FT Versa Wing - BUILD

[victour20010]

Maidend both last Weekend.

View attachment 13556

At the left one I cut an opening into the powerpod. Now I can slide a 1300 mA battery in and tack it to the wall. The ESC is now at the outside wall of the pod giving room for the battery.

The blue has 60 mm more span and a spacecraft cabin to safe weight up front.
The frontal area is compensated by slightly larger endplates and there are boarders to hide the ESC. I call it the FB Spacewing.

Cool space cockpit!

 

[victour20010]

I am really curious; for the pusher folks with props 8 inches or larger, are you getting any prop strikes to the ground upon landing?

I feared this.

I also read somewhere (and local hobby shop confirmed it) that it was not really recommended to use the rubber band type prop saver on my motor (Park 480). Neither did I want to use a pusher folding prop.

I ended creating my own 'prop saver' (which kind of also serves as thrust vectoring) type of mechanism controlled by a servo. The servo tilts the motor forward just before landing. So far its working well...but I was still curious if others experience prop strikes.

 

[DDSFlyer]

How far do you mount the battery in that cockpit? Do you velcro it down to stabilize it?
I'm actually trying to figure out if I want to cut into the top or the bottom of the wing for the battery hatch (first one I did the bottom like the video) but I may to the top. I plan on placing a fair amount of hot glue inside the nose for additional weight and as a bumper for the battery/nose area in case of a dumb thumb nose in (like my last wing)...

 

[hotwax]

I stick the 2200 mAh all the way into the nose. On the floor is a piece of velcro and on both ends of the battery also.

My first launch went wrong due to false trim and the FB Spacewing came on it's nose, but survived with no damage.

 

[xuzme720]

I am really curious; for the pusher folks with props 8 inches or larger, are you getting any prop strikes to the ground upon landing?

I feared this.

I also read somewhere (and local hobby shop confirmed it) that it was not really recommended to use the rubber band type prop saver on my motor (Park 480). Neither did I want to use a pusher folding prop.

I ended creating my own 'prop saver' (which kind of also serves as thrust vectoring) type of mechanism controlled by a servo. The servo tilts the motor forward just before landing. So far its working well...but I was still curious if others experience prop strikes.

I haven't had much in the way of prop strikes but I have the throttle completely cut on landing. I also do not have the brake set on the ESC as I like the windmilling to help slow this wing down for landing in the yard (it's smaller than the field and more difficult to land in). The Versa loves to glide and doesn't bleed speed off very quickly...

 

[DDSFlyer]

I stick the 2200 mAh all the way into the nose. On the floor is a piece of velcro and on both ends of the battery also.

My first launch went wrong due to false trim and the FB Spacewing came on it's nose, but survived with no damage.

You've got my mind churning with ideas now...maybe I'll make a removable nose that slots in and can be replaced if damaged too badly...
did you cut just the top of the wing or the whole center section to mount the cockpit? Seems like it would be cool to just have two vertical slots cut into the wing and maybe cutting the top of the wing for more space but leaving it as an option not to...
Man this second wing is just taking so long to build because of all the ideas mid build...

 

[Craftydan]

DDS, Got any pics of this tilt mechanism?

 

[victour20010]

DDS, Got any pics of this tilt mechanism?

Cradtydan, here is a link to the tilt mechanism I made:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWWML7b5yGs&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[victour20010]

I'll upload picture later, from a desktop computer, since my phone doesn't seem to let me.

 

[jackedman]

Looks pretty cool. What did you use to make it???. Also have you flown it yet??

 

[Craftydan]

Sorry Victour, thread blur confusing me about who said what.

Thanks for the vid (hafta watch it later -- bad bandwidth ATM). Researching various tilt mechanisms, so looking forward to the pics.

 

[victour20010]

Looks pretty cool. What did you use to make it???. Also have you flown it yet??

I made it from a small sheet of aluminum. I purchased the aluminum sheet from Home Depot. I used a utility knife to do the bends (score then bend) and for the actual cuts I just scored then kept bending back and forth until the score just breaks off. I used a drill to make the actual holes where needed. I used .047 wire for the moving 'joints'.

I have flown it 3 days this week; its working well so far. I used hot glue to bond the servo to the aluminum. The bond is strong. However, there was one time the bond came loose while in my trunk; I guess the temperature in my trunk got the aluminum too hot during the day. (Parking my car in the shade now). Otherwise, the bond is strong.

 

[Craftydan]

interesting design. cheap, practical, and probably not too heavy. good to add to the collection . . .

 

[hotwax]

did you cut just the top of the wing or the whole center section to mount the cockpit?

I actually extended the wingpanels 30 mm inwards each, but only from the spar backwards and made new longer spars. After joining the winghalfes there is a cutout from the spar forward 60 mm wide. In this place I glued my spacey cockpit.

If you want to make a detachable mount, you can start as with a frontal engine, shorten the firewall and use it inverted. you can build the cockpit around the firewall and fix it at the wing with barbeque stick and ziptie.

 

[DDSFlyer]

To make it removable I was thinking of making it slot in the top of the wing like a powerpod does on the bottom except extending it into the body of the wing like the FT Cruiser fronts, but I'm debating the look of this turning this NOT into a wing anymore...hmmm. It is just so functional I may still do it. We'll see, I may mock it up anyways and see if I want to do it or not....there is always version 3.0!

 

[Dino]

I made it from a small sheet of aluminum. I purchased the aluminum sheet from Home Depot. I used a utility knife to do the bends (score then bend) and for the actual cuts I just scored then kept bending back and forth until the score just breaks off. I used a drill to make the actual holes where needed. I used .047 wire for the moving 'joints'.

I have flown it 3 days this week; its working well so far. I used hot glue to bond the servo to the aluminum. The bond is strong. However, there was one time the bond came loose while in my trunk; I guess the temperature in my trunk got the aluminum too hot during the day. (Parking my car in the shade now). Otherwise, the bond is strong.


View attachment 13622 View attachment 13623

I bet that thing would back flip so tight. probably be cool at 90° too.

 

[Dino]

Can you do some video of it flying^^^^^^

 

[victour20010]

Dino, yep I plan to do a video; will let you know when its ready.

 

[DDSFlyer]

Just uploaded the maiden video of my Versa 2.0. Kinda boring video but thought I'd share. Started out with some major trimming due to me setting up the elevons with too much up elevator. Got it level though and still flies so stable.
http://youtu.be/vNRtivalrPo
This second build I laminated the whole thing in packing tape and added LED's (can't wait to night fly it) but I can tell it's definitely heavier. Not a big deal or difference, I can just tell. Now to wait on the two powerplant motor options I ordered to see which one I went too overboard on power with! I ordered these two motors to fly with a 7x6 or 8x6 prop and a 40amp turnigy plush ESC
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=26820 the beef!
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=26483 and something really beefy!
I'm just surprised how well the video turned out, I just slapped some velcro and my keychain cam #16 just for fun!
On to version 2.1 when the motors come in...then maybe 3.0 with the extra motor and B-2 design mash up?

 

[Dino]

Nice ^^^