Kit #304 PC-6 Porter

[paul]

Hi David..
I am building a Piper Cherokee and restoring a Piper at the same time, and would like to try infill on this plane

Question is:
How do You measure the balsa to fit into required space?

Paul

[birdbuster]

I'm building a F-16,and I was wondering if you put the wings and stabilizers on at a certain point.Like putting them on when you're done with the infill and spackle , or some other time.
bb

[kittyfritters]

David is a exceptional craftsman. His chosen area is static models. Here is a photo of a Porter done by another exceptional craftsman, Don Butman. His choice is flying models. He brought this Porter to the meeting before an O.F.F.C. contest, this morning, where I took the picture. Then he proceeded to take first place in the contest (NoCal Pusher), with his Lidberg Hansa Jet to my second place with my own design F7U Cutlass, by 0.8 seconds...grumble.



The Porter is covered with Microlite, and is rubber powered. He made the 3-bladed prop from two standard (black) Guillow's props. The wheels are not the kit wheels.

[The Cameraman]

All I can say is that is one stunning model, irrespective of the construction type.

Beautiful.

Regards

Reggie

[paul]

Hi David

Thankyou for the advice on infill, I will certainly give it a go.
5 Cents on its way, sorry I mean 3.5 Pence

Paul

[solumn_eagle]

WOW! is that the model or the real thing? Can't tell the difference...

[kittyfritters]

WOW! Just a little better perspective on that last shot and it would have been a real trompe l'oeil. Great build!

[rayd]

Looks very good David. Have not yet even started mine. (Excuses, excuses.) A question, perhaps you or other members know. Re discontinued Guillows item, often pricey, sometimes rare on ebay and the like...the Fiesler Storch. In reading about it, my impression is that it was a smaller, earlier version STOL, in some ways, like the Porter PC-6. I'm tempted to find one. Sorry, I digress...would any of you know if Storch high winger might have been earlier version or inspiration for genuine Porter PC-6? Seems the FI-156 Storch was used by countries other than Germany eventually. Wish Guillows would remake some oldies, even if only die cut...heck, I'd settle for print wood!

[rayd]

Thanks for the interesting info and tips IndoorFlyer, I'll check it out. ray

[DenisCullinan]

Hello Dave---

Your planking job is nothing short of stupendous. Do you use 1/32 in. sheet for the "planks"?

Do you ease each plank into each "cell" or "window" of the framework so that it is flush with the framework members? How do you then finish the surface of the planked fuselage?

I hope my questions are clear enough!

Thanks................Denis

[David Lewis]

Phugoid wrote: "Dave, is the stringer material flimsy but light or just plain flimsy?"

This is a good question because balsa strength isn't just inversely proportional to density. Some 6 lb. balsa is surprisingly strong -- depending on growing conditions, whether the tree endured a wind storm, how straight and knot-free the grain is, and how skilfully the strip was sawed out of the log.

I use 6 lb. wood for 1/16" square stringers but it has to be strong, straight grain, clear wood in order to get away with it. I occasionally crack a stringer during normal course of building, but nothing serious. I also mic every piece of balsa with calipers, and put a sticker (noting actual thickness) on any sheets that are out of tolerance.

[Hannair]

I'm in the process of building a Kit 304 LC PC-6 Porter. I am tempted to build a one piece wing that would sit in a "saddle" on top on the cabin. What angle should the root ribs be set to, to obtain a flying dihedral?

[kittyfritters]

Hannair,

I have successfully flown it with as little as 3/4 inch dihedral at the tip rib. Putting 1-1/4 inch dihedral at the tip rib should be safe and easy to trim. Measure to the bottom of the tip rib, not the tip extension. The tip extensions go up to meet the top spar and provide a (very) slight amount of polydihedral.

Most people who have gone to a one piece wing hold it on with neodymium magnets. Run a 1/16" diameter tube through the fuselage at the lower strut attachment point and put 1/32" wire pins at the bottom of the struts with small neodymium magnets at the top of the struts and in the wing at the strut attachment point. That way the wing and struts come off easily for travel. Wing incidence should be 3 degrees. Check the side view on the plan.

Hope this helps!

KF

[Hannair]

Thank you, very much, for the reply "kittyfritters". This is very much appreciated. Unfortunately I made "hash' of assembling the formers of the fuselage so will be starting again. I've read your other post on assembling split formers - thought I knew how, from years ago, but will "do it" differently as I "redo" my attempt! Thanks again. Ken Hanneson. Chestermere, Alberta.