Dat Rhino

[lrussi750]

Exams?

Look at the bright side, after school the Rhino should be a walk in the park.

I have been trying to plan out how I can get to Flite Fest. It's hard to reserve a hotel and such without knowing if I am going to make it and which days. Worse case scenario is depart Saturday morning, arrive at FF around noon, then headout Sunday afternoon for the return trip. I should be able to swing that at least.

Hey Namactual, Nice work on the Dat Rhino! For the very first FliteFest I did the Sat-Sun thing and swore from that point forward it's the whole event, every year, for as many years as they have it. There is so much to do and so many people to meet that Sat-Sun is not enough time . Beg, borrow, steal the time if you have to, get to the event as early as you can and you won't regret it !

 

[foamtest]

I hate taping things together @kilroy07 I might have to take you up on that offer. How much would I owe you for a Marine skin?

 

[Namactual]

Hey Namactual, Nice work on the Dat Rhino! For the very first FliteFest I did the Sat-Sun thing and swore from that point forward it's the whole event, every year, for as many years as they have it. There is so much to do and so many people to meet that Sat-Sun is not enough time . Beg, borrow, steal the time if you have to, get to the event as early as you can and you won't regret it !

Thanks bud!
Oh, I hear ya. The sad part is I have 160 vacation hours, 80 sick hours, 16 personal hours and 480 banked hours at the moment. I am going to lose all but the banked hours (maxed out) in July.

I just have a very unique position at my workplace that makes it nigh impossible for me to take time off.

@foamtest
Thanks for the offer, but I am not sure I am up to "roughing" it anymore. I mean I will sleep in the car if I have to, but I'd rather not. I am sure there will be a room available "somewhere" around there. I hope anyway. I'll figure something out.

 

[foamtest]

If you can’t find a room anywhere just let me know I’ll probably have a space for you to park the car.

 

[Namactual]

Sounds good.

 

[Namactual]

Good news...

She is done!
Here is the kicker...
354 grams w/o battery!
The skin only added 30 grams.
This was the cheap 20lb copy paper though. I am not sure how long it will hold up once in the air. It definitely does not like humidity.

So now for the bad news...
As soon as I stopped recording the vid, I gave it a little throttle while holding it in place and the motor sounded funny. So I pull the battery and manually spin the prop and the motor is binding in spots. I think I have a loose magnet. Brand new out of the box too.

Oh well, I have 3 more just like it. Hopefully one of them works.

Anyway, I am just happy to be done with the skin test skin. I REALLY can't wait to see what it looks like in the air. I am trying to talk a friend of mine into getting some shots with his high end camera gear. Hopefully I can get him out to the field. If not, I will just have to settle with the camera strapped to the old nugget again.

 

[foamtest]

That looks phenomenal man! I can’t wait to see it in the air. Speaking of I need to build the one that I’m going to keep so that I can get familiar with the build (plus I really want one to keep ) I’ll try to build that next weekend. This weekend and this week is booked between going to the cabin in Ny to working almost all of next week.

 

[Namactual]

Thanks brother!

I will upload the updated plans and skins this weekend for sure. If I don't you can kick me in the shins. It is supposed to rain all weekend so I will have no excuse.

Check this out...

Those are the Staples prints.
Wow, the color reproduction is perfect! I can not wait to see this one come together.

I think the guy gave me higher setting slow prints rather than the fast print. He was supportive of the cause as well. A big shout out to Jeff at @ the Burton, MI Staples.

So, I realize that doing all four branches is probably too much for FFE18. I still plan to crank out the Navy skin ASAP. I have no doubts I can finish the skin in time, I might even get time for a build. Let's hope so.

I will have the Army and Air Force for next year. With an addition of "Dat Viper" dressed in the Air Force skin of which I already started my planning phase. Same 1/20 scale, but running a 50mm EDF rather than a prop and slot.

 

[DamoRC]

Looks awesome!

DamoRC

 

[SP0NZ]

I will have the Army and Air Force for next year. With an addition of "Dat Viper" dressed in the Air Force skin of which I already started my planning phase. Same 1/20 scale, but running a 50mm EDF rather than a prop and slot.

Any chance you could do both and EDF and a prop and slot? The prop and slot will have much better flight performance. I'd love to see an Air Force skinned Viper prop and slot.

 

[Namactual]

@DamoRC
Thanks brother!

@SP0NZ
That will require some out of the box thinking, but for you SP0NZ I'll make something work. I am not sure a true prop and slot will work with the lines of that particular airframe and still appear scale. I thought of something a little different, but it should have the same performance. Actually better if it works right.

Also, give these a shot.
If they work I will follow up with some more information on part information and optional notes.

 

[Namactual]

Maiden flight footage inbound...

Had a slight, ahem, issue at the end there.

It's all good though.

It could have ended like my Thresher did. I wish I had video of that one.

 

[SP0NZ]

@DamoRC
Thanks brother!

@SP0NZ
That will require some out of the box thinking, but for you SP0NZ I'll make something work. I am not sure a true prop and slot will work with the lines of that particular airframe and still appear scale. I thought of something a little different, but it should have the same performance. Actually better if it works right.

Also, give these a shot.
If they work I will follow up with some more information on part information and optional notes.

The DXFs import perfectly. If you can label parts for me that will be a big help.

 

[Namactual]

The DXFs import perfectly. If you can label parts for me that will be a big help.

You got it! You will have the info by Monday.

 

[foamtest]

Nice flight and “landing” there at the end. That plane looks a great in the air!

 

[Namactual]

Version 3.3 of the tiled plans are now live on the first post.

USMC skin to follow.

 

[Namactual]

Here are the USMC version 1.0 skins...
Updated: see second post.

The only way I could host these on my site was to drop them to 150dpi and compress them a bit. These are a good compromise for file size and quality. The actual print area for the first 3 sheets are 22x32 with the 20x30 outline. The last sheet is 17x22 with a 15x20 outline.

Sheets 1 and 2 are both to be glued to full 20x30 foamboard sheets. Sheet 3 is glued only to the first half. The second half, (underside wings), as well as sheet 4 are the double sided skins that SHOULD NOT be glued to foamboard.

If you have any questions or issues, please let me know. I will address them as soon as I can.

Edit: Had and issue with the wing plates. I just re-uploaded the fixed version. If you downloaded before this edit, please delete the old and re-download.

 

[foamtest]

I can’t wait to get back home (and not be working) so I could build and skin one of these!

 

[Namactual]

Good news, I got another flight in today. I think I got some great shots of the skin! Vid is compiling now.

Bad news, I crashed!
Inverted!
That is usually a death sentence, but she held up good. Got a little grass rash on the canopy, squished the tip of the nose a taste. That was it though. I plan to print a new canopy and nose cone today.

What was more troubling is the motor did not seem right. It was lacking power for some reason. I could tell the second I got it up in the air I needed more throttle than usual, but rather than land I just wanted to get a few shots.

Bad Idea.

When I put my skinless backup bird in the air, I could tell instantly as I ran up the motor while holding it I had a ton more power. I am not sure what happened there.

If I get some good shots from the vid, I will post here.

Oh, and she does not need a wing spar, I will probably just take that option right out of the prints.

 

[Namactual]

Crash footage...

She has a little case of "dumb pilot rash." I think I need to swap pilot and rash though.

Tough little bird. A new canopy and nose and she will be as good as new.