I had a spare Tiny Trainer speedbuild kit but had already built two so I decided to try to modify
it to look more like a mini version of the Zivko Edge.
I made the wing section semi-symmetrical by adding a score line on the bottom section in line
with the first score line on the top section (about 40mm from the leading edge). I also cut off
the final 30mm or so from each wing and glued these pieces on top instead. I reduced the dihedral
by around 50% and mounted the wing a third of the way down the fuselage instead of at the top. I
used some extra foam plus a little balsa to enlarge and round the front of the fuselage, added a
canopy and turtle deck, enlarged all the flying surfaces with light balsa trailing edges, and
covered it all in Hobbyking shrink film. I fitted a 2205 motor and upped the battery to a 100mAh
3S, and moved the rudder and elevator servos (9g) to the back to compensate. In the end I think
it would have been easier to just download the FT Edge plans and build a proper one but I learned
a lot from the exercise!
Anyway I maidened it yesterday and it survived, just! It was very fast and twitchy and I had a
lot of trouble keeping it close enough to figure out its orientation. However once I dropped the
power to 50% and trimmed it out it was a lot less nerve-wracking. To be honest it's right at the
limits of my modest flying skills, and I only just kept it in the air, but hopefully I will learn
a lot from flying it!
it to look more like a mini version of the Zivko Edge.
I made the wing section semi-symmetrical by adding a score line on the bottom section in line
with the first score line on the top section (about 40mm from the leading edge). I also cut off
the final 30mm or so from each wing and glued these pieces on top instead. I reduced the dihedral
by around 50% and mounted the wing a third of the way down the fuselage instead of at the top. I
used some extra foam plus a little balsa to enlarge and round the front of the fuselage, added a
canopy and turtle deck, enlarged all the flying surfaces with light balsa trailing edges, and
covered it all in Hobbyking shrink film. I fitted a 2205 motor and upped the battery to a 100mAh
3S, and moved the rudder and elevator servos (9g) to the back to compensate. In the end I think
it would have been easier to just download the FT Edge plans and build a proper one but I learned
a lot from the exercise!
Anyway I maidened it yesterday and it survived, just! It was very fast and twitchy and I had a
lot of trouble keeping it close enough to figure out its orientation. However once I dropped the
power to 50% and trimmed it out it was a lot less nerve-wracking. To be honest it's right at the
limits of my modest flying skills, and I only just kept it in the air, but hopefully I will learn
a lot from flying it!
