A combat airplane is not easy to fly, RC or control line. Combat airplanes are not stable, fly fast, turn extremely fast, and go where they are pointed. Keeping track of the airplane's orientation is always an issue. I built one. It flew great, very exciting, but I was not a good enough pilot to keep it in the air long enough to deplete a battery. I still have the wing.
Thank you for the insight! Sounds like
I might not be able to make the 5 minute flight time requirement then LOL
I'll make adjustments as necessary (read; give the sticks to someone who knows how to fly.)
.09 Cubic inches piston about the diameter of your pinkie, twice .049 ( picture on my glider over on the pre 2000 section), swings a 7-4 or 7-6 prop at 15,000 rpm makes an amazing 1/2 hp that is totally unuseable except for airplanes. Equivalent to a B electric. Could hang a C for controlled lunacy appropriate to control line. That would make an excellent combat plane (DUH) to go against the bloody series, down side is: which way is up. 30 " span is perfect. There will be 1extra wing rib bay on the left side looking down, (inside of circle) wont make much difference, just loops crooked, controlled by aileron trim. Symmetrical wing, fast and sensitive as needed figure 80 to 100mph. DON'T make me build a toothpick or voodoo, not sure DTFB is strong enough..
Thanks, that's a lot of info! Hopefully I understood enough of it.
Is the 1/2 hp not usable because the motor shaft is to small to transmit the torque with any kind of resistance?
You're suggesting a b-pack (2212 1050kv) with a 7040 prop for the "slowest" flight?
I am planning to eliminate any asymmetric features in favor of stability, but the plans didn't look to be offset... EDIT: the motor is offset a little to the outside. But nothing about changing the thrust angle. It just shifts the cg to the right.
By toothpick and voodoo I am assuming you mean the balsa twin-boom control-line combat planes? I tried building a twin-boom flyer previously. It looked terrible, (in my opinion,) I wouldn't do that to you.
I am also leaving space in my sketches for carbon fiber reinforcements at the leading edge and/or spar and planning a way to reinforce the tail segment with skewers since it will probably only be a single layer of DTFB sticking out the back to the elevator.
A futher question: stick to the original design and go bank and yank with ailerons or add vertical(s) and rudder(s), for a 3-channel?
With how short the airframe is I'm afraid a rudder wouldn't have much authority. I've only got about 3 inches sticking out the back of the wing to work with, if my math is correct... maximum of 6" if I just tape on the elevator from scraps.