Red7fifty

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One of my local guys said he's building a Komander this winter.......I'll run into him in the next few weeks......I'll report back when I see something.
Carbon would add a lot of strength.....but I don't think that it's really necessary.....more important, is a good bond between the balsa sheeting and foam cores.
On the King Kobra that I'm building.....ah hem.....(sitting on the back burner the past 3 years), I glued the wing skins with Z-Pozy finishing resin. Scraped the excess resin off the balsa skins, and weighed them down in the shucks. I use my diner table for the main work bench (it's polished marble), so it has a nice solid, flat surface to use as my base. Foam Shuck, Balsa Skin, Z-Poxy Resin, then a board on top of the upper shuck, with a few barbells, gallon jugs of water, etc, to weigh it down while it CURES (it peeves me when people refer to Epoxy as DRIED). I figure, this is the method that IMAC builders incorporate for building CARDEN Aircraft wings. As far as I know.....most Carden builders don't use any carbon reinforcement (although, it does have a wing tube), and they use West Systems Resin. Not many people use Contact adhesive anymore....but some like to use Gorilla Glue for wing skin bonding. The Komander will weigh 6 lbs when done...compared to 36 lbs of a Carden......so, my thoughts, resin the skins, glass the center, skip the additional reinforcement, and don't kartwheel the landing. You should be fine.
The landing gear blocks, I would spread the load out. In addition to a grooved hardwood block, I'd made a lite-ply frame around the HD block to anchor it to the wing skins, and spread the load out. If you REALLY want to make the gear mount indestructible, pin the perimeter of the lite-ply frame through the top and bottom of the wing skins with 3/16 dowel. That would be the only thing that survives a lawn dart cartwheel crash.

ETpilot

I'm still thinking of a scratch build of this airplane. Need a little help on the wing. Is this a straight LE with a sweep on the TE? What is the measurement from the outboard side of one wheel to the opposite wheel? Can anyone post a good overhead picture of the wing? I'm thinking a 16% increase in size. Thoughts?

Red7fifty

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Wing is tapered, but My thoughts....that would be a LOT of work to build a 116%.
You'll be making EVERYTHING from scratch. The Canopy, Cowl, landing gear.....and you'll have to find a source for the base dimensions to scale up from.
Then, you'll have to figure out where to lose weight, so it doesn't turn into a flying brick. (Build a Snoopy Dog House, if you want a flying brick).
A 116% will need more power....probably something in the .90~1.08 size to have enough power to haul around.
Maybe, just order a Sig Kavalier, and change the canopy location, change the rudder/fin outline, move the main gear from the fuse to the wing, and call it good enough.
That would probably be a much easier kit bash, and one that'll get done, instead of turn back burner.
Main Menu SIG Mfg. Co., Inc.SIGRC39SIG KAVALIER KIT $139.48EACH$92.99

ETpilot

Yep. It will be a challenge alright. But that is the beauty of the build. Did I mention a built up wing? I think I have enough info about the plane, on this thread, that I can draw up some plans. If I get past the drawing part, it just gets easier. Maybe LOL.

Your thoughts on the subject are appreciated. Things to think about.

Red7fifty

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Oh, well....in that case, go for it!
Some 3-views, would get you going.

Red7fifty

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Someone...somewhere scanned the Fuselage profile.......you'll have to locate that.

ETpilot

Thanks. I have the just about all the material posted here. Just no info on the wing. A general shape is all I need. But I do have some pictures. Not the best but you work with what you have.

Red7fifty

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Then, you need one of these guys who has a built Komander, to give you a few key dimensions on the wing.
1. Along a straight edge (or a wall), push the wing Leading Edge to the wall, and measure the distance from the wall, back to each wingtip. When the measurements are equal, that is the amount of front taper.
2. Same set up, measure from wall, to trailing edge. Those are your front and rear taper.
3. Measurements of the Roots......chord of center of wing, and wing tips.
4. Dihedral angle. One wing flat, and the measurement of the elevated wingtip.

That ought to get you into the ballpark.

Red7fifty

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Well....since we are talking about Sig Komander building, but I'm working on a different project, that isn't worthy enough (nor do I care enough) to make a new thread....I'll photobomb here.....Phoenix Sonic, $75.00 (Hobbico is in trouble.....I don't know what the outlook will be.....my bet is, grim, since a govt' bail out is highly unlikely, and an investor to take on a sinking ship is also doubtful)......I digress....what was I talking about?
Oh yeah, I stocked up on several Phoenix ARFs this month, because the price of the ARF, is less than the cost to buy a kit, and all the other crap you need to gather. I purchased an assload of Monokote for future builds, since I don't know if it will be available in the future (Ultracote will be, but I doubt Monokote), plus several ARFs.
This is coming to completion soon.
Rip off all the sticky shelf paper "covering" (the hideous green and white checkerboard bottom made me vomit a little when I opened the kit). The pile of stripped covering, weighted 5.44 oz. I only weighted the bare wing before, and after Monokote, and it picked up about 1 oz. So, Monokote I estimate, to be half of the weight of sticky covering. But, really only a 2 or 3 oz weight reduction when done.... Have a SuperTigre .40 sitting on the shelf for the past 2 years...acquired it from a local friend. I ran fuel though it, to clear out all the junk in the crankcase, and it ran well. It's a bit beat up, but it was almost free. Glassed the center wing seam, as I intend to fly this hard. The overall build quality, is decent....and perhaps a bit stout, as it was intended as a trainer/low wing trainer. The wings have lite-ply ribs and spar webbing.
So, .40 ST into a .25~.32 Sonic.....sure, it will be a cheapy "race" plane, that I intend to make full power dives with, and 85mph touch and goes, and inverted runway passes.
But, it needs a new paint scheme. Here it is near completion.
I'm also adding a working arresting hook, for those "Down and Dirty" inverted passes.....well, no dirty, since there is no flaps, but the stock white wheels, are ready for their part!

