Radial Electric Beaver Build 96"
 

Well here we go again! Time for a new winter project

This time I'm going to do something a little different

I Bought a Unionville Beaver almost completed last summer however after close examination it just didnt meet my expectation's(Weight/glue used,material ect)

So I had an Idea to to use the Plan,s for referance and build my own Light weight electric airframe. The box and plan's state 10 lbs! although I have never seen one that light before I was out to beat it!

The kit was designed back in the 60's when Engines ,Radio gear,Batterys, Covering and dope (you get the Idea) were all bulky and heavy

The material's I will be using are all Downsized from original I will also be adding carbon fiber to the airframe


https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1327173696

To start the build I laid up some 1/4x1/4 and 1/4x1 to replace the 1/4x4" The 5/16 ply has also been replaced with 1/8" cf the end result was more than half weight saving!

Re: Radial Electric Beaver Build 96"
 

The aircraft will be outfitted for amphibious operations(floats) thus everything will be (water proofed) more on that later
Being a Radial aircraft coupled with a short nose I am going to be very carefull with weight in the tail (aft of CG)
Scale elevator and rudder (tail wheel steering)will all be housed internally
The servo's for the tail will be mounted behind the Firewall (yes firewall)
Nav lights ,Acl's ,strobe's will also be installed
There are so many features that i am going to implement im going to release them slowly
I am changing the Dihethral to half recommended as well adding washout and changing the airfoil to a modified Clark Y Reason being I want to include a payload to this airframe ( more on this later)
https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1327246878
The Plywood landing gear has been replaced by 1/4 balsa lightend
https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1327246878
The landing gear mount will be of my own design using no bolts ,screws ect it will be quick change for Land or sea It is made up with aircraft grade ply trunion block's 1/8 carbon fiber tourque rods and 1/8 ply braces (built like a truck's suspension)
The landing gear will be Full floating suspension with torsion bars. I want it to be able to withstand at least 30 lbs!
The gear will be 3/16 spring steel bent and mig welded with removable fairings
https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1327246878
The Fusalage sides mated and ready for the firewall
https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1327246878
https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1327246878
The Firewall has been replaced by laminated balsa and light ply Lightened of course!
https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1327246878
The 1/4 x 4 balsa engine bearers have been replaced by lightened 1/8 ply
I am only going to sheet the fuse forward of the windscreen not to the rear of the cabin as the plans state

Re: Radial Electric Beaver Build 96"
 

Thats cool .You should be well with in you limit with the weight.I got an old 6' beaver kit and lightened that to 4.5lbs AUW with 4s and I modded the wing with fowler style flaps and all built up flaps and ailerons 5/8" longer.I'm more into 3d stuff but the 45deg approaches with 60deg flaps are fun to play with.

Re: Radial Electric Beaver Build 96"
 

Thank's Im setting my limit to under 10 but im aiming for 5!
I plan on using a 1475W engine with a 6 cell setup

After the firewall is glued in ( note to save weight only gorilla glue and weldbond will be used epoxy and ca are to heavy) I will sheet the nose fwd of the windscreen only
In the first pic you can see the fwd float mount tabs installed the middle mounts are the landing gear mounts and there is an additional mount in the rear 8 in total!

https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1327251208
https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1327251208
https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1327251208
The landing gear area requires a removable panel to facilitate quick gear removal
It will be held in place with magnets(small ones)

https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1327251208

Re: Radial Electric Beaver Build 96"
 

Nice clean build should fly well and it will hang off the prop with that wattage at 5lbs at half throttle.LOL! Definetly keep my eye on this build.

Re: Radial Electric Beaver Build 96"
 

This must be the 8' verssion if it was coming in at 10lbs.

Unionville Hobbies was started in the early to mid 70's.

I had the 6' Otter and made double slotted fowler flaps just like the full scale. Took me so long to do the flaps I lost interest in the project and sold it.

I can't wait till Mr. Aerodesign comes out with his GS Otter but I am really waiting for the Buffalo!

Re: Radial Electric Beaver Build 96"
 

Moving on to Building the Wings I cut out new ribs with a different Naca basicly a Clark Y with a slight under camber

https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1327331897

These D tube wings are really strong I added shear webs to all except the last 3 bays

https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1327331897


I decided to build flaps and ailerons that either retract back into the wing or had no hinge gap Which was a challenge but well worth the effort

I opted for 2 servos in each wing for simplicity .one mounted to a ply hatch for flaps and the other flush to the underside for ailerons


The strut mounts have been made out of ply and gusseted for extra strength


https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1327331897

Re: Radial Electric Beaver Build 96"
 

Very nice work wild. I am going to follow your build to see what I can learn. Thanks for all the detail.:thanks:

Re: Radial Electric Beaver Build 96"
 

Thank's No problems any question's please ask


https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1327510208


I find it allways help's to Model if you first find something to follow

This is the Aircraft I will be modeling .I did a internet search and found out some interesting information

In short it was built and reged and flew in Canada ! After sitting at the bottom of a lake for over a year it was rebuilt using several airframes and Silently owned and Reged south of the border the picture look's like it was taken in Seattle

https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1327510208

The above photo is the flap setup. I used 1/32 ply gusseted with balsa with a ball link to deploy and retract the flaps Once the top sheeting goes on it will be hidden

https://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/atta...ine=1327510208

The photo above is the aileron before final sheeting please note the extra gusset across the horn mount plate (ply) and the 1/4 balsa hinge reinforcement's. I used the towel to prevent hanger rash and dust control

Re: Radial Electric Beaver Build 96"
 

I appreciate the detail again but I'm a noob to that type of building of the flaps. I can't figure out what your trying to do with them. (retract) Not to worry though I will google it to bring myself up to speed.