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114 1486
114 1491
114 1487
114 1493
114 1492
114 1488
114 1490
114 1494
114 1489
114 1500
114 1495
142 4227
114 1499
142 4226
103 0377
151 5107
115 1502
103 0375
Jappert
114 1496
136 3607
119 1951
119 1937
142 4228
151 5108
142 4256
119 1939
119 1954
103 0378
b0030
Merlin [4/4]
142 4252
142 4255
142 4254
119 1964
142 4253
DSC01322
Tunnel ahoy! 2003-03-29 At the rear of the layout, a long passenger train headed by two Class A3s enters what will be a tunnel. 2003-03-29
132 3292
Coming together nicely now Tail piece is in, various tail-plane bits and bobs. The tail rotor blades are on the wrong way round here (and remained so for a while) until I realised I had the belt on the wrong way. I noticied this long before firing up the engine, thankfully.
103 0388
106 0644
DSC01317
A village station 2003-03-29 The village Railway Station, yet to be named or decorated. 2003-03-29
119 1933
119 1952
151 5106
IMG 0652
136 3608
104 0410
136 3620
132 3291
Tail rotor assembly The red coloured pulley is a two-piece item, a flange fits on one end, and it can go two ways round. The correct way si with the shorter end into the pulley, longer end outwards. Otherwise, as I discovered, there is about 2 to 3mm play in the tail rotor shaft. Not good.
133 3303
Beastie so far
103 0389
119 1953
900 0015
Merlin [4/6]
900 0014
Merlin [3/6]
142 4234
119 1963
106 0645
132 3295
Main drive wheel The belt goes back to the tail rotor. The grey spindle meshes with a drive wheel on the engine drive shaft. There is a shaft going up through these two wheels directly to the rotor hub.
900 0013
Merlin [2/6]
132 3280
Engine in the frame, closeup
103 0386
119 1955
DSC01319
Towards the industrial area 2003-03-29 Progress has occured in the industrial region with the addition of some storage tanks and a depot. 2003-03-29
136 3619
136 3623
119 1959
136 3622
132 3294
Tail rotor The orange material you can see through the hole is the belt. The blades twist together, in opposite directions. This is how you point the helicopter.
119 1960
119 1957
106 0641
151 5104
103 0398
103 0364
Trig pulls a new bird
136 3618
119 1958
DSC01323
The cottage in the village 2003-03-29 That lady is still waiting... 2003-03-29
IMG 0651
115 1503
119 1956
136 3621
132 3287
Rotor head and flybar The fly bar, I think, ,ostly balances the main blades. They are on a single bar whose pitch alters with the cyclic, but not the collective (I think, lots of "I think"'s here!). The bar is supposed to be near-perfectly balanced otherwise it causes really nasty vibrations in the rest of the machine. Rememeber, this thing is a huge spinning top, really.
106 0643
132 3279
Engine in the frame
103 0392
103 0379
104 0418
IMG 0672
IMG 0648
136 3609
IMG 0649
119 1962
119 1961
IMG 0654
119 1965
137 3749
Fuel line arrangement This t-piece arrangement allows me to load/unload fuel to the tank without pulling the pipwork away from the engine. Just use the right fuel line clip to direct the flow to/from the tank. Similarly, the left clip allows me to inject after run oil without having to do fiddly stuff, or remove the engine.
103 0400
103 0397
132 3281
Engine in the frame, other side
b0013
Wasp [1/2]
104 0412
900 0012
Merlin [1/6]
IMG 0647
119 1967
119 1966
132 3285
Rotor head bearings At this point, I only assembled one end of this piece. The bearing set in the bag fit onto the shaft with a collection of washers, spacers, bolts, loctite and so on. It's all a bit busy. Particularly sicne I forgot to put in a supporting piece rigth in the centre to had to disassemble the thing.
103 0396
IMG 0653
142 4251
136 3615
b0014
Wasp [2/2]
133 3304
Clutch The silver drum in the centre of the picture is the clutch bell. Inside this is a clutch disc, which runs directly from the engine below it. It's designed to be fully diengaged below about 7000rpm and fully engaged above 10000rpm. The rotor blades operate at a fraction of this speed, not normalyl going faster than about 1700 rpm.
136 3617
132 3288
Flybar again
899 9944
Tara!
132 3290
Tail rotor assembly This was a fiddly piece to put together.
