mayan

Legendary member
So I have come down with a hard case of Pneumonia, making it super hard for me to breath. Been hitting on the antibiotics for a few days now and things seemed to be getting better until this morning when I woke up with pain that was more than I could withstand a sharp stabbing feeling in the left side of my chest. I rushed out to the doctor who thought I might have punctured my lung from my coughing and sent my to do an X-ray to make sure. Not being able to withstand the pain I popped some pain killers up to a point where I felt no more pain until now that they are wearing off. From here to there the x-ray came out clean so I have not punctured my lung but the x-ray clearly confirmed the Pneumonia I have. Back to pain killers and back to resting :(.

I haven't been out to the field lately even though the weather was great, sunny, warm and no wind; this all really bummed me out because I have two Mini Edges to first time maiden. One is using a C pack motor with a 40A ESC and is built with no paper removal. The second is using a B pack motor and a 30A ESC and it's paper has been removed from some parts of the build to save on its weight. One way or the other more about weight vs flight experience once I maiden them. I will then post all about it both on this thread and the build thread that I have for this project here: https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/the-mini-ft-edge-540-build-journey.57470/

I have also been working on two other projects for @buzzbomb's Getting Stupid with the Tiny Trainer - The Challenge.
One was inspired by @BorisTheSpider, who put a small snowball at the top of the hill and let it roll down. He started something that I am not sure he knew he started but he did. So with inspiration from BorisTheSpider and my love two both Josh Bixler and Andres Lu and the models they designed the Tiny Trainer and Edge 540 I started a TT/Edge crossover project. I started it and trashed it because I felt that I was losing track of the simpleness which I wanted the build to keep, it was then that it hit me flip your rudder and elevator around and you have yourself a rudder and elevator that look a lot like those the FT Edge 540, so I might not have lost track after all, and the project continues :). This is what I have so far.
IMG_0385.JPG


The second project for buzzbomb's challenge is a mini version of the TT. It's not the first time I have gone at this project and called it a quit, last time for 2 reasons; I ran out of 3.7g servos and I thought it failed to fly well because of the way it flew with its nose up high. It was only a while ago that it hit me that the plane flying with its nose up was not a problem but rather weight vs power system setup that made it fly the way it did. According to my calculations this new build which is 75% scale as opposed to 60% which was my last attempt should still over perform with an MT1806 2300kv motor and a 6x4 prop and maybe even allow vertical climb at 100% throttle.

IMG_0386.JPG


This build (75% scale of the TT) is actually complete and has all the electronics hooked up, missing only a receiver and 12A ESC which have both been ordered, so waiting for them to arrive. Bellow are a few details regarding the build.
Motor: MT1806 2300kv
Servos: 4 x Emax ES9251 II 2.5g
Wingspan: 72cm / 28.3in
Estimated weight with missing ESC and Receiver excluding battery: 170g / 6oz
Props that I will be testing: 6x3 / 6x4

I am tempted to take out my 20A ESC out of my TT which currently flyable and is setup with an F pack motor (never flew with that motor yet) just to test this out but will wait for the the 12A ESC to come in, makes more sense for the build. I currently have a few electronics that I find myself passing around to test things and that annoys me out, so trying to avoid doing that. Was kinda bummed when I decided stripped my Simple Scout of it's 5g servos to put them in the Mini Edge project, because that plane was ready to fly by simply putting in a receiver and battery. Now it needs new servos, and I don't have any 9g servos laying around like I thought I did, that is unless I take them out of my SpiTTT. And that's how it all starts...

To finalize my long come back to life post I have a question for you all.
When do you move electronics from airframe to airframe? When do you say ok well I am leaving this airframe without electronics for now? And when do you pay back the airframe donor?
 

cranialrectosis

Faster than a speeding face plant!
Mentor
To finalize my long come back to life post I have a question for you all.
When do you move electronics from airframe to airframe? When do you say ok well I am leaving this airframe without electronics for now? And when do you pay back the airframe donor?

