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All
114 1491
114 1486
114 1493
114 1492
114 1487
114 1490
114 1488
114 1494
114 1489
133 3303
Beastie so far
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.
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.
142 4227
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.
114 1495
114 1500
142 4226
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.
103 0377
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.
114 1499
142 4256
DSC01317
A village station 2003-03-29 The village Railway Station, yet to be named or decorated. 2003-03-29
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.
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.
132 3280
Engine in the frame, closeup
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
b0013
Wasp [1/2]
119 1954
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.
103 0378
b0030
Merlin [4/4]
115 1502
119 1959
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".
IMG 0652
132 3282
The engine The slot-shaped hole you can see is where the exhaust (muffler) pipe will attach, when it arrives.
119 1951
132 3279
Engine in the frame
142 4228
103 0375
Jappert
136 3607
119 1937
142 4253
DSC01323
The cottage in the village 2003-03-29 That lady is still waiting... 2003-03-29
132 3290
Tail rotor assembly This was a fiddly piece to put together.
119 1939
132 3281
Engine in the frame, other side
119 1960
151 5107
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 4254
114 1496
142 4252
132 3288
Flybar again
132 3273
Getting started When I remembered I wanted to take pictures of the construction, this is far as I was already.
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
IMG 0654
106 0644
104 0410
142 4255
b0014
Wasp [2/2]
136 3608
119 1955
132 3283
Assembling the rotor head These bits will eventually sit atop the swash plate.
142 4234
103 0388
IMG 0649
132 3286
Look at the mess!
129 2973
129 2998
119 1956
129 2971
IMG 0651
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
119 1933
119 1964
129 2968
119 1963
137 3756
Front view
IMG 0650
b0016
Tigger [1/2]
119 1952
129 2964
106 0641
106 0645
151 5108
129 2974
129 2965
129 2963
103 0386
IMG 0647
IMG 0653
IMG 0672
b0012
Tulips
103 0389
129 2970
IMG 0648
119 1953
133 3340
Outdoors [1/4]
IMG 0670
103 0379
900 0013
Merlin [2/6]
119 1957
129 2972
103 0398
104 0418
129 2957
119 1961
106 0643
b0011
Pansies [2/2]
IMG 0675
136 3620
129 2958
119 1967
129 2966
IMG 0657
IMG 0656
119 1966
b0017
Tigger [2/2]
136 3619
129 2982
103 0364
Trig pulls a new bird
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
129 2969
IMG 0655
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!
IMG 0665
132 3277
Engine, closeup
136 3623
IMG 0646
136 3622
119 1958
132 3274
Side view
IMG 0673
129 2967
129 2955
119 1965
151 5106
119 1962
137 3753
Still in one piece Front view, it's been out flying a couple of times now
129 2961
IMG 0659
129 2937
IMG 0660
900 0015
Merlin [4/6]
b0026
Dartmouth Street
142 4230
129 2960
IMG 0671
129 2983
115 1503
b0010
Pansies [1/2]
129 2951
DSC01325
Depot #1 2003-03-29 A view of the depot. 2003-03-29
129 2962
136 3618
151 5104
136 3609
130 3009
IMG 0658
129 2959
129 2956
104 0412
132 3278
Engine, other side
103 0397
129 2996
137 3751
Camera mount Allows me to bolt a camera, or other things, to the side of the Helicopter
900 0014
Merlin [3/6]
103 0392
IMG 0674
103 0400
129 2947
142 4247
106 0688
136 3610
142 4232
900 0009
Merlin!
104 0411
142 4238
142 4251
136 3621
129 2993
899 9944
Tara!
106 0646
129 2980
100 0023
Glenns truck [1/3]
129 2948
133 3337
Wires/servos Much cabling. Notice how I had to trim some of the servo "horns" - they interfered with the ball-link attachments.
IMG 0666
136 3616
132 3276
The engine OS 32 helicopter engine. Here it is with the Raptor cooling fan attached, basically a centrifugal fan.
103 0393
136 3617
133 3336
Busy busy There's a lot going on with this machine.
133 3335
The electronics arrived All the servos are on, the receiver is mounted and hooked up.
b0021
The sky
104 0403
IMG 0661
105 0558
129 2949
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.
