Crazy Goats
Active member
BTW, I love the pattern on the surface in the background of your last 2 photos. What is it? 
Balsa-Foamboard test build - FT Spitfire
- Thread starter Hai-Lee
- Start date
Hai-Lee
Old and Bold RC PILOT
I took the Spit to my local field for a show and tell on the progress and just as is my luck it rained all over me and the as yet unfinished Spit.
Some minor Balsa swelling so not much damage but i will need to wait another full day to ensure the Balsa is dry prior ro finishing the covering.
Sorry fellows.
Some minor Balsa swelling so not much damage but i will need to wait another full day to ensure the Balsa is dry prior ro finishing the covering.
Sorry fellows.
Hai-Lee
Old and Bold RC PILOT
Damage repaired and the fuselage covered. Wing underside still to be done at the tips but here is a pic of the wing test fitted after the covering and the Rx added. (Antennas located and fixed in position).
By tomorrow it should be finished except for the control horns, (I haven't made my mind up as to what I will use yet), and the undercarriage.
By tomorrow it should be finished except for the control horns, (I haven't made my mind up as to what I will use yet), and the undercarriage.
Hai-Lee
Old and Bold RC PILOT
Update:
Fitted motor and ESC to power pod fitted to Fuselage.
Fitted Rx and connected servos and ESC. Powered up, and bound RX. Checked motor rotation. Cantered the servos and fitted servo arms.
Fitted servo cover plates made from paperless FB and covered wing tip underpanels.
Made up temporary undercarriage for taxi trials and maiden flights.
Weighed plane, Total Weight, (Excluding Battery), 567 Grams!
Checked CG with a battery and NO extra weight required.:applause:
Now just a few trim details and the Maiden! Weather here is poor at the moment so I will advise of when Maiden has occured and what the result was.
A few progress pics:
Servo cover plate
Wing tip covered underneath.
Both sides.
Motor and power pod fitted , (with spinner).
Temporary landing gear fitted.
From memory my son's Spit required a considerable of nose lead and weighed in about 683 grams and with his landing gear the weight went up to 754 Grams, (measured without the battery). Mine weighed in at 567 Grams and 580 with Undercarriage, (again without battery). A saving in weight of 116 grams because of the lightening and the lack of a need for balancing lead.
It looks like the 4S battery will definitely give unlimited Verticals.
Will remeasure the weight with flight battery later after the maiden, and I am trying to have my son's Spit returned for a all up flying weight as well.
More Later I hope!
Fitted motor and ESC to power pod fitted to Fuselage.
Fitted Rx and connected servos and ESC. Powered up, and bound RX. Checked motor rotation. Cantered the servos and fitted servo arms.
Fitted servo cover plates made from paperless FB and covered wing tip underpanels.
Made up temporary undercarriage for taxi trials and maiden flights.
Weighed plane, Total Weight, (Excluding Battery), 567 Grams!
Checked CG with a battery and NO extra weight required.:applause:
Now just a few trim details and the Maiden! Weather here is poor at the moment so I will advise of when Maiden has occured and what the result was.
A few progress pics:
Servo cover plate
Wing tip covered underneath.
Both sides.
Motor and power pod fitted , (with spinner).
Temporary landing gear fitted.
From memory my son's Spit required a considerable of nose lead and weighed in about 683 grams and with his landing gear the weight went up to 754 Grams, (measured without the battery). Mine weighed in at 567 Grams and 580 with Undercarriage, (again without battery). A saving in weight of 116 grams because of the lightening and the lack of a need for balancing lead.
It looks like the 4S battery will definitely give unlimited Verticals.
Will remeasure the weight with flight battery later after the maiden, and I am trying to have my son's Spit returned for a all up flying weight as well.
More Later I hope!
Userofmuchtape&glue
Posted a thousand or more times
Yay! lets hope that work of art is not destroyed!
