FTFC20: Build-ruary by Mayan (Build Skill: 4, Pilot SKill: 3 Novice)

FishHawk

Well-known member
FT-Build-Ruary:
Howard DGA-6 aka Mr. Mulligan Designed by @mayan Build by @mayan

**DISCLAIMER: HAS NOT BEEN SUCCESSFULLY MAIDENED**
**DISCLAIMER: This model was half built before the challenge started**

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Plans: https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?resources/howard-dga-6-aka-mr-mulligan.88/

I choose to rebuild part of this model because I wanted to test a few changes and how they would effect the flight characteristics of the plane as part of me trying to prefect out the design of this model.

Building this model is challenging and requires some previous building experience with the different techniques used by Flite Test including some of the master series techniques. However with that being said the pieces come together fairly easily with tabs and slots to help keep things lined up. Molding the foam board to shape the fuselage of the model as hard as it might look is also fairly easy because of formers that are used to help keep things nice and tight. The most difcult part of the build is forming and gluing in place the windshield and round front section of the nose. Other than that this model has plenty of room for electronics and can work with different sized servos, batteries, and motors.

** The video bellow is a maiden attempt of flying the model after rebuilding the wing with a higher wing cord, this maiden attempt was unsuccessful but I have flown this model successfully in the past so I'll link to the thread I have dedicated to the model. **

Here is a video of previous times that I have flown the model successfully, and a link to it's dedicated thread: FTFC20 Howard DGA-6 (Racing) designed by Mayan


Flying this model isn't hard for the most part, but the model still needs tweaking to be prefect and give a prefect flight experience. The most important thing to watch out for as of now with the model is the wing tip stalls that you might experience while trying to make a turn. I have done some design changes that helped reduce the amount of times that this is happening and the effect of it on the plane. Other than that this plane can slow down really nicely but also go quite fast as well as do all your basic aerobatics.

Summing up my expereince with this model a fun to fly plane, that will defenatily WOW everyone at the field. The model itself does need more tweaking to fly prefect and that will be my next project to wrap up, so if this review and plane did spark some interest please follow my dedicated thread about it.
Looks like it is a little tail heavy. Have you tried moving the CG forward 1cm?
 

FoamyDM

Building Fool-Flying Noob
Moderator
CONGRATULATIONS!!! mister 1st PLACE Winner!

I was stunned at your ambitious list. I was flabbergasted when you did it!
I also enjoyed the few build nights we got up together, and were able to talk about this hobby and challenge.

Thank you for participating and bringing so much excitement, inspiration, and fun to this difficult challenge
 

mayan

Legendary member
CONGRATULATIONS!!! mister 1st PLACE Winner!

I was stunned at your ambitious list. I was flabbergasted when you did it!
I also enjoyed the few build nights we got up together, and were able to talk about this hobby and challenge.

Thank you for participating and bringing so much excitement, inspiration, and fun to this difficult challenge
Thank you buddy for giving us the opportunity to take part in it :). It was super fun and now I have a ton of planes that I can fly crash and repair :). I just crashed the Racer bad because of LOS again earlier today so now I have to get it repaired :).
 

Wildthing

Legendary member
Thank you buddy for giving us the opportunity to take part in it :). It was super fun and now I have a ton of planes that I can fly crash and repair :). I just crashed the Racer bad because of LOS again earlier today so now I have to get it repaired :).
You did a fantastic job
 

mayan

Legendary member
FT-Build-Ruary: Hawk Hurricane designed by @mach1 rc Build by @mayan
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Plans: I have a problem linking to them because @mach1 rc hasn't publicly posted them at least not that I know of so I rather get his approval to post them before I do. @Randomkid87 could you please ask him if I can post them?

The reason why I choose to build this plane and make it the first on my list is because @mach1 rc asked if I could test out his design, and I happily agreed to help and give him my feedback.

The build itself is not complicated but does include quite a bit of work with poster board so if you don't feel comfortable with poster board masking I recommend you get some practice working with that. I did have some issues with the tail boom either because of a mistake I did or because the plans need some fine tuning but a part from that everything else went along just fine. Unlike the original design I made the wings removable by copying the technique used on the Spitfire. My guess for the estimated build time on this build is 6 hours, working without long breaks. More about the build process can be found on later posts.

I'll give this build an overall build rating of challenging just because the plans are not a 100% fine tuned and thus requires a bit of thinking and working around problems, however once the plans will be finalized this plane will easily fall into the moderate build level category.


The first few moments of the maiden were cut out of the video as my flying was sketchy and the plane needed some trimming, once I dialed it in she flew great. The model does require speed to stay air born and stable, it can slow down but only so much before it will stall on you. One thing that I noticed is that the model will want to wing stall on you on tight turns so be aware of that and prepared to deal with it. I do have an idea of how to fix that and I believe that copying the poster board wing tip trick like in the FT Racer should solve the problem or at least help with that. I am rating the flying of this model as hard because of the wing stalls that will cause a less exprienced pilot crash.

Overall to sum up my exprience with this model I will say that this is not a plane for a new builder or pilot but is defenatly a fun plane for the more exprienced.
After abusing this model I had to put it to the ultimate challenge!!!
 

mayan

Legendary member
apparently I was not thinking I could, but I pieced together the gist. I did it Mystery science theater 3000 style. You guy were hilarious! :LOL:
You should watch with subtitles I am sure you’ll enjoy it even more!