I II egg II member Capn Eddys Sport Squadron 70-in-span 4-60 sport plane designed author produced Ace RIC has survived rough landing its wheel pants intact system described simple strong reliable easily adaptable sizes WHEEL PANTS add much aesthetic appeal model aircraft Thats selfevident What isnt evident though difficulty getting airplane keeping numerous techniques have de veloped over years solidly attach pants experience falls short some way Combining several meth ods seems produce best results Ive found pants dont vibrate loose flight self-destruct vibration disin tegrate run ruts landing method installing wheel pants de scribed borrows best several techniques mounting system sturdy highly durable simply fabricated al lows easy installation removal pants Along several cohorts Ive using nearly year models After hundreds hundreds takeoffs landings Im convinced finally decent way keep pants plane Although photos show use vacu uformed ABS pants Ace RC bulk technique applicable other plas tic pants well fiberglass ones Ace RC pants available sizes ranging 64 914 long Other sources type pant include Sig Manufacturing several fiberglass specialists Modification Steps 1 Aircraft ply -in backing plates ep October 1990 95 flThe photo numbers match numbered construction steps textI oxied interior landing gear side pants Shown Ace RC pants indented areas provide flat match face glass fiber landing gear supplied four-cycleseries kits Two short pieces ply used level inside surface larger ply backing plate epoxied over plastic bonding surface should rough ened knife blade provide better ad hesion 2 The landing gear used drilling guide axle hole hole must diameter wheel-bearing portion axle threaded portion Carefully measure mark drill holes posi tion wheels same prechosen depth both pants 3 Invert arrangement Sig pant bracket can used guide two A6-in holes running plywood backing plate particular axles /32dia Klett units although other ax les market will work just well Since brass collet large Sig brack ets Y6-dia axles shimined col let brass tubing swaged ends nail punch silver soldered done incidentally collet out bracket small hole drilled through tubing allow set screw reach notch axle Obviously Y6-dia axles could used begin provided wheels large enough find Sig units designed smaller axles too narrow offer ad equate support smallest pants 4 brackets drilled tapped 440 bolts much superior screws situation guide holes drilled pants step 3 enlarged A-in dia free fit around 4-40 bolts wash ers 5 The two halves pant flat sanded create good tight joint Masking tape used hold assembled sides together bead medium CyA cyanoacrylate glue 6 Fiberglass nylon strip tape sprayed lightly 3M Spray ment provides enough tack stick tape inside pant still allow moved around precise position ing Using water-moistened Q-tip helps push tape down tightly Thin CyA wicked cloth produces seam thats strong enough survive crash would crack break other por tions pant tape-Sprayment-thin CyA combo also works well repairing such fractures 7 For smooth finish good adhesion vinyl spackling used fill pant seams Plastic fiberglass pants should sanded 380- 400-grit paper re move gloss prior painting pant shown photo 7 sprayed several light coats Rustoleum about 30minute wait between coats works much better heavy coat Once painted pants ready final assem bly adjustment axles square-notched about 15% diameter cutoff wheel Dremel tool notches must face down ward relative pants access setscrew wheel collars Installing pants axles involves placing wheel pant working axles through bracket wheel install ing outer wheel collar straight hemo stat very helpful working collar onto stub axle Incidentally axles should cut al low enough length wheel collar should touch outside pant Some pants will require second wheel col lar inside order center wheel cutout pants should aligned centerlines viewed side parallel centerline fuselage Otherwise can act rather powerful up down elevator technique metal glass landing gear its al impossible misalign pants toe-in toe-out wire landing gear its imperative centerline pant viewed above run parallel midline fuselage sys tem allows very easy adjustment align mentand believe thats important benefit As often case simple solutions complex problems technique really works quite well youve got model pants youve trouble keeping recommend consideration 96 Model Aviation run along seam inside
Edition: Model Aviation - 1990/10
Page Numbers: 95, 96
