FF2017 Int. Racers: Caudron C.460

[rockyboy]

I am looking at the start I got on mine so far and I think I will finally be getting back to it again. I think I will redo the fuselage per the reasons I talked to you about in relation to the tail feathers. Did you get a chance to look at the width on the current plans at all Rockyboy? If you can give me a current measurement specifically the top flat section of the fuse at the furthest rearward point so I can make adjustments on my patterns please and thank you.

The width at the widest point in the rear of the fuselage area is 4.39" (yeah, can probably round that off )

I also noticed when I started cutting and gluing last night that my v12 decal print of the fuselage section is a little larger than the foam cut plan. The foam cut plan is the correct one - fuselage length is 38.75" - decal printed for me at 40.4". I'll get an update for that in the next release.

So while I think about reprint vs. chop job I also cut and glued up the parts for the smaller one too.



So yeah, back on this as top building priority (well, almost top - still working out radio programming and balance fun on the EVA sport).

 

[PsyBorg]

Ok now I am REALLY confused. The widest part on my fuse is ~ 4 and 1/8th inches od. The very end at the tail is 1 and 5/8ths od. The folded rudder part of the tail is 7/16th. When I look at your build your tail seems to fit perfectly between the back of the fuse with no spacers to fill that gap.

I am reasonably sure I did not forget how to trace patterns and cut them out since first grade.. But then again Bills Law and all that so anything is possible. What am I doing wrong here or am I doing it right and some how plan scaling got lost in the printing shuffle? It looks like it will turn out to be a Caudron but it sure won't look like what you have done somehow. I am worried over tail weight mostly. Should I
run with what I have or cut another fuse and close that gap more in the aft section?

I will see if I can get some pics posted today between the T storms. Hopefully I have lights to do it by.

 

[rockyboy]

I think the 4.4 and 4.125 difference is perhaps I measured from the outside the little strip of foam that gets removed for the joint. And yeah I think the tail needs an extra "squeeze" in to meet the rudder surface. The first one I did that looks so pretty is before I added the alignment tabs in the horizontal stabilizer - if I run into the same problem you're seeing with the pile of foam on my bench now, we'll know it's something off with the plans and not Bill (this time... )

Bottom line, I'd say run with it - a little extra spacer or a little extra squeeze to make 'er fit.

 

[PsyBorg]

The alignment tabs in my version of elevator line up perfectly with the fuse as it is with no ability to squeeze if the tabs are used. Rock.... Hard place... Do I cut the tabs and give her a squeeze or do I go for perfect elevator alignment leaving the tabs and just fill the void between fuse and Rudder..

Less forum chatting .. I'm off to try pictures.

 

[PsyBorg]

Pics are up over in my build thread so I don't tie up yours with my noobiness.

 

[DamoRC]

Crash pics from the weekend. Thanks again rockyboy - I had a blast building this and flying it while it lasted.

 

[PsyBorg]

That'll go back to air worthy easily. There is enough material in front of the wings to try the grafting method I am working on to rebuild the nose. Just take a peak in my build thread where I posted most of the process and result comparisons.

 

[DamoRC]

Too late - she is already mostly shredded for parts. I am seriously thinking of building another one - she looked great in the air.

DamoRC

 

[PsyBorg]

Looks over at mine...Looks good in pieces to.. some day I will know what it looks like in one piece AND maybe even what it looks like underneath as it passes by.

 

[Mid7night]

@DamoRC: Definitely build another, if the motor still runs anyway. It looked great in the air! I'm bummed we didn't get to fly 'em together. Another time, perhaps.

 

[DamoRC]

Thanks Ben - to be fair, I think if we flew them together it would have looked like this....

 

[rockyboy]

Even in pieces she looks stylish!

 

[rockyboy]

Progress on the smaller scale (34" wing span) build.

It's a little tricky to see in this photo, but as Psyborg pointed out in the v12 plans the horizontal alignment tabs keep the back end of the fuselage sides from contacting the rudder. In this smaller scale build, I just added an extra layer of foam board at the rudder to make up the difference. In 44" build I'll probably make it a piece perpendicular to the fuselage side cut to the necessary length. This will be fixed in v13 of the plans.



Also trying a couple things different from previous builds in the assembly techniques. Here I've split the wing decal and started the wing assembly with the opposite side together. This lets me put the spar in across both wing bottoms first and get the dihedral set right, and then fold over each top one at a time. I felt like this gave me a lot more control over the wing shape than the other way. I'm going to try this one more time on the 44" build and if it works as well the second time I'll update the decals in v13.



