Mr Addict <G>,
Couple of answers to your questions.
1 thing though - There are several ways to make a foam core molded wing
(like the Victor) so this is just one way!!!
The common way to make a foam core molded wing is to 1st make a female
2 part mold for the wing. this is the same as any molded wing. The mold is
painted and prepared (waxed and stuff) for the molding process.
The first step is to create a center plug out of foam that will fit
exactly into the mold. This is done by team Arrianne (sp?) by using a CNC
foam cutting machine. So not only is the mold CNCd, but the coam core is
as well. On the Victor, the wing is a single taper, so in theory one could
use a hot wire and a little snadpapero n the tips.
The skins are then layed in and bagged into the molds. The Victor skins
are carbon BTW.
Once the skins are set the mold is joined. The skins are coated again
with epoxy and the plug is placed into the molds and the mold is closed.
Upon curing, open the mold and there is the wing.
Is is considered a good way to do molded wings at a lower price point.
The main reason for the mold is for the airfoil. In the case of the
Victor's size, removing the core and replacing it with a structure would
raise the weight and the cost to a point that would be inefficient for the
consumer. Hollow is only good when the removal of material gains a greater
weight loss compared to the added back weight of the spar structure. A 60
in slope plane like the Victor has no need for a huge spar, nor does it
benefit from the reduced weight. Plus the added impact resistance is nice
for slope stuff!
As I mentioned before, team Arrianne makes these for all their wings,
not just the smaller 60 in stuff (foam core molded wings). Their stuff is
great and while it is not hollow, it is a molded wing.
Sal did a good job with that...just wish he would have made it a kevlar fuse
instead of the carbon! ;)
A plasticized mold is most likely just a coating to prevent it from
being damaged. But basically it is not a metal mold (Al).
Jason Werner
<CLIP>
>
> Couple questions......
> How is the Victor made?
> From the original description, and I'm going off memory here, the plane
> sounds like it's prepainted-bagged-composite, not hollow molded like the
> original post implies. Unless you guys take a hollow wing and stuff a
foam
> core into it, which kinda defeats the purpose of hollow molding.
>
> Also, what the heck is a "plasticized" mold and why does the strength of
the
> mold matter?
>
> Just curious...
>
> Addict
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