Foam Addict
Squirrel member
Yeah, I'm having a bit of a hard time finding build time for myself. I'm building for a lot of other people, but I'll try to get the T-33 mod in soon.
FT Duster - BUILD
- Thread starter fliteadmin
- Start date
DDSFlyer
Senior Member
I've built mine, but final painting is in process since the bad weather delayed the maiden long enough for me to just paint it in the meantime. I'm not sure how much bigger but the lady at Staples decided to print the full page plans on a 40"x36" piece of paper (~125%?). Had to build the wing and spar on two separate pieces of DTFB and taped/glued together. Wingspan comes out to 36". Ran out of weekend time and am slowly finishing the painting every night during the week to see if I can fly it this weekend. Have to scale up the landing gear as well as they came out a little puny. Will post pics before the maiden to make sure I document it all pretty like.
Will be running an NTM 28-36 1800kV motor, Turnigy Plush 40A ESC, 9x7.5x3 bladed PZ Corsair prop
Last edited:
gabe221
Junior Member
I have a piece of 40"x60" foam board. I mean scale it up, way up. Wingspan 40"-60", add flaps?, bigger tail feathers?, long fuselage? This is what I mean. I got the printer access, more foam board this size, that's why I was asking. I'd like to know how yours turns out. Are you going to add any thrust angle to it? How much?
Edit: would like to see pic of it.
Edit: would like to see pic of it.
Last edited:
DDSFlyer
Senior Member
36" wingspan FT Dusty
Well, it's pretty much done. Not air worthy yet (stinkin aileron servo detached from the wing, now I have to make a hole to reglue it in...guess that's what these pics are for to look at it all pretty still). Took some pics of it in progress and final result next to my 3 y/o daughter's toy I based the paint scheme on. Will let you know how it maidened, when I get the chance...then I may just hang it up if it survives.
canopy done, ready for orange paint on the rest
first color down
paint done, had to remake the landing gear
final result.
Well, it's pretty much done. Not air worthy yet (stinkin aileron servo detached from the wing, now I have to make a hole to reglue it in...guess that's what these pics are for to look at it all pretty still). Took some pics of it in progress and final result next to my 3 y/o daughter's toy I based the paint scheme on. Will let you know how it maidened, when I get the chance...then I may just hang it up if it survives.
canopy done, ready for orange paint on the rest
first color down
paint done, had to remake the landing gear
final result.
My Dusty had her maiden flight this morning. The plane flew, however was tail heavy. The CG was correct, but very difficult to keep level. This was without the stabiliser and flown by a pro.
He suggested getting the motor to point down more and improve the CG.
This is the take off movie. I did not get the landing recorded.
Sean
http://youtu.be/q6r1uxgk00A
He suggested getting the motor to point down more and improve the CG.
This is the take off movie. I did not get the landing recorded.
Sean
http://youtu.be/q6r1uxgk00A
Raylon
Junior Member
Well after my spray painting disaster with minwax, I ended up tearing a lot of the paper off the foam board and have been using duct tape to give it a skin and a paint job. I've heard that duct tape isn't the best kind of tape to stick to foam but it seems to be doing a good job. So far I am pretty happy with how it is going. It will be a little heavier with all the tape but I don't expect it will be a problem.
Attachments
Raylon
Junior Member
So I went out to maiden the Duster and it didn't go so well. I believe I have set up all my throws correct but for some reason I have no elevator control. The plane tookoff but I had hardly any elevator control. Pulling full back on the elevator resulted in a slightly better than flat flight that had me scurrying to get altitude and barely able to turn. I'm not sure what is wrong. The throw looks fine, I even increased travel to 125%. But maybe I need to recenter the servo with a more positive pitch angle? Is this a COG issue? This plane seemed very hard to figure out if it was balance or not.
DDSFlyer
Senior Member
So you're saying on the ground your elevator is having the right amount of travel but when you take off there is no elevator authority/control? Was it flying too slow to barely take off? Is the prop/motor not giving enough thrust?
From what I've heard these planes have extreme control surfaces and the throws should be tamed down on maidens but that doesn't seem to be your problem
From what I've heard these planes have extreme control surfaces and the throws should be tamed down on maidens but that doesn't seem to be your problem
Raylon
Junior Member
Yep it appears to have had proper throws on the ground but I had no control basically in the air. Is that a symptom of of a nose heavy plane? I found this plane very hard to balance.
Foam Addict
Squirrel member
Are your control horns tight?
Hi,
I've got a question about the fitting of the power pod. The build video shows how Josh glues the small square piece with the small skewers just below the foremost former. This is where the firewall will fit into. However when I dry mount my previously made power pod the rest of the pod doesn't fit flush to the top deck. There is a gap between the top deck with the formers and the power pod. Is that supposed to be there? Should I build a new power pod with bigger tabs so they reach the upper deck?
Anyone get what I mean? Otherwise I'll see if I make a quick drawing.
Thanks.
I've got a question about the fitting of the power pod. The build video shows how Josh glues the small square piece with the small skewers just below the foremost former. This is where the firewall will fit into. However when I dry mount my previously made power pod the rest of the pod doesn't fit flush to the top deck. There is a gap between the top deck with the formers and the power pod. Is that supposed to be there? Should I build a new power pod with bigger tabs so they reach the upper deck?
Anyone get what I mean? Otherwise I'll see if I make a quick drawing.
Thanks.
As I built mine, I thought that piece (where the barbeque skewers go in) was just for giving the plane a bit of downward thrust angle. Mine had the same "problem" as yours I guess, but it flew great. I wouldn't worry about it, but make sure your back tabs line up well and your bbq skewer that holds the pod lines up well too.
Kronblom,
Like KishMot said, it won't cause a problem. I would argue that it actually helps the flight characteristics, as it adds some down-thrust to the build. If the plane is built as demonstrated in the build video, this is the way it will fit. On mine, I’m actually using a power pod that was built without tabs. I used a credit card reinforced the holes or the bbq skewer that holds the pod in place. I made the holes a little small so I get a really tight friction fit. I removed the tabs so I could move the pod back a bit to get the prop to sit closer to the fuselage. I don’t like when there is a huge space between the front of the plane and the prop.
