First Time Building from Plans - Grumman Cougar Twin
02-24-2017, 07:10 PM
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First Time Building from Plans - Grumman Cougar Twin
A few years ago I bought an old Grumman Cougar from a local guy, included in the package was the plane, twin Royal .25 engines and a set of very old plans for the plane.
The plane has been sitting in my storage room for years and I decided to take it out and try to get it ready to fly this summer (could happen, could not, lots of little things to get done, I will try). As I began to work on some of the little things that needed repair I unrolled the plans and thought, this would be a great project, there are not many kits out there any more, even fewer twins (which I love) and few still scale twins. In the back of my mind I know I could do it, but time remains a problem.
Well I finally took the plunge and started the project today. The first thing to do is actually build the kit - got the plans photocopied today and started to cut out the wing ribs, got about half done - would be more but I need more 1/8 balsa, I also took photo copies of the plywood parts and glued them to the correct ply, my 16 year old son will take the ply to his wood shop class and cut the parts out - just easier having him do it with the right equipment and a teacher who would help.
No pictures yet but as soon as the tail goes on the board I will post.
Just an FYI, the plans came from an early 1980's RC Modeler Mag, and the finished product looks really good.
Some of the changes I am thinking:
1) Electric Retracts vs the old mechanical ones.
2) Rather than .25 engines I have twin OS .40 LAs that will give it more power
3) The plans call for one Aileron Servo and one throttle servo, I am going to look at duel throttle servos and maybe duel Aileron servos if they will fit. If I need to go with only one Aileron servo I will change the set up to a Bell Crank - this is one I really have to look over the plans to think about. The throttle servos will be easier, there is lots of room in the nacelles for a servo, or at minimum a micro servo.
4) The build calls for a one piece nacelle, this is troublesome getting the engines in and out of the plane. To make this easier, I am thinking I will make the front of the nacelle fully detachable, there should be more than enough room for 1/4 inch Hardwood mounting blocks, again I have some time to think about that type of modification.
5) The plans do not have any real kind of cockpit - it is fully open, I would like to try to build something at least a floor to hide the inner workings of the plane.
The only other challenge I have is that I am also building a Top-Flite Gold Edition Corsair .60 right now and that is only a week or so into the project, so duel projects! I am ok with this because I am trying to use as little CA as possible and go with mostly wood glue, there is so much more waiting with that, so you can kind of bounce from one project to the other while the glue dries.
Cheers!
The plane has been sitting in my storage room for years and I decided to take it out and try to get it ready to fly this summer (could happen, could not, lots of little things to get done, I will try). As I began to work on some of the little things that needed repair I unrolled the plans and thought, this would be a great project, there are not many kits out there any more, even fewer twins (which I love) and few still scale twins. In the back of my mind I know I could do it, but time remains a problem.
Well I finally took the plunge and started the project today. The first thing to do is actually build the kit - got the plans photocopied today and started to cut out the wing ribs, got about half done - would be more but I need more 1/8 balsa, I also took photo copies of the plywood parts and glued them to the correct ply, my 16 year old son will take the ply to his wood shop class and cut the parts out - just easier having him do it with the right equipment and a teacher who would help.
No pictures yet but as soon as the tail goes on the board I will post.
Just an FYI, the plans came from an early 1980's RC Modeler Mag, and the finished product looks really good.
Some of the changes I am thinking:
1) Electric Retracts vs the old mechanical ones.
2) Rather than .25 engines I have twin OS .40 LAs that will give it more power
3) The plans call for one Aileron Servo and one throttle servo, I am going to look at duel throttle servos and maybe duel Aileron servos if they will fit. If I need to go with only one Aileron servo I will change the set up to a Bell Crank - this is one I really have to look over the plans to think about. The throttle servos will be easier, there is lots of room in the nacelles for a servo, or at minimum a micro servo.
4) The build calls for a one piece nacelle, this is troublesome getting the engines in and out of the plane. To make this easier, I am thinking I will make the front of the nacelle fully detachable, there should be more than enough room for 1/4 inch Hardwood mounting blocks, again I have some time to think about that type of modification.
5) The plans do not have any real kind of cockpit - it is fully open, I would like to try to build something at least a floor to hide the inner workings of the plane.
The only other challenge I have is that I am also building a Top-Flite Gold Edition Corsair .60 right now and that is only a week or so into the project, so duel projects! I am ok with this because I am trying to use as little CA as possible and go with mostly wood glue, there is so much more waiting with that, so you can kind of bounce from one project to the other while the glue dries.
Cheers!
02-26-2017, 03:20 AM
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Greetings. I have had this plan for many years and love the looks of the plane. Dennis Tapsfield was an amazing designer and modeler.
The drawback for me has been the windscreen. If you come up with one that fits, PLEASE let me know.
Thanks and good luck with the build.
Craig
The drawback for me has been the windscreen. If you come up with one that fits, PLEASE let me know.
Thanks and good luck with the build.
Craig
02-26-2017, 04:57 AM
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Greetings. I have had this plan for many years and love the looks of the plane. Dennis Tapsfield was an amazing designer and modeler.
The drawback for me has been the windscreen. If you come up with one that fits, PLEASE let me know.
Thanks and good luck with the build.
Craig
The drawback for me has been the windscreen. If you come up with one that fits, PLEASE let me know.
