My 1/3-scale Fokker Triplane that I constructed from the Balsa USA package flies nicely and has a powerful presence within the sky and on the flightline. If there’s something I’ve discovered piloting this World Warfare I tail-dragger, is which you can’t rush the landings. Not too long ago, I bought a little bit excited on touchdown at a brand new flying subject, and I bounced the landing. Earlier than I knew it, my tire was operating down the runway, and I had a bent touchdown gear. That was the top of flying for that day!
Earlier than you pack up your dented chook, make sure you decide up each single piece of runway confetti and place all of the little bits and items in a bag for the journey dwelling. Again within the workshop, you may clear up your mannequin and take away the touchdown gear. The subwing is made out of balsa and lightweight plywood, so the restore supplies you want are your typical assortment of sandpaper, primer, passion knife, and razor noticed. To piece the damaged components again collectively, I take advantage of Zap CA, 1-oz. fiberglass fabric, and automotive spot putty.
ONE:
This isn’t a reasonably sight. You may see right here that the landing-gear struts (3/16-inch music wire) are fairly bent up and the subwing is damaged in a number of locations. The tire additionally peeled off the rim. So the very first thing to do is to take every part aside and examine for different broken components.
TWO:
The aft part of the subwing was break up in two, so I eliminated the damaged components and unscrewed the ahead and rear sections in order that they could possibly be separated from the gear.
THREE:
The wire struts are pretty simple to straighten utilizing a bench vise, a pair of vise grips, and perhaps a ball-peen hammer. Right here, you see the gear is nearly completely straightened with just a bit tweaking to do.
FOUR:
To examine the gear alignment, I reattached the touchdown gear to the fuselage (nonetheless within the trailer) after which took measurements between the axles and the tail publish. As soon as happy, it was again to the workshop.
FIVE:
A more in-depth inspection additionally revealed some cracked solder joints for the bungee standoffs. After I cleaned it utilizing a wire brush and a few sandpaper, I resoldered the joints utilizing some Keep Brite flux and my 60-watt soldering iron. The high-silver-content solder flows simply into place.
SIX:
Again to the subwing fairing, I reevaluated the harm. A lot of the damaged items had been usable, however some simply weren’t.
SEVEN:
Right here, the underside floor has some items glued again into place. I used skinny Zap glue and thoroughly flowed it into the cracks to carry the components collectively. As soon as they had been in place, I added some swatches of fiberglass fabric to the within to strengthen the restore areas.
EIGHT:
For areas that had been too badly broken to piece again collectively, I reduce away the harm and changed the sections with new 1/8-inch balsa sheeting. Right here, you see the balsa glued in place and a tenet to outline the location of the brand new gear-strut slot.
NINE:
With a little bit sanding and a few spot putty to fill the cracks, this part was then lined with two layers of fiberglass fabric. Every layer was glued in place with cautious utility of skinny Zap glue. This goes shortly, and you’ll see white areas of the material’s weave the place extra glue is required.
TEN:
On the alternative aspect, much more materials needed to be eliminated and changed with new balsa. Once more, the restore space is sanded easy, with some spot putty utilized to the cracks. All the pieces is sanded easy and flush with the remainder of the fairing.
ELEVEN:
I utilized skinny coats of spot putty to the restore areas after which let it dry utterly earlier than sanding.
TWELVE:
Right here, the world has been sanded easy; only a few areas want a little bit extra putty.
THIRTEEN:
On the underside of the fairing, the broken areas get the identical remedy of a number of coats of spot putty and sanding.
FOURTEEN:
Right here, the lengthy break line obtained extra putty and sanding till the broken space was constructed again up easy and flush once more.
FIFTEEN:
As soon as the repairs look good and easy, shoot on a light-weight coat of sanding primer (I take advantage of Krylon). Areas that want extra filling present up with tiny pinholes; these are, once more, handled with a skinny smear of putty and extra sanding.
SIXTEEN:
The restore space is all patched up, however the floor just isn’t easy and even. Yep, extra putty and sanded is required.
SEVENTEEN:
The realm is now good and easy, and a recent coat of primer reveals that there’s little to no signal of the restore. The identical strategy was used with the opposite broken part till I had a easy and properly primed subwing. I let the primer dry for a day or two earlier than portray.
EIGHTEEN:
The remainder of the method is fairly simple. Apply the lighter-color paint first, let it dry, after which masks and apply the darker colour. I let freshly painted components dry in a dust-free space away from the workshop. Let every colour dry for a day earlier than making use of the subsequent colour. Then let every part dry once more for a day or so earlier than making use of a protecting clearcoat. Three coats of clear does the trick.
NINETEEN:
With the painted components drying, I went again to the landing-gear struts and added new landing-gear-strut fairings. These are created from strips of basswood which have grooves reduce within the edges to simply accept the wire struts. I used 15-minute epoxy to connect them in place, then I wrapped them and the wire struts with a layer of fiberglass fabric. Right here, they’ve been primed and sanded. A few remedies with spot putty, adopted with extra sanding, and the gear shall be prepared for portray and clearcoat.
TWENTY:
Earlier than the subwing fairing will be reattached to the touchdown gear, I needed to reduce new bungee cords to size, bind them collectively to type a loop, then wrap them across the standoffs and over the axles.
TWENTY ONE:
Again on the flying subject, the freshly repaired touchdown gear helps the triplane as soon as once more. Just a little extra silicone adhesive has been utilized to the unfastened tire, and it’s again in place across the wheel’s rim. In all, this restore took a few days unfold over two weekends to finish.
Backside Line
In order that’s it: one other landing-gear restore made and the triplane is once more airworthy. I’m getting good at a lot of these restore; I simply have to do higher within the touchdown sample! So don’t really feel down in case you harm your plane. It’s all a part of the passion, and as they are saying, “What doesn’t kill you (or your mannequin) makes you stronger!”
Textual content & photographs by Gerry Yarrish
