DTFB Grumman Goose

Allenhat

Member
Some pictures of the updated Goose:

Parts fresh from the laser just waiting to be assembled.

20170823_150607.jpg

Fitting one of the nacelles to the wing.

20170823_184311.jpg

And how she sits today. Still needs radio installation finished up. I will do some test flying before closing up the nacelles and making the engine cowlings.

goose 3.jpg
 

Allenhat

Member
It flies! Not perfectly and I didn't have enough daylight to do any on site tweeks. But it flies! I'm a very happy camper right now and am even more psyched to move forward with the design.

I need do some repairs and additions to the bird in the next few days before trying to fly it again.

Did I mention it flies? I am assuming I had it nose heavy as it required a lot of up elevator to keep it straight and level.

There is enough power now to take off from it's belly if the grass isn't too long. Some landing gear are going to be part of the changes before the next flight.

Pictures and hopefully some video to follow subsequent test flights.
 

Namactual

Elite member
Congrats on the successful maiden!

It's a good feeling isn't it? :)

It looks great, can't wait to see some video.
 

Allenhat

Member
Congrats on the successful maiden!

It's a good feeling isn't it? :)

It looks great, can't wait to see some video.

It sure is. Already tweaking the plans for the next build. Hopefully I will have something the community can build from yet this year. Wish me luck.
 

Allenhat

Member
Just a little update:

Due to some troubled solo hand launches the nose had to be rebuilt on Lucy (that's her working name). Completed that today and added "some stand way back and squint real hard" scale landing gear so I shouldn't need to hand launch anymore.

Unfortunately I lost my male XT60 - female XT30 adapter somehow since my last flight attempt and I ran out of free time. I couldn't get another one made in time to try and fly her again today. Which turned out to be for the best because when I did some taxi tests to try out the landing gear the elevator servo decided to take a crap and give up functioning on me.

At least it didn't happen in the air.

Some pictures:

First - The landing gear I mentioned

lucy legs.jpg

Second - The beginning of some visual identification markings

lucy with diamonds.jpg

Third - The nose after her maiden flight (not the crap hand launch the next day)

lucy maidened.jpg

Lastly getting her nose job

lucy nose.jpg

Some day in the future there will be flight video. I tend to fly almost exclusively solo so I will have to recruit a camera man.
 

Allenhat

Member
Lucy II is about ready to fly. This will be aircraft #4 but only #3 to be flown. Pictures and updates to follow soon (hopefully - I work kind of slow on things sometimes)
 

FoamyDM

Building Fool-Flying Noob
Moderator
I know the solo flight feeling. I have had to rely on my 8 yr old for all my videos. That leads to some iffy camera work with a great deal of commentary.

on my list is a phone-Hat cam holder. I wonder if there are plans here somewhere?
 

Allenhat

Member
Here are the D sized plans for my latest revision of my Grumman Goose build. The 4th sheet are out of 0.125in plywood and are technically on a C sized sheet. I will try and get some tiled 8.5in x 11in plans uploaded soon. Reference Sponz's plans key for what cuts are intended to be.

There are 3 different layouts for the replaceable nose section since I haven't decided on which method I like best yet. Also the tip floats are not included as I am not yet satisfied with how they go together.

I am also working on doing so 3D printed cowlings, tip floats, and skins for the nacelles but don't have them completely modeled yet.

I don't have many pictures of the build since this is still a prototype and hasn't been test flown yet. If all goes well I will be building another final rendition once test flying has been completed and take pictures of the build steps (if I can slow myself down enough to take them. I tend to get carried away once building starts)

Please post any questions if you try and build this. I will see if I can get pictures of my current prototype to help clarify them.

