Repost: 70% Impala build
Posted: 28 Feb 2018, 19:11
I've been busy repairing PSS slope soarers for this years Slope fest but I've finally made a start on the Impala.
The reduction to 70%/ 36" has made it an easier build & small enough that I can do 90% of it on my office desk so I can just chip away at night once the kids are in bed. I just have to stop once there is any sanding needed. It should progress fairly quickly.
The plan is to use my home built single stick radio which uses Phil's Arduino so I can learn to use the single channel button with the back up of proportional when I get into trouble. This will be my first foray into S/C.
It will be built light with lightweight gear for use it on the sand dunes on the lighter wind days. My regular slope site has a pretty unforgiving LZ so not the best for me to learn to use the button.
I'll post an update in a few days.
Al
Re: 70% Impala build.
Postby Phil_G » Tue Mar 15, 2016 8:20 pm
Very interesting Al !
When I built mine donkeys years ago I drew it directly onto the building board so I never had a plan.
Couldnt photo-reduce, these facilities weren't available back then.
Lots of people have asked about it over the years but I've always had to say "sorry, there is no plan" !
I've often said, I've a few Impalas and I honesty prefer the smaller one. Its handier, its more agile, its just nicer than the 52" original.
A 'Mini-Impala' would have made a brilliant addition to the Veron range, absolutely perfect S/C slope soarer.
They missed an opportunity there, I reckon a Mini Impala would have been far more popular than the Big Impala they did release.
Re: 70% Impala build.
Postby _AL_ » Thu Mar 17, 2016 12:07 pm
Your Impala was one of the reasons I'm building this one. Thanks to Ron I may now also have to build a Little V.....
Going through old magazines you can tell when scanning became an option as all of the reduced plans stopped appearing in the magazines or were partially covered with a logo or similar. Mid to late 80s by my collection. It's probably good they had the mini plans in the old magazines though or most of them would be lost now.
The funny thing is, in my youth I absolutely hated building. It was just something that got in the way of flying. These days I enjoy building more than flying though most of my builds are fiberglass & foam rather than balsa.
Slow progress but progress none the less. I should have the fuselage halves joined tomorrow. The rib templates are cut but I need to buy some long screws to sandwich the ribs for sanding to shape.
Al
ATTACHMENTS fuselage halves.jpg Almost ready to join.
Re: 70% Impala build.
Postby Phil_G » Thu Mar 17, 2016 12:21 pm
Re: 70% Impala build.
Postby _AL_ » Fri Mar 25, 2016 5:57 am
The fuselage is 95% done. I've just left some of the top & bottom sheeting off to assist with control linkage installation.
I'll get the tail ribs cut today & hopefully get it glued together. Then I can finish the fuselage off before starting on the wing. I've deviated a bit from the plans for the elevator. It's smaller than the 2 channel option but bigger than the trim elevator on the plan.
Has anyone used Airspan covering before? Is it user friendly or a pain in the behind?
I thought it might look a bit more appropriate for the age of the model but I've only ever used Solarfilm etc.
Al
ATTACHMENTS a1.jpg
Re: 70% Impala build.
Postby Phil_G » Fri Mar 25, 2016 10:26 am
Looking good so far!
Solarfilm arrived on the scene at the same time as the Impala Al around 1968, so is entirely appropriate!
Re: 70% Impala build.
Postby _AL_ » Fri Mar 25, 2016 1:20 pm
That makes life easy then.
The tail needs the LE sheeting & a good sand. I also need to taper sand the elevator & install the torque rod. If I can get that done tomorrow night I can install the servos & linkages.
I'm planning on using some 4g servos installed against the rear former. It's not exactly vintage appropriate but no one else will see inside so too bad. This however, will leave me room to install a small Lipo & ESC under the CG for an electric motor pod should I feel the need to fly on the flat field.
Al
Re: 70% Impala build.
Postby Phil_G » Fri Mar 25, 2016 1:28 pm
Cute little thing isnt it?
I think my elevators are 1" x 3/16 trailing edge stock. Maybe 3/4" x 3/16.
I'll check when I go up to the house.
Worth adding a hook as they bungee well. Impalas, not houses
Re: 70% Impala build.
Postby _AL_ » Sun Mar 27, 2016 1:13 pm
My elevator turned out 20mm wide so roughly 13/16th". It looks about right to me so I'm sure it'll be fine.
A bit of progress but nothing worth a picture. I'm hoping to have the fuselage & tails finished by next weekend & start on the wing.
The NE sea breezes will start to turn West soon so I want to get a flight or two in before that happens. 95% of our slopes face NE or S.
Al
Re: 70% Impala build.
Postby _AL_ » Fri Aug 19, 2016 8:52 am
Anyone who knows me, knows I can't stay focused on one project from start to finish. Since I started this I've built & repaired a few slope soarers for this years annual slope festival in northern NSW Australia.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2535385
Last years event.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2288390
I'm 99% done on a scratch built BV141 along with a handful of kit builds so it's time to finish this one off.
Originally I was going to have a crack as single channel, but now I think I'll use my Ron special tiny six reeds transmitter & once set up, pass the TX around to anyone who shows an interest at the festival.
The fuselage & tail is pretty much done. I've left some of the cross grain sheeting off the fuselage so I can install the control linkages. Once that's done it needs a quick sand & cover.
I used the ply template sandwich method for the wing ribs so it's just a matter of laying out the plan & putting the wing together.
Question. Does anyone have a decent image of the Veron Impala logo off the box?
I'm thinking of printing a decal of the name & jumping impala for the wing.