Another change I made was doing the flaps like one of the other racer designs did (I forget which one I saw this one, but it certainly wasn't my idea to start with). So the top surface of the wing at the root goes all the way to the trailing edge undisturbed. The aileron is the only control surface that is cut through the wing top surface.


I'm still running the servo horn out the top as I don't want it getting caught on the grass as this is still a belly lander. Actually, keeping the flaps deployed at touch down will likely be a problem causing servo gear damage, but I'm just planning to flip that switch up when I flare. Not sure if that will work well or not, but we'll see.


Here's a better view of the extra piece of foam I added to be the flap. It only goes down, but I'm hoping keeping that top surface smooth across more of the wing will help with other flight characteristics. We'll see.


I am thinking I probably should have gone to a single piece of foam thickness on the tail, especially on this 34" wingspan bird, but I just love having nearly indestructible tail feathers. At least something will survive the crashes this way. :black_eyed:

 

[wilmracer]

Any recent activity on this? I'm getting back to mine now that the Talon is ready to roll and the weather isn't cooperating. I'm thinking I'll start on the wing this weekend and wanted to know your thoughts on the dihedral. I know the early prototypes could probably have done with a few more degrees and I'm curious what folks have done. I'm planning on splitting the top and joining the bottom sections like you mentioned above and I'll probably be making a few tweaks to go full nerdnic speed wing with a sharp, reinforced trailing edge. I'm debating the flaps as well... Not sure they will be worth the headache if the rip out every flight. I have a thought on a linkage that would allow some shock absorption while still driving the flaps but it seems to defeat the KISS principal

I've got my tail feathers done and covered in the yellow base. I'm planning a Gee Bee like scheme for mine. I know it isn't scale for the Caudron but I think it will look sexy

 

[rockyboy]

Yes! I need to post some pictures again.

I've got a 34" Caudron all ready for maiden. Since I printed a set of decals at the original 34" size by mistake and hadn't repurposed the electronics yet I figured I might as well put it to good use.

The next 44" wing span 1/6 scale contest one is about half way through glue up. I'm hoping to get some quality time Saturday working on it while the rain pounds the field.

I am building in a little more dihedral in the wings for both of these, and doing flaps that have a wing extension over the top and the control horn out the top too. Not sure how they will hold up in landings - if I can get them retracted during the flare in time to save 'em.

As I'm currently infatuated with the Gee Bee designs, I'm really looking forward to seeing this on a Caudron frame :applause:

 

[rockyboy]

 

[PsyBorg]

Nice a full size RB logo. When ya gonna have T shirts made?

Logo on back with the slogan "Hey Rocky, watch me pull an imalman outta my hat" on the front. (Think Rocky n Bullwinkle cartoon)

 

[rockyboy]

Nice a full size RB logo. When ya gonna have T shirts made?

Logo on back with the slogan "Hey Rocky, watch me pull an imalman outta my hat" on the front. (Think Rocky n Bullwinkle cartoon)

I like it! Need a logo for the 'Cedar Yorpantz Flying School' to go with it - I don't remember if there was a logo in the cartoon for that or not...

 

[wilmracer]

I like it! Need a logo for the 'Cedar Yorpantz Flying School' to go with it - I don't remember if there was a logo in the cartoon for that or not...

Got my wings cut and marked up last night. I need to draw out the tweaks I want but so far everything is looking good. I haven't made a final decision but I'm leaning toward skipping the flaps. My fear is ripping them out on a test flight and then missing the races at FFE. Our field is generally long enough to land racers without them and the runway at FFE feels endless (of not a bit risky for collisions) so we'll see.

 

[rockyboy]

So the 33" wingspan Caudron got a maiden flight in this weekend - video coming soon thanks to @wilmracer. Got a good checkout and solid launch from @wilsonman, but she was tail heavy and squirrely as can be. CG was set at about 1/4 of the wing chord, and that just wasn't far enough forward. Joshua mentioned he's seen racers with similar wing/body proportions have a CG almost all the way up to the leading edge. I think I'll try about 1/8 of the way back for the next flight.

I was able to set her down into tall grass for an impressive cartwheel, and would have been able to toss her right back in the sky except the firewall broke loose. On prototype 1 and 2 I added a narrow strip of foam in front of the firewall to make sure the plywood was sandwiched between foam and glue, front and back. Well, I forgot to add that front strip of foam on v3, and the right side of the firewall came free. Simple fix once I got home. She's ready to fly again when I can get back to the field - probably the same day I get the next 44" Caudron (aka v4) up in the air too.