Two receivers hooked up.

Still waiting for the headers to arrive so I finished the radio install. Got both receivers hooked up and all the servos programmed. One receiver controls the left side of the plane and one the right side. Each rudder servo is plugged into separate receivers.

With so much room it was easy to place everything where I needed to balance the plane. I wanted to do a push/pull on the rudder but that would make this plane very tail heavy so I used the self-adjusting SRW servo tray for a pull/pull.

Tail wheel is complete and the removable rudder wire is secure with a small carbon strap I made.

About the only thing left now is getting exhaust mounted so the maiden should be soon. Stand by.

 

 

 

 

 

Custom tuned pipe tunnel

The tuned pipes do not fit!

Seems like I hit the wall at every turn this week. The headers I purchased at Joe Nall were to long of a drop at 70mm soooo I had to order another set at 50mm drop. They will then need to be trimmed down to 12” length. The can tunnel box in the plane will barely fit can mufflers so I will really have to make some big mods to make them work.

First I had to completely cut out the factory rudder servo tray. Then I cut 2 ¾” circles in the back of the box for the pipes to slide through. I re-enforced the bottom of the fuse where the pipes will exit with 1/8”x3/8” spruce. When the new headers arrive I will close the box around the new tuned pipe exit to keep the heat out of the fuselage.

The ignition and radio switches are installed waiting to be plugged in.

I decided it was a good evening to itch my arms so I cut all the vents in the fiberglass cowl. This cowl is so much bigger I had to enlarge my custom templates.

 

Pilot RC 40% Yak 54

40% Yak 54  130” wing span. This is a big one. GP 176, MTW Headers, Pro Flow Smooth Pipe tuned pipes, Fromeco Batteries, Harris competition smoke pump, 13 Hitec 7950 TH servos guided by two Futaba 14 channel receivers. This plane was special ordered direct from the manufacture with the custom scheme.

Building from the center out.

I am first mounting everything I cannot move i.e. engine, wheels, muffler etc. I then put the plane on the balancer and start placing the tanks, smoke pump and batteries where the CG needs to be.

Unfortunately this plane did not come with a pipe tunnel so I am going to have to design and build one. The factory rudder servo tray is directly where the tune pipes need to exit so some serious modifications will need to be made. I think the dremel and band saw are going to get a good work out.

 

Note the yard stick. Rudder stands 3 feet off the ground.