PAGE UP DATED 10 SEP 2009
CONSTRUCTION PHOTOGRAPHS
OF
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
I STARTED WORK ON THE PLANS FOR THE C-130 IN NOVEMBER 2006 .
BACK ON TRACK WITH THE HERCULES - PRINTED OUT THE WING PLAN 03 JAN 08
MAIDEN FLIGHT 10 SEPTEMBER 2009
| NOW TO FINISH THE PAINT JOB AND PUT THE MAKE-UP ON. | IT IS A LITTLE NOSE HEAVY BUT IVAN FLEW IT PERFECTLY.. ONCE IN THE AIR I TOOK OVER FOR A FEW CIRCUITS . . EVEN THOUGH IT IS HEAVIER THAN I HAD HOPED IT FLEW GREAT (AND IT GOT TO GO BACK HOME UNSCATHED ! ) |
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| 10 SEPTEMBER 2009 . . THIS IS THE BIG DAY . . PACK IT ALL IN MY EXPLORER AND OFF TO THE FIELD ! |
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IT WAS A PERFECT DAY, CLEAR AND CALM. THE PLANE ALL ASSEMBLED WAITING FOR TEST PILOT IVAN TO DO THE MAIDEN. FINAL PAINT AND DECALS NOT COMPLETE BUT I HAD TO SEE IF IT WOULD FLY. |
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| A FEW FAIRINGS AROUND THE WING AND STAB AND THEN START TO COVER. |
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I JUST HAD TO ASSEMBLE IT AGAIN TO SEE IF IT IS STARTING TO LOOK LIKE A HERC ! |
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| FINALLY THE NOSE SECTION IS VACUUM FORMED 15 JULY 2009 |
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AFTER VACUUMING - I HEAT THE WHOLE ASSEMBLE IN THE KITCHEN
OVEN, AND USE THE HOUSEHOLD VACUUM. AFTER A LITTLE TRIMMING THE TOP PART IN PLACE. |
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| PLUG FOR PART OF THE COWL FITTED ON THE WING PLUGS SEPARATED AND ON THE VACUUM BOARD - PLASTIC AT SIDE |
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01 NOV 08 NOT ENOUGH ROOM IN MY WORK AREA TO GET A GOOD PICTURE OF THE BEAST ! |
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| 01 NOV 08 MOTORS ARE INSTALLED AND OPERATIONAL |
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20 OCT 08 STRIP PLANKING OF THE FUSELAGE IS COMPLETE
AT LAST ! |
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| 06 SEPT 08 AFTER A LOT OF FRUSTRATIONS WITH THE LANDING GEAR - CONFLICTS WITH OTHER PARTS OF THE FUSELAGE FRAME, THE GEAR IS FINALLY OPERATIONAL AND IN PLACE. |
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28 JULY 08 INSTALLING THE PUSHRODS TO THE EMPENNAGE AND THE BOARD THAT WILL HOLD THE LANDING GEAR. FUSELAGE IS UPSIDE DOWN |
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| 18 MAY 08 |
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11 MAY 08 |
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| NEXT START THE STRIP PLANKING OF THE FUSE |
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THE BONES OF THE BASIC PARTS ARE COMPLETE 07MAY08 |
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| STILL LOTS OF WORK TO DO |
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I JUST COULDN'T RESIST PUTTING ALL THE PIECES TOGETHER TO SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. |
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| BULKHEADS ALL COMPLETE 07MAY08 |
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THE FIRST OF MANY BULKHEADS 02MAY08 |
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| STARTING THE BACKBONE OF THE FUSE |
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NOSE SECTION MOLD RUFFED OUT - WILL NOW START ON THE MAIN FUSE BEFORE FINISHING THE MOLD |
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| START OF THE MOLD FOR THE NOSE SECTION 15 APR 08 |
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BONES OF THE TAIL FEATHERS ABOUT COMPLETE - 27 MAR 08 |
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| PUTTING ON THE CAP STRIPS. |
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STARTING ON THE VERTICAL FIN 20 MAR 08 |
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| NOW WORKING ON THE TAIL FEATHERS 08 MAR 08 |
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IT LOOKS LIKE THEY WILL ALL FIT OK, SO NEXT WILL BE TO GLUE THEM IN PLACE. |
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| FINISHED THE MOTOR MOUNTS . . NOW DOING A TRIAL FIT |
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STARTING TO GLUE ON THE LEADING EDGE. THE 1/16 PLY ARRIVED SO I CAN CONTINUE WITH THE MOTOR MOUNTS. |
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| SOME EGG-CRATE REINFORCING AT THE WING BOLT AREA. |
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WIRE TO POWER THE MOTORS, ABOUT 16 GAUGE. |
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| STARTING THE ASSEMBLY OF THE MOTOR MOUNTS - 4 REQUIRED ! |
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GLUING PIECES TOGETHER TO MAKE UP THE WING SHEETING. |
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| WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT CLOTHES PINS ? |
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STARTING THE SHEETING OF THE BOTTOM I THINK THIS IS GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME, LOTS OF GLUING TO MAKE THE PIECES LONG AND WIDE ENOUGH. |
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| FIRST STAGE CUT TO SHAPE ON THE BANDSAW, THEN LOTS OF WHITTLING AND SANDING. |
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WHILE WAITING FOR GLUE TO DRY ON THE WING, HAVE STARTED THE MOLD FOR THE WING TIPS. |
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| THESE LITTLE MAGNETS ARE SO STRONG IT IS DIFFICULT TO REMOVE THEM IN TIGHT SPACES. THIS LITTLE TOOL MADE FROM A TOOTH BRUSH HANDLE WORKS GREAT. |
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THE WING IS FULL LENGTH NOW EXCEPT FOR THE WING TIPS - I THINK I WILL TRY TO VACUUM FORM THEM. |
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| SLIDE THE WING ALONG THE MAG. TABLE, PROPPED UP THE STARBOARD SIDE THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT AND STARTED ON THE PORT WING. 11 JAN. |
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I LIKE THESE MAGNETS AND FIXTURES TO KEEP THINGS LINED UP SQUARE AND VERTICAL. |
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| HAVE SLIDE THE WING ALONG THE TABLE TO WORK ON THE FUSE SECTION AND PUT IN THE DIHEDRAL. |
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IT HAS BEEN SO LONG SINCE I BUILT A WING I FORGOT HOW MUCH WORK IS INVOLVED. |
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| WING WILL BE IN THREE SECTIONS, JUST WORKING ON THE SPLICE PIECE ON THE STARBOARD WING. |
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THE RIBS ARE ALL CUT NOW FOR A TRIAL FIT. I AM GLAD I BOUGHT ALL THOSE MAGNETS |
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| NOT QUIT LASER CUT BUT PRETTY GOOD!! |
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FIRST CUT A CIRCLE AT EACH END THEN CUT OUT THE PIECE BETWEEN |
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| HAVE CUT OUT A STACK OF RIBS AND NOW PUTTING IN THE "LIGHTENING HOLES" |
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START OF THE NEW YEAR AND BACK ON THE HERC. . . PRINTED OUT THE WING PLAN. 03 JAN. |
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THE EXTRA IS READY TO FLY AGAIN AS SOON AS WE GET SOME GOOD WEATHER.