Hai-Lee
Old and Bold RC PILOT
I might add some, (not scale), invasion strips so I can see it when it is at distance because the silver looks grey and the clouds are also grey. I want to get it back!
I have already added a black windscreen out of paper and tape.
There is just one problem to overcome before the Maiden and that is my control horns do not fit!! I may need to make my own from ply.
I have already added a black windscreen out of paper and tape.
There is just one problem to overcome before the Maiden and that is my control horns do not fit!! I may need to make my own from ply.
Hai-Lee
Old and Bold RC PILOT
RTF?
Here is the pic for yesterday's post of the paper and tape screen/canopy.
After rigging the control horns and a few indoor taxi runs I wanted to improve the in flight visibility and so I added some invasion strips, (made from insulation tape). Looks a little better but not post war. TOO BAD!
Had to work hard to get the control throws down but it seems like it might be OK now.
My concerns about the adequacy of the power on 3S have been quashed. With Down Elevator and a quick "Blip" of the throttle it picks up the tail and slams it to the ground and it accelerates so fast.
Tomorrow is the provisional day I hope to get some pics in the air for the audience members. I thank you for following this experiment so far!
Later!
Here is the pic for yesterday's post of the paper and tape screen/canopy.
After rigging the control horns and a few indoor taxi runs I wanted to improve the in flight visibility and so I added some invasion strips, (made from insulation tape). Looks a little better but not post war. TOO BAD!
Had to work hard to get the control throws down but it seems like it might be OK now.
My concerns about the adequacy of the power on 3S have been quashed. With Down Elevator and a quick "Blip" of the throttle it picks up the tail and slams it to the ground and it accelerates so fast.
Tomorrow is the provisional day I hope to get some pics in the air for the audience members. I thank you for following this experiment so far!
Later!
Echo that!
Hai-Lee
Old and Bold RC PILOT
The weights are still to be done and unfortunately I think I measured my son's Spit without motor and so I am trying to get him to bring it over. (It fly its maiden on a motor I had borrowed from my 4 Star 20EP).
As for the battery I intend to use it will be nominally a 2200mA 3S or a 1800mA 4S depending upon my mood, assuming that is that it survives its test flight program.
At the moment it is raining so unless a miracle occurs in the next few hours the Maiden will be postponed until Friday morning local time.
The omens are not god for this one! I have tried reorganising the workshop and I cannot find a place to store it or hang it. It appears I have reached my storage limit!
As for the battery I intend to use it will be nominally a 2200mA 3S or a 1800mA 4S depending upon my mood, assuming that is that it survives its test flight program.
At the moment it is raining so unless a miracle occurs in the next few hours the Maiden will be postponed until Friday morning local time.
The omens are not god for this one! I have tried reorganising the workshop and I cannot find a place to store it or hang it. It appears I have reached my storage limit!
The omens are not god for this one! I have tried reorganising the workshop and I cannot find a place to store it or hang it. It appears I have reached my storage limit!
Yes this is a problem. You solution is as follows,
Send to-
Kevin LFD
#### road/St or place.
Winters CA.
9#6#4
Hai-Lee
Old and Bold RC PILOT
If you were next door it would be a serious option. But then again by now you would have no room for it as I build so much no one at my local club want any more gifts because they all claim their hangars are full as well.
I am already packing to send one of my gift/seconds planes to South Australia, 2000Klm away, because the only other choice is to bin it. In my spare timeI make planes of my own design for sale in a local Hobby shop. Being hand built, (I do make errors), there are a number of less than perfect builds and so they go into the "Seconds" bin, (and lately in the landfill pile).
I am sure it would be cheaper for us both if this plane just flew off into the sunset,.
I am already packing to send one of my gift/seconds planes to South Australia, 2000Klm away, because the only other choice is to bin it. In my spare time
I make planes of my own design for sale in a local Hobby shop. Being hand built, (I do make errors), there are a number of less than perfect builds and so they go into the "Seconds" bin, (and lately in the landfill pile).I am sure it would be cheaper for us both if this plane just flew off into the sunset,
.
