FT Mini Mustang - newbie needs help

[myxiplx]

Hi guys,

I'm pretty new here, and have a bunch of basic questions that I haven't been able to find definitive answers for on the forum, so I hope you guys don't mind me asking for some help

The FT Mini Mustang is going to be my first ever scratch build, and only my second ever RC plane build after my Twisted Hobbies Edge 540, so I'm very, very green.

• Wiring harness - I see this in the build video, but don't see any instructions for it. I'm assuming it's just a Y harness, but what length does it need to be? It seems like it's using around 4" of wire either side of the join.
• Pushrods - Is this just 1mm diameter piano wire?
• Firewall & Control horns - What's "hobby grade" plywood? I've found some A4 Birch Plywood sheets on eBay, would that work?
• Tape for wings - The video shows a wide, transparent tape, what is this?

 

[mrjdstewart]

a small y-harness for the ailerons, 1mm music wire will work, i get all my balsa at Michaels for firewalls, the control horns can be made out of old gift cards then use a hot wire to melt the holes. as for tape, any decent packing tape will work.

good luck, the mini stang is a great flyer.

jason

 

[Bricks]

You do not have to have the Y cable if you have a 6 channel receiver run each servo wire to the receiver. Then set up dual servos for ailerons in your radio.

 

[myxiplx]

Thanks guys, build is getting there now. I picked up most of the parts, but struggled with sourcing the pushrod wire... and then I found a UK stockist of the kit, and for £20 it was too good a deal, especially for a first time build.

It's going together really easily. I made a noob mistake on the tail, getting that on upside down and having to correct that, but otherwise it's a solid build and fairly straightforward.

Work has stopped now though thanks to my glue gun gumming up :-(. So after spending £20 on the kit, I just spent £35 on a glue gun lol. But having seen how nice foamboard is to work with, I know I'll get plenty of use out of that

 

[kilroy07]

If I may (coming from my own personal experience) You might want to start with a slightly less "demanding" plane for your first build (not only slightly more complex build, but flying a mini warbird.)

I started with a Flite Test Dr1 and Se5 kit... (did not go well...) switched to the tiny trainer and FT Flyer and LOVE those designs! As a plus, the FT flyer is ONE sheet of foamboard, so WHEN you bang it up you won't feel nearly as bad as if you spent several hours on a mustang.

If you are set on a hotrod, I just started building Bloody Wonders with an "F" pack.... FANTASTIC fun! (It will loop within 2-3 plane lengths on high rates) LOL

 

[nickf]

Hi, I would agree the mini mustang is a really great plane, but not for starting off with.

Its quite fast for a little'un, its light so does get blown about, sensitive to the centre of gravity being out and will be touchy on the throws if not set low!! I also found it a quite fiddly with the space limit on the electronics/battery.

Although I have not built/flown a bloody wonder I'd go with the advice on offer from guys on the forum who have (like me) had the pain/expense of learning the hard way! The key is to get the right type of platform to start with.

I'm also in the UK and I know how limited flite test stock is, so I'm guessing you might have gone with what you could get?

Depron is easily sourced in the UK unlike the flitetest board that is rare and expensive Depron. However its 6mm thick rather than the 5mm of flitetest board so the plans will need alittle tweak. I have started using 5mm laminate floor foam underlay from B&Q (15 quid for 5m x 800mm), I then stick on brown paper (tescos) on both sides to laminate it. Overall it comes out very close to flitetest board in terms of weight and strength and then gives you the freedom to choose a plane more suited to your needs.

Hope that helps

nick

 

[myxiplx]

Maiden flights today and I love this little thing. Needed a little more airspeed than I expected to get the elevator response, but it's super fun. The battery compartment is definitely tight as you say, but it's just about perfect fit for my 850mah packs.

I picked this model because I've got a ton of these packs, and I also wanted an aerobatic model. I've not built many planes, but I've been flying helicopters for 4 years and I'm a pretty confident 3D pilot now, and I've been flying planes for about a year. I'm comfortable with basic aerobatics, plus inverted flight, knife edge and hovering, and I'm working on rolling circles. I definitely didn't want to start with a beginner model, I'd be bored of it in a couple of weeks.

