Dat Rhino

foamtest

Toothpick glider kid
Nice, also is the prop on backwards? That could explain the lack of power and crazy high pitch in the video.
 

Namactual

Elite member
I did check that. It's good. I had not changed or worked on the prop since the maiden either.

One thing I noticed in person that does not come through on the video's audio is the pitch was oscillating. Maybe quivering? It is hard to explain. I am going to swap out the motor and the ESC for the next flight.

That's two brand new out of the box Red Bottoms potentially bad. While my original with probably 50 flights on it is still going strong.:confused: I did take the first bad one I had apart today and it was not a loose magnet like I originally thought. The rotor magnets are physically rubbing on the stators in a few spots. I had metal shavings stuck to the rotor all over the place. (n)

I still have two more new motors and ESCs for my new USMC skin and hopefully a Navy skin. I am going to have a lull in my work load in about a week or two. I plan to take some serious time off of work to get these done. An hopefully some more flying in here and there.
 

foamtest

Toothpick glider kid
I am starting to be able to relate to the work taking up all my time issue, it used to be work and school though so I guess it’s a little better now.
 

Namactual

Elite member
I had a second battery to burn after I crashed and burned yesterday and put the skinless Rhino through her paces. I never have the ball field to myself and get the chance to really play around.

I really need to get more aggressive stick time in anyway. It's the only way I am going to get better. I rarely fly much more than patterns.
I left the launch and first 5 passes out because I had serious trim issues. I am using a single Rx and swapping it back and fourth between air frames. I forgot to check my trims before launch and almost pulled a @cranialrectosis five feet in front of me.

I think I am going to pick up a taranis here shortly. I am really not happy with the DXe and the Rx's are far too expensive for a fleet of cheap foamies.(n)
 

foamtest

Toothpick glider kid
Yeah the DXE is a pain also try some of the cheaper lemon or orange RX's. They are great for flying alone in a field but not too good at Flite Fest however. Taranis is a great option, let me know how it is, I might be getting one soon mostly because of the price of spek stuff.
 

Namactual

Elite member
I have tried the ORX's and had no luck with them. They only work for a matter of seconds then stop responding. I do not trust them, even in a foamie. I have two of them and the are both brand new. If I make it to FFE anyone here is welcome to them for free. I won't use them that's for sure.

I have had a FlySky i6 for years and it has served me well, but the gimbals are wearing out and it is getting jittery. It will not zero out anymore. Meh, who knows, I might just buy a new i6. Lord knows they are cheap enough. I surely got my moneys worth out of it.

As for the DXe I do like it for my E-Flight BNF's. It feels good and has nice enough gimbals, but the fact that it requires you to reload each model with another device is about the dumbest thing I have seen in a long time. Now I have to drag a laptop with me to the field to switch models. If they are all the same setup it's fine, but if one model uses Airplane mode and another uses Delta you are hosed.

If I do end up getting a Taranis, I will let you know how it goes.

I attached a parts key for the .dxf files here. It does not have any more information than the new v3.3 tiled prints, but it does have a 1-1 match for the .dxf files if you are unsure which part is which. They are in an image format and should not be used for anything but a reference.
 

Crow929

Active member
You should do an actual squadron skin. May I suggest the 103? ;)

fa-18f-vfa-103-jolly-rogers-dp-09.jpg
 

Namactual

Elite member
That will happen. :)

Fairly shortly too. I had another request for the VF-84 Jolly Rogers which I will start soon. It will essentially be the same skin with a different squadron number. The Jolly Rogers will be next on my list after the Veterans Airshow Navy skin.

Then the retro WWII USN mid war.

And after I get my "E" hatch updated...:cool:
VFA-27.jpg
 
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Crow929

Active member
VF-84 ended with the Tomcat.
That said, your response has definitely excited me. I'll have no choice but to make one of these in a Jolly Roger skin.
Excellent work thus far, Namactual!
 

Namactual

Elite member
Aye, it will be a personalized skin that will dual purpose with VFA-103.

And on that note, I am just about done with the VA Navy skin...
Navy1.jpg Navy2.jpg
The base is there, now for the details.

My murder month at work will end come Sunday night and I plan to take at least a week off next week while I have the chance.
Starting Monday is on like donky kong.
 

Namactual

Elite member
I think I am going to call the Navy VA skin done...
Navy VA Done.jpg
Unless there are any objections?

All that I have to do now is put them in a printable format and have a set printed. Once they checkout I will upload these as well.

Speaking of which, I have been so busy I have not had the chance to upload anymore documentation. The build guide still works for the most part. There are a few parts that have been changed, but are similar enough the guide still applies. A few things are not documented at all, like the standard latch blocks. If any of you who have decided to tackle this have any quesions let me know. I also have a TON of pictures of the last build so I can explain most everything with a visual as well.
 
I saw this plane in one of flitetest videoblogs at the background but couldn't find the plans. It was months ago. Randomly yesterday saw your thread for the plane. Such a beautiful plane and work here. From documentation to the guide. From guide to the flight videos plus schemes. Everything is covered. A lot of time and effort is put here. No sloppy job at all. I am building it right now. Only putting fuselage to the body and intakes left. As well as electronics. I am waiting decals that you are gonna upload. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and expertise.

Should wait for decals before punting everything together or can I do it after everything is done ?
 

Namactual

Elite member
Wow, thanks bud that really means a lot!

I hope everything went ok so far, I make a better artist than an engineer unfortunately. The intakes are probably the most challenging part of the build if you are going for perfection, but are not really that bad. They are just hard to really get the filler spike to cooperate. Don't let it get to you though, I have built 6 of these things now and mine are not perfect either.

