Help! Circle plane foam moulding
- Thread starter leo370
- Start date
quorneng
Master member
leo370
A double curvature structure is never going to be easy if built using flat and relatively stiff boards.
Sometimes you have to use a construction technique appropriate for the desired end product.
For example with 3D printing you can create almost any shape!
The classic solution to building a double curvature structure using a flat material is by using "planking" like boat builders do.
It can be used for planes but it is fiddly, time consuming and takes some practice to do neatly.
A double curvature structure is never going to be easy if built using flat and relatively stiff boards.
Sometimes you have to use a construction technique appropriate for the desired end product.
For example with 3D printing you can create almost any shape!
The classic solution to building a double curvature structure using a flat material is by using "planking" like boat builders do.
It can be used for planes but it is fiddly, time consuming and takes some practice to do neatly.
Mr Man
Mr SPEED!
I know I already posted this on my profile for you, but I’m going to also put it here for future reference. https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/nemeth-parasol-circular-wing-plane.68374/post-679999
Piotrsko
Legendary member
If you have a lathe or a rotary table mill with a swing that is bigger than your wing span it's easy (kinda). could attach it to a plywood board attached to a spindle and swing it by hand but those methods only work for sculpting foam in a symmetrical circle. The flapjack had a modified Clark Y with incremental changes for each rib station to make it circular. At least on the demo board at Ames KEDW
These are pictures of the build!
I decided to use twin rudders and differential thrust to hopefully gain yaw stability, since there is no fuselage.
The airfoil is a simple Flite Test style airfoil.
The plane will fly on a 4s 3300mah lipo battery, I hope that I can fly it on 2 of them with one for each motor.
My original idea was to have a bomb bay in the middle similar to the tubby b-17, I unfortunately do not have the skills or patience to make one. I might add a drop mechanism straight on the bottom at some point. My landing gear are 2 wheels from an aeroscout, a tail skid, and some 3mm wire to hold the wheels on.
I decided to use twin rudders and differential thrust to hopefully gain yaw stability, since there is no fuselage.
The airfoil is a simple Flite Test style airfoil.
The plane will fly on a 4s 3300mah lipo battery, I hope that I can fly it on 2 of them with one for each motor.
My original idea was to have a bomb bay in the middle similar to the tubby b-17, I unfortunately do not have the skills or patience to make one. I might add a drop mechanism straight on the bottom at some point. My landing gear are 2 wheels from an aeroscout, a tail skid, and some 3mm wire to hold the wheels on.
I have covered the whole thing now, just working on landing gear and hatches. Is there a fractional amount back from the leading edge that your plane balances? Thanks!
L Edge
Legendary member
I built and flew a 3 ft geobat and the 2 things I remember:
1) plane rolls very slow so you might have to fly like a trainer. That is, use a lot of elevon and plenty of rudder to make a sharp turn. Mine had only 1 engine, you might include differential thrust with the two motors as well as rudders.
2) Get some time in before you you try winds, especially gusty. Ended up making a spoiler to trim nose to get correct AOA depending on wind speed.
Hope you take video and post.
1) plane rolls very slow so you might have to fly like a trainer. That is, use a lot of elevon and plenty of rudder to make a sharp turn. Mine had only 1 engine, you might include differential thrust with the two motors as well as rudders.
2) Get some time in before you you try winds, especially gusty. Ended up making a spoiler to trim nose to get correct AOA depending on wind speed.
Hope you take video and post.
The plane weighs 3lbs 5oz with 1 battery. Most likely it will roll slow, I have added differential thrust so that should help.
She flew!
The plane was very sensitive in pitch and yaw, but very sluggish in roll. On the first flight it was tail heavy with a single 4s 3300mah battery, so I added a second one. It flew great after that. The video is the 3rd flight on it, after I had fixed the C/G.
Here is the link!
Thanks for all of y'alls help with this!
The plane was very sensitive in pitch and yaw, but very sluggish in roll. On the first flight it was tail heavy with a single 4s 3300mah battery, so I added a second one. It flew great after that. The video is the 3rd flight on it, after I had fixed the C/G.
Here is the link!
Thanks for all of y'alls help with this!
L Edge
Legendary member
Well done. See you like to explore different shapes from your other vids. That's the fun of this sport.
Indeed, it makes it more interesting than just flying a plane in circles. Lots of fun when it works, annoying when it doesn't.
👋👋 Congrats! Powering a new one up and letting it go the first time is always a rush.
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