104 0411
136 3616
IMG 0670
136 3610
133 3305
Gyro This is described by many as the "most cost effective" stabilisation gyro on the market at present. It's job: keep the machine pointing in the direction you want it to. In the old days, you would program a "revolution mix" into your radio which altered the tail rotor blade pitch according to what you were doing with the throttle/collective, the idea being that you could match the rotational energy being put out by the main rotors to make the tail rotor counteract it, and keep the machine steady. Technology these days simply measures the rotation and does what it needs to counteract it. Funky. This is what makes the difference between whirly-top-with-dangerous-bits and simply "dangerous".
103 0393
IMG 0673
900 0009
Merlin!
105 0558
142 4230
103 0395
103 0391
100 0020
And some more foliage
104 0401
900 0016
Merlin [5/6]
103 0399
106 0646
104 0409
105 0557
132 3282
The engine The slot-shaped hole you can see is where the exhaust (muffler) pipe will attach, when it arrives.
100 0023
Glenns truck [1/3]
DSC01318
The village to be 2003-03-29 A lady waits in front of a cottage in what is to become the village. 2003-03-29
IMG 0675
104 0408
IMG 0646
105 0559
IMG 0666
150 5072
103 0390
142 4247
104 0403
137 3756
Front view
b0017
Tigger [2/2]
IMG 0674
IMG 0665
136 3611
104 0413
104 0416
IMG 0650
100 0032
Merlin [2/5]
104 0407
132 3273
Getting started When I remembered I wanted to take pictures of the construction, this is far as I was already.
104 0402
103 0394
115 1513
104 0405
104 0406
IMG 0671
106 0688
136 3614
100 0033
Merlin [3/5]
100 0019
Some other plant
142 4250
IMG 0659
142 4246
104 0414
133 3306
Digital servo The Gyro came with this servo. Because the tail rotor pitch is being computer controlled, and you want it to react fast, you have to use a fast servo. Better yet, you use a digital servo, which mostly means the servo PWM's the motor inside much much faster. This is a reasonably speedy digital servo. When it's going, it whines a bit, but I am pretty sure that's normal.
142 4258
129 2964
IMG 0655
IMG 0660
132 3277
Engine, closeup
b0016
Tigger [1/2]
106 0640
142 4235
100 0031
Merlin [1/5]
100 0024
Glenns truck [2/3]
142 4233
104 0419
b0012
Tulips
132 3283
Assembling the rotor head These bits will eventually sit atop the swash plate.
105 0507
132 3286
Look at the mess!
100 0021
Blueberry tree
142 4245
125 2555
115 1505
119 1968
IMG 0667
IMG 0656
900 0019
Tara ...yes, I know you have a new toy...
100 0029
Glenn and Tara
100 0034
Merlin [4/5]
IMG 0668
136 3613
b0011
Pansies [2/2]
142 4232
104 0417
dsc sp5 0002
Canon EOS 10D
IMG 0657
100 0035
Merlin [5/5]
100 0030
Glenn and Tara and Wine
dsc sp5 0003
Canon EOS 10D
137 3753
Still in one piece Front view, it's been out flying a couple of times now
129 2965
105 0561
IMG 0669
142 4229
105 0506
104 0415
133 3340
Outdoors [1/4]
129 2974
142 4238
105 0556
100 0017
Brumbrum
136 3612
104 0404
IMG 0661
154 5422
129 2971
b0026
Dartmouth Street
129 2963
dsc sp5 0004
Canon EOS 10D
100 0016
Brumbrum
104 0447
100 0015
Cherry tree
154 5424
DSC01248
129 2901
105 0560
b0021
The sky
100 0022
Back porch
142 4257
IMG 0664
129 2973
123 2335
105 0563
154 5436
142 4237
132 3278
Engine, other side
106 0652
b0022
A plane
115 1509
100 0026
Glenn inside a truck
900 0018
Tara Okay, I'm bored now...
900 0017
Merlin [6/6]
142 4244
106 0687
134 3463
Rear rotor servo Moved the servo from the front of the chassis to the tail boom to shorten the control rod - less chance of flexing
DSC01325
Depot #1 2003-03-29 A view of the depot. 2003-03-29
142 4249
IMG 0658
115 1511
104 0421
106 0664
900 0022
Tara ...I'm outta here.
