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#4263827 - 05/25/16 04:57 PM Re: 7/8 scale Nieuport 11. [Re: Dart]  
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Dart Offline
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Lifer

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The right brake drum isn't truly round.

Sigh. I'm going to have to spend some time with the belt sander taking off the high spot.


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#4263890 - 05/25/16 07:52 PM Re: 7/8 scale Nieuport 11. [Re: Dart]  
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Beautiful stuff Dart! And congrats on the first flight.

It's pretty awesome to have her up and flying while the N10/11s were still in the fight. I'd love to start one, but there's something special about the 100 year thing.

#4264030 - 05/26/16 01:46 AM Re: 7/8 scale Nieuport 11. [Re: Dart]  
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Thanks for the explanation, Dart. Am I correct in thinking that is also why many taildraggers have no steerable tailwheels - they're either free castoring or locked?


There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the universe is for it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more inexplicable.
There is another theory which states that this has already happened.
#4264215 - 05/26/16 05:18 PM Re: 7/8 scale Nieuport 11. [Re: Dart]  
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Lifer

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Dart, here is what you need now.

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/559808860

Not 7/8 scale so it might be a bit heavy for your Nieuport. Plus, you'd have to figure out synchronizing gear. And it would ruin the authenticity since the N11 didn't use the Vickers; just the Lewis. I'll keep my eyes open for a Lewis.


Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.

Someday your life will flash in front of your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.
#4264221 - 05/26/16 05:30 PM Re: 7/8 scale Nieuport 11. [Re: Dart]  
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Lifer

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Oh, no, synchronizing gear is crazy talk. Just mount it above the wing to shoot over the propeller, as God intended.

Springs on the way from Atlanta. Naturally since I've grounded my little Babette the weather is picture perfect. It'll probably storm for weeks after the parts arrive and are put on the aircraft.


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From Laser:
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#4264223 - 05/26/16 05:38 PM Re: 7/8 scale Nieuport 11. [Re: Dart]  
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Lifer

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I can fly up with very short notice. You should have someone out there with you. Safer than being alone. Plus, once things are good, I can fly alongside and get some good photos for you.


Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.

Someday your life will flash in front of your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.
#4264227 - 05/26/16 05:45 PM Re: 7/8 scale Nieuport 11. [Re: Dart]  
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Lifer

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Yep, I think you'll be just the right good luck charm for flight #3.


The opinions of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.

More dumb stuff at http://www.darts-page.com

From Laser:
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#4265008 - 05/28/16 10:18 PM Re: 7/8 scale Nieuport 11. [Re: Dart]  
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Dart Offline
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Lifer

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Springs on tail wheel!

I thought for a second that I might just be able to stick the compression spring on there and have it a little slack, but it was too much - the tail wheel didn't move at all!



So I measured back seven inches from the thimble end of the cable, whipped out my Harbor Freight dremel type tool, stuck a cutting wheel on it and cut them. Digging through my pile o' parts, I found two - and just two - nicopress sleeves of the right size. So only one try with the go-no gauge on each.

The springs came with one long chain, so I cut it roughly in half and started dinking around with the correct lengths - I want a little slack between the wheel and rudder, with the rudder getting the play.



I tested it out, and it looks like I get a little left rudder when the wheel cable snugs up; this is what I wanted. Taping the extra chain up (I don't want to trim it just yet), I went around the hangars at fast walking speed and I think this is just what I needed.

We'll see on the next attempt!*

I worked a bit on the left brake drum, slowly taking down some of it on about a quarter of the way around on the belt sander. It's much, much closer to round now and isn't making a thumping noise as the high spot goes through the brake band. I was getting a little anxious with shaving tiny amounts off and thinking of being more aggressive, so I stopped work. The brakes behaved much better on the taxi run as well, so I'm at the 90% solution there. I just didn't want to ruin the drum because I was getting tired of putting it on the plane, spinning the wheel, marking the drum, taking it off, running it on the sander, putting it on the plane....

The right drum runs pretty true but has a little squeak at the end when it's full stop. I think that just may be that everything is new. I'll look at it next time.

The last thing I did was trial fit my antenna extension, which is just a coax cable with fittings on both ends that go the handheld on one end and the rubber duck on the other. I put it on a fuselage tube just behind the seat, inverted to where it points downwards. I reckon it'll work much better than laying sideways in the seat next to me.

* I've made a rule for myself - I won't fly immediately after performing maintenance. That gives me a chance to look at what I've done with fresh eyes the next time around.

That it was just too windy to even think about it suited me just fine.


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#4265034 - 05/29/16 12:55 AM Re: 7/8 scale Nieuport 11. [Re: Dart]  
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Sounds like just a little bit of tail weight added. How sensitive is your weight and balence for CG?

