42" Mitsubishi A6M Zero Swappable - Build Thread
- Thread starter localfiend
- Start date
Flyingninja
Senior Member
This is cool! I might be building one pretty soon. Is building a more round fuse a lot harder than the standard square ones?
Build is quite easy. It's pretty good sized and there's a lot of room to get to everything. The thing about this is that the base structure isn't really that much different from the FT standard.
What gives it the more scale rounded look is that the width is closer to actual dimensions (FT builds a lot of their planes narrow for some reason, probably weight), and the biggest part is that I kept the main structure low. All the rounded parts blend better when the square/rectangle fuse isn't super tall. The poster board sections go on like any other FT canopy section. The trick Josh showed with the metal ruler in the Mighty Mini Mustang video makes poster board install super easy.
I have a lot of pictures taken from when I built this prototype so I'll be able to have a nearly step by step build guide. Just got to find the time.
Forgot to mention the cowl. Stole that idea from Peter's Mighty Mini Corsair, making the rounded cowl is incredibly easy. Peel the paper from one side of the cowl piece and pull it over the edge of a rounded table and it will compress and curve very smoothly. Then it gets taped together and pushed over the end of the fuse. Watch Peter's Corsair build video, it takes him like 20 seconds to make the cowl.
http://flitetest.com/articles/ft-mighty-mini-corsair-build
http://flitetest.com/articles/ft-mighty-mini-corsair-build
Got this process mastered pretty well so get working on a T28 Trojan that also uses a round cowl.
Serously though , I love it. Nearly done assembling 800mm version of your plans.
I could do a T28. Thinking about something German next though, maybe the T28 after.
If you still can, I recommend adding more under camber wing area. I added 2.25 more inches to the 42" prototype and that changed the handling immensely. That's about 1.7" more on 800mm.
Of course, you will go faster without it. All depends on your goals. Post pics when you're done, I'd like to see it that size.
That's kinda what I was thinking.
Videos are done.
Borrowed the neighbors private air strip. Figured my usual tree infested flying sites were a bad idea. Turns out I could probably fly this around the trees in my yard it slows down so much. I think with a little bit more rudder travel (its turned way down on my radio) it would even hover. Did a bit of hovering in the second video, but it needed a bit more rudder to hold it.
Here's the Maiden:
https://youtu.be/mEuG4TLTbMs
And a second flight when the sun is actually out:
https://youtu.be/dEs5MtQ5t6M
Everything went great, except I need longer taller skis. Snow was crusted on top, and slush and water underneath. Should have copied actual floats instead of trying little shoes.
Gave up trying to slide on landing and settled for the "plop" method.
My second flight was a long one. Battery alarm finally beeped a few times around the 12 minute mark, and I landed at 12.5 minutes. Battery voltage was 11.3 at the end.
The plane's surfaces and shape are pretty much scale. I think this lets you get a lot of what made the Zero so maneuverable at low speeds. I'm thinking this will make an excellent combat plane. It's fast to build, even faster if you opt out of the hatch and just use the power pod. Combat with actual combat planes is fun.
Next time I take this out I think I'll grab a 9x6 prop and some of the 2650mAh 4s packs I have on the shelf.
Last edited:
The-One-Who-Never-Crashes
TOWN-C Aviation
The first photo is soo cute!
What is the percentage of the large Zero in relation to the small Zero?
What is the percentage of the large Zero in relation to the small Zero?
Almost done. Cowl is going to need some tweaking. Got a few ideas.
Also discovered a few issues with the plans - primarily that the spars are all wrong, and the hatch and formers are slightly too wide. Should be pretty easy fixes. Also, the fuse with the downthrust plate attached is too long to fit on a single sheet of foamboard. No biggie, it can be separated.
Some weight calculation:
If I add a bit more weight finishing off the build I imagine it'll come in around 625 grams, maybe a bit less. Plan on using a Tiger 2216-9 1100kv motor, 30a ESC, maybe an 11x6 carbon prop that's in the picture - need to check motor specs again, and 2200mah battery. Good news is that all of that balances out just fine before adding landing gear - tail heaviness shouldn't be a problem with this bigger model.
Did a bit of wing loading calculations out of curiosity. Wanted to see how it stacked up against an equivalent warbird.
42" Zero
Total Wing Area 268.72
Assuming weight of 625grams
Wing Loading - 11.81 ozs/sq.ft.
Wing Cube Loading - 8.6
42.5" FT Spitfire
Total Wing Area - 308.6
Assuming weight of 660 grams (Several reported to come in at this weight, though they varied from 650-700g)
Wing Loading - 10.86 oz./sq.ft.
Wing Cube Loading - 7.4
Not bad at all. I'm still using close to scale wings, so that loading is pretty darn good. Won't be quite as floaty as the Spitfire (David put some fat wings on that thing), but WCL of 8.6 is very good for a warbird. Should be a very smooth flier.
Ultramicrobe's bf109 version is pretty nice and flys great. Probably not worth redoing it.
The Mighty Mini is 25", so 60% or thereabouts.
If there's one already I'll pick something else. I'll have to check out his build.
http://flitetest.com/articles/foamboard-messerschmitt-bf109-based-on-ft-spitfire and he has 800mm version as well.
Cool. That does look really good. The plane I really need to finish next is my Hughes Devastator. It's been sitting around half done for too long. I think I have everything I need now to get it going again. It's been tricky.
Me too. Except back in the micro size.
Getting one in the Mighty Mini Size may make it worth it.
So many ME109 color schemes to choose from...
Ignore the 190's in the lower right corner. One plane at a time.
So many ME109 color schemes to choose from...
So many planes so design little time.
Flew the full size again this morning. Bent the "landing gear" out further in an attempt to prevent nose overs and put on a 4 blade 9x6 prop for clearance.
Discovered that it hand launches very nicely, and landing success increased by 50%. I only nosed over half way this time. Which has both positives and negatives. I was half hoping it would roll over again and finish off the antenna so I don't have to hear the squirrel pilot scream "Banzai!" every 30 seconds.
Also got the final CG figured out, inverted is a breeze now.
Video is uploading.
The-One-Who-Never-Crashes
TOWN-C Aviation
I'm currently working on a Mighty Mini T-28 Trojan. I'll post the plans this Monday.
Similar threads