119 1968
129 2997
133 3330
So far...
106 0640
129 2975
136 3615
103 0395
129 2901
900 0012
Merlin [1/6]
129 2979
129 2985
103 0399
100 0032
Merlin [2/5]
129 2977
b0008
Heart-somethingorothers [4/4]
129 2945
IMG 0668
106 0652
142 4233
104 0408
129 2976
IMG 0645
900 0016
Merlin [5/6]
129 2946
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.
130 3004
105 0559
142 4245
104 0414
129 2995
104 0417
129 2936
129 2952
129 2981
129 2950
104 0409
103 0396
b0019
Bird in a tree [1/2] Can you spot the bird?
133 3338
The radio I decided to start small. A 6-channel JR transmitter. It came with the servos and a 7-channel receiver.
130 3008
b0020
Bird in a tree [2/2] ...it's in there somewhere
134 3464
Rear rotor servo cabling
142 4235
129 2954
P0000079
b0022
A plane
IMG 0664
130 3010
103 0390
142 4244
136 3611
IMG 0669
104 0401
142 4250
142 4229
136 3612
DSC01330
The village to be 2003-03-29 Where am I? In the village. 2003-03-29
IMG 0662
DSC01248
133 3329
Rotor hub It's really busy up here - I can't imagine this thing spinning as fast as it will need to.
129 2902
106 0687
103 0391
100 0035
Merlin [5/5]
b0027
Merlin [1/4]
104 0416
100 0022
Back porch
100 0031
Merlin [1/5]
IMG 0663
142 4246
IMG 0667
130 3022
b0018
A bird Might be a goose
150 5072
129 2994
129 2984
129 2935
104 0402
b0028
Merlin [2/4]
104 0419
104 0407
b0029
Merlin [3/4]
130 3007
130 3005
142 4258
104 0413
103 0394
130 3006
129 2992
105 0557
105 0547
105 0507
104 0405
100 0020
And some more foliage
129 2940
129 2912
106 0649
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.
154 5438
130 3003
100 0033
Merlin [3/5]
129 2939
100 0034
Merlin [4/5]
119 1969
129 2938
129 2978
140 4031
129 2905
110 1062
104 0406
b0025
Air Canada [3/3]
100 0024
Glenns truck [2/3]
115 1513
110 1072
136 3614
142 4249
129 2991
105 0563
129 2986
133 3327
It's looking a bit big Note we have an exhaust (muffler) now also.
105 0506
100 0017
Brumbrum
130 3013
b0023
Air Canada [1/3]
100 0030
Glenn and Tara and Wine
100 0019
Some other plant
154 5442
142 4231
154 5422
133 3341
Outdoors [2/4]
100 0029
Glenn and Tara
106 0664
130 3011
133 3332
Rear view
129 2953
105 0556
129 2903
106 0650
104 0447
110 1065
900 0019
Tara ...yes, I know you have a new toy...
142 4248
129 2987
100 0028
Glenn in workshop [2/2]
130 3032
dsc sp5 0002
Canon EOS 10D
129 2904
115 1509
154 5423
136 3613
130 3002
129 2944
100 0016
Brumbrum
106 0654
154 5440
107 0706
b0007
Heart-somethingorothers [3/4]
b0024
Air Canada [2/3]
142 4237
142 4225
110 1063
129 2909
104 0421
106 0665
133 3342
Outdoors [3/4]
100 1539
142 4257
100 0026
Glenn inside a truck
130 3017
100 0021
Blueberry tree
900 0017
Merlin [6/6]
110 1064
154 5432
104 0415
dsc sp5 0004
Canon EOS 10D
134 3462
In flying shape
154 5425
105 0560
122 2295
154 5424
129 2941
105 0561
115 1505
142 4241
129 2988
130 3001
100 0015
Cherry tree
140 4007
100 0012
Our house...
129 2934
129 2933
110 1075
100 0038
Tara!
900 0018
Tara Okay, I'm bored now...
