Topic: Mick Reeves Hunter

Hi,

I've had a build thread on RCU for several months now, but the lack of any support for proper smart phone access has made it a pain in the bum to try and keep posts up to date. RCMF implement Tapatalk and so I can read/post (including photos etc) straight from my phone. this might not sound like a big deal, but if i'm in the work shop then I'm much more likely to do a bit of plane, take a pic, then upload it straight away rather than a few days later when I'm at my PC and can't remember what I was going to write!

Anyway, I'm going to migrate the existing RCU thread by copy and pasting all my text and pics etc, plus any replies to my existing posts. This will make this thread look like I'm talking to myself for the first few pages so please don't think i'm going mad!

Regards

David Bevan

I bought the Mick Reeves Hunter kit about this time last year, I'd built a few large warbirds and wanted to build my first turbine. I didnt want to go down the ARTF route as I wanted a building project that would take me a year or two - even though in comparision the current ARTF jets out there seem to offer very good value for money!

Don't get me wrong, I've got no complaints about the Mick Reeves kit so far, its seems to be nicely manuafactured and cleanly cut etc and most parts seem to fit fine. But the are a couple of Micks ideas I'm not keen on and will be changing...

1) I'll be using balsa sheeted wings instead of ProSkin as I can sand balsa and its a technique that i'm familiar with where as some ProSkin finishes I've seen sag inbetween ribs.

2) I probably wont make the tail planes detachable, and I'll drive each half with a separate servo rather than the single servo groove and lip technique that Mick suggests.

3) I'll change the rudder link to a more standard set up - Mick suggests using the servo as the bottom hinge, and then just one hinge at the top, id prefer a few more hinges (although I've not figured out how to get the rudder in yet!

4) I'm generally going to use more hinges everywhere than suggested by Mick.


I've got some photos to upload of the build so far - not got as far as I would have liked due to not getting as much building time as I had orriginally thought, but it'll get there in the end!

Regards

David Bevan

PS - I'm no where near as tallented a builder as many build threads on here so please be gentle with your comments! (although feel free to point out if I'm making two right wings etc!)

Be nice to see a more traditional build, Micks kits are ok but do require a bit of thought in some areas. I've never liked using proskin for sheeting much prefer balsa and glassing.

Look forward to seeing how you get on.

Cheers, Alex

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OK, first thing to notice is that for a 68" wingspan model this plane has an impressively large fuz!

OK, that pic uploaded ok, here are some more...

The parts all seem nicely cut and well packed etc, the only gripe on initial inspection would be that the jet pipe supplied is only single walled. I’m new to turbines, but I’ve never seen a single walled pipe and have been advised to buy a double walled one.

The little model is the Corgi Hunter and shows the colour scheme I’ll probably go for.

The retracts are non scale, but the wheels look nice!

David Bevan

OK, first cut!

And first glue joint! (dated as 10th May 2010)

And very straight forward framing up of the tails.

David, there was a build thread on here a few years ago by GordonMc, have a search for it as there may be stuff on there to help you.
The ribs may be sized for the thickness of Proskin so you will probably need to remove some edge from them
Wren pipes are thrust augmenting rather than plain parallel, and I believe they now, at last, offer the option of a twin wall.

Harry

Proskin is a fantastic material but not for skinning wings.

m

Wing construction is fairly standard, except the spar is a kind of ladder structure. The main advantage of this is that all the ribs can be slotted in dry.

The disadvantage (for a builder like me) is that while a traditional spruce top an bottom spar holds the wind firm in two directions this ladder spar can allow the tip to move backwards and forwards while gluing and I let mine move backwards by ¼” leaving my spar a bit bent. - I spotted this and was able to pin it straight while sheeting the front portion of the wing so no permanent damage done!

David, there was a build thread on here a few years ago by GordonMc, have a search for it as there may be stuff on there to help you.
The ribs may be sized for the thickness of Proskin so you will probably need to remove some edge from them
Wren pipes are thrust augmenting rather than plain parallel, and I believe they now, at last, offer the option of a twin wall.

Harry

Thanks, yes I've read GordonMc's thread, his plane is lovely, I can only hope that mine is half as nice!

...I'll be powering mine with a P80 which will mean about a 70% power to weight ratio - which was still higher than the originals 50% power to weight.

The ribs appear to actually be too thin for proskin and the instructions suggest building a kind of fillet so that the thin wing matches the thicker fuz rib. I wonder if the kit was originally designed for balsa sheeting as the wing seems to fit better with sheeting than without - the extra 1/16” helps with the gear clearance as well!

As mentioned before, its quite a big fuz, but I think I’ve found somewhere I can store it! - God knows where I’ll put the next plane!