Swappable means never having to say 'I'm sorry' as I strip the guts out of my Corsair and pop them into my P-51... :)
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
I am forever stripping electrics out of various planes and leaving the empty carcass hanging on the wall. Whilst I do replace the electrics occasionally I more often just give the carcass away to a club member or after a year just trash it completely.

There is always the ability to build a new (improved?) version later if I want to revisit the design. There is one thing though I NEVER strip a retail foamie and I have a number in various states of repair!

Have fun!
 

mayan

Legendary member
Ok so @Hai-Lee MIDI solution for a bigger motor on the TT gave me a solution for more power on the TT/Edge crossover project. I decided to continue the build even though I am short on servos for it atm. Still need to figure out how to connect all the pieces together and strengthen up the fuselage. I have an idea but it will wait for tomorrow, it’s connected to the nose/power pod part of the airframe.

9D68FE68-E4A2-4C74-A74D-8E47E5FD9ED6.jpeg

975DCA97-F952-48DF-89BB-EB833D9F7A6B.jpeg
 

buzzbomb

I know nothing!
Ok so @Hai-Lee MIDI solution for a bigger motor on the TT gave me a solution for more power on the TT/Edge crossover project. I decided to continue the build even though I am short on servos for it atm. Still need to figure out how to connect all the pieces together and strengthen up the fuselage. I have an idea but it will wait for tomorrow, it’s connected to the nose/power pod part of the airframe.

View attachment 126840
View attachment 126845
THAT, sir, is one heck of a beautiful monstrosity! I cannot see there being any middle ground. Either it's going to be able to do some crazy-fun stuff, or it's going to crash in a spectacular fashion. OK. Maybe a little of both!:p I can't wait to see how you finish it off, and I certainly can't wait to see that wonderful creation fly!! Thank you mayan!

I've got to ask, though. What inspired you to build it with the fuselage upside-down? Won't that make fitting the power pod difficult?
 

mayan

Legendary member
I've got to ask, though. What inspired you to build it with the fuselage upside-down? Won't that make fitting the power pod difficult?
It just looks that way :). It’s missing the entire nose part which I also built last night but it was too tight of a fit and when I tried putting it on the fuselage it broke into pieces so I trashed it. Will redo it later today.

I can go flying this morning so all building will have to wait for later! I have two Mini Edges to maiden for the first time and a TT with an F pack motor to fool around with. :)
 

mayan

Legendary member
Weather is what I would call prefect! So packing up a bag and going with my wife to the field to get some first maiden test flights in.

D4E755EB-D105-4908-9EF8-F39FE8F7A664.jpeg
 

buzzbomb

I know nothing!
Weather is what I would call prefect! So packing up a bag and going with my wife to the field to get some first maiden test flights in.

View attachment 126864
It just turned 0300 here. I don't know if I'll be up to read how your flights went. If not I'll read them later tonight. I would have said "May you have light wind and blue skies." Looks like you got that though. The rest is up to YOU my brother! :p No matter what. It'll be exciting!
 

mayan

Legendary member
It just turned 0300 here. I don't know if I'll be up to read how your flights went. If not I'll read them later tonight. I would have said "May you have light wind and blue skies." Looks like you got that though. The rest is up to YOU my brother! :p No matter what. It'll be exciting!
Shaking my ass off I must be honest. Very excited hoping that both versions will fly good and handle well. Really want this to be my next trainer plane for more aerobatic flying. Hoping to also be able to get 3D flying capabilities :).

And how I packed and ready to go.
F8024FB6-EDE0-4A7B-BE8C-74DE04FAE3C3.jpeg
 

mayan

Legendary member
Short and quick update because I have to! Today’s come back to the field was EPIC! 3 planes flown one needed some trimming to fly straight again (the TT). Version 2 of the Mini Edge flew great but needs to have some work on the motor been secured stronger to the power pod. Version 3 the lighter one failed tragically, and is actually the one I thought would fly better and have more 3D capabilities. I think I needed a bigger prop on it 10x4.5 maybe.