154 5436
130 3012
129 2943
126 2642
P0000085
129 2990
142 4259
129 2907
100 1538
106 0681
104 0423
106 0639
130 3081
100 0025
Glenns truck [3/3]
140 4021
154 5437
107 0708
142 4242
129 2989
129 2928
129 2913
130 3021
133 3343
Outdoors [4/4]
129 2932
130 3070
125 2540
154 5405
115 1511
142 4236
105 0508
105 0566
140 4033
129 2911
106 0648
142 4265
129 3000
110 1073
106 0680
100 0018
Blueberry tree
106 0662
154 5443
125 2555
140 4005
110 1071
104 0444
107 0739
133 3368
133 3308
129 2922
900 0022
Tara ...I'm outta here.
142 4240
130 3018
129 2999
110 1100
P0000087
104 0404
100 0013
...in the middle of our street
129 2906
142 4202
130 3040
100 0014
More house
106 0686
154 5430
154 5428
130 3047
129 2923
107 0703
DSC01327
Depot #2 2003-03-29 A view of the depot. 2003-03-29
130 3023
106 0668
104 0446
154 5426
130 3015
105 0555
104 0448
106 0678
106 0637
154 5446
dsc sp5 0003
Canon EOS 10D
P0000086
126 2613
130 3019
154 5421
133 3325
154 5464
140 4030
154 5420
106 0663
106 0659
105 0510
106 0682
142 4201
P0000089
141 4199
106 0657
154 5471
142 4267
104 0422
134 3419
DSC01329
Depot #4 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
154 5427
129 2942
110 1095
154 5473
129 2908
154 5445
b0006
Heart-somethingorothers [2/4]
dsc sp5 0001
Canon EOS 10D
107 0709
154 5431
125 2585 2
106 0660
P0000084
129 2910
100 0041
Merlin
142 4270
110 1099
142 4260
DSC01332
115 1508
106 0667
140 4006
133 3333
Size comparison The universal measuring device: A Coke can.
122 2293
107 0741
106 0633
110 1067
900 0020
Tara ...enough already.
123 2335
140 4033 crop
110 1080
110 1068
105 0546
142 4243
125 2587
134 3412
130 3014
154 5459
107 0705
105 0509
P0000083
106 0673
154 5458
126 2610
154 5419
142 4203
126 2645
110 1079
105 0538
154 5433
106 0638
P0000081
130 3020
110 1070
106 0653
154 5470
DSC01211
154 5418
154 5429
154 5468
132 3267
130 3024
154 5472
130 3026
130 3072
DSC01245
140 4022
130 3031
133 3334
Size comparison
104 0420
129 2925
105 0562
142 4266
141 4200
110 1069
100 0040
Merlin
100 0027
Glenn in workshop [1/2]
100 1540
129 2914
126 2693
104 0429
125 2585
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
100 1536
125 2544
DSC01247
P0000090
900 0024
Random shot
110 1081
106 0651
107 0744
106 0634
125 2586
122 2292
110 1066
105 0545
154 5441
P0000082
134 3418
154 5465
125 2587 2
107 0702
154 5444
142 4208
130 3037
DSC01210
P0000088
130 3080
110 1078
P0000080
107 0740
105 0567
100 1543
106 0695
154 5455
154 5417
107 0715
104 0445
142 4269
105 0548
142 4264
130 3071
106 0670
107 0716
142 4272
125 2537
125 2512
110 1076
122 2230
105 0543
125 2567
125 2556
125 2539
154 5462
154 5416
129 2931
cDSC01183
The layout at 2003-01-25 What the layout looked like on 2003-01-25.
125 2554
123 2336
154 5466
123 2322
105 0542
105 0511
125 2570
107 0738
106 0669
DSC01208
126 2615
150 5071
123 2332
107 0711
107 0719
106 0658
125 2542
123 2337
130 3039
DSC01243
130 3049
128 2894
113 1360
106 0675
130 3035
125 2586 2
125 2563
147 4759
130 3034
125 2511
105 0541
DSC01222
140 4029
125 2543
106 0676
129 2929
106 0693
154 5469
154 5434
105 0544
154 5435
126 2698
DSC01220
100 1514
122 2294
107 0707
107 0704
154 5467
107 0742
125 2545
100 0039
More Tara!
