Mini Explorer

Mr NCT

VP of SPAM killing
Moderator
Just finishing the fuselage from the plans. What a fun build, I especially like the bottom of the fuselage. It's taken about 2 hours taking my time and watching the video. Well done FT and @SP0NZ , another fine plane.

FYI: Mini Explorer plans are available on the FTCA site, free if you're aircrew.

IMG_018643.jpg
 

AIRFORGE

Make It Fly!
Moderator
Just finishing the fuselage from the plans. What a fun build, I especially like the bottom of the fuselage. It's taken about 2 hours taking my time and watching the video. Well done FT and @SP0NZ , another fine plane.

FYI: Mini Explorer plans are available on the FTCA site, free if you're aircrew.
What did you think about the method of securing/guiding the pushrods?
Seems simple, elegant, multipurpose.
ILikeItALot.jpeg
 

Foamforce

Elite member
They sure are long pushrods! This plane really needs the nose weight though. It’s the first I’ve seen where you have to add weights to balance it. It feels really tough though, I’m excited to try it with a new pilot. I love how the nose reinforcement notches into the battery tray to transfer crash energy back through the entire fuselage. The rounded bottom seems rugged too. Nice job FT!
 

Foamforce

Elite member
Without battery, the weight is 304g. With 2s 800mah, 356mah. It way under the published weight of 400g without battery, but that might have been with the sport wing. I used Dollar Tree foam board with a coat of poly. Decoration is a combination of colored packing tape and vinyl. I used the printed parts the Sponz posted a few days ago. I‘m going to go maiden it now!
 

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Foamforce

Elite member
Maiden complete! It flies nice and easy. The self righting tendencies are among the best that I’ve seen. It takes off on the ground (with snow) pretty easily, even with just 2s.

The COG is a little too far forward, in my opinion. With it balanced right at the marked COG, it takes a lot of up elevator trim to fly straight, and when you reduce throttle the nose drops a lot. At low throttle, it porpoises. Moving the COG back about 1/4” made it behave much better. It glides very nicely without power and cruises straight and true at 1/4 throttle.

After a bunch of flights with maybe 10 landings, there’s barely a mark on the bottom of the fuselage. The bottom of the nose and fuselage and very nicely designed. It’s a nice tame flyer. Very good design!
 

Mr NCT

VP of SPAM killing
Moderator
Maiden complete! It flies nice and easy. The self righting tendencies are among the best that I’ve seen. It takes off on the ground (with snow) pretty easily, even with just 2s.

The COG is a little too far forward, in my opinion. With it balanced right at the marked COG, it takes a lot of up elevator trim to fly straight, and when you reduce throttle the nose drops a lot. At low throttle, it porpoises. Moving the COG back about 1/4” made it behave much better. It glides very nicely without power and cruises straight and true at 1/4 throttle.

After a bunch of flights with maybe 10 landings, there’s barely a mark on the bottom of the fuselage. The bottom of the nose and fuselage and very nicely designed. It’s a nice tame flyer. Very good design!
That super! Just installing electronics. May be a few days, screwed up my back and can't stand for long periods. Using dtfb, polied and painted. I'll put my weight up when it's done.
 

Foamforce

Elite member
With the more rearward COG, I was able to remove the weight that I had out in the nose. Now it’s 293g without battery, and 344g with the 800mah 2s.

Theres a good chance that if I stripped the paper and replaced with packing tape in strategic places, and maybe a slightly smaller battery, this could fly at under 250g.

Also, the plastic printed bits came out to a hefty 44g. With different fill settings, I could get that down another 10g pretty easily.

Oh, also, I used 9g servos because that’s what I had on hand. So I could shave another 8g there.
 

Mr Man

Elite member
With the more rearward COG, I was able to remove the weight that I had out in the nose. Now it’s 293g without battery, and 344g with the 800mah 2s.

Theres a good chance that if I stripped the paper and replaced with packing tape in strategic places, and maybe a slightly smaller battery, this could fly at under 250g.

Also, the plastic printed bits came out to a hefty 44g. With different fill settings, I could get that down another 10g pretty easily.

Oh, also, I used 9g servos because that’s what I had on hand. So I could shave another 8g there.
Yup, it sounds easily feasible.
 

Mr NCT

VP of SPAM killing
Moderator
Without battery, the weight is 304g. With 2s 800mah, 356mah. It way under the published weight of 400g without battery, but that might have been with the sport wing. I used Dollar Tree foam board with a coat of poly. Decoration is a combination of colored packing tape and vinyl. I used the printed parts the Sponz posted a few days ago. I‘m going to go maiden it now!
Mine has the sport wing and 5g servos. With the 800 mah 2s I need 1oz of weight to get CoG. With that 1oz but without battery I'm 323g and with the battery I'm 364g. Using an 850 3s I only need 1/4oz, so all things considered not bad. I could have built lighter, less paint, peel paper etc., but it still should fly pretty well.

IMG_018655.jpg IMG_018656.jpg

 

Foamforce

Elite member
Mine has the sport wing and 5g servos. With the 800 mah 2s I need 1oz of weight to get CoG. With that 1oz but without battery I'm 323g and with the battery I'm 364g. Using an 850 3s I only need 1/4oz, so all things considered not bad. I could have built lighter, less paint, peel paper etc., but it still should fly pretty well.

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I should make the sport wing next. I immediately want to turn every one of my planes upside down, but the calm and rational training wing makes that exciting in the wrong way. 😂 Let us know how the sport wing sports!
 

Jo's squadron

Active member
I finished mine today!
should maiden this weekend.
BTW I got some 5g servos and one of them wont come back to neutral every time I move it, kinda like if it had 2 neutral positions.
Anybody know how to fix this?
using an extension if that dose any difference.