Boeing CV-230 Herculean

[tc2324]

Todays update.

With the weather proving less than idea for spraying, I changed tact and started working on the rotors and the problem of how I could create a wing spar that would hold the winglets and engines in place.

Warning! It`s going to be a `Blue Peter` moment.

First the blades and here`s where I`m at. All pretty simple stuff straight from the destrutions.



Next I had to work out what I could use to hold the winglets in place while providing support for the engines and wings. I also needed something light.

Thats when I remembered I had a wire hanger in my wardrobe. SWMBO is in the process of upgrading all our hangers to the plastic type so I grabbed it while I could.



Now the hanger would not fit through the fuselage sections so I had to make some round holes spaces in the existing opening.



A quick test to see if all was ok.....





..... it was, so I cut and sealed the wire at the other end and now both wings sit nicely in place.



At the moment, as already mentioned, they do just sit there in place and when the times comes I`ll have to put something on top of the `wire spar` to lift them so that they are level with the top of the fuselage.

You will be glad to hear that tonight`s `Blue Peter` moment has now finished.

[PR19_Kit]

You can never have too many wire coat hangers to hand........... 

[Rheged]

You can never have too many wire coat hangers to hand........... 

Agreed!!  From Boeing wing reinforcement  to fastening the exhaust back onto a car to drain clearance and even to hanging up shirts , the wire coat hanger reigns supreme.

[PR19_Kit]

My fave use for them is as paint stands for spraying my models. I have about half a dozen, all bent into different shapes so the ends fit into wing slots, or exhausts or even cockpit windows!

But hanging up shirts with them is REALLY bizarre! 

[Gondor]

Looks as if you are going to be really really careful with getting your new wings in the right place and having them match Exactly as any discrepancy is going to show when you have such a large model.

Looking good so far though.

Gondor

[Old Wombat]

Lookin' good, tc! Keep up the excellent work!

[FAR148]

Very Cool and keep up the great work! 

Here's some inspirational pics for you, The ESWAT VTOL from Appleseed!











Until later,
Steven L   

[tc2324]

Thanks Steven    and thank you all for the comments.   

Spent the last 48 hours just doing the little mundane jobs on the kit which mainly involved filling some gaps. The fuslage join at the top seemed to have a slight `trench`, so I had a go at correcting that as well.

This is how it started off....,



.... and this is how it ended up with the sprayed tails fins dry fitted for effect.



Also finished decalling the rotors, so engine building will be next.

[Cobra]

Looking Great have You decided on Decals Yet?  Keep up the Great Work Dan

[McColm]

Wow!!

[tc2324]

Been a little busy trying to work out this winglet issue, so that the reason for lack of updates.

I needed the wing and fuselage to meet and be level. Unfortunately the wire was not as helpful as it should have been, which led to a number of strange frames, (of which one is seen below), being thrown away. It seems that the more you bend the wire, the less easy it is to reshape it.



So I stepped back and had a rethink. If I couldn`t easily bend the wire to the way I wanted it, then I needed to reposition where the wire went through the fuselage. A quick look and I made the gaps I needed which raised the height of where the wire went though.



A few dry fits later and the wire was put through and held in place with some tac. This will be removed at a later date until something more solid can be put in place.



And then on to the `money shot`. Wings were glued on level and then the whole airframe was turned upside down so that everything remained level.

A little time later I took this shot of how it looks now.........



.............. but it will continue to dry for at least 24 hours before I even go near it with filler.

Tonight, providing I have time, I`ll start on the engines.

That is all. 

[PR19_Kit]

It seems that the more you bend the wire, the less easy it is to reshape it.

That's called 'work hardening', quite a common property of ferrous metals.

You could go to all the trouble of heat treating it to restore the ductility, but as there almost as many wire shirt hangers as there are plastic bags in the world you might as well use another one...... 

[NARSES2]

It seems that the more you bend the wire, the less easy it is to reshape it.

That's called 'work hardening', quite a common property of ferrous metals.

You could go to all the trouble of heat treating it to restore the ductility, but as there almost as many wire shirt hangers as there are plastic bags in the world you might as well use another one...... 

Work hardening can be a usefull property, but annealing it wouldn't take any time at all if it gets to "hard". Just be sure it's gone cold before picking it up....guess who made that mistake in school metalwork class ? 

[tc2324]

Today I spent filling the gaps on the leading edges of the wing roots and plenty of it was required. Once enough layers were put on..........



...... I waiting until tonight to start rounding them off. Still plenty of work to do there I`m afraid.

I also built the engine nacelles and for the first time could dry fit all the major components together to get a good idea of how this will all come together at the end.





The last shot shows that the rotors have the relevent clearance. Result! 

[craigdwpa]

WOW coming along nicely!!!! love it!