Electric Combat KI 61 Part II

Template for wing panel.  The panel is 16" or 1/2 the total span of 32".  The template is flipped upside down to make the right wing panel.

Wing core cut from 25 lbs Dow blue foam.  Cut using a Tekoa Feather Cut System . The  trailing edge will be cut away to the thickness necessary to make the balsa ailerons.

Tail feathers are cut from 1/16" light balsa.  They could also be made from 2mm coro plast

After the fuselage has been roughed out it is time to move onto the wing panels and tail feathers. I have been very pleased with the weight driven Tekoa Feathercut Foam cutting system.  It allows an individual without assistance to cut perferct wing cores every time.  A top and bottom template was made for the wing root and another set for the wing tip.

Here are the parts loosely stacked up to show the overall shape so far of the plane. The wing tips have been cut to shape and the wing panels joined.  When the panels were cut the tip template was placed higher than the root so that some dihedral would be cut into the cores. At this stage the parts shown here weigh about 3-1/2 ounces.  Next up designing the motor mounts, and locating all the internal components.  By the way the weight noted a couple of lines up included the 3/32" balsa strip ailerons.

Motor Mount System

Brushless CD ROM Motor from Custom CDR weights .9 ounces and costs $35.

Early design later changed uses 3/8" brass tube with slots cut with Dremel tool on each side then clasped with automotive hose clamp. 3/8" bass stick shown.

Graupner electric spinner of 30 mm diameter will be used.   Spinner used to mark out the nose ring (to be split later) on 1/8" birch ply

A CD ROM motor was chosen for power so I could avoid using a gearbox, and because it weighs less.  The cylinder sticking out the back of the motor is fixed and the housing actually rotates.  A stick mount could be used but I wanted something cleaner.  I split the fuselage on a line that would allow the motor tube to be centered on the thrust line, then made motor tube mount.  The wiring from the motor goes inside the tubing.  The lower fuselage will have the wing mounted to it, the battery installed in it and will be able to be

removed from the upper fuselage by undoing clear tape. This also allows removing of the entire motor tube which is simply a press fit.  The ply nose ring is split to match the fuselage halves and is glued to the front of the fuse.   The rotating mass of the motor is outside of the fuselage.  This will allow it to run in cool air, and eliminates the hassle of having to build a cowl around it.

Click here for Part 3