#4265039 - 05/29/16 01:27 AM Re: 7/8 scale Nieuport 11. [Re: Dart]  
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Dart Offline
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Lifer

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That's not enough to change things.


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From Laser:
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#4265123 - 05/29/16 01:17 PM Re: 7/8 scale Nieuport 11. [Re: Dart]  
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Dart,

Wonderful thread, sir. My question is a bit off topic, but since you're the only thread I've seen flying an N11, I thought maybe you had an answer for me. I always wondered if you can see your rudder behind you when you "check-6" like TrackIR would normally show (i.e. Linda Blair neck twist) or are you actually limited anatomically to see part of your elevators when you turn to look behind you. I found various topics on the net, but conflicting answers.

Keep up the awesome work.

#4265172 - 05/29/16 04:22 PM Re: 7/8 scale Nieuport 11. [Re: Dart]  
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Falstar Offline
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Originally Posted By: Dart
That's not enough to change things.


Work with me here... if you add enough weight to the tail you will have to add the gun! biggrin

Good question OldHat. I was wondering that also.

#4265210 - 05/29/16 06:11 PM Re: 7/8 scale Nieuport 11. [Re: Dart]  
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Dart Offline
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Lifer

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Alabaster, AL USA
Well, the answer in my aircraft is answered by the inclusion of the mirror!

But it comes with some caveats.

First, my aircraft is smaller than the original, though the seat is a full scale. smile

Second, I have a four point harness, which restricts my movement. In most WWI aircraft, they had just a waist belt (though it's huge - the one in the local museum for a Camel looks like it should have a WWE logo in the middle), so they could turn.

Third, I'm an old stiff guy, so turning about and really craning my neck is out.

But I side with the guys who say TIR is overly generous in turning to the rear. I also think it's okay, as overall visibility is much better in an aircraft than on a screen. It's hard to explain, but there's something with the context of peripheral vision that just makes things easier to look around.

LOL @ the gun. After this next flight I think I'll mount it.


The opinions of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.

More dumb stuff at http://www.darts-page.com

From Laser:
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#4265338 - 05/30/16 04:18 AM Re: 7/8 scale Nieuport 11. [Re: Dart]  
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Hotshot

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Florida
Just catchin' up on your labor of love, Dart. Congratulations!

I don't have the right combination of mechanical skill, motivation and temperament to accomplish such a project, so I am extremely impressed! thumbsup

#4265347 - 05/30/16 05:36 AM Re: 7/8 scale Nieuport 11. [Re: Dart]  
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Dart Offline
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Lifer

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Alabaster, AL USA
Naw, it takes a minimum of skill and moxie to build an aircraft; anybody can do it.


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#4266859 - 06/04/16 05:44 AM Re: 7/8 scale Nieuport 11. [Re: Dart]  
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Dart Offline
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Lifer

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Alabaster, AL USA
I had a special visitor the other day, our very own OG!

He pilots a very pristine Cessna - she looks show room clean inside and out!



The day he flew up it was too late for flying my Bebe, so I put him to work doing a bit of tinkering on some minor things. That it was 95 degrees with 90% humidity made me no nevermind, and he's a good sport and didn't gripe or gently remind me that not everyone likes Alabama heat.

Still, he seemed pretty pleased with my plane!



Part of being ground crew is bearing witness when things go wrong and helping diagnose it. Note the leather combing around the cockpit, particularly the bit by his left shoulder; it figures pretty large into the tale of Test Flight #3.

The next day we were out at the airfield bright and early - CAVU with zero gusting to one winds - and we did the pre-flight and I taxied her out for a nice showy takeoff.

Initially it was straight forward, and the addition of the springs and chains to the tail wheel seemed to be just the trick I needed to keep stability. I applied left rudder, relaxed it a bit, and put in a little more.

Only I was stomping the left rudder cable and Jack Nothing was happening. At flying speed. And she was flying. To the right. Ghaaaa! I rolled the aircraft to the left, throttle to the stops, and brought her over the runway, leveling out the wings with the right rudder and ailerons.

A quick check and the rudder was responding left and right as it normally does.

"Um, I got a problem with my left rudder," I say over the radio.
"Roger," OG says over the handheld he has, "Copy you've got a problem with your rudder."

The initial plan was for me to shoot some go-arounds, floating the runway to find the perfect landing speeds without actually landing. But with a control issue, all that was out of the window - I needed to get her down.

Lining up was no problem, though I was a bit high and a bit fast. I two bounced her, realized I was just asking for trouble in trying to make a bad approach into a good one and went around. The rudder was responsive throughout, so I was cautiously optimistic that I was in jeopardy but not danger (if that makes sense).

