Joe Kollmann
New member
HI all,
We've been testing a series of small "one design" racers with a view toward a casual pylon series at our local club.
Based on the tiny trainer fuselage, and using an "A" pack on three s, It's gaining some traction and I thought it was time to put a note here on the FT site in case anyone out there was wanting to try one. Here is the link to the RCGroups Fly-A-Ways club thread on the planes.
https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/sho...mann-2Buck-Racer-X-Racer-T-and-Racer-V-Series
PDF plans in a couple of layouts are on that site and here as well.
Though I've designed and flown a few dozen RC airframes over the years and a few full scale experimentals, this was my first try at a DTFB design. It's fun, but has it's limitations, and the very obvious advantage of being cheap, cheap, cheap. It's a welcome diversion from my normal activities as a designer on various defense, aerospace, industrial and medical related products and projects.
The little racer is just a TT with a significant wing clip, different planform and some fairings, with a variety of empennage possibilities. It flies just right and is extremely wind-resistant. One of the impediments to getting people to participate in Pylon or combat is the cost of the loss of an airframe. So, I thought this would be a natural. Early interest is very encouraging and we should have a half-dozen or so in the air at the same time within a week or so.
Developmentally, A couple of us just began subtracting and adding area , parts and trying various planforms from flight to flight at the field. Then I came home and drew out the ones with the best result and built the next version. All three empennage configs have been built and flown now and they all fly great, with minimal differences between them in handling and/or speed capabilities. I started with an elliptical wing looking for best L/D but quickly realized that the shape doesn't lend itself very well to DTFB construction. A DH88/103 style triangle might work too,
but the basic Sea fury'ish clipped elipse planform with a little reflex gave the best empirical result. Looks pretty sweet too! View attachment racer-X sheet 2 packed.PDF View attachment racer-X sheet 1 packed.PDF View attachment racer-X sheet 1.PDF View attachment racer-X sheet 2.PDF
We've been testing a series of small "one design" racers with a view toward a casual pylon series at our local club.
Based on the tiny trainer fuselage, and using an "A" pack on three s, It's gaining some traction and I thought it was time to put a note here on the FT site in case anyone out there was wanting to try one. Here is the link to the RCGroups Fly-A-Ways club thread on the planes.
https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/sho...mann-2Buck-Racer-X-Racer-T-and-Racer-V-Series
PDF plans in a couple of layouts are on that site and here as well.
Though I've designed and flown a few dozen RC airframes over the years and a few full scale experimentals, this was my first try at a DTFB design. It's fun, but has it's limitations, and the very obvious advantage of being cheap, cheap, cheap. It's a welcome diversion from my normal activities as a designer on various defense, aerospace, industrial and medical related products and projects.
The little racer is just a TT with a significant wing clip, different planform and some fairings, with a variety of empennage possibilities. It flies just right and is extremely wind-resistant. One of the impediments to getting people to participate in Pylon or combat is the cost of the loss of an airframe. So, I thought this would be a natural. Early interest is very encouraging and we should have a half-dozen or so in the air at the same time within a week or so.
Developmentally, A couple of us just began subtracting and adding area , parts and trying various planforms from flight to flight at the field. Then I came home and drew out the ones with the best result and built the next version. All three empennage configs have been built and flown now and they all fly great, with minimal differences between them in handling and/or speed capabilities. I started with an elliptical wing looking for best L/D but quickly realized that the shape doesn't lend itself very well to DTFB construction. A DH88/103 style triangle might work too,
but the basic Sea fury'ish clipped elipse planform with a little reflex gave the best empirical result. Looks pretty sweet too! View attachment racer-X sheet 2 packed.PDF View attachment racer-X sheet 1 packed.PDF View attachment racer-X sheet 1.PDF View attachment racer-X sheet 2.PDF