I have uploaded the Marine skin already and should have the Navy skin uploaded in a week or so. The Jolly Rogers and others will come soon after that, but I can not say for sure when they will be available.

Now for the unfortunate news, :( the skins really need to be glued onto the foamboard as a whole before anything is cut. :( I am really sorry if that was not clear.

I could make you some traditional decals for your build. It will not have all of the rivets or panel lines, but you could glue the decals on at least. You might be able to use something like rubber cement or even tape to put them on.

Thanks again for the kind words, and please post pictures of your build when it is finished, I would love to see it. I will see what I can do about getting you some decals. And if you have any questions post them here and I will answer ASAP.
 
No need to do any decals for me this thread is already good enough for me:) I will go with the marine skin. I will print them on A4 sheets and tape them then spray glue to the plane. I will use BR2205 2300kv motor with 3 blade 5045 prop on 4s. I also have fms 50mm edf but my 4s batteries has no power for that beast;motor draws too much amps. Maybe in the future I will convert this to EDF jet.

I like this skin by the way.
 

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Namactual

Elite member
I still have the artwork for that skin, but it is formatted to the Rhino v2 and would no longer work with the v3.:(

I will convert it eventually, but when I can get to it I can not say.

It will be a monster with a 3 blade on 4s. Just be aware its going to be loud.o_O I used that very same one you pictured above in Sunday's combat at FFE'17 last year and you could hear that thing over every other plane there. ;)
 

Namactual

Elite member
Small update...
Update.jpg
This is what I have been working on for the last 12 hours. Exciting stuff!:sneaky::cautious::cry:

I am probably 75% done. As much as I hate doing this it had to be done. So many things have changed and this should make things much clearer. There are more pictures to help explain things a little better and it is formatted in a way that should be easier to follow.:unsure:

Anyway, my brain is trying to leak out of my ears so I am going to call it a day, but I should have this uploaded by tomorrow night. Then it's back to work on the Airshow skins.
 
@Namactual awesome as always. I applied the skin to my plane with spray glue. it comes of very easily even though it has been siting there for 2 days. so maybe I can use A4 self adhesive print paper so that I don't need to use any glue. I am thinking to buy glssoy paper so it looks more vivid. but the resolution is enough??? or glossy sheet is the right one ..colour may bleed? what do you think? link for the paper.. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B078PNN6F5/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1PQV73ZQNR2NJ&psc=1
 

Namactual

Elite member
Build Guide Revision 2 is now live. I updated the link on the original post.
It still lacks the new "E" Hatch as well as the skin documentation, but the build info should be easier to read. Again, documentation is not my forte, so don't judge it too harshly. ;)

Edit: I had a small error in the Flap section, re-uploaded r2.1 06/04/18.

@noname4now
So after many experiments and wasted parts, here is what I found.
I use 3M Super 77 Multipurpose Adhesive in a spray can. @Amazon

The most common recommended process involves spraying both the foamboard as well as the paper then waiting 30 seconds or so until tacky and pressing the two items together. I never had any luck with this. Not because it did not work, but because of the over spray causing the paper to stick to EVERYTHING you do not want it to. And as you have found, when you want it to stick the the foamboard it likes to peel away.:cautious:

What I found works the best is to lay the paper skin face down on a clean surface off to the side. Take the foamboard you want to attach and spray a healthy coat of adhesive over the entire board. Do not skimp. Make sure it has a good even coat. Next thing to do is attach it to the paper right away. I would say wait 10 - 15 seconds, but do not wait the full 30 seconds. I think the adhesive soaks into the foamboard paper too fast to wait the full 30 seconds. I know it sounds odd, but this is the only way I had any luck. I do not think this would help your case though as the parts really need to be laying flat, it would be hard to try to wrap paper around an 3 dimensional object covered in sticky glue.

Another tip: I know you want to test a piece to see if it peels up easy, but try not to pick at it for a bit. If I suspect any adhesion issues I wait until I cut the parts out then try to peel the skin off of the scrap pieces.

One last tip: Even with the process used above, I still get the occasional peeling part. It will happen, but do not sweat it. I always keep a jar of rubber cement on hand. Just dab a bit of cement on the peeling part and stick it back down. It works great.

As for the paper you linked I have never used that before so I can not say. It looks like it could be a winner not having to deal with the glue, but I would be cautious of the weight. The red prototype I you liked above was printed on a heavier paper and it adds up REAL quick. That said, feel free to experiment. I am by no means an expert. I have just been making stuff up as I go. If you do try that adhesive paper let me know how it goes.

As for the glossy print quality I think you should be ok, but all printers are different. If you are not happy with the way your printer up-scales prints I would use something like Photoshop or GIMP (which is free) to upscale the prints from 150 to 300dpi. When up-scaling use "Bicubic" re-sampling. I would not sweat it though, I intentionally made the artwork with feathered edges so it should print fine at 150dpi. I would try a test piece first and go from there.

I am sorry about the issues you are having with the skins, I know it is a pain. I have built 4 of these now with skins and while they get better every time, they are not perfect.

And as always, if you have any other questions just ask. I will answer ASAP.
 
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Namactual

Elite member
Here are the USN* version 1.0 skins...
Updated: see second post.
Again, 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 ASAP.

Edit: Ugh, another brain/finger disconnect. I need a vacation.
 
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You are right! there will be a lot of waste of the sticker if I use self-adhesive a4. Applying the skin was not that bad: it is all good. I am not a perfectionist so I make my way with little mistakes. My next build will be different and better. Will apply the skin like you suggested.. Spray both foamborad and skin. I will make the propeller slot longer for 6x4 propeller. which means that back of the plane gonna be wider and intakes will be a little longer and I will build the intakes one piece.

I havent flown the plane yet. it is ready to take off though.
 

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