Thanks.
Al
The reduction to 70%/ 36" has made it an easier build & small enough that I can do 90% of it on my office desk so I can just chip away at night once the kids are in bed. I just have to stop once there is any sanding needed. It should progress fairly quickly.
The plan is to use my home built single stick radio which uses Phil's Arduino so I can learn to use the single channel button with the back up of proportional when I get into trouble. This will be my first foray into S/C.
It will be built light with lightweight gear for use it on the sand dunes on the lighter wind days. My regular slope site has a pretty unforgiving LZ so not the best for me to learn to use the button.
I'll post an update in a few days.
Al
Re: 70% Impala build.
Postby Phil_G » Tue Mar 15, 2016 8:20 pm
Very interesting Al !
When I built mine donkeys years ago I drew it directly onto the building board so I never had a plan.
Couldnt photo-reduce, these facilities weren't available back then.
Lots of people have asked about it over the years but I've always had to say "sorry, there is no plan" !
I've often said, I've a few Impalas and I honesty prefer the smaller one. Its handier, its more agile, its just nicer than the 52" original.
A 'Mini-Impala' would have made a brilliant addition to the Veron range, absolutely perfect S/C slope soarer.
They missed an opportunity there, I reckon a Mini Impala would have been far more popular than the Big Impala they did release.
Re: 70% Impala build.
Postby _AL_ » Thu Mar 17, 2016 12:07 pm
Your Impala was one of the reasons I'm building this one. Thanks to Ron I may now also have to build a Little V.....
Going through old magazines you can tell when scanning became an option as all of the reduced plans stopped appearing in the magazines or were partially covered with a logo or similar. Mid to late 80s by my collection. It's probably good they had the mini plans in the old magazines though or most of them would be lost now.
The funny thing is, in my youth I absolutely hated building. It was just something that got in the way of flying. These days I enjoy building more than flying though most of my builds are fiberglass & foam rather than balsa.
Slow progress but progress none the less. I should have the fuselage halves joined tomorrow. The rib templates are cut but I need to buy some long screws to sandwich the ribs for sanding to shape.
Al
ATTACHMENTS fuselage halves.jpg Almost ready to join.
Re: 70% Impala build.
Postby Phil_G » Thu Mar 17, 2016 12:21 pm
I just cut them around an ali rib template Al._AL_ wrote:... I need to buy some long screws to sandwich the ribs for sanding to shape.
Re: 70% Impala build.
Postby _AL_ » Fri Mar 25, 2016 5:57 am
The fuselage is 95% done. I've just left some of the top & bottom sheeting off to assist with control linkage installation.
I'll get the tail ribs cut today & hopefully get it glued together. Then I can finish the fuselage off before starting on the wing. I've deviated a bit from the plans for the elevator. It's smaller than the 2 channel option but bigger than the trim elevator on the plan.
Has anyone used Airspan covering before? Is it user friendly or a pain in the behind?
I thought it might look a bit more appropriate for the age of the model but I've only ever used Solarfilm etc.
Al
ATTACHMENTS a1.jpg
Re: 70% Impala build.
Postby Phil_G » Fri Mar 25, 2016 10:26 am
Looking good so far!
Solarfilm arrived on the scene at the same time as the Impala Al around 1968, so is entirely appropriate!
Re: 70% Impala build.
Postby _AL_ » Fri Mar 25, 2016 1:20 pm
That makes life easy then.
The tail needs the LE sheeting & a good sand. I also need to taper sand the elevator & install the torque rod. If I can get that done tomorrow night I can install the servos & linkages.
I'm planning on using some 4g servos installed against the rear former. It's not exactly vintage appropriate but no one else will see inside so too bad. This however, will leave me room to install a small Lipo & ESC under the CG for an electric motor pod should I feel the need to fly on the flat field.
Al
Re: 70% Impala build.
Postby Phil_G » Fri Mar 25, 2016 1:28 pm
Cute little thing isnt it?
I think my elevators are 1" x 3/16 trailing edge stock. Maybe 3/4" x 3/16.
I'll check when I go up to the house.
Worth adding a hook as they bungee well. Impalas, not houses
Re: 70% Impala build.
Postby _AL_ » Sun Mar 27, 2016 1:13 pm
My elevator turned out 20mm wide so roughly 13/16th". It looks about right to me so I'm sure it'll be fine.
A bit of progress but nothing worth a picture. I'm hoping to have the fuselage & tails finished by next weekend & start on the wing.
The NE sea breezes will start to turn West soon so I want to get a flight or two in before that happens. 95% of our slopes face NE or S.
Al
Re: 70% Impala build.
Postby _AL_ » Fri Aug 19, 2016 8:52 am
Anyone who knows me, knows I can't stay focused on one project from start to finish. Since I started this I've built & repaired a few slope soarers for this years annual slope festival in northern NSW Australia.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2535385
Last years event.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2288390
I'm 99% done on a scratch built BV141 along with a handful of kit builds so it's time to finish this one off.
Originally I was going to have a crack as single channel, but now I think I'll use my Ron special tiny six reeds transmitter & once set up, pass the TX around to anyone who shows an interest at the festival.
The fuselage & tail is pretty much done. I've left some of the cross grain sheeting off the fuselage so I can install the control linkages. Once that's done it needs a quick sand & cover.
I used the ply template sandwich method for the wing ribs so it's just a matter of laying out the plan & putting the wing together.
Question. Does anyone have a decent image of the Veron Impala logo off the box?
I'm thinking of printing a decal of the name & jumping impala for the wing.
Thanks.
Al