1:4 1928 RRG Professor

[ARUP]

In the previous post's last pic is the fin and LE halves of the rudder. These halves were grooved to receive the hinges just like what was done with the fin's TE. You can see this and how it works in the next picture. The rudder's LE stock was tapered from just above the topmost hinge up to the tip. The rudder LE was laid down to the board so that ribs and ply laminate outlines could be glued in place. After the parts were dry everything was sanded and re-stained... just for grins! The aerodynamic balance portion of the rudder will get built after the other half of the rudder is done. Ply skin will go on these parts, partially, too.





Don't ask me why that one picture is so big because I resize all photos the same. Danged computers.

Buna notg!

[ARUP]

Me too! lol The fin and rudder were started. These are getting built 'clam shell fashion' so the flat hinges can be more easily installed. Bass is being used for the fin TE and rudder LE. It would be a little difficult making accurate slots for them especially since the rudder will be removable. To make that happen the hinge pin has to be guided by a tube. The is no access to the hinge pin from below because the tail skid is in the way so the pin and its guide tube are fitted almost the whole length of the rudder. This has to be perfect!







The basic fin structure has a balsa LE added to it. It is shown tapered... like the drawing. There is no way to sand a nice round shape to it because there isn't thick enough wood at the top. The off-cut was glued back onto it. See Kevin... another 'almost scarph' joint! lol

[kjkavaney]

Can't wait to see this beauty next season Michael....inspirational..
kevin

[ARUP]

Music wire was cut, bent, cleaned, soldered (Stay-Brite brand), cleaned again then painted to form a tail skid. It inserts into a 1/4"marine ply block inside the fuse and attaches to a bass block in front of the fin post. The fin is getting built.





Dobranoc!

[ARUP]

Sure... 1/4 or 1/3 scale? Thanks for checking in the build!

[Dion Dunn]

Beautiful work Michael. Can I put in an order for a nice end table with inlays next please?

[ARUP]

Thanks, Len! The fuselage wasn't too bad but the fuselage to pylon transition was 'ticklish'??? An 'expletive deleted' could be used to describe the effort! lol

[lenb]

All I see is a beautiful floor?

Oh, wait..... There is a something sitting there... oh, sorry now I see it.
Nice color match to your surroundings. Love your workmanship Michael.

[ARUP]

Thank you very much, Bob! Are y'all staying warm up there? We had single digits a couple of weeks ago, including some minus temps, it went up into 20s and 30s, will be in 60s end of week then snow coming! No wonder Native Americans never stayed here permanently... it drove them crazy, too!

[BobM]

Really beautiful work Michael !

[ARUP]

50%... that would be HUGE! Is there a 50% Professor out there? One thing to keep in mind is that these early birds had no glideslope control. You would have to add non-scale air brakes/ spoilers or program some relfexed ailerons with appropriate elevator mix to kill some lift. Otherwise, build 'em big and fly from a very BIG airfield. I would like to build the Darmstadt D-7 'Margarete' next. It's a cool two-holer! The fin and pylon would be particularly challenging.
Another Parabola would be cool but if you are like me it is hard to build another of the same type. A Manuel Hawk would be pretty cool! The Professor is tricky around the pylon area and keeping things straight is a 'watchword' for this build since it has lots of straight lines, lol!

[ChrisL]

I was contemplating a joint project with PeterG, a 50% Professor but somebody beat me too it!

I finally have my router together so I'm bouncing between a Parabola 2.0 or the Manuel Hawk.

Awesome work on your Professor Mike, it's not as easy a build as it might look.

[ARUP]

'Andmoreagain' by Arthur Lee. More skinning! It is finished except for the tail end. The fin and skin have to get built onto the fuselage before the plywood skin can get totally done. The last pic of the cockpit is similar in composition to the one VinceC posted.







On to the tail!

[ARUP]

More plywood skinning! There isn't much to show except the progression of the skinning process. Paper and card patterns were used before cutting the ply. Then the ply was cut and sanded to fit. two 4' x 4' sheets of ply were used with ~1' x 1' left over. The first two pics are a stereo pair.









More...

[ARUP]

All day was used to put ply on the fuselage. A Coverite iron set on 'hotter than...' was used to pre-bend ply as needed like around the pylon to fuselage junction. The iron was used kind of like a paint brush to heat the ply while pressure exerted to curve it. My fingers were getting a little hot, too! One section of ply was fitted but not glued to the nose so that lead ballast can be added if needed, later, after the model completed. A stereo pair of pics are shown!








More later. Time for supper!