Stuka woes, when the unthinkable becomes thinkable

cstatman wrote:"not harvesting King Tut's Tomb"

that, sir --- is valuable advice for all of us.   worry less, put together more!  

Yes, and knowing when your beat and accepting it!  

This thing is more broken up than the seller acknowledged, maybe he didn't know it.  The wing and fin/rudder tabs where the fuselage screws pass through are broken off and missing.  Not good. Unless I can figure out a fix, I may have to tack cement this Stuka back together.  It came (fell) apart real easy.  

Cementing the other half of the wing.  Crack ran right along the landing gear pylon.  Broken tab is one half of the tail wheel bracket.

Test fitting.

Both Cox designers and subsequent owners have worked their deviltry on this thing.

I look at it, walk away only to return later and tinker a bit. A losing cause but I persist. Missing/broken parts, staining that will not come out despite my best efforts. Howard wax coverup. Not kosher. Waiting for Godot.

Don't know what GoDot is, but I've definitely been here before:



Hoping you're more patient than I!

I have been close to caption #3 many times.

Just finished with more tinkering. Actually got it back together except the canopys which just snap on. Managed to capture the bellcrank on the wings post, no easy job as those that have messed with these know only to well. Engine still floats, If I want it to be flyable I will have to cement it in. no other practical choice.

Don't let the appearance fool, it's a mess. Other one will be the keeper.

Last piece of the puzzle.

Engine cemented in, one side only can still be taken apart. Bell crank connected. Flyable if this holds. Formula 560 canopy cement - "Glues anything to anything" we will see. Could have used epoxy but it doesn't stick well to plastic, CA the same. Testors red tube - forget it.





Anyone have a better idea?

rsv1cox wrote:

Anyone have a better idea?

Oh, once wood fibers are sealed, painted it will look like plastic. I suppose you could have also used sheet plastic from Hobby Lobby (if they still have). However, if it works, why change it?

I do have a sheet of styrene but balsa works better.  Tried it this morning and it works well against finger pressure.  I think it's going to be fine.  Still have to build the rotating mass that goes on the end and paint.  I may bush the pin.  

rsv1cox wrote:

Good methodology in hinging the replacement balsa elevator, back in the old days as a flyer, I went a step further and covered the end with a strip of crinoline (same stuff used as cloth hinges 50 years ago, it was coated cloth strip used in sewing to stiffen clothing edges like pants cuffs, shirt collars). Once sealed along with balsa, it left a slight impression where you saw the material, but that was then called features of "flying scale".

Is the plastic factory painted, or is the white showing through the sanding just light reflection from camera flash?

rsv1cox wrote:Engine looks great from the outside, opened it up and no reed or clip.  Got one from parts, cleaned the reed fine steel wool and 91%.  Someone's been in there before me!

I don't care for the Cox starter, bit me more times than just finger flipping.  Got rid of it.  Put the piston back in and got a bind, turned the connecting rod around and it eliminated it.  I don't explain it, I just relate.  Low time engine, beautiful piston and #1 cylinder. Perfect pop.

It might be the way the engine "solidified" after being broke in. If it works by rotating the assembly, "if you don't mind, it don't matter", you're right, while question it?

According to:
CEF: Cox .049 Cylinder Identification

CEF wrote: Number 1 : Used on early Black Widow and 290-291 series engines. 2 bypass, sub-piston induction, some cylinders had milled top fins and some older ones didn't.

You have a keeper, a prized engine. You could replace that with a Babe Bee styled (1 bypass) engine with postage stamp, and use that engine on another aircraft as a flyer, if this will only be for static display. Jest saying ....  

But it does answer an earlier question I had, that the heavier than other Cox models, the earliest Cox green Stukas did have the more powerful dual port Black Widow styled cylinder.

Yes, the hinge is epoxied in a slot cut in the balsa. Not going to move. Looked at bushing it. Can do but will have to drill out the plastic a bit. Cut out the end rotator, got to find out what it's for.

Yes, white seems to be dried fuel/castor that I haven't cleaned up yet. Still lot's of detailing still to do. When finished I will have a flyable glued together piece of crap. Never had to do one this way before but this Stuka was just to busted up internally to cope with. Previous owner even cut holes in the fuselage for inspection/repair.

rsv1cox wrote:Yes, the hinge is epoxied in a slot cut in the balsa.  Not going to move.  Looked at bushing it. Can do but will have to drill out the plastic a bit.  Cut out the end rotator, got to find out what it's for.  

Yes, white seems to be dried fuel/castor that I haven't cleaned up yet.  Still lot's of detailing still to do.  When finished I will have a flyable glued together piece of crap.  Never had to do one this way before but this Stuka was just to busted up internally to cope with.  Previous owner even cut holes in the fuselage for inspection/repair.  

You may not even need to bush it, if the plastic pin socket is in reasonably sound condition, although there is a touch of slop there with the improvised pin for hinge. Only reason for additional reinforcing with Crinoline was back in the days, to withstand engine vibration for a plane that would be flown often, like in the case of a balsa C/L. In your case, I doubt you'd accumulate sufficient hours to warrant it.

I wouldn't call it a piece of crap, it is a restoration to flyable condition. The previous owner, probably a teen, did what they knew with their limited knowledge of repairs, to make things work. One starts off as an apprentice, before they become a craftsman. I'm sure that model help to build for useful experiences and knowledge, to help that individual with greater things as an adult.

In reality I think we boomers were blessed to be in the world at the time we were growing up. Working on our own built a knowledge base, something today this world of so called professional educators and politicians have totally missed through their restrictive child rearing policies and new teaching methods.

The Cox models and engines were a training ground for future engineers, designers, repair and construction technicians, assembly workers and etc. It helped to train them in use of tools and techniques, visualize from drawings, descriptions, use of fasteners, etc.

I built the elevator counter weight yesterday and epoxied it on.  They actually sold these years ago as WW2 artifacts.

https://axis-militaria.com/product/ww-ii-german-hohenruder-gewichtausgleich-elevator-counter-weight-ju87-stuka/

Grooved it for the fixing pin.





and trimmed it to fit. My test mule, better Stuka will get a better fit as it's missing the same elevator half.




Some differences between green and black Stukas.  Green used phillips head screws, black used fillister heads.  Green used thin cylinders #1's, black used stepped #1's.  White boarder insignias vs yellow for the black Stukas. Green used fixed landing gear, black flexible.  Black took liberties with color while green did not.  











Testors red tube is holding it together. That or the trash can.

Finished as far as I'm taking it.

Fritz will have to fly with the wind in his face unless I find a windshield.