Build Thread- FT NASA X-29

[Matthew Sanders]

Mine was an experimental X-29 profile and CG was 1.5" back from leading edge/fuse. Always good to see what others get in their design. Took 5 thumps on snow to get it right. Had to extend nose and canard.

View attachment 144436

Well, to give credit where credit is due Andres from Flite Test did an amazing job designing the FT X-29. I just cut it out and built it. Mine still looks great though! Yours looks great! I've never flown a profile airplane before, but maybe I will in the future

 

[Matthew Sanders]

So... Update: the X-29 is still waiting for a 70mm EDF, but now I think I'm going back to my original swappable plan! I'm going online now to get stuff off of the FT store:
Bullet extensions, I want to fly this thing, and as of now FT store does not have a pre-assembled EDF unit with motor, or a 60 amp ESC. So I'll use them for the Swappable. Also, I'm getting the Viggen SBK! I wanted an EDF Trainer and, well. I might be able to coax a 64mm fan and 60a speed controller from my folks off of Amazon. Also, on YouTube, I'm building an RC space shuttle and releasing it from my RC motor glider that I posted about earlier on. If you want to see that, my channel is Aerospace Matt. If you're interested but can't find it, I'll post a link. As to my X-29, well it's coming along.

 

[The Hangar]

So... Update: the X-29 is still waiting for a 70mm EDF, but now I think I'm going back to my original swappable plan! I'm going online now to get stuff off of the FT store:
Bullet extensions, I want to fly this thing, and as of now FT store does not have a pre-assembled EDF unit with motor, or a 60 amp ESC. So I'll use them for the Swappable. Also, I'm getting the Viggen SBK! I wanted an EDF Trainer and, well. I might be able to coax a 64mm fan and 60a speed controller from my folks off of Amazon. Also, on YouTube, I'm building an RC space shuttle and releasing it from my RC motor glider that I posted about earlier on. If you want to see that, my channel is Aerospace Matt. If you're interested but can't find it, I'll post a link. As to my X-29, well it's coming along.

Cool! I’m eager to see how the prop version performs. I’ve heard it has a ton of torque roll. Exciting to hear about the viggen! If you’re using the $20 64mm edf, you can use a 35 amp esc. A 60 will work, but isn’t necessary. Since you are planning on doing a 70mm for your x-29 and getting 4s batteries, you could do a 70mm setup for your viggen as well. 40 amp esc would do the trick. Good luck!

 

[Matthew Sanders]

Cool! I’m eager to see how the prop version performs. I’ve heard it has a ton of torque roll. Exciting to hear about the viggen! If you’re using the $20 64mm edf, you can use a 35 amp esc. A 60 will work, but isn’t necessary. Since you are planning on doing a 70mm for your x-29 and getting 4s batteries, you could do a 70mm setup for your viggen as well. 40 amp esc would do the trick. Good luck!

Thanks, unfortunately, a 70mm EDF is more expensive than a 64... also, the Viggen flies off a 3s 2200, and I haven't thought about the 35a ESC. Thanks for the tip! As for the X-29 torque roll, yeah that's why I want an EDF for it. Maybe I'll do that. It's just I'm in a pause for jets right now. Unfortunately the coax for the x-29 ended not so greatly, and my parents thought a 4s would be too heavy. I didn't even bother saying 4s is a minimum for the X-29!

 

[The Hangar]

Thanks, unfortunately, a 70mm EDF is more expensive than a 64... also, the Viggen flies off a 3s 2200, and I haven't thought about the 35a ESC. Thanks for the tip! As for the X-29 torque roll, yeah that's why I want an EDF for it. Maybe I'll do that. It's just I'm in a pause for jets right now. Unfortunately the coax for the x-29 ended not so greatly, and my parents thought a 4s would be too heavy. I didn't even bother saying 4s is a minimum for the X-29!

Yeah, I get your points. This 70mm edf is $20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LWJ43QR/?tag=lstir-20

 

[Matthew Sanders]

Yeah, I get your points. This 70mm edf is $20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LWJ43QR/?tag=lstir-20

That looks perfect, except for one thing: it needs to be soldered and my parents don't want me to do that... oh well

 

[Matthew Sanders]

Ok, so without a 70mm fan I can't make this work. Don't worry, I'll go back to my swappable mount idea. Maybe. The torque is what's making me nervous about prop. However, I am going to do the Viggen soon. I have a SBK ready and waiting. But guess what just came!!!

Aren't these BEAUTIFUL?! It's 64 for the Viggen but still I love EDFs! 64 millimeters is bigger than I thought!

 

[Matthew Sanders]

I'll do the Viggen over on @The Hangar s thread. Viggen Group Build. I'll admit I'm late but still...

 

[poor boy 101]

I’m doing a viggen as a swappable, and once I feel comfortable with flying a jet, I hope to do a 70 mm edf X-29. Have you watched the build video? I think they show how to do it as a swappable since they recommend the power pack c and don’t have an edf power pack. I haven’t watched the build video, but that would be my guess. Good luck and have fun!

