TaleSpin Inspired Mini Guinea

LooseBruce

Senior Member
Float/Skis for Mini Guinea

It has been cold and a bit windy here to maiden the Mini Guinea so I thought I would try just a little ground handling on the snow. I have never flown ROG so am anxious to try it. I am just not ready yet to throw my Mini Guinea. Its just too purdy!

So.... I ran it in the yard on the snow. I figured it already has a boat like fuselage. It worked fairly well but since the snow is not really flat and the hull is so it tends to tip and catch a wing tip easily.

I thought maybe I should add some wing floats like the tailspin as the easiest way to fix this. My second thought is to just add an axle through the fuselage and add some skis like outriggers to that. I would appreciate any thought or ideas from you guys.

BTW, I took it to a swap meet/fly in the other day and many people were interested in it. It was a HIT!

LooseBruce
 

Lorenzo

Senior Member
Sounds like a great idea, Bayboos has an article "Winter Swappables Part 1: Skis" about that very same issue. I'd love to see it on a MG; not enough snow here in North Carolina to warrant that mod so I'll have to watch the more northerly FT crew to see how it works out.
 

LooseBruce

Senior Member
Well I decided to build some sponsons(?) that mount under the wing similar to the power pod and directly behind it. They are attached with BBQ skewers and use FT type folds for strength.If they do not work they are easily removed. Too windy, cold, snowy and dark to try them now (other than that it is nice out).
LooseBruce
 

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LooseBruce

Senior Member
Cool idea, interested to see how it works.

Hi, These sponsons worked very well for the ground handling. I ran it all over my yard with very good control. The only time I had a problem was when I spun it in a circle in its own length. Because there was soft powder snow it dug in and I had to go release it.

I took it across the street to a small field and did manage to get it airborn. Long uphill taxi and a short crow hop and it did fine.The site was uphill into the wind. I think everything worked well except for my unfamiliarity with the controls. Since it landed quite a ways away from me I started to walk over to it out of habit. Then I realized I could just taxi it back to me. All was fine until I hit some taller weeds on the way back and broke a prop and a piece of the tail. Oh well, all fixed now.

I have full length packing tape and glue hinges on the control surfaces. I think they are harder to activate in the cold or maybe the servos don't like the cold either. I will try again soon but I am very happy so far.

Thanks for your help,
LooseBruce