Just playing about dry fitting all the formers in the fuz and the first thing that becomes apparent is that the formers in the nose and tail will have to go in first (as they wont fit through the hole in the middle formers) - Note, this is NOT what is says in the instructions! - But then I always tend to build to the plan rather than follow the instructions!

Hello Dave,
Looks like a nice build....love HUnters!
Wonder whether PROSKIN can stand up to our summer heat (35c) and not sag?
Which scheme will it be?

Reuben

The retracts are mounted on neat little rubber grommets - I’ll remember these for my next build!

Retracts went in ok, but initially I thought that the angles were all wrong since the wheels pointed at a funny angle when gear was down!

…several minutes of head scratching later I remembered that the wings are swept and that the wheels will have to point in a lot just to be going straight!

Hello Dave,
Looks like a nice build....love HUnters!
Wonder whether PROSKIN can stand up to our summer heat (35c) and not sag?
Which scheme will it be?

Reuben

Thanks!

35c Summer heat? not in the UK the're not! ;-(

I'll be balsa sheeting the wings and probably doing it in the RAF camo/red tips scheme (I think its a training scheme)

Ailerons frame up in the standard way.

There you are Dave. Here is a side view of the plane. Unfortunately I was not able to find a multi view picture of the plane. This one is taken from the WARPAINT series on the Hunter.
You are tracking along now!

Reuben

Dave,

Have you seen Gordon Mc's build thread on his Mick Reeves Hunter? Build threads are always welcome and fun to read - I just thought you might get some good info from it if you hadn't seen it.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_1231873/anchors_1231873/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#1231873

Mick's Hunter is on my "wish to build" list - someday. Keep going!

Bob

The tail sheeted and with the tips added - Note, the kit provides molded tips for the tails, but they are so small I just shaped them out of balsa (much quicker and easier)

Note, I always cut the plans up into each component - I don’t see the point of trying to build the tail on the very corner of the building table with the rest of the plan hanging over the table just because that’s where it is on the plan. Much easier to just cut the plan up so I’ve got a wing shaped plan, a tail shaped plan and a fuz shaped plan etc then I can build them on any of my benches and orientate them in the most convenient way.

Expect to see it Tuesday night now!..........

Mark

For the wings I used the supplied moulded tips, these are glued to a balsa rib and then glued to the tips - But, my tip is 1/8” thicker than Mick intended (as Ive got 1/16" balsa sheet top and bottom) so I had to make up a pair of thicker ribs to compensate. The plastic tips had enough flex to fit the thicker profile.

Expect to see it Tuesday night now!..........

Mark

Ha! Hi Mark, I wondered how long it would be til you turned up! ;-)

...as you can see from the dates on these posts I've managed to frame up and sheet the wings and tails all in the last hour and a half, so I reckon at this rate I'll be finished by tomorrow morning!

If the paint is dry do you fancy filming the test flight tomorrow morning?

Yes please for Tuesday Dave!

Gregg
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UK Meister field rep - TJD Display team - BickleyMFC.co.uk

The aileron with it’s counter sunk hinge slots.

Next pic is the dry fit, note, it does actually fit better than it looks in this pic as the wing trailing edge hasn’t been cut down to size yet.

One thing it did highlight though is that due to the sweep of the aileron you can't just push the hinges in as the inboard bit of the wing is in the way. I’ll have a read of the instructions to see if Mick suggests how to over come this problem, if not then the preferred option at the moment seems to be to leave 1/8” gap then slot the aileron in at 90 deg (ie full deflection plus some more) and it will just about go. Then fill the 1/8” gap after aileron is is in place.

…I’ll have a think about it, there must be a better way, but I’m open to ideas.

Yes please for Tuesday Dave!

Gregg
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UK Meister field rep - TJD Display team - BickleyMFC.co.uk

Thanks Gregg, but I probably won't bring it on Tuesday as in the current state I can't plug the wings or tail in - its just lots of separate bits so probably not that interesting to look at.

Plus I've only got a small hatchback and usually transport my planes to the field on the roof rack in custom made cradles and I haven't made a cradle for the Hunter yet.

Thanks Gregg, but I probably won't bring it on Tuesday as in the current state I can't plug the wings or tail in - its just lots of separate bits so probably not that interesting to look at.

Plus I've only got a small hatchback and usually transport my planes to the field on the roof rack in custom made cradles and I haven't made a cradle for the Hunter yet.

Are you mad, of course its interesting

1 - its a model aircraft
2 - its a jet
3 - its still in kit form that shows others what work is involved
4 - ITS A HUNTER!!
5 - ITS A HUNTER!!!



Gregg
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UK Meister field rep - TJD Display team - BickleyMFC.co.uk

Yep, I'd like to see what this 'balsa' is you speak so much about !

