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- Apr 20, 2019
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Canting the Elevons for Roll.
Thought about this for a bit, and the answer became obvious. The actual A-003 mission did a right roll as seated in a virtual cockpit. Fortunately the Estes kit makes this easy to model: the elevons are finely detailed and easily differentiated from the main fins. The elevon actuators are on one side, the side opposite the direction the elevons need to cant to for a right roll.
1. Using a razor saw was straightforward. The detail of the plastic itself acted as a miter box for the saw. Sawed all the way through between the fin and elevon, and almost (about 1/2 way) through the actuator on the other side. The plastic of the 1/2 sawn-thru actuator is the only thing joining the fin and elevon at this point.
2. Made a jig to hold the fin and stretch some tape to bend the actuator and close the gap made by the saw. Then applied Plastic Weld on the new seam.
3. Now the elevon is canted for a right roll. I could try to measure the actual angle and enter it into Open Rocket, but with all the complex angles of the LJII fins, it may not really matter. With luck I'll get a nice right roll.
Probably will cant just 2 elevons and fly the unfinished model for a test. If the roll is too slow, can cant the remaining 2 elevons. Easy experience with this first elevon suggests that sawing and gluing won't be a problem when fins are attached to the airframe.
Thought about this for a bit, and the answer became obvious. The actual A-003 mission did a right roll as seated in a virtual cockpit. Fortunately the Estes kit makes this easy to model: the elevons are finely detailed and easily differentiated from the main fins. The elevon actuators are on one side, the side opposite the direction the elevons need to cant to for a right roll.
1. Using a razor saw was straightforward. The detail of the plastic itself acted as a miter box for the saw. Sawed all the way through between the fin and elevon, and almost (about 1/2 way) through the actuator on the other side. The plastic of the 1/2 sawn-thru actuator is the only thing joining the fin and elevon at this point.
2. Made a jig to hold the fin and stretch some tape to bend the actuator and close the gap made by the saw. Then applied Plastic Weld on the new seam.
3. Now the elevon is canted for a right roll. I could try to measure the actual angle and enter it into Open Rocket, but with all the complex angles of the LJII fins, it may not really matter. With luck I'll get a nice right roll.
Probably will cant just 2 elevons and fly the unfinished model for a test. If the roll is too slow, can cant the remaining 2 elevons. Easy experience with this first elevon suggests that sawing and gluing won't be a problem when fins are attached to the airframe.
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