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   THE Troodon Build   

Woo hoo, we have Plans,  Troodon  and ribs not much else though

From Plans Nov 05, very much a Scratch Build Plane gonna be at this for a bit I reckon, should be fun though.

Tubing needed  for wings, tail all the lengths can be measured off the plans

Fuselage ( some additional Info)

50 deep x 40 wide by the le and 70 deep and 40 wide halfway......made to fit the 
servos  batt etc.

1.1 meter from the rear bolt to the hing line on the rudder

Yoke home made but from CF perfect.

Main spar tubes made for >> me,,,,,UD   (uni Directional  WH) >> carbon very
 strong,

>>> but
>>> there are many available in Europe. > No diagonal ribs, >> Just 3 x 5 mm
>> hard > balsa strips > Fuselage, just 5 and 10 mm plus some >> block >>
>> balsa
>> sanded > to shape and skinned > in carbon and painted. > 

Wing MAke sure that main spar tubes are VERY strong and will not twist!!!! Yes, D box 
sheeted. 
A carbon skin. But hard balsa is fine Yes about .5 carbon, or .5 ply

Nov 06

Consider tubes  1.5 MM wall for main panel, 1 MM for the tip panels

Mr C has 11 Types of Cf sheet tube in Factory

1. 3K Roll 100% Carbon fiber Round Tube-Light-Plain
2. 3K Roll 100% Carbon fiber Round Tube-Light-Twill
3. 3K Roll 100% Carbon fiber Round Tube-Matt-Plain
4. 3K Roll 100% Carbon fiber Round Tube-Matt-Twill
5. 100% Carbon fiber Round Tube-Original black
6. 100% Carbon fiber Square tube-Original black(Square hole / Round hole)
7. 100% Carbon fiber Round Rod-Original black
8. 100% Carbon fiber Square Rod-Original black
9. 3K 100% Carbon fiber cloth-with black and other colors
10. 3K 100% Carbon fiber cloth-Plating Silver (Plain/Twill),This is the first choice for DIY, it can be spray the color of your favorite.
11. 3K 100% Carbon fiber sheet/plate-Light/Matt-Plain/Twill (Cut by CNC according to your drawings.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Nov 08

Ultracote is on it’s way….for an idea of what I’m thinking (currently) just picture trans blue on the center panel, with a white fuse and black boom. I may use that lite trans white
as well perhaps mid span, but I also have some fluorescent trans yellow on the way just to see what it looks like…..

Boom 35 to 25 mm 1.2 meter long 1.2 to 1.5 mm thick

My take on CF needed, your mileage may be different, a Scratch Builders Kit for sure

 

 

	Center Panel	Horizontal Stab	Vert Stab	Int. Panel	Tip Panel
3mm	1 x 1.6M	2 x 50 cm	1 x 40 cm		2 x 50 cm
4mm				2 x 62 cm	2 x 50 cm
6mm OD – 4mm ID		2 x 50 cm	1 x 40 cm	2 x 62 cm
8mm OD – 6mm ID			1 x 10 cm 1 x 40 cm	2 x 62 cm
10mm OD – 8mm ID	1 x 1.6M				2 x 50 cm
12mm OD – 19mm ID	1 x 1.6M
15mm OD – 13mm ID				2 x 62 cm
20mm OD – 17mm ID	1 x 1.6M 1 x 40cm
3/16″ Rod or 4mm				2 x 12 cm
6mm Rod			1 x 11 cm		2 x 8 cm
8mm Rod				2 x 12 cm
Trailing edge .8mm x 25.4mm Rectangle	2 x 1M	2 x 50 cm	1 x 40 cm	2 x 62 cm	2 x 50 cm

 

Mr C cannot provide tapered tube, have found another source, and inquired

will still offer list for rest of CF to him to get a Quote Shipped

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Nov 10

All trailing edges 1 mm thick CF will get the width from the plans. and notch ribs to suit.

