Topic: Fei Bao F86 1/6.5 Build Thread

Hi guys, lifetime ambition achieved today, finally got my mits on my all time favourite F86 at long last. 
Would have preferred a large one but space and funds do not permit it! 
Had to sign a contract with my Chrissie to allow this but she is the breadwinner now after all. 
I'm in no rush to build this one as I intend to make it a winter project and miss not having something new on the go so to speak.
I know that the smaller variety are more heavily loaded etc. but that's the way it is.
As I have more time on my hands nowadays I thought I would do a build thread ala L39 as people seem to enjoy them and it may help someone in the future as these things have NO manual or even a parts list.
Had to do the usual ritual of sticking it all together to check it all fits and everything seems good so far.

Nice one Gary, look forward to the build....

Doesn't look that small!      Congrats, ditto on the build part.

Very nice

Thanks guys, have to say on first look over it seems to have been made very nicely, all glue joints look good so far, this one has been rather subtly weathered, very lighly and neatly airbrushed. The paint job is extremely good if a little heavy in places.
The usual Chinese mixture of a/f and metric bolt mix of course.
Nice carbon matting support for the main gear mounts, lots of lose screws and bolts but this has been made obvious and done on purpose by the factory especially as some have to be removed for access to the radio tray etc.
I initially thought the turbine mounting plates were out of line but then discovered they had not been glued presumably to allow any mods for different turbine sizes.
A nice touch were two plywood plates included neatly engraved with "JetCat", as we all know until the new generation appeared the turbine mounts were offset in height!
\the included detailed cockpit interior is very nicely done and painted and detailed with great care, puts my FEJ F16 one to shame, very impressive and appears to fit into the canopy nicely rather than the usual afterthought jobby.
A nice hardware pack is included but rather strangely is missing the 12 4mm spar clamp bolts, dozens of smaller 4*40 types though, goodness knows where they are supposed to go, maybe ballast weight 
All in all so far, very good.
More tomorrow in the clear light of day

Very nice Gary!  Looking forward to seeing this come together.

Thank you Pat, I am going to enjoy this one, never seen so many air cylinders, there are even ywo on each air brake, one to open and close and another for shoving the brakes down like f/size, not sure yet how to control these without running out of channels. Don't know whether I need them independent yet or mixed with say full flaps.
On my L39 I have them on a slider which is cool because I can control them proportionally with a servo, don't have that option on air.
Lot's to think about before getting the knife out lol. 
Gary.

Hi Gary,
You do not want airbrakes mixed with flaps. I am amazed by what you say though, that there is a cyclinder to push the airbrake down. Normally this occurs due to the angle of the hinge point. You may find that they are not necessary anyway, but the usual MO is to have the brakes on a switch. The extra drag means that you need to carry more throttle on approach, but the advantage of this is better throttle response. Moreover, if you need more power, flicking the airbrake switch off provides instant acceleration.
But you certainly don't want to whip your flaps away at a few feet above the runway.
I have the old Fibre Classics Sabre and the airbrakes are not working very well. I intend to temporalily fix them closed and fly without. I also have a untouched 1/5 scale FEJ Sabre in my loft. I kinda like Sabres too.

Now you have upset me, that's the one I would have liked! Take your point re overshoot. I'm using a Competition SRS on this one so may be able to scrounge a channel by mapping and matching servo's.
Thanks for your input John. 

Gary have you ever used a JR Multibox great way of getting another channel

Funny, this was supposed to be a winter project to kill my yearning for another build but I can't seem to keep my hands off it.
Installed the cockpit details into the canopy yesterday after a bit of thought, made it easily detachable to install the driver when I find one suitable. Three hardwood blocks temporarily cyano'd in for fixing points, these will be epoxied now I know it all fits.

Swear by them Seamus, have one in almost all of my jets. I tend to use them on flaps and steering though rather than the critical flying surfaces, I like to keep aileron and elevator on direct channels, probably not neccessary but it makes me feel a little safer if you know what I mean.
This Powerbox Comp SRS I managed to pick up little used and there is no manual with it or on the website but reading the Cockpit SRS manual it appears that the only difference is the gear sequencing in the Cockpit version.
As four channels have twin outputs I believe these can be used for say ailerons on one channel with the ability to reverse one of them which I cannot do on my PB Evolution, anyone familiar with one of these please chime in.

As four channels have twin outputs I believe these can be used for say ailerons on one channel with the ability to reverse one of them which I cannot do on my PB Evolution, anyone familiar with one of these please chime in.

Yes you can, just remember that there is no reverse command, you'll need to move the endpoints over, damaged few brain cells before I figured that one out.    

Thanks Sverrir, had a play tonight, works well, bit like four matchboxes in fact, ace.
Can't work out the numbers though!

Numbers?

When you scroll on the switch to reverse end points, I think its the pulse width output or something.

