FT Racer - BUILD (FT Slinger)

jpot1

Elite member
I wanted to share some of the mods I did to the FT Racer, applying some of the improvements FT has done on later plans.

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Not shown but extended the paper on the fuselage in order to fold over and protect exposed foam.

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Did a hatch mod to keep the battery in the fuselage and have better access to the receiver. Basically had to cut another fuse top and one extra former and then attached the poster board in two section similar to the FT Sportster. Magnets to keep the hatch in place.

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Also went with a shortened power pod for better access within the fuse/hatch area.

Now, need to maiden this weekend!
 

Liv2ride

Junior Member
I made a similar battery hatch mod on mine, it has worked quite nicely.. I feel it's kind of a needed thing if you don't plan on doing the removable power pod thing.
 

liquidsky

New member
Hi Guys. This is my Racer. I need to learn more about painting but for second attempt I'm quite pleased with the overall effect. Haven't flown it yet and I only hope I'm ready for her. Thank you guys from Flite Test for all your work :) About a year ago i accidentally stumbled upon your Spitfire build video and I got hooked. I hope you like it.

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Overprop

Junior Member
150% FT Racer on new Graphene 6s

Some great work/paint jobs in the previous posts, top efforts!

Just thought I would share my current project. It's a 150% racer, with a speed style wing, increased control surfaces, custom fuse, running on Graphine 6s 65c batteries powering a NTM 3548 1100kv with an 11x7 APC.
Looking at a prop speed of 160mph for lots of smoke and flames! 

I Just took the picture to get a sense of scale, wife approves haha! The wings have not been fixed yet before you say there crooked.

Looking forward to getting her up in the air and testing the Graphene power.
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jpot1

Elite member
Take a look at the FT Mustang plans - basically a piece of wood inside the wing with the landing gear attached from beneath the wing. This has worked well for me on several planes.
 

racevws

New member
HI and LOW

How do I use the included gauge to set up deflection, etc? This is my first foam build and I need to know what to do to get it ready for first flight. I pretty sure I have the CG correct, at slightly nose heavy, but the elevator and other deflections have me stumped. I have the gauge that is HIGH and LOW.

Is this explained in another video or article I could look at? No need to explain it all if there is a great resource I could look at. Thanks.
 

jpot1

Elite member
I believe Josh shows how to use them in various build videos but here goes. Take the side marked low and hold those words facing one of the control surfaces, for example the elevator. Then adjust the rates on you transmitter so when the elevator deflects it just touches the gauge. Flip the gauge over and use that for the high rates. Then just repeat for the other surfaces. If you are just starting out and your radio can handle it add some expo. For this plane you can probably start as high as 50% and then reduce later. Hope this helps?
 

hudd5210

Posting Elsewhere
hey,guys

i am a fresh man。 i have built a RACER. i want to fly this plane slower. 2212-1400kv and 8060. this configuration can fly well? tha
ks everyone. i am looking for your reply.
 

mrjdstewart

Legendary member
Boom!

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i have ZERO hope for the spinner. it is 3D printed and so far everyone i have done has failed upon spin up. this is a scaled down version of SPONZ warbird spinner but it doesn't seem to matter what i print with, what settings i use, they just explode on spin up. this one is more for the "glamor shots" than anything else. i have an prop nut waiting in the wings.

we will see tomorrow morning.

laters,

me :cool:
 

mrjdstewart

Legendary member
ok,

so i have now flown the racer 3 times. each with a little diff result.

maiden flight-

using a 10x4.5sf prop. feels fine, all controls good, throttle up and launch. takes off perfect, flies perfect. no trim required at all. not nearly as fast as i was hoping for but, but it looks good. notice almost immediatly that it has really twitchy tendency to tip, very "stall" like tendency. about 3 mins into the flight i lose left aileron input. it will not roll left. i start to freak thinking i'm about to loose my new plane but get it back under control and pointed back at me using the rudder. i do my best boy scout effort and bring it back to the field and land. upon inspection the motor was very hot, but all control surfaces worked as they should. after this, i just parked it in the jeep and did not fly it agin that day.

so, i took it home. got some grief for running a 10x4.5 sf prop, and decided to try something else. i put on a 9x4E and a spinner.

second flight-

this time i was hand launching myself so i throttle up pretty good, the threw it into the air. it immediatly dipped, dove for the ground, touched a wing tip, then took off. speed seemed about the same, still had sketchy tip stalls, but other control seemed fine. then about the 3 min mark the left aileron went out again. i was standing on the line, with full left input, and it was doing right circles just in front of us. i leveled out, went to rudder only and brought it back in as before. once agin, on the ground all controls were good, and the motor was not hot.

scratched my head and put it back in the jeep. figured i'd would look at it when i got home.

third flight-

i had no intention of flying this plane again today, but after some egging from the "colonel" i said what the the heck, it's gonna fly or it's gonna crash. either way we will see. so, same story, throttle up, launch, have very dramatic near ground collision, and then into the sky. same tip issues but this time at the 3 min mark everything seemed fine. flew for the next min and came in for a uneventful landing.

i think i need to check my RX placement and a few other items. i hope this airplane can become the plane i want it to be. no matter what though, a C-pack motor is not appropriate for the plane to call it a "racer."

laters,

me :cool:
 

Namactual

Elite member
I have no idea what the aileron issue could be?:unsure: Unless you have some weird RX/TX issue like you mentioned. If you were flying extremely slow you will have a hard time overcoming the torque roll. That's about all I can think of.

The sketchy launches I had on my first Racer/Thresher as well. I know mine was due to torque roll. I just don't think the VertStab is large enough at slow speeds.

I don't remember having tip stall issues, but I never really slowed my first build down too much. The swept wing will stall easier than a straight wing though. I have massive winglets on my new build and this thing will down right crawl though the air without stalling.

Stupid question, you don't have any sort of mixing on the ailerons do you, like flaperons maybe?

A final note, the 9x4 is probably the correct prop to use with that motor on 4s, but with a maximum pitch speed of 70mph which you would never reach. An 8x6 would give you a 105mph maximum pitch speed. Just take it easy on the throttle. Only do full speed passes with plenty of cool down in between. I am sure an 8x6E can not be any worse than a 10x4.7. ;)