FT SPITFIRE

ARCrash

Junior Member
Here's my scratchbuild. Maidened it today. just a great plane to fly. Thank you FT for this nice desing.
image.jpg
 

Craftydan

Hostage Taker of Quads
Staff member
Moderator
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DL,

just once -- I think Chris is saying minwax then paint, and here's the link to the minwax to use.
 

Blenderite

Professional Crash Pilot
That is what I thought. I was thinking that minwaxing twice was a little over kill!!! Not to mention the extra weight.
 

xuzme720

Dedicated foam bender
Mentor
I'm actually thinking of trying peeling all the paper off on my next versa build and just use the tape for covering to see how that works for weight reduction. I'll let you know how that goes.
 

Craftydan

Hostage Taker of Quads
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Replacing the paper really helps the weight, assuming the airframes shape is stiff enough to do without. As long as you get a good glue joint on topand bottom of the spar, The Versa should build out nicely that way. You might want to build up hardpoints on the interior of the LE for gripping -- then again, might get away with just a strip of extreme packing tap under the covering tape.
 

xuzme720

Dedicated foam bender
Mentor
Yes EPT will go on as in the normal build, and since I have finally figured out how to launch a wing, I should be in good shape. I'm also wondering how this will help with adjusting the CG since relatively speaking, battery will be higher ratio of all up weight, if I can manage to drop enough weight, that is.
 

Craftydan

Hostage Taker of Quads
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well, where are you mounting your battery in realtion to ideal CG? Frankly I'd worry more about the relitively heavier motors to the airframe's diet after all it has a nasty long moment arm attached to that weight.

If you think it'll be a big problem, you could add a lenght of 1/8" fiberglass rod down notch cut in the the leading edge for the fold. It's a bit heavy when compared to CF, but really resiliant -- Not only pushes the CG forward but'll give the LE some bounce! Kinda wierd suggesting adding weight to make up for a plane's diet, but you could think of it as "redistributing the wealth" ;)
 

xuzme720

Dedicated foam bender
Mentor
On the current Versa, I have a 3500mAh 15C way up front in the nose just to get the CG workable and I'm only running a 2830 for the go part. Airframe is 428g and the battery is 288g.

The reason I'd like it further back(the battery) is that in a nose in crash, I bent a pack. I'd just like to see some more foam between the batt and the firma, if they ever meet again.
 

Blenderite

Professional Crash Pilot
Question: If I mount my battery underneath the power pod, how do I connect my battery wires to the ESC? Cut a hole in the bottom of the power pod? I don't remember seeing anything talking about this in the build video. Thanks!
 

xuzme720

Dedicated foam bender
Mentor
That's what I do. In the original videos, they showed building the pods for planes that had easy to remove pods. As the planes got more complex and finished looking, the pods were harder to take out and everyone started putting batteries on the underside, but the video never showed that.

Just cut a small hole where you can pull the ESC power lead to the outside. Have an idea of where the battery will need to go for correct balance, so you make sure the hole is in a place you can get the ESC lead to match where the battery will be.
 

Blenderite

Professional Crash Pilot
Ok I will do that then. I will probably get the CG correct and then cut the hole. Also, any tips for me when I maiden? It will probably be a bit still, but I would like to know. I have never flown a airplane with ailerons, but I have been practicing in a simulator for a while. So far I have only flown a slow stick. I love that plane, except for the fact that you can't order a spare wing or rudder. My wing is busted pretty bad. Note: I got the plane that way. I am not that bad of a pilot. Got it used from a neighbor.