Any how more later with videos and stuff :)
 

mayan

Legendary member
So let's talk to the point. I am puzzled... Why? Well like I mentioned earlier, V3 of the Mini Edge using a B pack motor didn't fly like I have expected it to fly I can't put my finger on the issue but something wasn't giving a throttle up get go mode that I was use to with all FT models. Not sure if it might have needed a bigger prop, it did feel underpowered compared to V2 which was using a C pack motor.

Here is just some highlights of me fooling around with the TT with the F pack motor.

Here are the details of V2 of the Mini Edge:
IMG_0463.JPG



Here are the details of V3 of the Mini Edge:
IMG_0462.JPG



So what you all think? Which one had more potential?
 

mayan

Legendary member
Wrapping up the day. I fixed the Mini Edge V2 which had minimal damage done to it so maybe I can squeeze in a short remaiden flight tomorrow before I have to be somewhere.

V3 of the Mini Edge has the paper pealing of the FB on the elevator right on the hinge line so have to figure out how to fix that for it to be able to get a remaiden too. I have to work on the thrust angle of the motor like @Hai-Lee mentioned in an earlier post too.

Tried working on the TT/Edge crossover but with no real progress. Feel stuck on how to connect the wings considering the narrow fuselage that the TT has. This making the technique used on the original version of the Edge hard to achieve. Plus I feel as if the fuselage might snap right underneath the wings. Would be halrious to watch but won’t get a decent mod working. I don’t want to over re-enforce using card board either because I want to keep it simple and try to avoid using things apart from FB. All ideas are welcome.

Good night.
 

messyhead

Well-known member
This thread has been so good. Over the course of today, I've read through it all. It's great to watch you progress from a total noob at the start, to being able to pilot an Edge 540.

Your vids at the start were pretty much, launch, crash, launch, crash, repeat (no offence intended)

But by the end, you were properly flying.

I'm just getting into this hobby, and your diary in this thread has been really inspiring. There's so many good tips in it, on building and flying, that I'll be taking note of. And it's also been great to see you letting your kids be part of it, and just be kids!

You mentioned showing off for friends at a BBQ a while ago. Well I had a fun story along those lines too.

My other hobby is archery, but proper archery with a recurve. Not those daft compound things that most folk in the US seem to use :D

Anyways, after burgers and a few beers, my neighbour and I got out our archery gear, and started shooting at a bag of dirt in the garden. Until one arrow missed, and hit the fence at the top of the garden. Had it been 1/2inch to the right, it would have been buried somewhere in the car radiator :eek:

So anyway, thanks for continuing to post about your journey into this hobby.
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
Wrapping up the day. I fixed the Mini Edge V2 which had minimal damage done to it so maybe I can squeeze in a short remaiden flight tomorrow before I have to be somewhere.

V3 of the Mini Edge has the paper pealing of the FB on the elevator right on the hinge line so have to figure out how to fix that for it to be able to get a remaiden too. I have to work on the thrust angle of the motor like @Hai-Lee mentioned in an earlier post too.

Tried working on the TT/Edge crossover but with no real progress. Feel stuck on how to connect the wings considering the narrow fuselage that the TT has. This making the technique used on the original version of the Edge hard to achieve. Plus I feel as if the fuselage might snap right underneath the wings. Would be halrious to watch but won’t get a decent mod working. I don’t want to over re-enforce using card board either because I want to keep it simple and try to avoid using things apart from FB. All ideas are welcome.

Good night.
I relation to the wing fixture for the TT Mod I suggest that you have a read of the Slick Trick build especially where the assembled fuselage and wing as shown together. https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/collaborators-build-2-slick-trick.54111/

To stop the fuselage from failing the fuselage has a reinforcing plate added to each side, (I used FB), and the wing profile is also cut out of the reinforcing pieces. With 2 skewers through the fuselage the top canopy does not need to be fitted except that it keeps everything inside the fuselage.

I know it works and works well. Sadly the model has a bit of performance and does not like nose first impacts. The wings generally outlast about 3 fuselages.

Have fun!