100 0018
Blueberry tree
IMG 0645
132 3276
The engine OS 32 helicopter engine. Here it is with the Raptor cooling fan attached, basically a centrifugal fan.
129 2968
134 3412
154 5425
100 0012
Our house...
100 0028
Glenn in workshop [2/2]
140 4031
142 4231
132 3274
Side view
126 2613
154 5423
129 2970
129 2937
106 0678
154 5468
125 2585 2
b0019
Bird in a tree [1/2] Can you spot the bird?
100 0025
Glenns truck [3/3]
154 5438
154 5432
133 3339
I fired it up... So, I took it outside, just to fire up the engine. Nobody else around to take pictures, so this is after the event. They definately make good lawn mowers - notice all the grass and grass stains. I'm so far away from flying this thing (still practising on the simulator) but I thought it would be good to give the engine and mechanics some exercise before it does fly. These things are not quiet!
142 4241
154 5430
100 0013
...in the middle of our street
107 0739
b0029
Merlin [3/4]
105 0555
100 0014
More house
140 4033
140 4033 crop
129 2961
119 1969
106 0649
b0020
Bird in a tree [2/2] ...it's in there somewhere
142 4236
107 0706
104 0444
133 3336
Busy busy There's a lot going on with this machine.
154 5431
106 0648
129 2972
105 0547
105 0508
125 2544
106 0654
154 5428
140 4007
106 0639
100 0038
Tara!
154 5426
154 5437
b0027
Merlin [1/4]
129 2962
154 5433
106 0681
125 2556
105 0509
137 3751
Camera mount Allows me to bolt a camera, or other things, to the side of the Helicopter
129 2998
126 2642
129 2960
125 2585
142 4248
125 2554
104 0448
b0010
Pansies [1/2]
154 5473
133 3330
So far...
142 4260
129 2936
125 2587 2
129 2969
b0028
Merlin [2/4]
IMG 0662
IMG 0663
126 2610
106 0680
142 4225
134 3418
123 2336
129 2902
110 1075
107 0708
105 0562
106 0663
154 5446
106 0665
132 3275
The swash plate This little device is freaky. In a nutshell, the pitch of the blades varies through their rotation, according to the motions of the aileron/elevator servos (called cyclic on a helicopter) and the collective pitch. It's all a bit mad and I onyl slightly understand it so far.
900 0020
Tara ...enough already.
154 5445
154 5434
129 2982
104 0446
133 3338
The radio I decided to start small. A 6-channel JR transmitter. It came with the servos and a 7-channel receiver.
154 5472
123 2322
105 0546
142 4240
129 2966
107 0741
129 2967
134 3419
129 2958
125 2587
129 2905
154 5443
154 5420
154 5466
110 1072
154 5427
126 2611
125 2553
115 1508
b0018
A bird Might be a goose
106 0667
140 4005
129 2935
106 0650
105 0510
125 2539
100 0027
Glenn in workshop [1/2]
133 3368
133 3325
125 2547
154 5405
110 1064
133 3335
The electronics arrived All the servos are on, the receiver is mounted and hooked up.
125 2586 2
125 2540
b0008
Heart-somethingorothers [4/4]
154 5429
b0023
Air Canada [1/3]
129 2948
106 0668
106 0637
105 0566
154 5470
142 4265
129 2957
129 2947
125 2545
106 0675
104 0423
106 0657
107 0703
106 0662
154 5471
126 2612
129 2904
106 0682
133 3337
Wires/servos Much cabling. Notice how I had to trim some of the servo "horns" - they interfered with the ball-link attachments.
133 3331
The body/canopy This will be it's ultimate shape.
133 3326
Progress! With the main rotor blades on, it's starting to look like a helicopter now.
