FTFC19 Crimson Skies Heaven's Spade Carrier designed by FoamyDM

[FoamyDM]

eCalc would work.

https://www.flitetest.com/articles/easy-aircraft-design

That method gets you real close. hence my testing... but in the end, it was right. It shifted back as I think flaps were up or something during this craft's initial test.

I saw this article from 1930's Rubber Band periodical (Every Boy's Hobby Annual)

and I was wondering how well that works with DTFB. (Sounds like another project.)

 

[FoamyDM]

I look forward to trying this again on the Spruce Goose

 

[FoamyDM]

Update: nose gear failed. And I put together the short short version. Oh well. I also worked up the controls in my transmitter and tested it.

I also took some extra pictures of the wiring setup and the power train.

A picture of it with the stumpy nose gear.

The maiden is nigh!

 

[FoamyDM]

Maiden and Crash:
Nose gear redo. What I had, failed. Hmm. So I went with rubber banded sandwiched wire. I used the skewers that hold on the nose as anchors. I managed a messy but effective maiden yesterday. I had 8" props on... And during the taxi test I clipped a curb with the one blade I had no replacement for.
So I opened up the 10" slow fly props and loaded em up and gave it a whirl.

Please don't judge, it's not polished.

Result is, it flew.. beautifully. It was breezy and not tuned, the rudder differential was awesome! I was working in poor spacial conditions. Trying to land with a crossbreeze on the pavement while keeping a healthy distance from the power lines...and my car. You can't see it by my car is just left of the camera which is at the driver's side front bumper.

It slows down So nicely. I messed up a rudder and need to re glue Part of the nose. But this bird will be up for more.

 

[rockyboy]

That's awesome that it's behaving so well in the air!!

 

[DamoRC]

Love the excitement in you voice! Nice work!

DamoRC

 

[FoamyDM]

Thanks Guys! That was exciting for me. It was exactly what I was hoping for.

That's awesome that it's behaving so well in the air!!

I was suspecting... it would be a great bird, but it was a real treat for it to behave that way!
The EVA Foam makes great wheels and mess. I used a Hole Saw I had to get a round outside and the drill made a great center hole to start with. I used scissors to trim rough edges, and the exacto #11 blade to widen the center hole. I used a bottlecap hubs. But 3d printed Pool noodle hubs work amazing too. BTW, Gift Cards are not all plastic... watch out!

I bent wire to make the struts with landscaping wire bent around at 90 and then sandwiched it between Foam Board. This platform is rubber banded in. as you can see in the video's "landing" how much energy it absorbed, all the flexibility worked to help cushion the touchdown.

I have my filmographer back, so I hope to get some good footage this next Sunday, Rain Permitting.

 

[Tench745]

A little sanding will go a long way to making those tires look real. Not required, but it's nice. If you've got a belt sander, see my "Spirit" build for a good technique.

 

[FoamyDM]

Nice work!DamoRC

The encouragement is appreciated.

Am I the only one who would love a tutorial from @SP0NZ, @localfiend, @Mid7night, or @nerdnic about how they figure out the rounded sections of their planes? (So I could get this cockpit right.)

A little sanding will go a long way to making those tires look real. Not required, but it's nice. If you've got a belt sander, see my "Spirit" build for a good technique.

I took a look and you are right a quick sand job would work wonders in making the wheels more polished. (I was figuring the pavement would do a similar job over time.) and I see here that I can do it the old fashioned way, build it up, then trace it, and lay it flat.

I think I will try and put together some retracts.

I also just weighed this plane.
820g without the battery.
1060g with 2200 4s.

 

[localfiend]

The encouragement is appreciated.

Am I the only one who would love a tutorial from @SP0NZ, @localfiend, @Mid7night, or @nerdnic about how they figure out the rounded sections of their planes? (So I could get this cockpit right.)

