UK Tiny Trainer (courtesy of Graupner)

[Daffy Punk]

I've built a few planes from FT plans using the heavier UK foam board. All flew, but with differing degrees of success (FT flyer is perfect, Old Fogey a dutch rolling nightmare). The news that people in Europe can now order speed build kits via Graupner got me reaching for my credit card, and as a result I have a nice new Tiny Trainer.

A few things learned - using the heavy foam board always makes balancing tricky as the CG tends to be too far back - I tend now to lengthen the nose versus the plans to compensate. Using "real" DT Foamboard gave me my first ever nose heavy plane - result! The foam board quality is good (it's the waterproof stuff) and it's really VERY light after the UK stuff.

Also, when they say "speed" build they're not kidding - not having to do plan printing, taping together, marking and cutting out pieces etc. saves a LOT of time.

The quality of all the components (firewall, pushrods etc.) is really good, but my motor didn't match the holes on the firewall (the motor holes are not symmetrical). I decided to risk only securing with two screws - we'll see how that goes in due course, but for the maiden it held together.

So - the maiden. It got up and down in one piece, but conditions were very poor - wind of about 10-15mph. It's probably a bit over-propped (1608 2300Kv on 3S with a 6x3 quadcopter style prop) and needs quite a bit of down thrust added (I did that after the maiden with some washers - will see how it works out on next flight). However - it's in one piece so I celebrated by adding some coloured packing tape to make it easier to see.

Weather forecast is for more wind, so I guess I'll have to build the aileron wing while I'm waiting!

Thanks for a good build experience. I think I'll scale up and build a bigger one from UK board to use a spare 24 gram motor...

 

[Grifflyer]

glad your enjoying the tiny trainer that plane is the whole reason I can fly

and also what is the size and price of the foam board you use because flite test sells a 50 pack of water proof and non water proof and the dimesions are for one sheet 3870.96 sq cm and a perimeter 50 x 76 cm foamboard for the price of 1$ for regular and 2$ for waterproof so if the foamboard you use is less sq cm for more then you'll be better of buying a 50 pack and if you need me to find the difference in price/size you can let me know in the forum or just post again.

 

[Daffy Punk]

Hi grifflyer

Problem is that here in the UK those 50 sheets cost more - from Graupner they're about 150 USD. Being able to get the kits is a good start - I may eventually go for a box if I'm feeling brave!

Anyway - winds is better today so I'm off to fly!

Thanks for commenting.

 

[Grifflyer]

Hi grifflyer

Problem is that here in the UK those 50 sheets cost more - from Graupner they're about 150 USD. Being able to get the kits is a good start - I may eventually go for a box if I'm feeling brave!

Anyway - winds is better today so I'm off to fly!

Thanks for commenting.

no problem I hope you fly well

 

[m00ndancer]

The price for the WR foam board is €149,95 including EU tax, so the price for a single sheet is €3.
But that's not bad really, there is no really good alternatives for me here in Sweden unless I want to buy Depron, XPS or paper-covered artists foamboard that you have to waterproof. The FT WR board is so much easier to work with.

 

[WORMSS]

Just to add to this old thread.. I printed out the plans for the Tiny Trainer firewall, and got the "Flite Test" Power Pack A from Graupner and Daffy Punk is correct.. He firewall does not match the motor setup..

I know he was using another motor. But since I was using the Flite Test plans and a Flite Test approved motor, I thought they would match, but the hole for the wire is just IMPOSSIBLE. The videos show the wires to be flexible and easy to slot through the hole.. But the wires from the Flite Test Motors (via Graupner) are impossibly stiff and incapable to fit through the space.

I increased the size of the hole at the top and its STILL way too small. If I make it any bigger there will be zero space between the screw hole at the top.



The red box here is completely incapable of bending.. I could cut it, but I am sure it's there for a reason.



This is with the motor lined up with where the holes 'should' be.. and in the correct orientation. (Matches the orientation of the first photo)
This is a new firewall I quickly made, with the bigger hole, Yes, This is the BIGGER hole, because I split the wood on the other one trying to get this to work..

Have I been sent some dodgy/incorrect/outdated motors that were not to Flite Test spec? Or am I missing something very obvious here?

- Colin

 

[daxian]

hi wormss....
all looks normal ....dont be afraid to modify the firewall ,i always cut that top bit off and a bit of the foam to get the wires through !!!

 

[WORMSS]

Your heat shrink barely makes it past the motor in that photo making it about 2.5mm ?? My heat shrink is 17mm.

I am guessing there is nothing special under there, I will just cut it shorter, or just off completely.

Though I keep splitting firewalls. I really dislike balsa wood, I've gone from 1/16th to 1/8th, and it still just breaks on me when trying to drill holes in it..

I'm starting to think just soaking a piece of foam board in PVA glue for a few hours would be stronger.

- Colin

 

[daxian]

whoa....Colin !!!
first off ,there is no way balsa will be strong enough to use as a motor mount !!!
3 ply x1/16th plywood is what is advised by Josh !!
then the heatshrink on the wires ...it is there for a reason ,it keeps the wires protected from damage...shorten it if you want ,but dont remove it altogether !
if one or more wires get damaged (which imo is very easy) you will end up having to buy a new motor !!!

 

[WORMSS]

GOD DAMN IT... I read ply so many times I even mentioned to my wife "ply"..
but for what ever reason my head turned it into Balsa by the time I got to the shop, and I've been thinking balsa ever since..
I even had the whole "You said Ply! No I didn't I said Balsa..." argument. I guess I owe someone an apology..
And I guess I have another trip to the shop...

Well, Atleast I can still stand by my original statement of I HATE BALSA.

Thank you Daxian.

 

[daxian]

no problem Colin,always glad to help out ....
yeah balsa is ok in its place ,but better products nowadays make it less productive !!
hope you soon get the TT in the air ,its a wonderful well made craft (im on my third one now ,due to the learning curve and a few mishaps)

Dave.

 

[Hai-Lee]

Balsa is just a different building material with different properties. When Balsa and Foamboard are used together it is a very strong and crash resistance marriage which can be lighter than a FB build alone.

Please do not discount anything that might be useful in building or keeping your planes in the air.

I must have built at least 100 FB planes by now and of them about 50% are still flyable, I also built 2 experimental FB and Balsa versions of FT designs and both are still flying and undamaged, (not saying never crashed but just undamaged).

I even managed to get a large weight reduction by using balsa with the heavier local FB. Check forums or if you wish links please let me know!

Have fun!

 

[WORMSS]

I started mine back in 2016, printed out all the plans (tiled) got them all orientated and stuck together, put them on some card.. With the intention of using those card templates over and over again.

Months later I purchased the FT foam board, push rods and linkage stoppers when it came available on Graupner
Months after that I got Motor Pack A (twin, I thought why not plan for the future).

Now I am finally getting around to putting it all together. (Sadly I seemed to have missed all the beautiful sunny weather in the UK)

But now I can't find the push rods, and the linkage stoppers do not fit the little 5g servos from Motor pack A. So I purchased some wire from a UK shop and I got some Z bend pliers (So I don't have to rely on the stoppers).

So close to actually being able to fly.. lol.
Sadly the shop I got the wire from is dragging it's feet and not even processed the order let alone started to ship it to me.

I also forgot to put the push rod guides in.. I hopefully can squeeze them down the inside of the fuselage when I finally get the push rods.

 

[Jonclark]

Motor rotation and power pod.

I made a mistake.... I put a CW prop on this and it pulled massively to the right, is that the reason? ... now need to repair. To solve this... Would I just need to reverse the power pod angle for my motor and prop? Any advice appreciated. Just wanted some help before I repair.