Topic: J Ranson Beaufighter Build...IC conversion.

Not a masterclass but a scale-ish build.
Not my first Beaufighter , which was a free plan by John Deacon in RC Scale Aircraft March 90.
This time its based on the six sheet 92" plans by John Ranson / Trevor Stannard.
However I have made some modifications to suit my prefered building methods and to suit a pair of Laser 80`s rather than Johns elecrtic original design. I also had to redesign the retract fitting method to suit the Century Jet 110 degree mechanisms that I had to take out of the Sturmovic for a while. I also changed the main spars in the wings to Spruce 3/8" x 1/4" sections as I am more familiar with this type of structure.
Hope John`s not seething by now at these liberties !
The build started in May but it`s taken me a while to start a thread.

More a series of photos of the build than a blow by blow account I think.

The Fuselage jigging method  using a 4" x 2" plank was interesting and worked well.
The fuselage is not quite as the plan either as  copied J Deacons method for the sides 1/4 sheet sides rather than all stringered .

More

and more,  ( I have to write something in the text box it seems )

Wings,

Lights, from Braincube. Oliver at BC was most helpful here.

The nacelles were redesigned 1/8 ply boxes to enclose the fuel tanks , provide a face for the firewalls and a base for the retracts.

Sheeting, planking , blockwork , fairing and fillets.

More of the same !

ABS Cowlings I`m embarassed to say !


It looks a bit silly on its 4" wheels but I will fit the correct 5" diameter ones later I hope.

Thats it ...fully up to date as of today.

TTFN, D.

I like it, I like it alot. Should be done by Christmas then 

Phil

Cracking job Dennis, those legs do look the part

I didn't know the Italians used Beaufighters

Ian.

hi Dennis
 she looks great  , you dont hang about when you build do you would take me about 3 years to do that lot whats your secret

 andy

Hi Dennis,  Very nice and good luck!  Pity you had to put in infernal combustion engines but each to their own.      Make sure they are reliable because the assymetric thrust on just one fan is likely to be huge.  Mine is still OK but up in the loft at the moment.  I fitted outrunners plus radial engine sound and lipos. AUW about 17lbs and all fine.  When Brian Taylor saw it fly in scale comp he couldn't understand why it didn't ground loop.  Apparently the Beau that he designed was quite bad, so Brian did not do a plan for this reason.
With the thick section scale wing it does not bite and is very safe. The ailerons (at scale size) are a bit soft so it does help to add a bit of rudder at times. 
John

Dennis.... Mate...... VUNDERBAR!

Can't wait to hear the Laser 80s in harmony...., perhaps we can get 4 Laser 80s up together with the Beau and the Whit...

Hi Chaps,
Thanks for looking in.
Ian.....I`m sure I`ve seen photos of a captured Beau in Italian colours...Look good in sand with green ( Verdi ! )  Smoke rings wouldn`t it. ?..I`ve still got some paint left.

Andy....How do I do it..?..long holidays !

John....Thanks for the input. After I read your build article I decided to extend the ailerons by a couple of inches at the inboard end ...at the expense of the outer flap area though. I`m hoping to keep the weight down to 17lb....Weighs 8.5 at present.
I know that this is tempting fate and I know the perils of IC twins but the Laser 80  currently in my Sunday hack Hanger 9 P47 has flown for hundreds of fights without stopping once. I`m hoping for 100 % reliability....Gulp ! 
I`ve watched the U-tube  video of your Beau lots of times....inspiring !...

Stu.....Glad you`re pleased.   Get that Whitley disected.  Four Laser 80`s would be good.

Phil....Christmas..?..Lot to do yet and soon be back at work....

No progress today sadly.

TTFN, Dennis.

Dennis, not used Laser 80s before, especially a twin... Are you going to put on board glow battery and drivers?

Also, what props/plugs are you running? Think someone suggested OS-F plugs and 13 by 8 props

Hi Stu,
I use OS-F plugs in all my Lasers.
I may use a remote glow on the Beau but have never needed "On Board" glow with any of them either. Upright or inverted.  No need.
I generally use a 13 x 8 as you suggest .
TTFN.

Just looked through this whole thread Dennis, cracking job as usual, makes me want to dig my plans out again

Hi Stu,
I use OS-F plugs in all my Lasers.
I may use a remote glow on the Beau but have never needed "On Board" glow with any of them either. Upright or inverted.  No need.
I generally use a 13 x 8 as you suggest .
TTFN.

