OliverW
Legendary member
I was just about to ask the same thingBeautiful Job! Are you SURE this is your first balsa build?
Joe
4Charlie (My first balsa build)
- Thread starter Zetoyoc
- Start date
Zetoyoc
Elite member
Beautiful Job! Are you SURE this is your first balsa build?
Joe
ha ha. yes, it is the first. I have made a few foam planes before so I know where the bits aught to go already and I can follow instructions, most of the time
I do half expect it to come apart or suffer some structural calamity on its first flight but at least it will look good on its way to becoming an instructional course on how I could do it better next time. Or it will work flawlessly. That is the fun, right?-Jesse
Dazzy
Active member
Thanks for the compliments. I am having fun and learning a lot. I found a few ways not to do stripes and there is a pretty significant wrinkle in one of them. Nobody will notice it unless looking but I had to beat down and chain up any ocd tendencies to not try to tear it off and try it again.
If I don't get distracted I may finish it today. Servos, linkages, motor Etc all the internals. Oh and I need to paint my pilot. Then the terrifying maiden flight lol
Hum this post needs a photo. Here is a shot as it stands. Looking pretty sharp if Indo say so myself.
View attachment 173803
@Zetoyoc Hey Jesse crikey mate thats looking really cool indeed. You say your gunna maiden it but I dont see enough room for an electric motor to pass through the oval shaped nose opening, how are you gunna sort this?
Turbojoe
Elite member
Thanks for the compliments. I am having fun and learning a lot. I found a few ways not to do stripes and there is a pretty significant wrinkle in one of them. Nobody will notice it unless looking but I had to beat down and chain up any ocd tendencies to not try to tear it off and try it again.
If I don't get distracted I may finish it today. Servos, linkages, motor Etc all the internals. Oh and I need to paint my pilot. Then the terrifying maiden flight lol
Hum this post needs a photo. Here is a shot as it stands. Looking pretty sharp if Indo say so myself.
View attachment 173803
That was a pretty ambitious design for a first covering job. Very well executed I might add. I need to let you cover some of my planes.
Joe
Zetoyoc
Elite member
I think it is ready to fly. I forgot the windscreen. I'll have to fix that before the first flight. I would not want snoopy to get a bug in his eye and crash on the first flight I also made the landing gear a bit taller after the taxi test. What other last minute details can I find to adjust while stalling the maiden flight.. wind yes it will be windy tomorrow. phew... I mean oh darn. I guess Wednesday is the day. eek!
I also made the landing gear a bit taller after the taxi test. What other last minute details can I find to adjust while stalling the maiden flight.. wind yes it will be windy tomorrow. phew... I mean oh darn. I guess Wednesday is the day. eek!
Zetoyoc
Elite member
It flew!
It drives terrible. Ill have to try taking it off in the grass to keep the tail behind me. It is extra stressful maidening a balsa plane you just finished building from a kit. but when it works and you land. That feels good.
I need to make some adjustments. it took nearly all available right rudder and right aileron to get it trimmed and happy in flight. ill start with adding more right angle to the motor. I double-checked all my balances after the flight and they are fine. So a bit of motor angle and resetting some linkages to get my trims back closer to the middle. but after trimmed, it was a lot of fun. I did not know how long the battery would last so I think I stayed in the air for 4.5 minutes. I had 75% left on the battery.
I like it.
Here is the video. including peanut gallery comments
It drives terrible.
Ill have to try taking it off in the grass to keep the tail behind me. It is extra stressful maidening a balsa plane you just finished building from a kit. but when it works and you land. That feels good.I need to make some adjustments. it took nearly all available right rudder and right aileron to get it trimmed and happy in flight. ill start with adding more right angle to the motor. I double-checked all my balances after the flight and they are fine. So a bit of motor angle and resetting some linkages to get my trims back closer to the middle. but after trimmed, it was a lot of fun. I did not know how long the battery would last so I think I stayed in the air for 4.5 minutes. I had 75% left on the battery.
I like it.
Here is the video. including peanut gallery comments
OliverW
Legendary member
Congrats man!It flew!
It drives terrible.
I need to make some adjustments. it took nearly all available right rudder and right aileron to get it trimmed and happy in flight. ill start with adding more right angle to the motor. I double-checked all my balances after the flight and they are fine. So a bit of motor angle and resetting some linkages to get my trims back closer to the middle. but after trimmed, it was a lot of fun. I did not know how long the battery would last so I think I stayed in the air for 4.5 minutes. I had 75% left on the battery.
I like it.
Here is the video. including peanut gallery comments
TooJung2Die
Master member
Congratulations! Nice maiden. It's different flying an airplane you built from lots of little pieces.
Once in the air it flew great! Congrats!It flew!
It drives terrible.
I need to make some adjustments. it took nearly all available right rudder and right aileron to get it trimmed and happy in flight. ill start with adding more right angle to the motor. I double-checked all my balances after the flight and they are fine. So a bit of motor angle and resetting some linkages to get my trims back closer to the middle. but after trimmed, it was a lot of fun. I did not know how long the battery would last so I think I stayed in the air for 4.5 minutes. I had 75% left on the battery.
I like it.
Here is the video. including peanut gallery comments
Zetoyoc
Elite member
Thank you. I made an adjustment to the thrust angle and managed to take the plane out for two more flights yesterday. I really am enjoying flying this. I gave up on taking off from the runway and am using the grass. From there it has such a nice easy take off it makes me want to do it over and over. I flew two flights from the same 1600mah battery for a total of 12 minutes. Ill probably only got for 10 in the future but that is a good enough time to stay in the air. Here is a video of the two flights. most of flight one was cut since it was trimming and stall testing far away.
TooJung2Die
Master member
She flies great and looks great too! Welcome to the exclusive club of builder-fliers (vs retail fliers) ! When asked where you bought it you'll smile and say, "I built it".
When asked where you bought it you'll smile and say, "I built it".
Loose Nut on Stick
Member
From the taxi and maiden videos I'd guess you only have a skid? Adding a tail wheel would make it follow and track.
