FT Old Speedster - BUILD

fliteadmin

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The Speed Build Kit is available in our web store!
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Here it is! The build video for the FT Old Speedster. If you are firmiliar with the FT Old Fogey this one will be a breeze.
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The polyhedral wing design allows the plane to self right itself in the air.
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Remember, it is hip to be square. Always double check your angles!
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Here, Josh assembles the control horn for the rudder. If you ever need extra control horns, they are available in the store!
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Right before the attachment of the power pod.
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Last but never least, WHEEL PANTS! These are included in the kit but are also available seperately if you would like to add them to your existing planes. Check them out in the store!

Click here for the seperate Wheel Pants build video
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For recommended electronics, click here

FREE Build Plans:

FT Old Speedster [ FULL SIZE ]
FT Old Speedster [ TILED ]
 

trackskid

Junior Member
guess it's off to buy foam board and hot glue sticks tonight
oh yeah- thanks so much guys!!!
this may help me get more of my friends into this hobby...5 and counting!
you are the best
 
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Foam Addict

Squirrel member
Argh, I just used up my last sheet of foam. Great design guys! Another excellent indoor for the cold months!
4 and counting!:D
 

darkmatter2222

Junior Member
How well does that frame around the motor protect the motor form head on impact with the ground? (My biggest problem with tractors)Maybe FliteTest can begin producing some wooden cutouts that somewhat encompass the motor to protect it from impact.(using a prop saver)
 

DDSFlyer

Senior Member
I love the look of this plane...I would like to see it as a regular 4 channel airplane though (with ailerons). Hmmm....future project for me. I wonder which wing would be best paired with this fuse and tail...simple soarer (scaled down) FT cruiser or Spitfire?
 

Implicit

New member
How well does that frame around the motor protect the motor form head on impact with the ground? (My biggest problem with tractors)Maybe FliteTest can begin producing some wooden cutouts that somewhat encompass the motor to protect it from impact.(using a prop saver)

On my first Babyblender, I flew it head-on into a metal light pole. Right on the spinner, and it made an almight *Gooooong* sound.
Front of the powerpod crumbled and the BBQ skewers holding it, cut a 1/2" gash in the fuselage.
The motor was absolutely fine and is currently being abused on my FT3D, running more under more load than it's rated for.
 

Bolvon72

Senior Member
Mentor
Well after a long hiatus, due to a couple of bad builds and multiple aggravating interruptions to my happy happy fly time, I am excitedly back. I have been watching the last few builds but have not been in the mood to pick up my exacto, the Cruiser was my last one. My first build was the Old Fogey and maybe because this is related I finally decided to get another plane going. Just put it up and it felt so great to have another fresh build in the air. Thanks Josh, I almost feel like you designed this one to get my butt back in gear.
 

Bolvon72

Senior Member
Mentor
I love the look of this plane...I would like to see it as a regular 4 channel airplane though (with ailerons). Hmmm....future project for me. I wonder which wing would be best paired with this fuse and tail...simple soarer (scaled down) FT cruiser or Spitfire?

I had built a plane based on the Old Fogey wing design without the polyhedral. I simply cut ailerons and glued the servos flat under the wing. It flew great and I will probably build a second speedster with the same alterations myself.
 

sickdude

Junior Member
hi there,

first of all i'd like to thank you guys at flitetest for making this awesome show...i really like it and it's kinda what i've been missing. i always wanted to do r/c flying but was to intimidated to try. Thank you!

i'm going to do this as my first build and it's also going be my first plane.
i have got a couple of questions, though:
i am from germany so i can't order from the store (due to shipping costs), so i have to figure out a couple of things myself and maybe some of you could help with some things.

first i don't know what kind of control horns i could use. are there any around, maybe on hobbyking or so, that are similar to the ones used in the build videos? something like these or these maybe?

on the other hand i need advice on what receiver i could use with my dx6i that i already have...i was looking at the orange rx r620 but i read something about range and interference issues. any recommendations?

thanks for your help, i really appreciate it.
 