126 2641
142 4259
122 2295
110 1062
DSC01330
The village to be 2003-03-29 Where am I? In the village. 2003-03-29
129 2945
126 2615
125 2552
900 0024
Random shot
140 4022
105 0545
134 3464
Rear rotor servo cabling
107 0705
b0025
Air Canada [3/3]
125 2588
125 2560
154 5465
154 5459
dsc sp5 0001
Canon EOS 10D
100 1538
107 0742
125 2543
154 5441
106 0653
125 2567
133 3329
Rotor hub It's really busy up here - I can't imagine this thing spinning as fast as it will need to.
b0024
Air Canada [2/3]
129 2946
106 0638
125 2546
125 2537
100 0041
Merlin
140 4021
129 2975
110 1071
154 5469
140 4030
104 0422
142 4270
126 2693
154 5419
104 0420
125 2570
107 0744
129 2955
115 1506
129 2959
129 2980
129 2951
154 5467
104 0476
150 5071
125 2558
106 0673
123 2323
107 0740
142 4243
110 1070
126 2640
129 2903
129 2983
106 0669
154 5421
106 0686
129 2979
100 1539
106 0670
154 5435
106 0651
110 1063
107 0743
106 0659
123 2332
105 0540
123 2324
125 2563
125 2586
142 4267
110 1073
107 0715
105 0538
DSC01210
129 2949
110 1095
140 4006
125 2557
110 1067
DSC01216
129 2909
126 2643
128 2849
123 2326
107 0709
107 0745
129 2912
154 5464
110 1065
107 0738
DSC01245
154 5418
129 2938
106 0676
125 2542
133 3341
Outdoors [2/4]
105 0548
130 3009
126 2682
104 0429
DSC01211
126 2614
kt ruth wed 0075
154 5457
154 5442
154 5458
125 2569
106 0633
105 0544
104 0445
147 4757
129 2950
133 3328
The exhaust It's shiny now. I'm sure that will change. The silicone pipe runninf from it is a fuel tank pressurisation aid. There's no fuel pump - a certain amount of exhaust gas is used to push the fuel into the carb of the engine. Quite neat, really.
123 2337
104 0477
127 2735
126 2639
125 2538
125 2559
110 1066
142 4272
100 0040
Merlin
110 1069
154 5444
125 2595
105 0505
107 0716
106 0693
147 4776
105 0542
133 3327
It's looking a bit big Note we have an exhaust (muffler) now also.
125 2572
140 4029
105 0539
134 3420
110 1099
154 5462
147 4775
110 1068
107 0737
100 1514
134 3421
107 0704
107 0707
105 0543
126 2609
125 2588 2
125 2568
113 1360
kt ruth wed 0076
142 4242
125 2571
125 2512
110 1100
105 0541
132 3267
106 0694
115 1507
106 0671
154 5453
150 5070
P0000079
105 0511
154 5403
142 4266
DSC01219
142 4239
kt ruth wed 0021
DSC01209
104 0479
104 0478
154 5440
125 2541
106 0660
147 4790
129 2907
123 2335
133 3308
125 2597
122 2293
111 1101
129 2940
126 2608
125 2536
110 1076
100 1512
126 2644
107 0722
154 5463
142 4264
107 0702
129 2956
100 1511
107 0714
134 3462
In flying shape
106 0634
126 2638
147 4782
106 0658
126 2645
104 0449
154 5416
142 4269
104 0469
126 2628
129 2985
154 5456
105 0512
133 3364
125 2562
104 0475
129 2913
129 2993
DSC01207
125 2573
125 2510
DSC01208
122 2230
106 0695
129 2981
110 1079
107 0719
147 4758
129 2995
129 2977
129 2911
154 5455
128 2894
125 2566
107 0717
129 2954
110 1081
105 0535
125 2579
104 0455
DSC01327
Depot #2 2003-03-29 A view of the depot. 2003-03-29
DSC01206
129 2934
125 2584 2
DSC01243
129 2996
125 2584
106 0636
129 2922
126 2626
125 2581
125 2520
154 5406
123 2331
105 0537
129 2952
105 0567
125 2564
125 2548
122 2294
141 4199
126 2694
123 2333
kt ruth wed 0052
DSC01222
106 0672
147 4759
100 1540
b0007
Heart-somethingorothers [3/4]
123 2325
154 5417
147 4783
100 1510
126 2698
106 0698
111 1102
129 2976
125 2590
125 2561
DSC01220
147 4752
110 1078
DSC01332
127 2737
100 1513
125 2511
128 2890
125 2596
107 0721
129 2984
100 1516
129 2992
107 0712
DSC01217
kt ruth wed 0022
100 1537
126 2680
105 0504
154 5460
127 2736
126 2681
113 1361
133 3342
Outdoors [3/4]
125 2594
129 2997
129 2908
154 5452
125 2583
123 2327
108 0838
132 3266
129 2910
123 2334
129 2923
125 2549
DSC01247
140 4002
130 3008
147 4780
129 2994
105 0518
133 3333
Size comparison The universal measuring device: A Coke can.