| IT WAS A STRUGGLE GETTING THE PLUG OUT BUT HERE IT IS, TRIMMED AND READY TO PAINT. |
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FRESH OUT OF THE OVEN - THE PLASTIC PULLED DOWN ON THE MOLD VERY WELL EXCEPT FOR A COUPLE OF WRINKLES IN TOP. . . NO BIG DEAL. |
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| PLASTIC FOR THE COWL IS STAPLED TO THE FRAME - EVERYTHING IS READY FOR THE OVEN. |
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THE PLUG FOR THE COWL SITTING ON MY VACUUM BOX. |
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| FUSELAGE IS NOW COVERED 10 DEC 07 |
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AND NOW MY EXCUSE FOR THE SLOW PROGRESS IS MY BACK IS BOTHERING ME! IT IS HOWEVER, ALMOST READY TO COVER. |
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| CLOSE-UP OF THE TURTLE DECK - - - 11 OCT 07 |
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THE EXTRA FUSE - CONSTRUCTING THE TURTLE DECK |
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| WORK PROGRESSING WELL ON THE REBUILD |
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I AM PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME OF MY BUILDING BOARD, VERY EASY TO HOLD THINGS IN PLACE WITH THE MAGNETS. |
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| INSTEAD OF STARTING ON THE C-130 I HAVE STARTED A REBUILD OF THE FUSE FOR MY EXTRA |
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MY CUTTING TABLE / WORKBENCH ARE NOW BESIDE EACH OTHER, THIS WILL SAVE LOTS OF STEPS. NOW TO START BUILDING ! |
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| MADE A BASE OUT OF SOME ODDS & ENDS OF PLYWOOD & 2 X 4 I WANT TO BE ABLE TO TILT THE TABLE TO EASE MY BACK. |
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1/8 " PLYWOOD GLUED TO THE FOAM & FRAME WITH 3M SUPPER 77. EDGES OF PLYWOOD SCREWED TO FRAME. WOOD SEALED WITH VARATHANE |
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| THE FOAM HAS BE CUT AWAY TO ACCEPT THE INSERTS. THEY WILL BE GLUED IN PLACE BEFORE THE 1/8 " BOTTOM IS GLUED AND SCREWED IN PLACE. |
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I WANT TO BE ABLE TO FASTEN LEGS TO THE BOARD SO HAVE MADE UP INSERTS FOR 1/4 " BOLTS. |
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| THE ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN TURNED OVER AND THE SHEET METAL IS SCREWED TO THE WOOD FRAME. |
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THE BOARD IS 2 FT X 6 FT. I USED 14 GAUGE SHEET METAL AND 2 INCH STYROFOAM. IT WILL HAVE A 1/8 INCH BACK. A FRAME HAS BEEN PLACED AROUND THE FOAM. |
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| AFTER A LONG HIATUS ,IT IS NOW 02 SEPT 07, I DECIDED TO MAKE A MAGNETIC BUILDING BOARD TO USE DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE HERC. HERE THE STYROFOAM HAS BEEN GLUED TO THE METAL. |
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I INTEND TO DESIGN THE FUSELAGE SO THAT THIS WHEEL ASSEMBLY WILL SLIDE IN FROM THE FRONT OF THE FUSELAGE. |
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| MAIN WHEELS IN DOWN POSITION |
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MAIN WHEELS IN UP POSITION |
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| FRONT WHEELS IN DOWN POSITION |
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FRONT WHEELS IN UP POSITION |
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| I WANT TO PUT RETRACTS ON THIS PLANE SO DECIDED TO WORK OUT A DESIGN FOR THE RETRACTS FIRST, TO MAKE SURE THEY WILL WORK, BEFORE DOING THE DETAILED DESIGN OF THE PLANE. |
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MY PLANS ARE BASED ON A DRAWING I GOT FROM WILLIE R MILLER
FOR A 65" W/SPAN MODEL AND FROM THIS 3-VIEW. MY MODEL WILL HAVE A 96" WING SPAN |
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