Whatever you do DO NOT use a 64mm fan on 4s. Save up for a 6s 70mm it will give it much more power. I made mine with a 64mm 12blade and it sounds great but is very underpowered. I recommend a 4000mah 6s with a 12 blade 70mm ducted fan.

 

[poor boy 101]

So... Update: the X-29 is still waiting for a 70mm EDF, but now I think I'm going back to my original swappable plan! I'm going online now to get stuff off of the FT store:
Bullet extensions, I want to fly this thing, and as of now FT store does not have a pre-assembled EDF unit with motor, or a 60 amp ESC. So I'll use them for the Swappable. Also, I'm getting the Viggen SBK! I wanted an EDF Trainer and, well. I might be able to coax a 64mm fan and 60a speed controller from my folks off of Amazon. Also, on YouTube, I'm building an RC space shuttle and releasing it from my RC motor glider that I posted about earlier on. If you want to see that, my channel is Aerospace Matt. If you're interested but can't find it, I'll post a link. As to my X-29, well it's coming along.

Here is motion rc’s one that I use. https://www.motionrc.com/collection...mm-12-blade-edf-4s-power-system-w-2849-2850kv
https://store.flitetest.com/flite-test-ft-35a-esc-w-xt60-connector-flt-3038/p846364#tab-feedback

https://www.motionrc.com/collection...4s-14-8v-35c-lipo-battery-with-xt60-connector

 

[Matthew Sanders]

Whatever you do DO NOT use a 64mm fan on 4s. Save up for a 6s 70mm it will give it much more power. I made mine with a 64mm 12blade and it sounds great but is very underpowered. I recommend a 4000mah 6s with a 12 blade 70mm ducted fan.

Viggen or X-29?

 

[poor boy 101]

Ftx-29 I have never built a viggin

 

[poor boy 101]

The 6s is more expensive but the 4s will work well. I just love power.

 

[Matthew Sanders]

The 6s is more expensive but the 4s will work well. I just love power.

Yeah. I like to push the envelope with my aircraft every once in a while. Ive been thinking about a YouTube project, an ESTES rocket engine powered X-15... probably not going to be me doing it, sounds like something Flite Test or PeterSripol, maybe rctestflight would do. I'd sure like to try it though. It's fine if one of you wants to do that yourself. I do also like relaxing flights though.

 

[The Hangar]

I'll do the Viggen over on @The Hangar s thread. Viggen Group Build. I'll admit I'm late but still...

You might still beat me to the maiden though lol😆

 

[L Edge]

Yeah. I like to push the envelope with my aircraft every once in a while. Ive been thinking about a YouTube project, an ESTES rocket engine powered X-15... probably not going to be me doing it, sounds like something Flite Test or PeterSripol, maybe rctestflight would do. I'd sure like to try it though. It's fine if one of you wants to do that yourself. I do also like relaxing flights though.

 

[L Edge]

Yeah. I like to push the envelope with my aircraft every once in a while. Ive been thinking about a YouTube project, an ESTES rocket engine powered X-15... probably not going to be me doing it, sounds like something Flite Test or PeterSripol, maybe rctestflight would do. I'd sure like to try it though. It's fine if one of you wants to do that yourself. I do also like relaxing flights though.

Don't believe you like to relax on flights. You have done or working on a number of projects like mine. Here's my X-15. If you want to do it, I will help you figure it out. This project takes some research(it's all there) but it is simple once you figure it out. Even the altitude can be determined. Mine reached about 400 ft. Was going to do it the same way as the shuttle where I drop , glide it down, and fire it up.
Damaged it after it didn't launch vertical on the third shot. Didn't fix it due to many other projects.

If you know rockets, I kept on moving back so to be safe.

 

[Matthew Sanders]

No, really I love to take up the 3 channel tiny trainer in the evening to just relax and calm myself down. I do like to go full throttle and do high speed test runs, though...

 

[Matthew Sanders]

Well, after a month of indecision, I've come to a full circle. After completing the Viggen as an EDF training jet, I will be putting the X-29 in my fleet as a stock set up, the Swappable mount thing went too far. I did consider using the leftover swappable mount from my Viggen but it interfered with the main wing on the test fit, so I'm going to go with the stock set up. Hopefully I'll get it finished by the end of the Thanksgiving holiday. The only other current things on my to-do list are maidening my Viggen and putting the finishing touches on my mini mustang, applying @Rasterize skins. Afterward, mg final project for a while is making the Tiny Trainer reverse plane that @Hai-Lee did. On the Viggen Group build started by @The Hangar there is a link to the thread if anyone is interested. Anyway time to start on finishing the X-29! Who's with me on this, the maiden is in sight!

 

[The Hangar]

So this will be a 70mm edf, right? I still want to do an x-29! I gotta get some money, then I’ll get the Willy Nillies barnstormer 250 kit, then hopefully I can get a 70mm fan for this baby, cause I love how it looks and all!