Ultra micro scratchbuild

Pilot-294

Senior Member
I'm doing a scratch build before i leave, or at least starting the fuselage before i go.

im stuck between a couple of planes and i also am not sure what i can build with mossie parts. gonna use one motor, see if my spare prop from my extra 300 fits on. I'm going to go get some dollar tree foam and strip the paper off the parts that get curved or shaped. simple balsa structure for the wing spar and balsa sheets for horizontal stab and vertical stab. full 4 channel control. Possibly thinking delta or wing. but I'm not sure how a micro wing would fly haha. i think all i would have to of is screw the prop on backwards and it should work. I'm going to go get the foam soon and then figure out the plane I'm going to do. but hopefully i figure it out soon.

i LOVE my mossie don't get me wrong, but i only have 2 weeks till i go away. so I'm gonna gut it, since its mostly glue anyhow. and then I'm gonna save whats good and buy a new one if i like this plane, or ill buy a new fuselage after basic if i don't like the scratch build.

I'm thinking of doing one of those jet profile micros. mounting the motor in the middle and seeing how that flies. I'm not sure yet. ill let you know what i decide and any suggestions are great

using all the guts from an ultra micro mosquito, may unplug one motor if i can. if not ill have to make a double engine plane. in any case, this is a first and i have a week so it won't be super pretty. but i wanna get it done.

suggestion time!
 

Pilot-294

Senior Member
i think i have it down to a couple of planes. probably gonna do a P-38. but I'm still thinking about a delta and a wing. if i p-38 i can keep all the electronics as is without changing much in that aspect. i could probably get away with making the airframe a little denser too as it would be overall thinner. i could also cut out a couple of balsa formers, just for stability on the twin booms. ill just use one lengthwise on the booms, one each. ill make the horizontal stab and vertical stab from balsa as well. i figure if i take the paper off both sides of the dollar tree foam and glue it to the formers i should be able to use it shape and let the balsa do structure. ill just glue a couple of pieces together with white elmers glue and shape it out. this should keep my cost to around $5-$6 for parts and assembly. ill fly it before i paint it, make sure i like it.

im also thinking about using a sheet of balsa to make the wing's bottom surface and shaping the foam for the airfoil, ill leave the front third foam so i can shape a clark y airfoil. ill omit the spinners fully until later. i figure if i print a couple profile pictures of the plane i should be able to shape everything by eye close enough and with balsa bottom wings ill glue a dihedral in it that looks scale. not sure if ill make both rudders function yet as i don't have extra hinges and gear is just gonna stay "retracted."

ill go get the foam today or later tonight and start building.

^ looks like i figured out my plane for myself haha!

pics to come
 

Pilot-294

Senior Member
got some plans, seem to be the right scale. just looks bigger than it is cus i need to cut all the profiles out and tape them together.

time to morph the mossie

photo-11.JPG
 

pgerts

Old age member
Mentor
Ultra micro is a challenge to build.
The PZ electronics are fine but making the plane in just a few grams (fractions of oz) is something that need some care.
It is a plane with a span of 40- 50 cm (16-20").
Sanding 3 mm depron to a profile is possible but better is to get 1,5 or 3 mm depron as a start and bend in the strength.
Carbon fiber rods of 0,5 mm diameter are good to have but the glue must be a minimum.
A wing (combat style) with a span of 50-60 cm (20-24") should be the easiest to build if you have a DX6 or better radio or can use the mix on the DX5.
 

Pilot-294

Senior Member
ill keep that in mind. if this lightning doesn't turn (already made the wing and starting the twin booms now.

I'm hoping it will be a really quick build so if it doesn't work out ok i can make something else. if it doesn't turn ill see if i can't work a wing next

i killed the mossie, and I'm not sure if i regret it yet. but once i have my lightning done, hopefully ill feel better. either way i got to look at it this way. in 13 days I'm gone, can't fly any more anyways, so ill just buy a new mossie without al the battle scars once i make tech school in the air force.

thanks for the vid, thats actually pretty cool
 

Pilot-294

Senior Member
scrapped one boom, redoing another, ill take some pics soon as i get back to it. need a break before i shoot myself haha :) hopefully this time i do better this time, if it doesn't turn his time I'm gonna use some balsa formers if i can't get it to work. but I'm gonna get it one way or the other
 

Pilot-294

Senior Member
got to figure out a way to smooth the surface. its pretty pitted from sanding and shaping. suggestions?
 

Pilot-294

Senior Member
got another boom done, mounted electronics (mostly) and assembled it all together.

for tomorrow, finish cockpit, finishh boom tops, fasion battery hatch in nose from my mossie parts, may have to make it lighter, finish vertical stab, attatch control linkage, possible maiden??

assembly so far

Dollar tree foam, balsa filler, balsa, mossie guts, carbon rods from mosie, total cost for project (minus the mossie i gutted) $5.30

not regretting the gutting of the mossie as long as this plane flies ok. it looks a LOT better than i could have ever wished for!!!!!
 

Pilot-294

Senior Member
photo.JPG

new photos of the build. everything is done besides the rudder and the cockpit.

im praying this actually flies... haha :)

maybe im a bit ambitious on my first build but idk maybe ill get lucky haha

current photo:

photo2.JPG
 

Pilot-294

Senior Member
Got the fuselage done today. Next is to work the vertical stabs rudder, re work the elevator (too heavy for the ultra micro arm) finish the odd spots, and fly the girl. Hoping for a successful first flight. Wish me luck haha. If it flies ok I might actually paint it and finish it up all pretty. Pics later after I finish
 

Pilot-294

Senior Member
ltgnphoto.JPG
Ready for test flite!

here are my concerns:

it won't handle well... i didn't build it well... it just plain doesn't fly... or it goes well and i botch it...

wish me luck!!!!
 
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Pilot-294

Senior Member
tossed it at the bed, it seems to honestly have a little glide to it. i think its really gonna fly, but idk how well