I did need a 5g lead weight near the tail to get the CG right, not ideal, but I couldn't be bothered trying to move all the electronics just yet

I found that HobbyCraft have A1 sheets of 5mm paper lined foam, they were £2.50 each so I've got 4 of those as spares, but finding this for £20 as a laser cut kit is an absolute bargain as far as I'm concerned, and I'm amazed at how well designed it is and how solid the model. Definitely a fan of this one!!!

 

[myxiplx]

Probably the only minor thing I've spotted is that I have a bit of a wing wobble at higher speeds, just a little shake back and forth on the aileron roll axis. Anybody know what causes that and if there's anything you can tweak to stop it?

 

[Hai-Lee]

Without actually examining the plane it is impossible to give you a definite answer to your question but I would suggest that you check that your control linkages have no play and that your ailerons are not flexible or twisting under load. With loose of twisting ailerons and the slightest turbulence it is possible to set up a resonance in the ailerons which can cause the plane to rock from side to side especially in high speed level flight and in a dive.

As for your lack of elevator authority, That can be a symptom of the plane being too nose heavy! You seem to have some flying experience so I will suggest that you do a very minute change in the CG rearwards to make the plane slightly tail heavy. This will make the plane more sensitive in pitch and give a far more acrobatic model but as is usual caution MUST be exercised!

Have fun!

 

[myxiplx]

Many thanks! There is a little slop on the aileron links, I'll get those adjusted. And I can also move the CG back a little pretty easily, I'll give that a go too.

 

[myxiplx]

Hey guys,

I found it impossible to remove the slop on the aileron links using the standard wire, instead I had to use some 1.5mm stainless steel rod, similar to the undercarriage wire to re-make the links.

They seem to be great now, no slop at all, but it surprised me that the holes in the control horns were far wider than the 1mm rod, and were adding a noticeable amount of slop on the ailerons. The effect isn't as noticeable on the elevator or rudder though.

Has anybody else come across this? Are there any other tips or techniques for removing the slop on these links?

 

[nickf]

Hi - I too like this plane, alot of fun for a little 450mah battery!

I made my own control horns so and so used a nearest small drill I had and ended up with alittle play in the linkages. I found a dab of UHU glue or the like takes care of a small amount of slop. In the past I have also used electrical wire sleeving/insulation for a larger amount.

Your plane must be a abit heavy with an 850mah and the hobbycraft board? I have found that the £15 B&Q laminate insulation board (green sheets) laminated with brown paper gives the 5mm thickness and weight of the flite test board that is hard to get/expensive in the UK Its

I have an FT 3D (made out of the B&Q sheets) that I'm trimming based on these steps
trim chart and have found that to be really useful.

nick

 

[CarolineTyler]

Hobbycraft do 5mm foam board in A1 sheets, currently on offer at £10 for 4 sheets. It is heavier than the famed dollar tree foam board but it works for me! The paper it's covered in seems to be very good quality but it also seems to be glued on way better that the dollar tree stuff

Caroline

 

[myxiplx]

Well, looks like it was the slop on the aileron links causing the wobble. No sign of it at all today now I've corrected that, and it's flying great.

As Nick says, it may be a little heavy for the size, it definitely prefers a little speed, but I'm getting 6 minute flights, and can still comfortably land it within the mown area of our flying club, so I'm not really worried about that. Heck, even that 5g lead weight on the tail isn't bothering it.

In fact, it seems to cut through the wind really well, it definitely handles a breeze better than my ParkZone Visionaire. Very, very happy with the way this flies, and I'm now wondering what my next FT build should be

 

[mrjdstewart]

Alpha is a very fun, fast-ish, great flying airplane. plus, then you can build the wings from bravo and charlie and basically have 3 diff planes.

 

[myxiplx]

Yeah, I have that one on my shortlist, they look a lot of fun to fly, and the styling is superb too.

But what I'm really pondering now is whether it's possible to create a mix of the FT 3D and the new twin sparrow. A dual prop 3D model with a replaceable nose and front mounted easily accessed battery would be sweet, and the yaw authority with that rudder plus the separate motors would be nuts!!

 

[AcBates]

as a tip, if there is slop at the horn for a pushrod, add a drop or two of CA glue with kicker if you have it. the CA will bond to the wood, and you can work the pushrod free as the CA isn't a friend to metal.