Hi folks.
Thanks to the Flite Test crew, I've started on an incredibly fun journey with swappables.
It all started with an Old Fogey...
I started with the Old Fogey because it looked like a super easy build and a really easy flyer. I didn't want to spend days or weeks building something that either didn't work for me or I destroyed during the maiden.
I scaled it and the power pod down to my preferred size (60% or about 560mm/22in.) and mounted the rudder and elevator servos on the power pod. I use micro control rod keepers (Hobby King equivalent to Dubro EZ Clips) on all my models anyway, so it made sense to me to reduce the number of servos I'd have to buy when building a fleet. It's a bit more complicated to remove the power pod now that I have to release the clips and unhook the control rods, but it works for me.
My power pod has:
Hextronic 20G Brushless Outrunner, 2300KV with a 6x4 Master Airscrew prop;
Turnigy Plush 10A brushless ESC w/2A BEC;
2x Turnigy TGY-D1290P High Speed Micro Servos;
a FrSky VD5M micro receiver;
500mAh 2S LiPo (Zippy Compact, 25C)
It delivers around 300g thrust--overkill for a 120g slow flyer like the Old Fogey, but it's what I had in my parts bin.
By the way Flite Test guys, awesome work on this plan! Thanks.
I had such a great time with the build and flying the Old Fogey that I started looking at my build list and wondering if I could use the power pod. The answer is YES!
I started my next build--a MiG-7--and adapted it for the power pod as I built it. Then I thought, "This is a war bird... I'd like to have it scream"
So, I built a new, reinforced power pod with the same servos, but upgraded power system:
Turnigy Aerodrive SK3 - 2122-2100kv Brushless Outrunner with a 6x4 Master Airscrew prop;
Turnigy Plush 12A brushless ESC w/2ABEC;
500mAh 3S LiPo (Zippy Compact, 25C)--still waiting to receive.
I also used full-range FrSky 6-channel receiver.
Now, the MiG-7 has ailerons, so I used a Hextronic HXT500 and music wire to drive both ailerons. It's mounted in the airframe, pictured:
This weekend, I'm hoping to finish the build and maiden it with both power pods.
If all goes well, here's my build list using these power pods:
Gee Bee R3 (plans printed, materials and hardware put aside);
Curtiss P-6E Hawk (cuz I don't have any biplanes yet);
P-51D Mustang;
Mitsubishi Zero;
Me-109;
F4U Corsair;
Extra 300;
FW-190;
Supermarine Spitfire;
Fokker DR.1
I've already built scratchies of the last 4, so if I never get to them I'm okay with it.
Anyone else planning a fleet of swappables?
Cheers!
Randall
Thanks to the Flite Test crew, I've started on an incredibly fun journey with swappables.
It all started with an Old Fogey...
I started with the Old Fogey because it looked like a super easy build and a really easy flyer. I didn't want to spend days or weeks building something that either didn't work for me or I destroyed during the maiden.
I scaled it and the power pod down to my preferred size (60% or about 560mm/22in.) and mounted the rudder and elevator servos on the power pod. I use micro control rod keepers (Hobby King equivalent to Dubro EZ Clips) on all my models anyway, so it made sense to me to reduce the number of servos I'd have to buy when building a fleet. It's a bit more complicated to remove the power pod now that I have to release the clips and unhook the control rods, but it works for me.
My power pod has:
Hextronic 20G Brushless Outrunner, 2300KV with a 6x4 Master Airscrew prop;
Turnigy Plush 10A brushless ESC w/2A BEC;
2x Turnigy TGY-D1290P High Speed Micro Servos;
a FrSky VD5M micro receiver;
500mAh 2S LiPo (Zippy Compact, 25C)
It delivers around 300g thrust--overkill for a 120g slow flyer like the Old Fogey, but it's what I had in my parts bin.
By the way Flite Test guys, awesome work on this plan! Thanks.
I had such a great time with the build and flying the Old Fogey that I started looking at my build list and wondering if I could use the power pod. The answer is YES!
I started my next build--a MiG-7--and adapted it for the power pod as I built it. Then I thought, "This is a war bird... I'd like to have it scream"
So, I built a new, reinforced power pod with the same servos, but upgraded power system:
Turnigy Aerodrive SK3 - 2122-2100kv Brushless Outrunner with a 6x4 Master Airscrew prop;
Turnigy Plush 12A brushless ESC w/2ABEC;
500mAh 3S LiPo (Zippy Compact, 25C)--still waiting to receive.
I also used full-range FrSky 6-channel receiver.
Now, the MiG-7 has ailerons, so I used a Hextronic HXT500 and music wire to drive both ailerons. It's mounted in the airframe, pictured:
This weekend, I'm hoping to finish the build and maiden it with both power pods.
If all goes well, here's my build list using these power pods:
Gee Bee R3 (plans printed, materials and hardware put aside);
Curtiss P-6E Hawk (cuz I don't have any biplanes yet);
P-51D Mustang;
Mitsubishi Zero;
Me-109;
F4U Corsair;
Extra 300;
FW-190;
Supermarine Spitfire;
Fokker DR.1
I've already built scratchies of the last 4, so if I never get to them I'm okay with it.
Anyone else planning a fleet of swappables?
Cheers!
Randall