Consider applying a thin cap strip over top to strengthen joint

I’m beginning to see this come together with CF tubes in the fuse boom back to the tail

 

Servos

6100 and 6125e(stab) for the fuse

6125 minis for the wing

4 cell Eneloop for the battery.

Nov 16

I have glued up a few pieces of balsa to a CF tube.

At rear I used something called Lepages 100% glue, in a red bottle, it stays soft well after three days. Seems plieable, and If pushed hard enough nearest the tube the balsa wood move and the glue appears to want to shear

Nearer I use JB weld, it’s black, and not so nice If you don’t get a clean fillet. I like to use JB weld for CF push rod end to threaded link glue joints.

The two nearest glue joints are with Laminating resin

The nearest I use a baby powder filler to give it some viscosity to hold a fillet shape, and the 2nd one in from the front has shredded FG strands added.

With the shredded FG strands a little more care needs to be taken to create a uniform fillet as some strands get hooked on my fillet tool.

 

 

 

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Perhaps Carbon fiber LE D box sheeting

. 5 mm thick

Bonding CF to Balsa

Thinking either

 

Nov 19

Nov 21

Servo wiring to aileron and flap servos

Two 4 pin deans connector can be used , coming out from the underside of the wings at the center, they could connect to corresponding halves which transition to two 3 conductor wires onto servo connectors that go into the receiver

or a multiplex 6 pin connector could be used rather then the 2 4 pin connectors

As well the ends in the underside of the wing could be glued in place, the corresponding leads from the fuselage would be loose flying leads, one exiting at left the other from the right to keep

The 4 pin deans appear to be a little easier to grab on to.

at the center panel too tip panel join a 3 pin deans could be used, or the standard servo plugs.

The female pin part in the tip can be glued in place, and the other side a flying lead. For the servo plugs the connector pin viseble side would be up when connecting to have proper orientation. the 3 pin deans are not symetrical

In the 4 servo bays there will also be a plug connection , typical servo connectors, harness end glued into a rib slot.

Some cut the servo connectors of and solder to the harness here.

Not a fan myself of this as replacement involves soldering, which is difficult for some and perhaps a challenge at the field

another option for the center panel to fuselage connector could be DB9

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nov 29

A little down time since I was last here, other Projects got in the way.

Need to build something to finish CF trailing edges and rib CF sheet to something thinner then I can buy. I have a die grinder with a 1/4 collett, and a 1/8″ collet I fashioned some years ago.

The bits are available in 10 packs from China, 1/8 inch shank, and various cut diameters. Will use 1,1.5 and 2 mm diameter bits

 

 

 

Dec 01

Requirements for Ultracote

for the colors just replace the transparent red with trans blue. So the center panel and stab would be blue – the rest as shown: trans violet, trans yellow.

Vertical Fin Violet

Dec 15

Yes, believe it or not the CF tube is enroute today from China, Tracking says it’s presently in Anchorage AK.

Should be nice

Been working toward some formers as well for the fuselage

Dec 19

Just 6 days after shipping from China the CF tubing is here.

What a great job as well , beautiful tail boom and the main spar fit exactly to the hole in one of the ribs. I was impressed, the only hiccup being that the suppliers representative was perhaps a little eager to say yes, and since I have had to get the 3 and 4 mm tube elsewhere

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Dec 20

well here you have it the assembly process begins, staring with the stab set. I have to clean up the 6mm hole in all the ribs a bit and skew as well as the ribs are not 90 Degrees to the spar when this goes together. Ribs 17 and 18 appear a little long as well. Not a big deal I can clean them up later

I have contacted supplier , at least they know, and perhaps will clean up their files and re burn and send a couple, or I won’t wait and work with what I have.

I also cut the 6 and 8 mm tube , the two longer pieces for the vertical stab and cleaned up those 6 and 8 mm holes in the ribs as well.

This is not conventional 1970’s balsa sailplane building, 🙂 everything gets threaded onto CF tubes and then gets lined up to the plans. I will use some med CA at all the Cf to balsa joints.