Also remember this is intended to be a "mini" sized kVbuild. My current power setup are 2205 2522kV motors. My previous build flew on 2204 2300kV motors and 6x3 props. The power was more than sufficient with these motors on 3S. My current motor swap was more of a "because I had them laying around and you can always use more power ;p" situation than feeling any need for an increased power setup.
 

rockyboy

Skill Collector
Mentor
Lucy's looking good! Looking forward to seeing the build photos and how she goes together on the inside - really like the nacelle design :D
 

Allenhat

Member
Elevator servo location
20180804_192122.jpg

Horizontal stabilizer supports
20180804_192133.jpg

Top side of the elevator
20180804_192140.jpg

Inside the fuselage looking forward
20180804_192210.jpg

Inside the fuselage looking aft
20180804_192218.jpg

Wing joint. I cut the space out for the fuselage after folding the wing but before joining the two halves.
20180804_192249.jpg

Top wing fairing glued in place after joining the wing halves in the normal Flitetest way. I have been setting wing dihedral so that the top surface of the wing is flat across. I have not noticed any roll issues in my test flying so I haven't added any more dihedral at this point.
20180804_192253.jpg

Right nacelle top side. I sheet it starting from the back working forward. Bottom then the top on the final section right behind the cowl.
20180804_192258.jpg

Left nacelle top side
20180804_192302.jpg

Left nacelle bottom side
20180804_192306.jpg

Aileron servo location. I just saved the top paper and taped it back over the servo.
20180804_192402.jpg

Looking into the 3D printed cowlings. They are quite a bit heavier than the foam ones I have built previously but they really look nice installed.
20180804_192352.jpg 20180804_192321.jpg
 

JGplanes

Active member
Looking into the 3D printed cowlings. They are quite a bit heavier than the foam ones I have built previously but they really look nice installed.

You should look into thin wall printing. If you're only doing it for aesthetics and not for mounting the motor to, you should be able to make them very light. If you'd like me to try a hand at it, give me the dimensions, and I'll see what I can do. I'm very interested in seeing a scale Goose!
 

Allenhat

Member
Got a few short minutes before it got to dark tonight to get a quick test flight in on my 4th revision (the one in the plans above). I am thrilled to report that she finally flies in a manner I deem sharable.

I hope to start a second build of this latest revision so I can grab pictures, and maybe even a little video, of the build process.

I don't remember who it was in the FB group that asked about plans for a Grumman Goose, or even who it was that linked to this thread, but I want to thank them for giving me the push it took to finally wrap up the 30 minutes of work to finish the build and get some flight testing done.

Time to work on figuring out how I want to do the tip floats. Followed by a build out of waterproof foam board for either winter flying off the snow or maybe even off the water if I do it a little faster than this last one.
 

Allenhat

Member
A quick update. Waterproof foam has been cut and designs for 3D printed nacelles are underway.

Should I start a new thread with build instructions or just post them here?

Some new pictures:
20180829_171209.jpg 20180829_171215.jpg 20180816_163912.jpg 20180816_163915.jpg
 

rockyboy

Skill Collector
Mentor

Allenhat

Member
Test fitting the spine of the 3D printed nacelle.
20180831_135721.jpg

Took 100 pictures building today and didn't even get to the nacelle. I will try and get some pictures posted with descriptions soon.

I think I have gotten building the replaceable nose cone down to a science. Either that or the brown paper makes it feel easy :p
20180831_160722.jpg 20180831_160726.jpg
 

Allenhat

Member
Really my last update on this was last August? Wow, I need to be more active here.

Inspiration has gotten me and I am about to embark on build #5. Over the last couple days I have been having nacelle parts 3D printed and have made some rudimentary skins for this build.

An update the last build went great and flew great right up until it flew into a building. There is no way it could have been pilot error and a depth perception issue. The building just spang 10' forward from it's resting place to smack my bird right out of the air.

Here is a link to the skins I made for the next build if anyone is interested in checking them out.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dY1524FzIwmT6mcUF2z0jLVO3Mzo5IOU/view?usp=sharing
 

rockyboy

Skill Collector
Mentor
An update the last build went great and flew great right up until it flew into a building. There is no way it could have been pilot error and a depth perception issue. The building just spang 10' forward from it's resting place to smack my bird right out of the air.

I believe you man - around here the problem is jumping trees doing the same thing. :p