Hai-Lee
Old and Bold RC PILOT
Today's forecast was for intermittent showers and with a Cyclone forming off of the coast I decided this morning it was now or never for the maiden.
Anyway I only had my GoPro as a camera so the pics are not too detailed but the give the idea.
Before the maiden take off
Lift off
Climb Out
Fly By
Landed
Second flight flyby
Third take off
Third lift off
Another fly by
I managed to do three flights, (a total of over 15 mnutes), from the one battery. I think it is definitely under prop'ed for 3S. Tomorrow I will do some more flights but using the 3S and the new 4S battery.
All up it performed well enough and the trim was a little out but then it was a rushed build. The biggest issue with the entire testing was the lack of power due to my prop selection.
Would I do it again? You Bet, but a more careful build next time!
Summary: The experiment worked! a lighter build without balance issues The structure longevity and strength will be tested over time.
I will do a verbal post tomorrow on the 4S performance. No further pics will be posted unless someone has a decent camera available at the field tomorrow, (weather permitting).
If you have any questions just ask because I will let this thread die after tomorrows post.
Later!
Anyway I only had my GoPro as a camera so the pics are not too detailed but the give the idea.
Before the maiden take off
Lift off
Climb Out
Fly By
Landed
Second flight flyby
Third take off
Third lift off
Another fly by
I managed to do three flights, (a total of over 15 mnutes), from the one battery. I think it is definitely under prop'ed for 3S. Tomorrow I will do some more flights but using the 3S and the new 4S battery.
All up it performed well enough and the trim was a little out but then it was a rushed build. The biggest issue with the entire testing was the lack of power due to my prop selection.
Would I do it again? You Bet, but a more careful build next time!
Summary: The experiment worked! a lighter build without balance issues The structure longevity and strength will be tested over time.
I will do a verbal post tomorrow on the 4S performance. No further pics will be posted unless someone has a decent camera available at the field tomorrow, (weather permitting).
If you have any questions just ask because I will let this thread die after tomorrows post.
Later!
planebreaker2000
Active member
Congratulations on the flights, it is good to hear that it worked out for you.
Hai-Lee
Old and Bold RC PILOT
Thank you! Tomorrow is the final real day of testing when it goes 4S after that it just goes into storage whilst I start on the next project pushing the materials a little further.
Have fun!
Hai-Lee
Old and Bold RC PILOT
The motor was the original specified with about 100Kv less revs, (They didn't have the exact right motor)
I am running a 9x6E which I borrowed from my Four Star 20EP.
The plane performed OK but I was looking for a little more hair raising speed. The landings were controlled and whilst it did float a little it was nothing unusual. Take offs were brisk and climbs steady rolls were very scale like and axial.
What you do not see on the pics is the wind which was blowing fairly strongly. I am glad I put the stripes on it as seeing it against the grey sky was a little difficult especially at the far ends of the field.
When I landed I checked the battery and motor each time and they were cold so it needs more! Maybe being lighter with shaped edges on the tail etc is helping it use a little less current all round?
More tomorrow!
I am running a 9x6E which I borrowed from my Four Star 20EP.
The plane performed OK but I was looking for a little more hair raising speed. The landings were controlled and whilst it did float a little it was nothing unusual. Take offs were brisk and climbs steady rolls were very scale like and axial.
What you do not see on the pics is the wind which was blowing fairly strongly. I am glad I put the stripes on it as seeing it against the grey sky was a little difficult especially at the far ends of the field.
When I landed I checked the battery and motor each time and they were cold so it needs more! Maybe being lighter with shaped edges on the tail etc is helping it use a little less current all round?
More tomorrow!
Userofmuchtape&glue
Posted a thousand or more times
Great! does it fly much like a standerd spit?
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