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Feb 02

Still waiting for 3mm CF tube

Did receive some end mills though for cutting the trailing edges

Feb 20

Wow it’s been a while since I have been at this, getting the 3 mm CF tube for a lot of the surface leading edges has been a real challenge. One ebay merchant sent the wrong items, 4 speed controls this after an almost 8 week wait 🙂

Resorted to a British supplier and finally received the tube from them. I suppose I could have started without the 3 mm tube, but thought it best to have this beforehand as all the pieces tie together and who knows what physical constraints I will face with the unknown properties of all these Carbon fiber pieces that fit around and thru various sets of ribs.

Well here we go 🙂

The ribs are not placed at 90 Degrees to the spars so all the holes 6 and 8 mm where carefully elongated with a file/ sandpaper so that they will conform to this geometry. I will scuff the surfaces of all the tubes, and clean with a mild cleaner for gluing.

The Leading Edge 3 mm tube rotates thru quite an arc hopefully the ribs will hold this tension after the entire assembly is glued together.

The Trailing edge of the rudder is curved and will get cut and sanded to that shape. In order to provide an effective method for gluing this to the ribs I will add slots .

I will use finishing resin and CA to do the gluing between the balsa and the CF tubes

Later this Day

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Feb 4

Wing Tips

Wing tip ribs , have ribs and spars 10 mm and 4 mm

Appears I won’t be able to secure the half ribs, until I secure the 3mm leading edge.

The holes need a little cleaning up to suite the tubes, again awesome CF tubes.

Time for some clean up on the fin, well I have added a clip to tie the 3mm LE CF to the 8 MM spar, that 3mm LE is loaded as a result of that bend it goes thru

Now onto the Stab, the holes in all the ribs needed to to cleaned out slightly so they could be rotated slightly to suit the angle with the 6 mm spar.

I also chose to add a forward 6 mm spar to reinforce the center of the stab and give another point where to mount a couple hinges or a hinge plate

some 6 mm holes

a final check, and then the spars get scuffed and cleaned for the assembly

with the spars located to the board the ribs are carefully slid on and individual pinned using 4 pins

All pinned and again finishing resin used to create fillets between the spar and the ribs

Both stab halves removed from the board , they will get joined later then I can add the 3mm LE Tube

Feb 06

Stab 2 makes One

 

 

Feb 07

Wing Tip Panel Build

I scuffed and cleaned the 10 and 4 mm spars. The tip panels have sub ribs and I will not glue them in place until the alternate main ribs are glued and set.

 

Feb 09

Feb 10

A little tidying of the tip panels then onto the intermediate panels. Flaps, 15mm 8, 6 and 4 mm CF tubes and a servo for the aileron

 

Feb 12

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Feb 13 and this recent News

Hallo Walter!

Die Beschreibung zeigt noch ältere Bilder. Die Diagonalstreben sind nicht notwendig, daher wurden sie im Serienmodell entfernt. Das spart auch ein wenig Gewicht.

Richtig ist die Tragfläche ohne Diagonalstreben.

herzliche Grüße

R F

AR-Flugmodelle

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Reading thru the German write up

• the ailerons are hinged at the top with tape
• the flaps at the bottom
• the moveable surfaces, rudder, flaps and ailerons are cut from the panels and then the ends of the ribs are sanded so they are flush with the CF tubes
• the main sub spar in the center panel is also referred to as a ballast tube

Feb 15 More thoughts and Observations

In particular trailing edges a number of months ago the decision was made to use CF sheet for the trailing edges. I believe this is still the best solution and I’m now faced with finding a way to fit CF strips over the end of these thin ribs.

Simply Put

• cut to length
• cut to width
• add notches
• glue in place
• :):)

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Feb 17

I hope this will do it?

A couple guides and a slide set at 10 degrees, and a stop at the rear of the slide

The aim, get some 1.5 mm notches into the trailing edge to suit the rib tips and get the trailing edges glued on.