Mark

One shot of the Hunter that I think looks nice is from the rear quarter with the flaps down as they are split flaps with quite a lot of detail. They are supposed to look like the line drawing, but the kit just leaves the plain ribs visible. To try and make them look a bit better I've made up a bit of proskin with holes to try and look more like the scale trailing edge of the flap.

...you cant really see it in the photo as the proskin is transparent, but if you look closely then you can see that the trailing edge of the flap now looks a bit more like it is supposed to. OK, I'm not going to win any scale competitions, but I think it looks better.

By the way, for anyone building a Hunter or who just likes Hunters this is a fantastic book...


"The Hawker Hunter A Comprehensive Guide"

By Paul Bradley

Published by SAM Publications

ISBN 0-9551858-9-0

...in addition to loads of interesting info about the development of the Hunter is also got several colour scheme side views, lots of detail diagrams (like the one above) and a brilliant 'walk round' section with loads of close up photos of various details.

Here's a finished Hunter, I think its actually made from a new Century Jets kits which I think I read was based on the Mick Reeves kit?

Anyway, its the same size as mine and the cheeky git has even stolen 'my' colour scheme! ;-)

...It does look nice though doesn't it!

Are you mad, of course its interesting

1 - its a model aircraft
2 - its a jet
3 - its still in kit form that shows others what work is involved
4 - ITS A HUNTER!!
5 - ITS A HUNTER!!!



Gregg
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UK Meister field rep - TJD Display team - BickleyMFC.co.uk

OK, I'll see if I can fit it in the car tomorrow - although I might have to explain to the 'composite' guys that the surface finish of a just-been-sheeted-and-not-yet-sanded-or-glassed balsa wing is supposed to be a bit lumpy and bumpy!

...or is that just the way I build them?

Our club have got a 'bring your winter project' night on Tuesday, so thought I'd cut the holes in the fuz to allow me to insert the wings and tail and make it look airplane shaped.

If I can fit it in the car then I'll take it along.

You've made some pretty good progress Dave! Looks like a proper plane now!! Lovely shaped aircraft.

I bought something ARF today so I'll actually have something to fly soon :-)

Cheers
Mark

Wouldn't you have a step when you mate the wing to the fuselage since you're skinning with balsa instead of pro-skin? Did you refinish the ribs?

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Member Self Preservation Society

Wouldn't you have a step when you mate the wing to the fuselage since you're skinning with balsa instead of pro-skin? Did you refinish the ribs?

_____________________________

Member Self Preservation Society

The ribs are actually too thin for the fuz when using Proskin, the extra 1/8" of balsa (2x1/16") actually brings it up to a flush fit.

For the Proskin covered wing the instructions actually say to make a fillet up to make the skinny wing rib match the fatter fuz rib and apparently this is scale.

By the way, in the photos above the wings and tail have only been shoved through holes at the moment as I wanted to make it airplane shaped for our club's winter project night tomorrow night. I'll tidy it up properly later in the build.

Micks drawing on his plan regarding the fillet which fairs in the mismatch between the thinner wing to fuselage root are correct. The ribs he supplies with the kit are of the correct depth and give the correct wing thickness if ProSkin is used, however, the stuff sags between the ribs, more so on a warm day. On my Hunter I cut new wing ribs with 1/16th inch removed from the top and bottom and is sheeted with 3/32 inch balsa. This gives the step as per scale.

Ian B


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I'd rather have a full bottle in front of me than a full frontal lobotomy - W C Fields

Good to know that you sheet the wings with balsa. Maybe, I'll order a Hunter soon. Not too keen on the Proskin. I'm subscribed so I'll be following your progress. Got to admit, the Hunter is the sexiest airplane ever made.

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Member Self Preservation Society

Ian B,

Are you the same guy who has the Venom build thread on RCSB? - Thats a lovely model and I agonised for ages as to whether to build the Hunter or the Venom before deciding that the Hunter would be a more straight forward build.

...The Venom may well be next on the list though! ;-)

Dave

We are just jealous....because:
he got the kit...
he's building the kit...
And he's going to have a.........HUNTER............ that "He built".

He who has the coolest toys .......WINS.

Congrats on getting to where you are on this project...which is ahead of the rest us..who don't have ...THE HUNTER!

He who has ....THE HUNTER..... WINS!

(Any plans for a hunter out there somewhere? I need to quench the jealousy of not having ....A HUNTER, by slicing and dicing some balsa.)

Rumours of the Mick Reeves Hunter being kitted by Ripmax are still doing the rounds, it is supposed to be full composite, keep watching its bound to appear on here sooner or later, it was in the last RCJI.

Mike

< Message edited by BaldEagel -- 1/13/2011 12:44 AM >

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