The "HydroJet" EDF Seaplane

[leaded50]

ahhhrg, i need another EDF seaplane, after a earlier buid didnt forfilled whats expected.

After looking around, i came over a picture/drawing of a design idea/art. The "HydroJet".

i like the style, unconventional closed wing system with pontoons. Something spacecraft alike. A single 70mm EDF fits nice here....

 

[leaded50]

started shaping it up. I dont have enough picures in "right angles" to make easier some plans/3D drawing to work with, so much here is scratch, even of design. It will probarly not be a copy, but something in similarity.

 

[leaded50]

im not back to the main wing yet..

 

[Bo123]

Now this is an interesting plane.

 

[leaded50]

Now this is an interesting plane.

thats what i feel too. With pontoons it can even take off /land on any surface.

 

[leaded50]

plan drawings:

This is not an easy build though, it need a lot of measuring and adjusting to get things correct. Ive tried make it as less parts, since the prototype scratchbuild does give extra parts, thats needed to make whats planned. Even also cut to test, and scrapped before new part made.

 

[leaded50]

since our of hot glue at moment, uses Gorilla instead, thats the reason why some puctures have needlepins here and there..



here the airintakes/ducts can be seen. They are together approx 120% of the EDF size. Extra intake/cheater holes will also be at top where the ESC get extra cooling, straight back of where the rear end are here.
Battery/reciver compartment is at rear on the pics here, the hole curbed center can be lifted of as hatch with space even for a 4500mAh.
Thats kept in place because its "clamp" feature all way down to internal plate and its curbed shape that gets pushed together to go in place.
Thats also a reason the sides of the battery compartment is angled a little bit wider at bottom than at opening in top. A few dabs with eg rubber cement make this not slippery to easy get loose in flight.

 

[leaded50]

fuselage gets closer to closer ready.....

bottom:

Sorry for the white tape reinforcing on the pictures. Its there to ensure correct alignement till glue dry. That problem wouldnt be there on eg. plans, beacuse making support "walls" instead of just to small foamstrips at bottom on the prototype here.
A prototype sometimes get changes, when its buildt, and can see easier solutions .

With minor adjustment, its even possible to mount a 90mm EDF in this plane.
Crucial will be airintakes, and that can be adjusted some, by how long the cuts on sides on intake forward are. The longer forward, the more the intake bottom can be lowered. Main thing to remember, check an ensure all is on top of "wingbox" to stop possible intake of waterspray.



Here it can be seen that the wing gets a sligth diherdral angle. Easy done by dropping center of the wooden dowel spar here, 10mm under the line of widest point on former at center.

 

[leaded50]

everythingh, without rear parts of air intake channels are done on the front/mid section of fuselage.
Also the "louvered" panel between the airchannels that are cheat air intake, + for cooling of ESC.

 

[leaded50]

pilot & copilot with seats 3D printed, reworked , lower part extended in height and got some of the arms in shaped foam, adjusted and painted.

 

[The Hangar]

Beautiful work so far, you’ve picked a great plane!

 

[leaded50]

Beautiful work so far, you’ve picked a great plane!

Thanks!
I think this build gonna be one of the most "extensioned" builds ive done. Because of lack on good pictures from eg, side/top/ front, its not possible make any 3D drawings either, and mostly needs buildt by "the feel" on what gets good looking, and fits. My goal is approx 800- 1000g weight, w.o battery... thats seems can be forfilled.
After experience from last winter on snow/ice, that did ruined easy the bottom skidding along (just as sandpaper approx.) im here decided build the bottom of pontoons in the pvc-foam material i have .That will keep it from as easy get ruined on such surface, but also gives more weight...... same with the extensions from wingroot to pontoons, they are made in plywood, because strength. The 3D printed pilots would help control the CG balance, and if necessary i would need some extra weightning at front... time will show.
Perhaps 300mm is used hot glue on, the rest is only Gorilla , thats ok but extends buildtime. Dont matter much now, more foamboard is in mail... hopefully comes here in some days...
At meanwhile, i can do more to the plans though....