DGrant

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If you go to the wing-core supplier, they have specs on the wing.. IE sweep of both LE and TE... as well as the taper info root to tip. Eureka Aircraft is who's selling the cores.. They custom cut cores as well.. You might talk to them if you're interested in a sized-up wing.

Interesting project really.. but definitely much to consider.. Is 16% size enough to make a difference? That's not much bigger then the original if you think about it. You probably know already that would only take the wing-span to a fuzz less then 72"... so call it 72". Good luck with that. It's alot of work to do to only gain 6" on each wing half, and only 7" in length... at least at a 16% enlargement that is.

I'm just finding half the fun of this old plane now is getting it done and having essentially an original size/shape of this design... down to the engine size. This size plane comes from a simpler time.. LOL... when a plane like that at 62" was considered large... haha... and everyone would oooh aaah.. at that 62" span... and they fly so so well at that size too. Now at 62" it's a dwarf ... that's a part of the appeal I like... I have much larger planes, but the Komander for me is best as it's original design... ... but yeah, playing around with different sizes and shapes is all part of what this hobby is about...... good luck with the big Komander.

robbtennis

16% increase may not be worth the headache of rebuilding this bird from scratch. I've suffered plenty just getting her back to semi normal. I didn't take measurements however here are some recent pics should you pursue this endeavor. The tail is modified but the wing is true to original design. Excuse the lingering damage she's about to get stripped for retracts and new glass skin. I do remember exact wing specs mentioned somewhere previously on this thread. Good luck!

ETpilot

Hey thanks all for your input. Will give it some thought. The nice thing about scratch building is you do what you want. And it can be fun. Build it smaller, bigger or the same. I am finding I like the 72” or so size for my airplanes. I am now building a 76” Kaos.

I don't have anymore storage space for airplanes. So the Komander will be a long slow build should I proceed with it. I'll do my drawing and see.

robbtennis, thanks for the pictures. Just what I needed. I can work with that top view.

If I do this build I'll post pictures from time to time. Thanks again.

robbtennis

If or when you get to that wing I can send you more specific wing measurements.

Red7fifty

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Try standing the Fuselage on the firewall, and taking a picture as "Head-On" as possible. Plus, a Head-On from the front, and side.
That would complete "3-Views", so someone could scale it up or down, using the profile outline.

HAL9KPCM

Built my Komander in the fall of 2016, got it flying in the spring of 2017. No, there is no joiner spar. Just the wing halves butt joined together and fiberglassed..

Red7fifty

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Pictures! We Need Pictures! lol
(Because all reading, and no looking, makes for a un-exciting forum)

HAL9KPCM

From post #116

robbtennis

v1.0 pre crash she was built as designed...

Red7fifty

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Now we're talking!
This is similar to getting gas, when a 1969 Camaro pulls up, or a 1970 Cuda, or 1956 BelAir...
Just can't put a price on that.

robbtennis

Perhaps you could promote an annual Komander fly festival, Red.

Red7fifty

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Lol, thanks, but then I'd have to build one, instead of hanging back.....I have the FG Cowl, and Repo Canopy.......and Vintage Simco Muffler (as shown on box art).......one day...I'll get to it.

robbtennis

You should be done just in time for summer if you get to it!

Red7fifty

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I've let my AMA and Club membership lapse since 2015 (was originally planning to move to Hawaii, and all my stuff, including airplanes) were boxed up. Dogs had their quarantine requirements already fulfilled, then, after close of escrow, Waianae HI had shown strong indicators of being a S-Hole so I didn't go.......Meanwhile, some of my flying buddies stopped flying when I stopped flying.
So, today, the text I sent out "Breaking News, Ernie Lee has renewed both his AMA and BARKS Memberships! Boombox Music with Flying will follow soon!", and one reply was "Lol, Sounds like the skies will not be the same ole same ole this season."

robbtennis

Awesome!! I'm renewing my local membership this year (OCMA) in hopes of flying again. Hopefully the Komander survives this go around. Get that Komander flying before it ends up collecting dust!

Red7fifty

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For the interim, I'm here to promote, and encourage other Komander Fans!