I landed okay, but as I finished up with all three wheels on the ground and began to slow the left rudder stopped responding again. It was like the pedal wouldn't go down. The aircraft did a little half circle right at taxi speed; not enough to cause damage to aircraft, but enough to bugger up my bicycle wheel and flatten the tire.

Oh, hell, that's why I have spares. I taxied it back on a flat tire and a slightly warped wheel.

I started at the front of the left rudder control system. My rudder stop nut was loose and turning freely in my fingers. Nut out and thrown against the hangar wall with some bad words. The cable guide bushing at the front was back fully in the mount for it. I moved it forward, wondering if that might have caused the binding.

OG leans over the aircraft and says "Hey, what's that in the fuselage?"

I look back and see something black right against the left control cable for the tail wheel at the bushing that guides it over the fuselage tubing. I fetch my grabber tool and with OG guiding me, snatch it up.



It's a piece of pipe insulation foam, the type I used to form the combing around the cockpit. I had put a small piece of it on the long piece that goes all the way around to give the combing a better silhouette.



I must have knocked it out of the combing when I got in the aircraft and mucked about with the shoulder straps. It fell in exactly the wrong place to where it would sometimes pick up into the cable at that bushing, binding it - but when the rudder went the other way would pop out enough to allow free movement.

Another flight that day was out. I needed to check the cables again, epoxy the cable guides in place, run the combing to make sure that I didn't have any more pieces other than the great big one, and be glad I was up to being Adventure Pilot.

I felt kind of bad that OG came all the way from Florida to see the plane fly and it turned out to be all screwy, but he knew it that I'm still very early on in the test flight program and handled it with grace. We talked airplanes and Army stuff and off he went back home.

Since it was a loss of a flight control system due to mechanical reasons, I self reported to NASA about it. I didn't violate any FAR's or anything, but the program is there to build a database of f--kups.

So this morning I went out to the airfield with the intention of just covering the spare wheel and dancing around the airplane, but was shocked to see there were absolutely no winds. Hmmmm, I worked off all the gigs from the last flight, might as well get back on the horse that threw me.

This was an easy video to make:



smile


The opinions of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.

More dumb stuff at http://www.darts-page.com

From Laser:
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#4266888 - 06/04/16 10:12 AM Re: 7/8 scale Nieuport 11. [Re: Dart]  
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Why is Fat Herman in the cockpit of a French airplane? neaner stirthepot

Glad #4 went well.


There was only 16 squadrons of RAF fighters that used 100 octane during the BoB.
The Fw190A could not fly with the outer cannon removed.
There was no Fw190A-8s flying with the JGs in 1945.
#4266921 - 06/04/16 12:31 PM Re: 7/8 scale Nieuport 11. [Re: Dart]  
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Lifer

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It was good to see the plane in real life. You appreciate small details of the build that pictures don't convey. Marvelous piece of work. Building your own flying airplane. Helping him was akin to going back in time to the days when the only things flying were what people built themselves.

As he said we did some small work. He was not happy with the the coordination of tail wheel and rudder. So we adjusted the cables until he could get some rudder before it resulted in any tail wheel movement. We adjusted his brakes to lighten the grab. Couple iterations to get them as he wanted. This was confirmed during taxi testing with me observing the rudder and tail wheel coordination. After taxi I found an oil seep in his engine oil pan that Dart was able to correct. We changed some bolts and cotter pins. Taxiing went well so he went on the test flight where he had the rudder problem. Afterwards, he found the rudder stop bolts had backed out and figured that may have been the problem, but we wondered about the intermittency. He was looking at some guides he had in the cockpit so I traced the cabling all the way through to the tail. That's when I saw the foam pieces. After we got those we replaced the damaged wheel and tire. The wind was picking up so we scrubbed another attempt.

So we took up my store bought airplane and Dart took me on a little aerial tour of the Talladega/Gadsden area. Followed the Coosa River. Beautiful. Foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Then back to land. I had to get used to the difference in airfield elevation and didn't allow for enough in the approach. So I had to keep in some power to get a proper glide angle.

He didn't think he was going to fly the next day, so I flew home.


Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.

Someday your life will flash in front of your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.
#4266926 - 06/04/16 12:45 PM Re: 7/8 scale Nieuport 11. [Re: Dart]  
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Lifer

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Huge congratulations on Babette Dart !!!!

Built your own flying machine.


Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.

Someday your life will flash in front of your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.
#4266951 - 06/04/16 01:53 PM Re: 7/8 scale Nieuport 11. [Re: Dart]  
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Lifer
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Lifer

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Vienna, 2nd rock left.
I admit I'd be a bit scared to find a mechanical blockage of a control surface due to some small mistake... but I'm a pussy at the racetrack too, I'm not built to always test the limits wink

Could you afford to lose one axis of control and correct with the other?

#4 looked awesome and proper.

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