Thanks and good luck with the build.
Craig
2 options: On the plan it says to use a screen from Sig Bonanza and trim it. The other option is to make one using lexan and a vacuum box. If I go that way I will let you know and make one for ya, just as easy to do 2 as one.
02-26-2017, 05:02 PM
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All Balsa parts are now done, waiting for my son who take the plywood to his school and cut them out, even if he is able to just rough cut it will be a success. I think I may be able to start the build tomorrow. Project will have to go on hold as of Wednesday due to a week long business trip, would be great if I could get the tail built by the time I leave.
I also found a copy of the original building instructions from RCM, may have to read them on the long overseas flight I am going to be on.
Cheers!
I also found a copy of the original building instructions from RCM, may have to read them on the long overseas flight I am going to be on.
Cheers!
02-27-2017, 06:56 PM
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Biggest challenge so far, building two formers made of 1/4 inch strips of 1/32 ply forming them into an arch.
Put the template on a board, covered in wax paper, then put T-Pins in around the outside of the template. Cut the strips, soaked them in water for a few minutes, and started to put them together. Wood glue and lots of clamps. I won;'t know until the morning if it was successful.
Looks ugly now, Butt if the glue holds, I can cut them off and sand them down to the correct width, they could be ok.
These are the first to of the plywood parts, there are only a very few balsa parts left to make, only reason they are not yet done is because I don't have the correct thickness of wood.
Also picked up the main spars today - yet another small step to getting the "kit" together.
Put the template on a board, covered in wax paper, then put T-Pins in around the outside of the template. Cut the strips, soaked them in water for a few minutes, and started to put them together. Wood glue and lots of clamps. I won;'t know until the morning if it was successful.
Looks ugly now, Butt if the glue holds, I can cut them off and sand them down to the correct width, they could be ok.
These are the first to of the plywood parts, there are only a very few balsa parts left to make, only reason they are not yet done is because I don't have the correct thickness of wood.
Also picked up the main spars today - yet another small step to getting the "kit" together.
02-28-2017, 07:21 AM
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Biggest challenge so far, building two formers made of 1/4 inch strips of 1/32 ply forming them into an arch.
Put the template on a board, covered in wax paper, then put T-Pins in around the outside of the template. Cut the strips, soaked them in water for a few minutes, and started to put them together. Wood glue and lots of clamps. I won;'t know until the morning if it was successful.
Looks ugly now, Butt if the glue holds, I can cut them off and sand them down to the correct width, they could be ok.
These are the first to of the plywood parts, there are only a very few balsa parts left to make, only reason they are not yet done is because I don't have the correct thickness of wood.
Also picked up the main spars today - yet another small step to getting the "kit" together.
Put the template on a board, covered in wax paper, then put T-Pins in around the outside of the template. Cut the strips, soaked them in water for a few minutes, and started to put them together. Wood glue and lots of clamps. I won;'t know until the morning if it was successful.
Looks ugly now, Butt if the glue holds, I can cut them off and sand them down to the correct width, they could be ok.
These are the first to of the plywood parts, there are only a very few balsa parts left to make, only reason they are not yet done is because I don't have the correct thickness of wood.
Also picked up the main spars today - yet another small step to getting the "kit" together.
The second part is usable but not as good as the other, so I decided based on what I learned yesterday to take some time and re do it. This time going one strip at a time, clamining it tight, letting the wood glue set up and cure for an hour or so, then do the next strip. I am working from home today so taking 10 minutes every hour or so to do this is workable. Have three strips glued in already, four more to go.
Funny how much you learn as you go through this process. Each step needs to be thought about, planned, rethought and then executed, with some learning during the execution. I am learning so much by looking over the drawings and planning out each next step.
So glad I started this project!
03-25-2017, 07:15 AM
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Well, I have taken a bit of a break from the project due to work schedules, travel and a Top Flite GE Corsair I am also building, plus my son had not yet had the chance to cut the hardwood and ply parts I needed.
Got home yesterday and the parts were cut and ready to go - my son did them in his wood shop class and did a great job of it to boot.
Now I need to actually start the build. All balsa, hardwood and ply parts are cut and ready to assemble. I have the wing spars the only thing left I need to do is plan out what I need as far as stringers and balsa sheeting, then I will start to assemble the beast.
Pretty excited on the progress and not getting more and more interested in building like this for the future.
Biggest worry remains how to properly form the windshield. Any thoughts would help!
Got home yesterday and the parts were cut and ready to go - my son did them in his wood shop class and did a great job of it to boot.
Now I need to actually start the build. All balsa, hardwood and ply parts are cut and ready to assemble. I have the wing spars the only thing left I need to do is plan out what I need as far as stringers and balsa sheeting, then I will start to assemble the beast.
Pretty excited on the progress and not getting more and more interested in building like this for the future.
Biggest worry remains how to properly form the windshield. Any thoughts would help!
04-10-2017, 07:22 AM
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The build is going well. Wing is in good shape and coming together quickly. Very pleased so far.
I am now working on building a plug to fabricate fiberglass cowls. As I am learning the art of fiberglass molding this has been a pretty time consuming job. I think it will be very worth it as the plans do not call for a separate cowl, making access to the engine difficult. This will look better and make life easier. If it does not work out, then I will build the plane as per the plans.
