Flite Fest 2017: Bugatti 100P
- Thread starter willsonman
- Start date
Two questions for you, Joshua. How was orientation? That shape doesn't lend itself to easy identification. Second, did you get near full throttle? I don't recall hearing about a full-throttle run and am curious if it's as fast as predicted.
Tench745
Master member
I found the same thing when taxi testing my Cafe Racer. Hopefully she'll fly as well as your Bugatti.
hackofalltrades
Rocket Surgeon
I have not been commenting but I have been following this thread closely and have truly enjoyed this thread.
She is LOVELY. I absolutely cannot wait to see her painted and finished up.
She is LOVELY. I absolutely cannot wait to see her painted and finished up.
hackofalltrades
Rocket Surgeon
I have not been commenting but I have been following this thread closely and have truly enjoyed this thread.
She is LOVELY. I absolutely cannot wait to see her painted and finished up.
She is LOVELY. I absolutely cannot wait to see her painted and finished up.
Thanks guys!
Jeff: The orientation was a bit of a concern with not being fully painted out. I will say that the inverted V-stab actually helps with this along with the big open canopy. Being able to see each end and compare with the other helps a lot and I think that with the blue paint it will remain a non-issue. The forward sweep does help a bit in terms of axial attitude but the tail orientation seems to be a better indicator of that.
I did get to full throttle a couple of times and I believe that the 8x8 props are losing their bite at the higher RPM. The Eflite RareBear that Carl donated to me to prepare for this is probably a good smidge faster but not by a significant margin. It is possible that with the RPMs of each motor not exactly matching that I am losing some energy there but if you listen closely they are not far off. Extracting a bit from my musical training here, but there are times when you can clearly hear a distinct whine of the motors where they are well in-sync. Then there are other times when they are not and produce a pulsating wa-wa-wa sound. This is characteristically, in music, an indicator of slight intonation. The sound, in my understanding, is a sign of lost energy that is not being translated into speed.
Tench: I have no doubt that the Cafe air racer will fly just fine. These machines were never designed to be practical. Every sacrifice was made in the name of speed. In the context of your model, the visual design reflects that mentality well and lends itself to the typical instability of fast aircraft. I look forward to your success!
To all the lookey-loos, it gives me a big smile that I can provide some entertainment and wonder to this hobby for you. I want to, again, reiterate that EVERYONE'S questions and comments are welcome. As above, I take each question seriously and try to address it thoughtfully. You should never feel like I am unapproachable, online or at Flite Fest! The big thrill is not just in building but in sharing. I have no doubt that inspiring others will become an addiction for you as your skills are honed and you dream BIG!
Jeff: The orientation was a bit of a concern with not being fully painted out. I will say that the inverted V-stab actually helps with this along with the big open canopy. Being able to see each end and compare with the other helps a lot and I think that with the blue paint it will remain a non-issue. The forward sweep does help a bit in terms of axial attitude but the tail orientation seems to be a better indicator of that.
I did get to full throttle a couple of times and I believe that the 8x8 props are losing their bite at the higher RPM. The Eflite RareBear that Carl donated to me to prepare for this is probably a good smidge faster but not by a significant margin. It is possible that with the RPMs of each motor not exactly matching that I am losing some energy there but if you listen closely they are not far off. Extracting a bit from my musical training here, but there are times when you can clearly hear a distinct whine of the motors where they are well in-sync. Then there are other times when they are not and produce a pulsating wa-wa-wa sound. This is characteristically, in music, an indicator of slight intonation. The sound, in my understanding, is a sign of lost energy that is not being translated into speed.
Tench: I have no doubt that the Cafe air racer will fly just fine. These machines were never designed to be practical. Every sacrifice was made in the name of speed. In the context of your model, the visual design reflects that mentality well and lends itself to the typical instability of fast aircraft. I look forward to your success!