133 3324
107 0710
126 2608
111 1101
DSC01206
130 3038
125 2546
107 0712
126 2641
126 2611
115 1506
129 2924
123 2326
123 2324
126 2612
111 1102
132 3266
130 3050
107 0748
107 0745
107 0743
107 0737
127 2735
126 2639
DSC01250
100 1541
142 4239
130 3025
126 2609
110 1077
105 0512
106 0636
142 4268
150 5070
127 2798
123 2323
104 0477
128 2849
133 3323
DSC01242
129 2926
112 1224
130 3073
125 2552
110 1074
cDSC01204
Signal hut and environs 2003-01-25 Signal hut and it's neighbourhood. 2003-01-25
125 2597
125 2553
113 1361
DSC01207
100 1542
DSC01216
130 3028
100 1535
DSC01209
kt ruth wed 0076
154 5403
154 5463
133 3315
100 1537
126 2677
113 1359
104 0469
130 3029
130 3027
126 2640
134 3420
140 4002
cDSC01205
Man waiting at platform 2003-01-25 Man waits at platform while a train passes on the opposite tracks. 2003-01-25
105 0539
105 0535
105 0540
129 2930
125 2588
147 4776
129 2921
123 2335
154 5457
125 2547
133 3322
125 2510
106 0694
133 3367
130 3041
107 0714
104 0476
b0005
Heart-somethingorothers [1/4]
129 2927
126 2694
DSC01219
154 5456
130 3078
100 1534
130 3079
126 2682
126 2644
125 2558
105 0537
106 0698
105 0550
105 0505
111 1118
125 2569
105 0504
107 0717
DSC01223
154 5449
130 3033
107 0722
126 2643
104 0449
147 4758
134 3421
133 3316
133 3320
122 2202
120 2050
125 2538
125 2559
125 2582
125 2579
kt ruth wed 0075
106 0699
125 2573
125 2560
DSC01217
154 5415
125 2595
125 2581
106 0672
142 4278
126 2614
100 1512
104 0479
142 4209
128 2895
111 1104
128 2889
154 5406
154 5402
130 3036
128 2893
125 2571
132 3272
128 2888
104 0478
DSC01227
125 2574
b0004
Dartmouth Strete [4/4]
126 2626
147 4775
142 4263
142 4273
147 4792
130 3074
130 3030
129 2917
100 1533
105 0518
b0001
Dartmouth Street [1/4]
125 2525
128 2898
128 2890
128 2864
125 2550
DSC01244
125 2557
134 3422
122 2291
142 4204
130 3042
126 2674
142 4274
123 2327
123 2334
111 1103
130 3046
106 0696
130 3044
122 2284
111 1105
153 5332
Sylvia Ave.
129 2916
106 0697
104 0455
129 2915
DSC01253
100 1511
125 2536
147 4724
130 3048
122 2296
kt ruth wed 0021
142 4262
154 5453
125 2575
106 0671
126 2628
126 2623
125 2541
107 0727
125 2583
105 0502
147 4757
133 3364
126 2654
123 2325
DSC01331
112 1218
125 2588 2
150 5013
111 1106
105 0529
147 4790
132 3231
130 3082
133 3321
154 5407
125 2548
123 2331
111 1190
142 4275
133 3314
130 3051
127 2736
115 1507
104 0500
108 0843
105 0513
142 4271
kt ruth wed 0001
100 1520
125 2593
125 2568
132 3235
125 2590
104 0475
125 2580
142 4261
147 4755
110 1097
125 2589 2
111 1120
154 5447
125 2596
105 0515
105 0534
134 3424
111 1115
125 2572
105 0503
133 3311
147 4725
130 3043
128 2900
110 1098
104 0463
125 2564
107 0776
107 0720
129 2920
100 1485
126 2675
111 1168
142 4212
123 2328
110 1082
100 1544
125 2584 2
107 0721
150 5019
107 0728
100 1549
100 1515
126 2638
132 3261
126 2692
125 2598
100 1528
110 1091
105 0516
128 2850
kt ruth wed 0050
105 0532
100 1518
150 5020
130 3077
122 2203
107 0701
125 2594
125 2584
105 0549
153 5318
Lockeland Ave.
147 4797
136 3698
125 2523
125 2513
105 0536
133 3318
105 0551
147 4780
100 1516
DSC01224
133 3309
126 2691
107 0723
128 2848
126 2653
100 1478
104 0497
147 4785
147 4782
122 2228
147 4752