Thanks Dennis....

YAY! Walts........... Get digging... 

Hi Chums,
I have spent a lot of hours on the Beau since my last post. Servo trays in the fus, oil coolers and air intakes, glass cloth and flowcoating. Not much of which is very photogenic but all of which takes time. I was anxious to get some visible progress before I went back to work and rushed some of the jobs. However I got some Halfords Grey primer on the airframe eventually.  Unfortunately it revealed a lot of surface faults !. I had thought that I was getting good at the glassclothing game but I was a bit presumptious. I had rubbed the surfaces down but it seemed not sufficiently. It always seems a pity to rub right through all that expensive primer to flat the lumps and overlaps in the finish.
It`s still not perfect ...perhaps the next model will be?
 I then pondered on a final paint scheme.......the choices were between Coastal Command with invasion stripes.......the well photographed MB-T or UB-N which look quite spectacular ( and could carry a " Fish " ) or my Dad`s old Squadron 141 who converted from their Defiants after the B o B and flew Beaufighters on the " Serrate" Radar directed Night intruder raids.
I opted for the latter and had all the WBC paint I needed in stock to do the job.  So...no stripes I`m afraid.I used the Plastic modellers sites to source the Grey / Green upper surface pattern and the RAF web site to find TW-K ( 141 Sqdn ) profile. I`ve never done a black aircraft before , I always think that the lighter colours give a more scale like appearance but we will see.
 I have ordered another Laser 80 but am waiting for a new batch to be assembled.
The airframe with its fuselage but not wing servos in place now weighs 10lb.
I`m hoping to keep it under 18lb .
TTFN, D.

That is gorgeous Dennis!......My build list keeps getting reshuffled by the day

Looks good to me Dennis
Will look even better when weathered up and on it's wheels.
Richard

that looks terrific Dennis 

   andy

Matrock19, hi I have just caught this build, as a reference to building one myself, (same plan), I have ordered the wood kit, the plan from Traplet and I presume your associated F/glass parts, came from Traplet as well? super job your doing there 
Barry

Hi Barry,
Hope your build goes well. I presume you will go Electric as per John`s plan.......much safer !

I bought the  Traplet Plan ( 6 Sheets ! ) and the offered Cockpits / Cowls / wheel hubs / Wing tip, Nav light Glazeing /Engine profiles.
However the Cowls are ABS ( quite thick and sturdy though ) and not Fibreglass.
Regards, Dennis.

 A bit more progress with the Beau but it seems to be going slowly with only a day or so each weekend to work on it.
No real rush though now that the worse weather season is about on us.

I painted up a JP latex gunner to represent my father and repainted the pilot saved from my lamented TF Corsair.
Made an approximation of a Vickers K , from brass tube and scrap.
Added a few features to the cockpit, not too much or too accurate as its only 1/7 scale.
Fixed the glazeing and added the frame using Trimline and masked it for painting.
The undercarriage units from the IL2 were a tad narrow and couldn`t accomodate a 5" wheel  ( From Fighteraces ) so Richard  ( F6F RD ) asked his tame engineer to make me up some new wider aluminium mounting blocks and axles, to which the strutts were fitted. This also raised the cross struts , making room for the larger wheel to travel up with its suspension movement.
Flaps to make up and fit next time.
TTFN , Dennis.

Really nice Dennis, coming on great 
Cheers
Danny

Got to "ditto" that too

Since my last post I have only managed the odd Sunday on the Beaufighter but I have fitted the Split flaps ,the Servos to the Flaps and Ailerons with their control rods.  ( Not very photogenic, especially in Black )
Also been working on the Cowls with their Hedgehog exhausts. Made from balsa and coated with epoxy resin...a bit fragile but I think they will be OK.
Stiffened the ABS Cowls with a ring of Carbon Fibre cloth.
( Scraps blagged off a chum who used to work at TVR ).
In an impatient moment and desperate to get some paint on it at the end of summer I opted not to use fine lining tape for the panel lines , so I`m committed to the slightly less worthy technique of drawing pen. Perhaps a step backwards but I`ll soften them with a good wirewooling and some dirt over the next few days.

TTFN. D.

Looking great Dennis, look forward to seeing this at Shawbury 
Cheers
Danny

fantastic work

Definitely into the black underside Dennis........like it, like it a lot 

Phil

Hello Danny, Craig and Phil...thanks for looking in.