To all the lookey-loos, it gives me a big smile that I can provide some entertainment and wonder to this hobby for you. I want to, again, reiterate that EVERYONE'S questions and comments are welcome. As above, I take each question seriously and try to address it thoughtfully. You should never feel like I am unapproachable, online or at Flite Fest! The big thrill is not just in building but in sharing. I have no doubt that inspiring others will become an addiction for you as your skills are honed and you dream BIG!
And Josh I would say back to you I am greatful for the personal touch (sharing concerns, frustrations, soliciting for help, and also the anxiety leading up to the maiden). Thank you for keeping it real.
Paint on a full sized plane is significant and is a calculated & contolled detail. How significant do you think it will be for you and your CG concerns?
Where do you store these involved and sometimes significantly size planes?
Paint on a full sized plane is significant and is a calculated & contolled detail. How significant do you think it will be for you and your CG concerns?
Where do you store these involved and sometimes significantly size planes?
Paint will be negligible and the weight will mostly effect the tail, where I can remove weight.The very tip of the tail currently has 1.25oz. After it all dries I do not think that I'll have that much paint on here, since I will be thinning it by 50% with windex. If all the weight comes out, so be it. Any extra to the nose will be minimal at worst.
I hang all my airplanes in my garage. PVC pipes everywhere. Though, I do need a proper spot for this one.
I hang all my airplanes in my garage. PVC pipes everywhere. Though, I do need a proper spot for this one.
PsyBorg
Wake up! Time to fly!
After all this work on the Bugatti may I suggest a fully climate controlled glass case complete with laser trip wires, motion and heat sensors, with possibly a seismographic trembler alarm on an encrypted alarm network directly linked to NORAD?
Enough silliness time to watch the maiden again....
Enough silliness time to watch the maiden again....
jaredstrees
Well-known member
Well Done! Just got back in town and had a feeling I'd miss the excitement. Looks amazing already and can't wait to see her finished. Wish I could be at Flite Fest East to see it, but guess that means you'll have to bring it to FF South! Congratulations!
Captain Dunsel
New member
Any chance you'll bring the Bugatti to NEAT? That's about the farthest west we go.
CD
CD
SlingShot
Maneuvering With Purpose
Sliding on its nose on the grass and having the pilot smile about it after, seems to be a feature 8-^) I saw a guy on YouTube that had precisely the same result with his Bugatti. And his was bigger and heavier. I'd say you're in pretty good company.
Not likely to ever attend NEAT Fair. It conflicts with a recurring church event.
The geometry on the landing gear is impossible. Unless you have a glass-smooth runway to fly from, you are not likely to have a perfect landing.
In addition to shooting primer on the servo hatches for the wing, I got the canopy details completed.
The frame work was fairly simple to do with aluminum ducting tape. Some brands stick less than others. The Nashua brand is my usual go-to but this particular vintage is from Duck Tape. While the frame does add character, it lacks depth.
Flush rivets (as opposed to pop rivets) are applied with a metal tube of some sort. If I recall correctly, this copper tube has an ID of 1/64". It works for most of my rivet detail work. Some people give me crap about doing this work but it really pays off. I'm not that fickle about exact size and spacing. I just go off a picture and see what looks right to me. On smaller subjects, small details get washed out, so making them a smidge larger helps them to stand out and give the airplane texture and depth.
One row applied at an offset for the hinge work. Simple line down the middle using a ruler and a pencil.
Add a couple hundred more and you have yourself a canopy. I place the tube where I want the rivet to go. While pressing, I roll the tube around twice to get a complete circle. The tape compresses fairly well so there is no need to do any further technique here.
When I get to do the rivets on the hatches I'll show how I do those using a pencil soldering iron. The ply will not compress like the tape so you have to use other means of applying texture.
The geometry on the landing gear is impossible. Unless you have a glass-smooth runway to fly from, you are not likely to have a perfect landing.
In addition to shooting primer on the servo hatches for the wing, I got the canopy details completed.
