Hampden Bomber Construction Notes
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Hampden Bomber Construction Notes


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Modifying a Display Kit for Rubber Powered Flight

by Dave "Bomber Boy" Gee

The first thing one notices when beginning a static-to-flying conversion of the Easy Built Hampden is that the wing roots are glued onto 1/16 fuselage sticks. Not too sturdy! I reinforced the fuselage sides and built balsa boxes that pass through the fuse at the wing's leading edge and main spar. Then I extended those spars when I built the wings such that they slipped into the fuse securely and gave me a chance to align the wings before gluing them.

The elevator has an airfoil and I built it that way. Mistake! Should have made it flat for easier trimming. Also I increased the stab area about 20%, which required adjusting the rudders and mounting area. All of the canopies and parts fit together quite nicely.

I cheated shamelessly when it came to the nacelles! They are open all along the bottom and have motor sticks which protrude an inch behind the wing. To make them any longer would have required much more nose ballast. As is, there is only about 6 grams of clay up front.

The bomber flies very sweetly but is somewhat pitch-sensitive, probably due to the lifting stab. 2 loops of 1/8" rubber behind each prop provide lively motivation.

Last tip: if you have seen the new Sharpie marker pens in "sand and spinach" colors and thought that you now have the RAF covered, forget it! The "sand" is a beautiful gold color and the "spinach" is like radioactive astroturf. Take a look at my rather oddly-colored Hampden and see.

Hampden Bomber Kit

Building Set for Rubber Power

Building Set for Rubber Power

Includes a hobby knife, 5 blades, straight point tweezers, 5.5" x 9" Self Healing Cutting Mat, Jet Instant glue, Jet Super glue, Jet Tips, glue stick, canopy glue/tacky glue, MagnaBoard XL™ set, Minus Magnets 20 pack, and Rubber Powered Model Airplanes book. Save 25% off individually priced items! There is a limit of 2 sets per order.

item B329 Price: $79.95
Building Set

Building Set

Excludes the book on rubber power and the glue stick. Includes a hobby knife, 5 blades, straight point tweezers, 5.5" x 9" Self Healing Cutting Mat, Jet Instant glue, Jet Super glue, Jet Tips, canopy glue/tacky glue, MagnaBoard XL™ set, and Minus Magnets 20 pack. Save 25% off individually priced items! There is a limit of 2 sets per order.

item B332 Price: $66.95
Advanced Tool Set

Advanced Tool Set

Includes Sanding Stick with 120, 240, 320, 400, and 600 grit belts, Pull Saw Blade, K5 Heavy Duty Knife with beveled blade, Narrow Keyhole Saw Blades 5 pack, Curved Tip Tweezers, 1/16" Ball Tip Burnisher, Jewelers Needle Point Awl, Steel Ruler 6" x 1" with drill gauge, 15 piece drill set (1.05mm - 2mm). Save 30% off individually priced items!

item B330 Price: $45.99
Flight Pack for Rubber Power

Flight Pack for Rubber Power

Includes a 10:1 winder, moldable nose weight, FAI SuperSport rubber 32 feet each 3/32", 1/8", and 3/16" and 32 feet EBM 1/16" rubber. Save 23% off individually priced items!

item B331 Price: $34.95

 

04/01/18 01:09 AM (EDT)