129 2943
125 2582
105 0536
129 2939
kt ruth wed 0077
cDSC01183
The layout at 2003-01-25 What the layout looked like on 2003-01-25.
130 3010
123 2340
110 1077
107 0748
126 2692
125 2589
125 2575
107 0720
100 1536
128 2889
126 2654
129 2906
110 1074
107 0746
133 3332
Rear view
130 3022
154 5407
133 3316
147 4792
107 0710
133 3322
129 2914
100 0039
More Tara!
154 5402
126 2691
107 0727
DSC01244
154 5415
147 4777
130 3003
110 1080
kt ruth wed 0050
DSC01242
148 4803
126 2677
125 2523
129 2944
100 1515
125 2550
128 2850
107 0735
130 3070
129 2928
107 0701
154 5461
147 4760
142 4271
142 4268
150 5013
126 2697
123 2338
147 4797
125 2589 2
107 0711
129 2933
126 2653
kt ruth wed 0074
kt ruth wed 0063
154 5448
123 2310
kt ruth wed 0016
128 2895
107 0728
154 5449
126 2627
122 2292
134 3424
154 5454
125 2598
104 0456
134 3422
122 2296
DSC01218
128 2861
123 2330
104 0463
125 2600
147 4724
126 2631
147 4785
128 2863
100 1485
147 4755
125 2599
111 1118
126 2675
153 5318
Lockeland Ave.
128 2847
100 1482
126 2679
142 4263
129 2941
100 1543
147 4750
126 2687
107 0723
147 4791
133 3343
Outdoors [4/4]
126 2629
b0006
Heart-somethingorothers [2/4]
154 5408
128 2848
125 2513
126 2674
108 0802
133 3315
126 2625
105 0532
126 2696
kt ruth wed 0014
125 2533
kt ruth wed 0067
106 0699
105 0550
130 3047
130 3007
127 2740
123 2311
154 5451
128 2864
126 2637
142 4202
105 0554
125 2593
147 4771
130 3081
100 1535
107 0749
147 4789
147 4751
133 3323
126 2676
110 1098
106 0697
134 3427
133 3367
133 3324
128 2851
105 0549
154 5450
100 1534
126 2695
DSC01246
126 2630
107 0736
153 5315
Rawson/Exeter
141 4200
125 2535
125 2514
147 4738
142 4201
126 2623
kt ruth wed 0023
DSC01328
Depot #3 2003-03-29 A view of the depot, with the rest of the coal yard (such as it is) in the background. 2003-03-29
DSC01223
142 4203
129 2991
128 2804
127 2731
153 5317
Broadway
150 5023
108 0839
147 4729
105 0519
153 5330
Park Ave. (I think)
126 2688
125 2534
107 0747
147 4725
105 0553
104 0494
147 4753
100 1541
105 0551
128 2855
126 2655
125 2524
107 0750
b0001
Dartmouth Street [1/4]
kt ruth wed 0051
106 0696
153 5328
128 2859
cDSC01205
Man waiting at platform 2003-01-25 Man waits at platform while a train passes on the opposite tracks. 2003-01-25
147 4786
147 4773
142 4262
129 2987
129 2978
110 1097
142 4299
128 2803
125 2580
123 2328
kt ruth wed 0103
kt ruth wed 0066
105 0502
kt ruth wed 0053
106 0700
100 1487
126 2657
126 2624
107 0729
154 5447
153 5369
Park St?
147 4781
129 2932
107 0718
105 0529
147 4756
133 3317
108 0837
107 0753
147 4769
123 2314
123 2312
130 3004
125 2521
107 0734
153 5332
Sylvia Ave.
133 3318
122 2291
111 1103
107 0725
133 3334
Size comparison
133 3320
130 3021
130 3012
130 3011
130 3005
129 2942
105 0552
142 4261
128 2865
100 1483
125 2551
kt ruth wed 0001
140 4043
126 2656
126 2607
107 0713
153 5325
100 1533
P0000083
142 4278
130 3013
122 2284
105 0533
153 5360
Capitol Theatre Not decorated!
153 5331
Park Ave. (For sure)
126 2683
150 5041
129 2925