WnW SE5a...a Viper question

[maxfinn]

Hello all, I'm in the midst of building the WnW SE5a, and like all other folks I've seen posting comments, I've got to say, it's a great kit and a lot of fun.

My question is, has anyone tried to fit the Roden Viper to the WnW kit? I've partially assembled both engines, and the Roden doesn't quite seem like it will make it, but wondered if anyone else has tried it and can help with hints or tips.

My one niggle with the kit is the cockpit engineering. With the forward section of the cockpit floor, including the rudder bar, molded into the lower wing, rigging the cockpit is certainly a challenge! I finally ended up rigging as much around the control column as I could, then attached all the rigging to the rudder bar, and assembled the cockpit into the left half (could as easily have been the right half, in fact, probably easier as I wouldn't have had to worry about the tailplane adjustment wheel) and then put my fat fingers and a couple different tweezers to work on threading (no pun intended) the rigging from the rudder bar around the appropriate rigging near the seat and through holes drilled through the plastic under the seat. It all would have been SO much easier had the front portion of the floor been molded separate from the wing, as the rest of the cockpit was. I'm sure there is a reason for the way it was done, but I can't figure it out!

Mike

[StephenLawson]

I believe "Drome" member Terri Werner has built the WNW Hispano-Suiza stock kit and there are a couple of people on the net doing the alteration to the Viper powered version. I have built the Roden kit as a Viper with the Part of Poland brass. (That Viper radiator is tough to get right in PoP brass.)

The Roden kit engine also comes separately with a PE details.

[terri werner]

Hi Mike !

I haven't built the Roden kit so I can't comment on the engine size , but with a little mod it should fit into the WNW fuselage . Thinning down the inside of the cowlings will aid in give more working room .

Yes rigging the controls in the cockpit is a bit tricky . How I did this is leave off the instrument panel and the seat cushion , joined the fuselage halves together fix the lower wing in place . With this done it was easier to rig up the controls with alot less frustration in the end . Not sure why they would engineer the cockpit this way , first for me seeing a lay out done in this matter .

[maxfinn]

I think what I'll do is go ahead and build both engines and see what I get. If I can make the Roden Viper work, and I'm not sure why I shouldn't be able to do it, I will. If not...I guess it will become a Hisso pretty quick.

As for the rigging, it's always interesting to see how different folks approach the same challenge. Sounds like we both made it through though!

Mike

[terri werner]

I think what I'll do is go ahead and build both engines and see what I get. If I can make the Roden Viper work, and I'm not sure why I shouldn't be able to do it, I will. If not...I guess it will become a Hisso pretty quick.

As for the rigging, it's always interesting to see how different folks approach the same challenge. Sounds like we both made it through though!

Mike

Your welcome Mike . Wish I could comment more on the Roden engine but since I haven't built this one not to sure on what the engine size is compared to the WNW offering .

Yeah , once I was able figure out the best way for the rigging in the cockpit and many folks didn't like this aspect of the kit it was fairly easy .