Still not sure about the Black Phil but I`m encouraged by your enthusiasm!   I  think that lighter colours suit  models better;  its different though, and historically correct for this airframe.  I didn`t spend much time on detailing the undersides , just a dusting of dirty grey over the panel lines drawn in pencil, but it shows up so well that I think its a bit OTT and I should have taken more time and care. I`m not showing you a photo !
 However no one will see the undersides on the ground and in the air...distance will hide it !

Spent a gentle day working on the upper surfaces with various brushes, Silver Humbrol, Artists Chalks and a grubby finger. Adding some wear and tear . Finished with a misting of very thin white enamel with lots of White Spirit to simulate some outdoor oxidation and fadeing.
Did that bit after the photos were taken though.
Think I`m going to leave it at that and seal it all in with some Klass Kote Matt Fuelproofer tomorrow.  Forecast is for warmish temperatures.

TTFN, Dennis.

Took advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and KK`d the whole airframe in the garage today.

I used the HVLP small AirGun that I bought a while ago from Phil @ Fighteraces for the first time.
Spraying the dense and gloopy KK Satin proofer with added flatting powder ( even thinned to 33% ) proved trying with my Iwata on the last job but the HVLP was perfect , made the job pleasant and easy. Easy to disemble and clean too.
I do like the KK proofer and got a much better finish on the Beau than I did on the MC200, which had a lot of texture on the finish.
This one is nice and flat.
Removed the masking from the glazing and lights , which is a satisfying event too.
I need to think about the undercarriage doors soon...not sure whether to make a mould and try some Glass ones or to fabricate some sort of Balsa and Ply contraptions.
Also... That nice Mr Wagstaff @ Flightline Graphics has at very short notice ( Sent him an e-mail last night ! )made and posted me some Aircraft Code Numbers Masks for under the Tailplane. ( That I had forgotten to plan for )
Thanks Nigel...your a pal .
TT, D

Wow, this is looking stunning Dennis, I bet your pleased you went for the bigger wheels and modified oleos, they look great compared to diddy no scalers

Ian.

Excellent progress Dennis!

When I did the U/C doors I made a plug of blue foam to fit in each nacelle.  Then covered with kitchen cling wrap and four layers of 100gm/sq m glass cloth and epoxy (not polyester) resin to produce a good pair of doors which are cut in two after removal.

The retraction was via 16g piano wire levers which the wheel strikes at the last minute to pull the doors closed with fishing line and small 10BA adjusters.

Its a bit fiddly but works fine.

John

Thanks for the advice John.
Presumably you used the exterior of the lay up as the final finish ( As opposed to creating a mould where the inner surface gives you the finish )
Was it a fair finish after a bit of sanding ?
Second problem is that I don`t have any Blue Foam , but I think I know where I could get some.
Still thinking of whittling some balsa !

Ian...yes I am pleased that I commisioned some wider struts, with the 5" wheels, looks much better.

Might need Mr Heath - Redshaw`s help with the undercarriage door closing though. 
I`m still at the elastic bands stage of thinking at present  ( though I have seen the photograph of John`s " whisker / lever " closing method in his Mag article )

Regards, Dennis

Hi Dennis,

Yes although the size grows by about 1mm, this is soon lost when the doors are cut in half.  The outside surface finish does have a fabric weave on it but it can be sanded fairly flat with wet and dry, then finish with primer.  I have some blue foam if you want some.  Just pm.

Have a good Christmas,

John 

I decided to make the gear doors out of planked balsa in the end, so they are done and have added bulges too. However I havn`t managed to source any small Offset hinges as yet ( Als were out of stock ). So they aren`t fitted in these pics.
It`s the first time i`ve assembled it outside and got the gear working so here are a couple of photos.
The pic with me in it isn`t for egocentricity ...just to show how big it is !. Not a good pic as I had to use the timer and rush over to pick it up...got one eventually and a lot of comedy versions too !.
Weighs 16lb 10oz without any receiver batteries...so around 17lb unfueled I guess.
Some scale spinners on the way too.

Test flight....in the Spring I think...need to love it a bit first.

TTFN, D.

Another masterpiece Dennis.  It looks superb.

Flying at Scampton o'clock then

Alan

WOW. Dennis... She is BEAUtifull 

I must make a fly-in with you to see this one.....