 

[leaded50]

sides of the "engineroom" , is just made of cardboard, (same at the cockpit sides) , glued in place it gives a more directed airstream to the EDF, and is lightweighted...
Here one can also see my way to fix wings ands floats in place. 6mm wooden dowels i suddenly found a package of laying around. Quite light, flexes just a little, and if they breake by a impact... then a lot more gonna be wrecked too, even by a CF tube. ... The one at rear got extra reinforcing by a piece of plywood inside fuselage between upper and lower skins some inches from the wing connection. I feel it needed some reinforcing, when should hold the floats, and the boxed-wing.

I was out for a glidetest today, to check out upper main wings style/angle. Just put on a extended thrusttube with some weight on. Glided quite good with cardboard test wings after some adjustments, even without any tailsurfaces. .

 

[leaded50]

with some help from a diy idea calculated for a bigger Piper, i readjusted sizes on the floats, changed minor some of it, and get floats that have enough boyance to keep my model a float . It should in fact hold close to 2500g floating.

500mm long, 70mm wide, and 45 at highest point.

 

[Tench745]

From the first picture I couldn't tell if those were supposed to be floats or if the whole lower wing acts as a hydrofoil.

 

[Baron VonHelton]

From the first picture I couldn't tell if those were supposed to be floats or if the whole lower wing acts as a hydrofoil.

They look like wings to me as well.

 

[foamboardflyer]

Is this a real plane? Or a fantasy one.

 

[leaded50]

Is this a real plane? Or a fantasy one.

its a art drawing, just a "fantasy". Im not totally true to the art paintings either, some things cahanged a little for easyer make in foamboard, and because i wanted. So.. a dual fantasy .

Lot of work to get the holders and floats in place in correct angles. I dont know what measuretype i havent used ha,ha. The last parts the rear of fuselage was infact not as difficult with alligned the thrust- tube with laser, and then adjust the fuselageskins to fit it.
This is perhaps the worst build ive done. Its too many things to need be correct together, and look alike with the paintings, at least some...
As the floats.... that who is on pictures, will not have enough boyance to get a plane as such to float. More or less would been a submerged plane type
Center at top rearward isnt done yet though. AND, i forgot doublecheck some measures on the floats when glued on.... they came approx. 25mm to far forward, and in my calculations, it the wouldnt be best possible on CG balance. They need adjusted rearward.
In my first thought, i planned make the wings detachable. That will not happend, and i also willmake the box-wing type... mainly beacuse the wing aspect ratio. I want a bit more area of wing. With the box type, it will get some more area, as a biplane effect.
Model is beginning to show its designs at least...with wingspan of 1200mm...

.

 

[Baron VonHelton]

.
I don't know what measure type i haven't used ha, ha.
.

For me, I used the SE5 & Dr1 Mighty Mini speed built kits. I found that the measurements divide by 13. So, I've been using that formula for my aircraft. This way, they will all be in scale with each other. Interestingly, the Pfalz E.I I'm working on is a tad bit LARGER than the SE5 & Dr1.



And yes, I still stink at math, I just got lucky (or perhaps the help of the gods?).

 

[leaded50]

For me, I used the SE5 & Dr1 Mighty Mini speed built kits. I found that the measurements divide by 13. So, I've been using that formula for my aircraft. This way, they will all be in scale with each other. Interestingly, the Pfalz E.I I'm working on is a tad bit LARGER than the SE5 & Dr1.



And yes, I still stink at math, I just got lucky (or perhaps the help of the gods?).

Luck and gods help can many times be crucial in builds.....


To build when have measures on the original , and as scale isnt difficult, . Even if have pictures/drawings that gives a 3D view from eg. side & top. all the measures is easy found.
Here isnt any dimensions given, no picture/drawings are direct from side, top, eg. so no 3D view.
So its just assumed measures, then calculated approx for the different. Some of changes done, to get it functional build in foamboard, and some as "testbed" try-outs , its not even made alike fully the drawings. I had a visual goal on how it should look in my mind.... thats what im building it after. A creative idea . .. and a idea thats not build as a perfect "clone" without regarding the weight. the build here on my picture weights now 650g. The goal on approx. max 1000g is possible!
Now, without the tail surfaces, lower wingparts, EDF & battery, its seems balanced on CG when floats are moved a bit rearward. Calculated with a eg 4500 - 5000mAh battery behind the cockpit, it should ! (and i got space under the cockpit if necessary to move battery more forward )