing, and then you will endup using a blind nut anyway.

BTW WRT the laser cut parts, I do not know, may be some one will eventually chime in

Regards,
Mike

drdoom

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The 2 large pieces are trays for mounting the electronics and pneumatics. maybe the fuel delivery system.
You can kinda tell by the interlocks. I haven't looked at the other parts.

757Driver

My Feedback: (90)

DrDoom...Post 161. I pictured the parts in question there. One looks like it could be used as an optional mounting tray but I'm still wondering.

I'll replace the gears screws as they suggest. Thanks for the heads up.

Is there anything else they reccomend. I know about the fuel tank stoppers and the landing gear springs. What else am I missing?

drdoom

My Feedback: (9)

757Driver I know you will have an outstanding model when it is ready to fly.

I am following your lead here. I asking not questioning.

757Driver

My Feedback: (90)

Roger that! Post some pics of your build. We can all learn from each other.

redfred

Hi all, Just started the build on my f15 here in the UK. The gear and door rams have all been air tested in water and all found to be air tight after replacing only one O ring. I also placed the tank bungs in a bottle of jet A1 for a couple of weeks. They also proved ok - no leaks were found in the tanks supplied. The only down side so far is some missing parts. The servo boxes and tail pipe mount. James was very quick to reply to my e-mail and is going to forward the parts along with thier new cockpit for the F15. I will post some pics when it arrives. Untill then some pic that may help.

757Driver

My Feedback: (90)

RedFred...thanks for the help with F21. I was up so late I was too tired to post. I'm leaving for Europe tommorow and was trying like crazy to get it done, but there were too many loose ends. It needs about 3 more solid days and she should be ready for a maiden. Does anyone have a weight on the airplane with all fuel tanks full?

Heres some pics...

Oh RedFred, this is my first jet and I hope that I mounted the Bifurcated duct properly. I didn't have the mount either. I wasn't aware that it came with a mount for it. Also my stabilator control horns hit the top of the fuselage. Do yours clear without any binding? Wondering if they fixed that problem. I also was under the impression that the bifurcated duct was angled at the exhaust nozzles but I later noticed that one was streight and the other just a few degrees tilted in pitch. I hope this will not cause me a problem in flight.

I used 3/16" tank kits from Sullivan and couldn't find any barbs that I liked so I made my own from 1/4" plumming butt connectors. Just cut them up and soldered them in place. They work very well and the lines are very secure. I tested my fuel system and it looks like it holds approximately one US gallon. I installed 4 air tanks in the empenage, two on each side. One short one in the aft end and the longer kit tank just forward. Three tanks will be used for the heavy system and the fourth tank will operate the brakes. UAT installed as well as the fuel pump. Brake lines routed. The kit should include 7 more air line "T" fittings as well as brake line, strut clips. The jet needs four of these in my opinion. Don't get me wrong...its alot of airplane for the money but these are small things that would make it better. Also the linkage for the Stabilators is about .400" too short and creates poor geometry for the servos. It should also come with two fill valves and two air gages. I installed a fuel vent in the empenage as well. I upgraded all my clunks to sullivans tapered heavy type. I also wrapped the servo wires and air lines that transit the MLG retract and wheel well. I inflated my tyres to 81mm today and its a bit too much. They look good when the jet is sitting on the gear but the tire just touches the bottom of the fuel tanks when retracted. I will have to let some air out. May try 80mm when I return home. BTW my fuel tanks had alot of debris in them from the factory. I think its prudent to flush them well several times and ofcourse always run filters, lots of filters.

757Driver

My Feedback: (90)

Just some more pictures...

757Driver

My Feedback: (90)

Almost forgot, I riveted the bellmouth in place on the B-duct and installed the black belly pan under the engine. I mounted the L brackets for the fuel tanks but they are not pictured here. The aft end of the tanks fit tightly aginst the spar mount on the right side but there is just enough room for some foam rubber (thin) on the left side. I wish the right didn't fit so tight. Little worried it will rub a hole in the tank over time.

USSCAT

757Driver,

Nice going, pictures are great, questionon on post #184, what is that on the fourth picture, top row counting from the left? Is that a Fuel Port?

Regards,
Mike

757Driver

My Feedback: (90)

Thanks Mike! The picture to which you are reffering is my fuel tank vent. I placed it aft as I'm sure fuel will spill out during operation and stream back. I just figured I would be less mess back there.

Now I'm considering doing a couple of new things instead of "dumping fuel" during operation and refueling. I think I would like to install something like a quick fuel valve so that would automatically block the vent line and open an overflow refueling line back to my main fuel jug. This will allow me to totally fill the airplane and purge as much air from the tanks as possible during refueling. It takes my little electric fuel pump several minutes to fill the tanks so I'm thinking a setup like this would let me go do something else while the tanks are filling. When the tanks are full the excess will simply flow back to the fuel jug.

The second idea I'm thinking about is adding a dedicated vent tank that would serve as a temporary resivor for fuel that would otherwise vent overboard. It could then be sucked up by the clunk and would flow back into the main system. Basically it would be plumbed in just like adding another fuel tank but it would be empty most of the time and be something the size of a UAT. Around 2oz.

USSCAT

757Driver,

I use a third line on my UAT to fill the tanks and I hookup my taxi tank to the overflow line. Any overfill will go directly in to my overflow tank and I use that to taxi.

Regards,
Mike

757Driver

My Feedback: (90)

I fill through my UAT as well. Your setup reinforces my deciscion. Where did you put your taxi/joverflow tank? How many oz. is it?

USSCAT

757Driver,

The taxi tank is similar to the BVM, on my F-16 the overflow line sticks out the belly, I can pull it out a bit and hookup my taxi tank to it. Once it is ready for flight, I take the taxi tank out. see the link below.
http://www.dreamworksrc.com/catalog/...roducts_id=545