Ah, the screen on mine only showed Rx %   

Is it the Competition or Cockpit SRS you have Sverrir?

The SRS shows pulse width during the setup.  Your probably going to need a gyro for this Gary as they tend to get a wiggle on without.  I know how you like gyros  .

Do you mean on rudder Alex?
Regarding pulse width when matching servo 1 reads 0 on both end points and centre so is the pw figure (2347) on servo 2 set automatically on stick end movement, I don't want to overdrive the servo?

Is it the Competition or Cockpit SRS you have Sverrir?

Champion RRS though I haven't found use for it after its salt water bath...   

Sorry to touch a sore point mate.
That explains the difference in figures then, I assume there are no numbers left on yours?

Done a little bit today, fitted rudder servo left over from not being powerful enough on my L39, it'll do this job though. Needed some ply blocks making to get the servo position correct but no biggy.
Cleaned up fin support rods and temp fitted to fuse to check fit, all looking good.
Also test fitted canopy assembly to check clearance on air intake moulding, just about clears.

Cut slot and glued in rudder horn.
Couldn't resist doing a juicy job and fitting the drop tanks and their respective pylons, needed a fair bit of fettling but look good when they are on. I'll leave the pylons on permanently and just remove the tanks until I am sure I can land it flat! 
Not a great deal of clearance between bottom of tanks and ground by the look of things. 
That'll do for today, don't want to push it too far 

Sorry to touch a sore point mate.
That explains the difference in figures then, I assume there are no numbers left on yours?

No worries, no one was hurt(except my wallet, lol).

No, no numbers, all done the old fashioned way with a yard stick.   

No worries, no one was hurt(except my wallet, lol).

No what you mean Selleri!   Looking good Gary, watching with intrest.
Richard.

"Allo,allo,allo" Richard's getting juiced up

Anyway, great looking model Gary, talk about a kid with a new toy, bet you were like that as a kid, opening your pressie's before xmas day

Well I'm not starting my new project yet, got some others to sort first, you'll be familiar with mine chap

C'mon Vince, I built mine in a week, no reason you can't as well!

Little bit more done last night, rudder hinged and assembled, pushrod fitted, that completes the vertical stab.
Note the slight weathering on the hinge!

I keep noticing several little nice touches on this model that you don't normally find on most Chinese jets, for instance the paxolin type plate on the rear of the spar clamps, this will of course prevent the nuts/washers sinking in to the former and eventually taking the tension off the assembly.
The wing clamps are sturdy as are the tail spar and fin one's. The tail clamp area is interesting, note the ply support plates glued inside the fuselage so the spar is supported along along it's whole length. Another nice touch.

There are of course going to be some headache's, the first one is how to drill the holes for the elevator servo's as they are well tucked away and there is no way any power drill is going to fit inside. I am searching my workshop for a small watchmakers drill chuck which may go in if I shorten the drill bit, some blisters coming up I think!

Gary you want one of these, very useful item
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/rad-1-right-angle-drill-attachment

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dremel-575-Right-Angle-Attachment-575-/180710996752?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item2a1336fb10

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p4069.m570.l1311&_nkw=right+angle+drill+attachment&_sacat=See-All-Categories

Thanks for that Seamus but most of them are too long even without a drill bit, I don't have that much room but I did solve the problem with the gadget in the photo, coped with Chinese ply quite well.
Dummy servo shown, I would like to get the servo's further away from the heat but it's impossible to get under them to insert screws/nuts etc. Probably have to insulate the thrust tube in that area.

Elevator servo's shown on the tester, let 'em run for ten minutes just to be sure they are ok and matched the output arms as close as possible mechanically, and no the arms are not plastic, just ally painted black. 

On my AMD hawk the elevator servo was close to the pipe so I made a guard out of a piece of light aluminium (red bull can) 

The correct wing servo mounting brackets arrived today kindly dispatched by Martyn from AceJets, that's what I call service!
I was originally going to mount them to the plates in the servo bays but they would have had to be severely cut about as they do not line up correctly. I noticed that one hatch cover was pre drilled, the brackets match these holes perfectly and the precut servo arm slot so I assume this is Fei Bao telling me to install by bolting the brackets to the hatches and not the ply plates! 
As the hatches are fairly substantial I chose to do it that way, I will just have to use bigger screws to hold the plates down.

On my AMD hawk the elevator servo was close to the pipe so I made a guard out of a piece of light aluminium (red bull can) 

Good idea!

A minor problem in that the main gear doors did not open symetrically, simply cured by chopping a little out of the inner hatch skin.
Another nice touch is the factory supplied brace shown temporarily fitted to make carting the fuse around a bit easier! Read carry handle. 

 Hi Gary, its looking good,  so what are you going to build for winter then,  LoL
 

 Rgds   Martin.

It'll take me until spring to save up for an engine for it!!