First Build FT Guinea Pig as my Trainer/First Plane.

Okay FT Members... What actually comes in a Flite Test Guinea Pig Kit? All the order page says is,
Kit Includes:
  • Laser-cut Foam Airframe
  • Power Pod (Swappable)
  • Firewall
  • Specification Sheet
Wheels, axles, servo rods, horn set? I'd love a confirm of parts so I don't order stuff I don't need for my first build. Thanks.
1. Order date for kit is Oct. 26th.
 

kdobson83

Well-known member
It should come with the firewalls and control horns and control rods. But the wheels and wire you use as axles you will have to provide. It comes with everything you need to build and fly as a belly lander except electronics of course. They also offer wheels and wire on the store as well.
 

d8veh

Elite member
You can make the wheels out of foam-board. i did that on the Scout. They worked perfectly and looked OK when I painted them black. I think the wire for them comes in the kit. It does on all the kits that I bought.
 
So, in the build video they show 2" front tires, and 2.75" for the rear? Or are they 2" as well? Thanks Kdobson83, and d8veh. A lot of my first flights will be from rough gravel runways (My Street! Ugh!) and the foam tires won't last long. That and I plan to run the mains two per side, but on two axles. Yes I will be changing the wheel pants. Got an idea from another member to install a servo in one pant to operate the cargo door. He's using two, but I'm thinking of putting in a axle wire shaft across the floor so one servo actuates both sides.
 
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awoehler

Member
I reinforced the bottom and removed the wheels since I could never get the front trailing wheel to work very well. Replaceable piece of foam with Gorilla tape would also work for rough areas.
 

tamuct01

Well-known member
I have a pair of ~1 inch wheels in the front and ~2.5 inch wheels in the back (1 per side). The front wheels work ok not being connected to a servo, but that's more due to me using differential thrust on the motors. You will have to source your own wheels, but I got mine from the local hobby shop (HobbyTown).
 

Bricks

Master member
If this is truly your first RC plane you would be better served to look into the Tiny Trainer or similar aircraft. Cheaper easier to fix when crashed and fly's much easier.
 
Thanks Bricks, had a foam core balsa ARTF in the 80's. Over powered and bright almost florescent Orange. We put glow sticks on it one night, and the guards around our camp shot in down. My plan is to run simulator through the winter, as I build a kit, and a scratch from the same plan, or second one a mod of the Guinea. I've been flying a Promark GPS Shadow when I can just to get my bearings. She's a cheater drone, but I like her. I know it's not a fixed wing, but fun is my goal this time around. And DTFB planes are pennies on the dollar compared to other birds. I heard "Crashing is Flying when your Learning". I intend to buy plenty of FB to pattern bunches of Noses! And a few tails... you know... if Justin Case shows up! LOL
 
Remembering our crazy early service days, we ran across this. We knew her as the C-23 Sherpa. Civilian a Short Bros SC-7 Skyvan! And this one is... G-PIGY
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SKYVAN1.jpg
skyvan (2).jpg
 
Idea of starting "DTFB Airplane Coloring Book". The idea came to me yesterday while looking at the plans for the Guinea Pig. This way you can print out 4 views of your plane, ink draw, crayon, paint, whatever... without spending money on paint and supplies and doing the trial and error paint job. I've found this pretty useful in helping plan the procedure of masking, painting what first, decal prints, etc... Maybe even use to draw/mock up mods detailing and calculations on the print first, before making cuts to foam. Here is the first two pages of my "FT Guinea Pig".
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PaintPatternBlankFTGP02.png

Top and bottom are left to do. Please let me know what you think?
 
Before someones asks... the thick versions of the foam board is because my Paint app on my PC won't do any rectangle tighter than 9 pixels. I'm going to work on this. o_O
 

PoorManRC

Master member
You got some clever ideas!! At first, I wanted NOTHING to do with this Plane...
It grew on me quick!! ;):) Especially after seeing the FliteTest Build Video.

The impression I got was, it's BIG!!! Looks like it should fly smooth. I prefer Tricycle Landing Gear, and Bush-Type Aircraft.
THIS ticks both boxes nicely!!

A C-23 sounds like a good project, and adds a level of Scale fidelity to the fictious Guinea Pig!! :p And it looks great!
 
Thanks PoorManRC! And in case anyone is curious on how my coloring book works...
PaintPatternN181GP01.png
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PaintPatternN181GP04.png

Let me know what you think! And I'm working on simple conversion drawings of turning this baby into a Guinea Sherpa crossbreed. Hope to show you something soon.
 
I didn't mark the colors, but I took the idea for my first bird from '60's test aircraft livery. Florescent Orange nose, wing tips, tail. The rest in silver. The Turquoise and Gold are my birth stone and metal. Figure I'll use them in my planes color schemes so I can always tell my birds. N181GP is a Multi-Role Experimental aircraft. Good call for my first plane back into the fun!
 
Second "Livery" in the Hampton Aviation hanger!
PaintPatternHA-01.png
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The colors for "Anna Belle" are, Turquoise, White, Chrome, Gold, Indigo, Red, Black. The window inserts here are painted Dark Gray. The font for "HAMPTON AVIATION" is "Broadway". The font for "Anna Belle" is "AR Berkley".
 
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