Edition: Model Aviation - 1990/10
Page Numbers: 95, 96
I II egg II member Capn Eddys Sport Squadron 70-in-span 4-60 sport plane designed author produced Ace RIC has survived rough landing its wheel pants intact system described simple strong reliable easily adaptable sizes WHEEL PANTS add much aesthetic appeal model aircraft Thats selfevident What isnt evident though difficulty getting airplane keeping numerous techniques have de veloped over years solidly attach pants experience falls short some way Combining several meth ods seems produce best results Ive found pants dont vibrate loose flight self-destruct vibration disin tegrate run ruts landing method installing wheel pants de scribed borrows best several techniques mounting system sturdy highly durable simply fabricated al lows easy installation removal pants Along several cohorts Ive using nearly year models After hundreds hundreds takeoffs landings Im convinced finally decent way keep pants plane Although photos show use vacu uformed ABS pants Ace RC bulk technique applicable other plas tic pants well fiberglass ones Ace RC pants available sizes ranging 64 914 long Other sources type pant include Sig Manufacturing several fiberglass specialists Modification Steps 1 Aircraft ply -in backing plates ep October 1990 95 flThe photo numbers match numbered construction steps textI oxied interior landing gear side pants Shown Ace RC pants indented areas provide flat match face glass fiber landing gear supplied four-cycleseries kits Two short pieces ply used level inside surface larger ply backing plate epoxied over plastic bonding surface should rough ened knife blade provide better ad hesion 2 The landing gear used drilling guide axle hole hole must diameter wheel-bearing portion axle threaded portion Carefully measure mark drill holes posi tion wheels same prechosen depth both pants 3 Invert arrangement Sig pant bracket can used guide two A6-in holes running plywood backing plate particular axles /32dia Klett units although other ax les market will work just well Since brass collet large Sig brack ets Y6-dia axles shimined col let brass tubing swaged ends nail punch silver soldered done incidentally collet out bracket small hole drilled through tubing allow set screw reach notch axle Obviously Y6-dia axles could used begin provided wheels large enough find Sig units designed smaller axles too narrow offer ad equate support smallest pants 4 brackets drilled tapped 440 bolts much superior screws situation guide holes drilled pants step 3 enlarged A-in dia free fit around 4-40 bolts wash ers 5 The two halves pant flat sanded create good tight joint Masking tape used hold assembled sides together bead medium CyA cyanoacrylate glue 6 Fiberglass nylon strip tape sprayed lightly 3M Spray ment provides enough tack stick tape inside pant still allow moved around precise position ing Using water-moistened Q-tip helps push tape down tightly Thin CyA wicked cloth produces seam thats strong enough survive crash would crack break other por tions pant tape-Sprayment-thin CyA combo also works well repairing such fractures 7 For smooth finish good adhesion vinyl spackling used fill pant seams Plastic fiberglass pants should sanded 380- 400-grit paper re move gloss prior painting pant shown photo 7 sprayed several light coats Rustoleum about 30minute wait between coats works much better heavy coat Once painted pants ready final assem bly adjustment axles square-notched about 15% diameter cutoff wheel Dremel tool notches must face down ward relative pants access setscrew wheel collars Installing pants axles involves placing wheel pant working axles through bracket wheel install ing outer wheel collar straight hemo stat very helpful working collar onto stub axle Incidentally axles should cut al low enough length wheel collar should touch outside pant Some pants will require second wheel col lar inside order center wheel cutout pants should aligned centerlines viewed side parallel centerline fuselage Otherwise can act rather powerful up down elevator technique metal glass landing gear its al impossible misalign pants toe-in toe-out wire landing gear its imperative centerline pant viewed above run parallel midline fuselage sys tem allows very easy adjustment align mentand believe thats important benefit As often case simple solutions complex problems technique really works quite well youve got model pants youve trouble keeping recommend consideration 96 Model Aviation run along seam inside