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rcairplanenoob

I live on Li-pos
hi there,

first of all i'd like to thank you guys at flitetest for making this awesome show...i really like it and it's kinda what i've been missing. i always wanted to do r/c flying but was to intimidated to try. Thank you!

i'm going to do this as my first build and it's also going be my first plane.
i have got a couple of questions, though:
i am from germany so i can't order from the store (due to shipping costs), so i have to figure out a couple of things myself and maybe some of you could help with some things.

first i don't know what kind of control horns i could use. are there any around, maybe on hobbyking or so, that are similar to the ones used in the build videos? something like these or these maybe?

on the other hand i need advice on what receiver i could use with my dx6i that i already have...i was looking at the orange rx r620 but i read something about range and interference issues. any recommendations?

thanks for your help, i really appreciate it.

that reciever should be fine, i only use the orange rxers with 2 antennas that are 5.89 i forget what they are called. I've only had one instance where i lost connection but that was flying with one with the single antenna (the earlier version). For the control horns flitetest sells theirs in their store 20 for $5 however i dont know how much shipping will be its only a small light package so it couldnt be that bad.
 

Dreamwalker

Less than 250 Grams!
first i don't know what kind of control horns i could use. are there any around, maybe on hobbyking or so, that are similar to the ones used in the build videos? something like these or these maybe?


I think that either of these control horns will work fine. Make sure that you line up the holes of the horn with the hinge line when installing them.

Good luck and happy flying :)

Tom
 

MT Alex

Senior Member
Greetings!

I either misplaced, threw away, or didn't receive a 16 degree throw gauge with my speed build kit. Does anyone have a link to a template that I could print out and make one out of scrap? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

EDIT: Thanks anyway, but I made one that worked great.
 
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OrionOxotnik

Junior Member
Old Speedster Weight?

I did a scratch build Old Speedster this weekend and am pretty happy with the results. Only trouble I had was with the front piece of poster board, but it still looks okay. Checking the total weight, though, I seem to be on the heavy side. The build instructions say 352g w/o battery, but I'm up in the 410~420g range. Does anyone have theirs around a scale to give me a comparison?

Without the power pod at all, my airframe (including servos, foamboard wheels and pants) weighs in at 284g. This was DT Adams foamboard but I minwaxed it before cutting the pieces.

I was going to try to run an FC 28-22 Brushless Outrunner 1200kv on it instead of the HK 24g. I know this is adding a couple of grams, but it should only be 10 or 15g more than a 24g or Blue Wonder and I figured it'd have plenty of power to make up for it, but still be able to go slow with a 9x4.7.
 

Dreamwalker

Less than 250 Grams!
I just weighed my Speedster build, it comes in at 282 grams so far.(including servos, Rx, HK 2.75" wheels ,LG and wheel pants)

My current battered,reinforced,half roll of packing tape thrice repaired power pod weighs about 150 grams w/out battery.

Add about 50 grams for a 500 Mah 3s, and I'm pushing 200 grams!:eek:
I'm going to build a new light weight pod w/ very little tape reinforcement.
I didn't Minwax it yet, but I feel that it could fly with a Blue Wonder and an 8 x 6 prop.
A 9 x 4.7 on my blue Wonder pushes the motor a bit more than I like and gets warm.

I'm going to use the power pack for the Fogey/Speedster offered by Altitude Hobbies.
It can handle the bigger prop and air frame weight.
Your choice of motor should be fine for the added weight.

Good luck

Tom
 

OrionOxotnik

Junior Member
Thanks. Sounds like I'm not really that much heavier than your rig. I tried to maiden the other day, but was having trouble with my landing gear and my propsaver. The clothes-hanger wire I used is just too soft, I think. I'll probably switch back to a collet as well.
 

BLewis

Junior Member
This is my first post. I really enjoy all the videos and am going on a building frenzy. I have been out of the of the hobby for about 30 yrs and now having the time of my life. I have a question, I know the Speedster flies very well as designed with the offset wing, but I prefer the wing to be even. So, is there another was to compensate for the torque of the motor with down or right thrust and if so how much?
 

Dreamwalker

Less than 250 Grams!
Hello BLewis and welcome to the forum.:)

I don't know exactly how much down & right thrust will be needed.
The pod mount adds some down thrust to begin with. ( I believe it's 2 degrees)

I'm going to go with the average amount,( 2-3 degrees down and 2-4 degrees right) and see what happens.
I might just angle the pod in the fuselage to the right, and double up the foam pod mount for more down thrust.

Tom
 

BLewis

Junior Member
Hello BLewis and welcome to the forum.:)

I don't know exactly how much down & right thrust will be needed.
The pod mount adds some down thrust to begin with. ( I believe it's 2 degrees)

I'm going to go with the average amount,( 2-3 degrees down and 2-4 degrees right) and see what happens.
I might just angle the pod in the fuselage to the right, and double up the foam pod mount for more down thrust.

Tom

Thanks for the info
Bill