The frame work was fairly simple to do with aluminum ducting tape. Some brands stick less than others. The Nashua brand is my usual go-to but this particular vintage is from Duck Tape. While the frame does add character, it lacks depth.
Flush rivets (as opposed to pop rivets) are applied with a metal tube of some sort. If I recall correctly, this copper tube has an ID of 1/64". It works for most of my rivet detail work. Some people give me crap about doing this work but it really pays off. I'm not that fickle about exact size and spacing. I just go off a picture and see what looks right to me. On smaller subjects, small details get washed out, so making them a smidge larger helps them to stand out and give the airplane texture and depth.
One row applied at an offset for the hinge work. Simple line down the middle using a ruler and a pencil.
Add a couple hundred more and you have yourself a canopy. I place the tube where I want the rivet to go. While pressing, I roll the tube around twice to get a complete circle. The tape compresses fairly well so there is no need to do any further technique here.
When I get to do the rivets on the hatches I'll show how I do those using a pencil soldering iron. The ply will not compress like the tape so you have to use other means of applying texture.
It really is a funny thing how I get so much praise for this. It was only 30 minutes of time and did not require much patience at all. Do one and move to the next. It is all free hand so no guides or anything like that. Once you try it you will see that its a simple thing to do that really adds to the model.
Moving right along here.
The primer was good on the servo covers so I wet sanded them with 220 and then 400. A final bit of polish with steel wool and we are ready to apply some more flush rivets.
It is essentially the same as before but since the substrate is primer on ply we need a bit more than just pressure to create the rivet. I have a 40W soldering iron I use for this technique. Same size copper tube but used as the tip of the soldering iron. Apply for 1-3 seconds. It is a tad scary because it seems very overdone and not nearly as subtle as you would want but remember that there is paint to go on over this. The paint will fill and bleed into it so you need it to be a bit over the top at first. More on these later.
15 minutes and a bucket of spackle goes a long way to smooth out an airframe. Just the top is done. This serves two things. 1: it fills the weave of the glass quite a bit. 2: it forces me to run my finger over every square cm of the airplane so I know where to focus my sanding efforts. There is a lot to be said for this. Your fingers have a very high concentration of nerve endings and they will associate imperfections with your eyes. The majority of this will be sanded off so very little weight is being applied here. Further work will include a coat of WBPU and baby powder to seal it all in and further smooth things out. I'll then do a final sanding before I prime... then another round of sanding and checking for imperfections to fix... then more sanding and primer before final paint. Lots of work to be done here and it represents the bulk of the remaining work.
The primer was good on the servo covers so I wet sanded them with 220 and then 400. A final bit of polish with steel wool and we are ready to apply some more flush rivets.
It is essentially the same as before but since the substrate is primer on ply we need a bit more than just pressure to create the rivet. I have a 40W soldering iron I use for this technique. Same size copper tube but used as the tip of the soldering iron. Apply for 1-3 seconds. It is a tad scary because it seems very overdone and not nearly as subtle as you would want but remember that there is paint to go on over this. The paint will fill and bleed into it so you need it to be a bit over the top at first. More on these later.
15 minutes and a bucket of spackle goes a long way to smooth out an airframe. Just the top is done. This serves two things. 1: it fills the weave of the glass quite a bit. 2: it forces me to run my finger over every square cm of the airplane so I know where to focus my sanding efforts. There is a lot to be said for this. Your fingers have a very high concentration of nerve endings and they will associate imperfections with your eyes. The majority of this will be sanded off so very little weight is being applied here. Further work will include a coat of WBPU and baby powder to seal it all in and further smooth things out. I'll then do a final sanding before I prime... then another round of sanding and checking for imperfections to fix... then more sanding and primer before final paint. Lots of work to be done here and it represents the bulk of the remaining work.
Userofmuchtape&glue
Posted a thousand or more times
Very nice! What are you planning to do to combat your ground handling issues?
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