For such a small section, just grab yourself some paper/posterboard and hand make a cockpit that looks good. I do this a lot for little complex bits as it can be faster than math or 3d modeling. Once you have a paper version that looks good, flatten the parts back out, take a picture, and trace it in your cad program. You can then easily reproduce it or tweak from there, and you start getting an idea of how curved stuff will look when drawn up in CAD.

 

[FoamyDM]

Thank you, I will try, and post here.

 

[FoamyDM]

Lastly, I took a stab at the little drop ship that's inside. I made a tube and a cone which I will take a strip around the cone to make it look like the drill and now I was thinking about having a piece that mounts the motor that goes in and out and that servo driven but that also extends and retracts the wings and propeller so they fold in.

 

[nerdnic]

For such a small section, just grab yourself some paper/posterboard and hand make a cockpit that looks good. I do this a lot for little complex bits as it can be faster than math or 3d modeling. Once you have a paper version that looks good, flatten the parts back out, take a picture, and trace it in your cad program. You can then easily reproduce it or tweak from there, and you start getting an idea of how curved stuff will look when drawn up in CAD.

This is what I do also.

 

[FoamyDM]

Here's is another attempt.

the field is a bit lumpy. So I discus launched it. worked well but the sudden acceleration caused the battery to be ejected. CG shifted dramatically, and it backward-looped to a nose-dive dirt nap... Simple fix. but rainshowers underway mean... More building!

I'll get you next time, Gadet. NEXT TIME!

 

[FoamyDM]

This attempted maiden flight succeeded.

What you might hear at the end is the prop striking the wing. One of the C-pack nut lossens. I backed off throttle, hoping for a glide slope down.
The throttle was below 50% the whole time.

 

[DamoRC]

This attempted maiden flight succeeded.

What you might hear at the end is the prop striking the wing. One of the C-pack nut lossens. I backed off throttle, hoping for a glide slope down.
The throttle was below 50% the whole time.

Flys great!

Love the instructions you were getting from "the director".

You switched hands for the discuss launch - by design?

 

[FoamyDM]

Yes, I fly mode 2 so once throttle is set for a relaxing release I could have hands on ailerons and elevator before it got dicey. a left handed launch is a bit sketchy as I'm likely to toss into the ground as in the sky, but a discuss launch I can do. It was a gentle discuss launch. So lefty was a candidate.

I really love this plane. I hope anyone who builds one feels the same.

 

[FoamyDM]

It's NOT-A-FLUKE!

After a rocky over-correcting start, this bird flew amazingly. When I fix the plans up, if you build this, you will look forward flying this.

The blades were changed to gemfan 7x3.5x3

Now it's time to adjust gear placement. And nose reinforcement.

Maybe someone here can help me learn why it turned over at the end.

 

[DamoRC]

Nice!

The roll at the end could have been tip stall as you were slowing down with a high angle of attack. Next time you put her up (a) point her into the wind, 2-3 mistakes high, and slowly back off the power and pull down on the stick to get her to stall and observe if she drops a wing tip or the nose and (b) pull a hard fast tight loop and see if she tries to roll out.

If it is tip stall it doesn't look too severe, just land her a little faster or flatter or both.

 

[FoamyDM]

Thank you. I haven't done the stall test. I was wondering if it is a product of engine differential torque at low speed. (On turning off first causing the one side)

I am looking forward to more tests. I would love to remove that tendency, As it makes belly landing difficult.

Plan adjustments to come in the next build

• Removable wing with full section.
• Main Gear located to nacelles
• Nose cone sleeve
• Battery bin
• Reinforced Horizontal tail
• Enclose the body.
• Optional Flaps
• Add a skid to keep tail off ground
• Better canopy and space for panning FPV camera
• ID 3 camera locations for 3-way camera feed switch.
  • Cockpit
  • Bomb bay
  • Wing or Gunner or Underside tail.
• Front Beak and plane for Nacelle Beaks

These will be easy and quick. I will post the official V1 plans shortly and update the first post in the next few days.
Any luck, I will do a build video too (my first).

I still have work to do, but the second big milestone has been passed.