I’ll stack the trailing edges for the tip panels and eyeball the location to cut the notches.:)

Feb 19

 

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Feb 21

More Details, Gussets and Trailing Edges

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Feb 23

Int. Panel root sheet and aileron servos

Feb 25

Center Panel Build

 

 

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Feb 27

Center Panel Trailing Edge

Had to rip the 3 pieces of Trailing edge and then mark and add notches

The roots of the center panel seemed a little light for me , so I doubled them with some 1/16″ balsa

I have set up strips and weights to get the Trailing edge in the right place, when this slow cure epoxy sets I will move to the left side of the center panel and get the TE done there

This is not trivial stuff, hope my eyes are keen enough 🙂

Mar 01

Flap Servos, Cabling

 

 

Mar 03

There is a Plan in case you were wondering

Welcome Back

The intermediate panel based on calculations need to be up 3.3 inches in order to form a 8 Deg angle with the center Panel. Then of course the root of this panel should be leaning 4 Deg in towards the center panel root at the top.

All good.

I don’t like to glue in the two alignment pins into the intermediate panel. Later they are just in the way. I am going to add a couple brass tubes and use those so the two joiners will be free.

Sure they can get lost, but for fitting later not having them glued in is a bonus.

So welcome back for the ride, all downhill from here , I hope. :):)

 

Mar 03

It’s been a real nice  late winter  weather here, but  it’s March and one never knows

I did get the outboard large tubes in place on both intermediate panels though, well tacked, I will pot them later once the rearward pin gets place.

 

Mar 05

 

Mar 07

 

Mar 09

 

 

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Mar 12    Media Day Coming Up

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Mar 15   Mid  Month

Mar 17 Spring o Spring

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Mar 19 More Fuselage

Mar 19  Schwerpunkt

Hallo Walter!

Der Schwerpunkt befindet sich ca. 125 – 130mm hinter der Flügelnase.

herzliche Grüße

 

Mar 20

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Mar21

Colors, white

on the outer aileron panel – with the aileron itself maybe a trans blue or something…..at least one panel will have trans white along with the rudder.
The rest of the plane is now up for decision….

 

Huum, one panel both sides or 1 panel on one side only 🙂

Mar 22

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Mar 23

Hum, a little hear a little there, seems no one part is complete. Rudder has been separated from the fin, Ribs have been capped at hinge. Focus is on center panel, and how to secure to the fuselage and boom.

Vertical space is key, in the end wings need to be parallel to the stab, and the pinned fin needs to be vertical. No marks or holes yet in the boom.

The fuse pod surely is looking better as it rounds into form

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23 Pictures of details, stab, fin, rudder, securing boom to wing, tow hook , Huum, did I miss something

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Mar 24

 

 

Mar 26

Checking my notes I see I first had a look at the Troodon plans last Nov , so I am quite ahead of schedule with getting this bird done.

You may not have know but the Troodon may have been the smartest Dinosaur to ever exist.

No it couldn’t fly but this one will.

I took a moment to assemble it today, and here it is.

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Mar 27

Boom fuse join and finish . Switch needs a bracket, some thin 1/2 hard aluminum should do it. D-Box sheet.

 

Mar 28 More Paint and Prep

 

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Mar 30

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April 01

More pictures and some detail on the rudder Build, the rudder should lite up like a Chinese Lantern, brilliant

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April 04

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April 04 Bonus

 

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April 06 some Blue soon

There’s not much to say as I get to the finishing details, the fuse now has it’s 5th coat of paint. This should be the last brushed on coat next a bit of light sanding and a spray coat.

The aileron surfaces are in place, and have come alive, the cable harness is in use for the ailerons, and that works well. Will have to plant a good portion of it into the center panel, before I cover that.

 

 

 

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:):)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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April 07,  some more details, Flaps, flap servos, and blue, and yes the flaps are taped on, they fill a big hole

April 09

 

April 10 Bits and Pieces

adding the rudder, the center panel is bolted to the wing, the table is level and the wing is level. I’m going to glue the front fin post into the fuse boom, and set the rudder TE square to the table.

 

 

 

April 12

 

 

 

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woo hoo, Will it fly, Standby, we shall see 🙂

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Troodon SailplaneBuild

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