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.)
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...
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.