Moth Minor Swappable - design, build, and review log

[nerdnic]

Upload some pictures if you can.

 

[jamboree1]

I don't design planes, i just build them, some never get flown, i just like to build, for example on rcgroups there is a full former Sbach fuse with kfm wings. Although this is a great looking build it was extremely tedious to build and hand cutting skins to transfer to foam board and getting it to bond to formers was a pain. What i'm trying to convey is never go that route, stick with posterboard. The Moth will get flown though.

 

[jamboree1]

2 pics coming, forgive the blurry pics from my 4 year old cellphone. Nose isnt gued yet until i decide what to do about the nose width.

 

[nerdnic]

Looks good man. I didn't have any issues with my powerpod not fitting but I think the idea of a hatch is good.

 

[jamboree1]

Well. my servos arrived from Hobby King, but NOT the servo extensions or Y splitter, all purchased on same order. Well screw HK, tired of their shipping practices, their shipping charges and the 1.75% charge on order for not using paypal but using my bank card

 

[nerdnic]

That's a bummer man, sorry to hear about that. I've bought a bunch of stuff from them and haven't had any issues until my last order. One of my batteries came with a dead cell, now I get to test out their highly talked about customer service.

 

[jamboree1]

Some work done on the hatch. I am almost finished with the mods and I have taken pictures (quality camera, not cell phone) I will publish these pics when completed.

 

[nerdnic]

Awesome, can't wait to see it man!

 

[jamboree1]

My Moth build is finished. I will maiden it this weekend hopefully. I tried to download a picture, but apparently my hi-res pics are to large, when i figure out how to downsize them i will post

 

[jamboree1]

Here is a pic of the hatch initial opening cut

 

[jamboree1]

Outlined where to cut in the deck

 

[jamboree1]

The piece outlined is now cut out and will be bottom piece of the hatch battery test fit former added and a tab added on the deck piece, this will keep the hatch from falling thru and will be a magnet underneath another former added and support tabs added, these will hold up the top piece of the posterboard covering A piece of ribbon glued in, this will serve as a pull tab

 

[jamboree1]

Magnets and scrap metal glued in, the magnets i use are strong enough to not need to use 2 magnets together Here is how the hatch looks finished, not the greatest but functional and far easier battery access and completed plane, minus windshield (no glue) and landing gear

 

[jamboree1]

I forgot to mention that i cut out the hole for my motor. I live in a desert and will need more cooling than what the original plan offered.

 

[nerdnic]

She looks great! Any plan to add color? I really like the hatch access, should work out well.

 

[jamboree1]

I will do a maiden before she earns her stripes (or paint) I learned this the hard way

 

[jamboree1]

I had a succesful maiden late today, had just enough daylight to run a battery. The Moth was quite smooth in the air when i was flying level, but i had a few glitches to sort out with my radio to maximize the flight charcateristics and didn't have enough light left to do it so I landed....... the landing.. we'll not mention this part.

 

[nerdnic]

Will she fly again?

 

[jamboree1]

Will she fly again?

oh yeah, she's fine, just tweaked my landing gear a bit, the landing wasn't good because the ailerons were way to responsive to inputs, made some radio adjustments to tame them down

 

[jamboree1]

Flight review time. This plane is super smooth when in the air, I was even asked if there was a gyro stabilizer installed, this was in 10 mph winds. The ailerons are super sensitive, most likely due to being on the end of the wings and minimal dehedral. I set my ailerons to 65% for now until i get used to this plane but I doubt i will raise it much later. Now comes the tricky part, i have quite a bit up elevator set for level flight at cruising. 3 things come to mind, 1 I have a bit of down and right motor angle set into power pod which came out of my Baby Blender, 2 possibly something with wing incidence, or 3, COG, so far i have my bateery and COG set further back then the original plans have stated. I will try incremental adjustments of moving the battery back to see if i can correct this. This plane could be an awesome trainer if the dihedral was increased, the reason i say this is because when flying at low speed to land the wings will rock, and being a low wing plane it doesn't take much for a wingtip to hit the ground. All said, this plane is really growing on me and the design really stands out on the field and I get a lot of positive comments on it's looks and silky smooth flights. She has earned her stripes and painting has begun.