BE2a from Roden's BE2c

Carpo · 5 March 2010, 05:39 AM

Hi all,
I have decided to commence an online build of a BE2a - being a conversion of Roden's BE2C kit so that other's can learn from my mistakes!
So far I haven't made a lot of progress but I have made some significant cuts that mean there is no turning back!

I have been looking at MerlinV's BE2c and have certainly taken some inspiration from that and hope to produce something equally well done.

Now I am only 2 days into this build and I have already hit a problem. The Horizontal stabiliser has a number of ribs very like a wing rib but I don not know if there is a central rib. I have no really reputable drawing other than the one I found on the net (a russian website has it I think) and it is unclear if there is a central rib or not. Is there a definitive set of drawings of the BE2a???

Anyway, here are a couple of pics of the butchery so far. One is a comparison of the before and after for the fuselage halves and the other is the sheet styrene tail which may or may not have a central rib which I need to shape. The ribs I do know about are marked in with black marker.

Any help appreciated

Brez · 5 March 2010, 07:18 AM

Hi Paul,
There's a nice set of 1/48th BE2 drawings (5 pages) by Mick Davis in Cross & Cockade Vol.37 No.4 2006. Well I scanned them for you - now I'm buggered if I know how to send them!

It does look like there's a central rib on the horizontal stabiliser. If or when I work out how to send the pics I will.
Good luck with the build I'm sure it will be up to your normal high standards.
Cheers,
Brez.

RAF56_Ball · 5 March 2010, 07:58 AM

Tony,
would sending a PM to him be a way to get his e-mail address so you can send it directly as an attachement?

Brez · 5 March 2010, 08:06 AM

Yes that's an idea Glenn, I'll tell you what, if Paul cares to send me his e-mail address in a PM I'll send him the scans (I can manage that).

Old Man · 5 March 2010, 09:00 AM

That, Sir, will be one helluva conversion. I will try and keep an eye on this one. You are, I suspect, going to have to do a lot of scratch-building to bring it off.

John McKenzie · 5 March 2010, 09:19 AM

John McKenzie · 5 March 2010, 11:26 AM

These components are of prototype nature , and there is a slight , but Unintentional mis allignement of the RH elevator to tailplane positioning of the hinges ....The elevator being fixed too far towards the inboard direction ) ...Should be a continuous profile line .

John McKenzie · 5 March 2010, 12:06 PM

The Early BE2A had unequal span wings and a greater chord , lifting tailplane .

Later production ( From memory after May 1913?) BE2A ...The Wings Aerofoil section was changed from the earlier to an RAF 6 type ...In this , the main spars were positioned farther forward within the wing structure compared to the earlier unequal span wings .

Thus , with the fuselage to wing centre section struts in an unchanged position , the effect was to bring BACK the wing as a whole by some 5 " ( from memory ) ...
With the C/G of the body as unchanged , the lifting component and consequental Area required of the tailplane was therefor reduced .
The area of the stabalizer was where the reduction change was made , and employed a true radius curve to the leading edge . ( and this replaced the earlier multi radiused component .).

These same tailplane / elevator was continued into use on the BE2B , with only slight internal structural changes to the elevators .

With the wing moved back , a safer , pitching moment was obtained .

The relatively highly cambered Tailplane ribs are 3/16 birch ply webs with 5/8 x 5/32 thick cap strips of spruce .
The Spar is spruce and the tip ends crank down to meet the 1" dia steel tube LE/ tip , and is welded at its ends to the Rear spar , also a 1" dia. tube ..
The ribs and spar are attached at front and rear by wood screws and small clips sweated to the LE & Rear spar .tubes ,..
A central adjustable fixing is provided at the rear of the central rib , to adjust the T/Plane Incidence , it pivoting at the front , around the Leading edge tube and fixed either side to the body longerons .

Elevators have a LE of 7/8" steel tube and Trailing edge is 3/8" st tube ..All elevator ribs are of flanged steel sheet ,with greatest depth at appx 1/3 back from the LE....( Later these were strengthened with a double flange on the BE2B). All joints are welded .

Regards John McKenzie

Carpo · 5 March 2010, 03:10 PM

Brez,
I'll PM you with my e-mail address - thank you greatly for your help!!

John - I thank you for your wealth of information! - I have seen your repro BE2c and am truly amazed - I don't quite have the shelf space for a 1:1 scale model!
I am sure that the BE2a I am building has the equal span wings - so it seems that I will have to adjust my tailplane already to meet the single radius form.

Edit - just took a look at my photographs and it looks like the wings are of different spans - it looks like it is only one rib less - hmmm - more hacking to do!
Carpo

MerlinV · 6 March 2010, 03:09 AM

Hiya Carpo and welcome to the wonderful world of the BE series.

Thanks for the Kudos, I am glad to hear that my unfinished build is still inspiring others to try this kit.

You will need to do a few more alterations to your fuselage I am afraid.

The BE2a Fuse was very different to the BE2c.

Have a look here.

Royal Aircraft Factory BE2

And the very best of luck on your build Carpo. I will follow it with interest...
I may even me inspired to finish mine and start a couple more.

Cheers,

Hugh