Solved Wet Grass and DTFB

buzzbomb

I know nothing!
I've been needing to go fly for a month now. I've been unable to. Tomorrow, I might just be able to pull it off. The problem is, it's now just after 0100 and it's been raining on and off for six hours. It's supposed to end in the next few hours.

I can only fly at dusk, so there's some time for the grass to dry. Still everything is likely to be pretty wet. I've got enough planes waiting to fly, that no one will be subjected to the damp very much. Will one or two landings in the grass destroy the foamboard?

I don't mind crashing, but that's a bummer way to destroy a plane that I like.
 

Tommignon

New member
I’ve heard that “camp dry” or “ scotch guard” sprayed lightly at first coat then a couple of thicker coats to seal the paper.
 

buzzbomb

I know nothing!
I’ve heard that “camp dry” or “ scotch guard” sprayed lightly at first coat then a couple of thicker coats to seal the paper.
Oh, there's lots of ways to seal things. If I do all that, I can't fly tomorrow. That's why I'm curious what a little damp actually does to a plane one cares about. I've flown in the rain, and those planes fly no more. I want to fly, but I really like my current stock of aircraft. I'd rather crash them then ruin them.
 

speedbirdted

Legendary member
I've landed dtfb planes on wet grass before. Given you get them quickly after that I haven't really encountered any permanent damage. Still, if you have any planes with wheels, and a hard surface to land on, use that? If you have any seaplanes they'll work too, since they should hopefully be waterproof anyway.
 

The Hangar

Fly harder!
Mentor
I flew my dtfb spitfire in pretty wet weather today. It was cloudy and wet in the air and the ground was quite wet. When I landed several times there were a lot of water drops on the plane but it seemed the paint protected it a bit. I guess it just weakens the paper, so like on my commuter, a landing in the grass ripped the nose wheel out of the paper. Not something that would normally happen but the wet weakened the paper. Also, it’ll warp a bit. That’s what happened to my scout. I flew it in quite a bit of wet weather and it got kinda warped but still flew. Have fun!
 

buzzbomb

I know nothing!
I flew my dtfb spitfire in pretty wet weather today. It was cloudy and wet in the air and the ground was quite wet. When I landed several times there were a lot of water drops on the plane but it seemed the paint protected it a bit. I guess it just weakens the paper, so like on my commuter, a landing in the grass ripped the nose wheel out of the paper. Not something that would normally happen but the wet weakened the paper. Also, it’ll warp a bit. That’s what happened to my scout. I flew it in quite a bit of wet weather and it got kinda warped but still flew. Have fun!
That's what I'm afraid of. No paint. No protection. I want to take my full fleet out. It's not worth it if I don't have any planes left to fly.
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
I was sort of looking for better solutions! You know, not the one's you would do. :eek::LOL::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
Learning to harrier land is a win win solution, same with the hover, I am sure your MSBP could do it with enough throws. Flat spin landings might work too
That's what I'm afraid of. No paint. No protection. I want to take my full fleet out. It's not worth it if I don't have any planes left to fly.
Gives you an excuse to build more planes.

I have one you could try, just built this today as a chuck glider, you might recognize it from your childhood :LOL::ROFLMAO:
20191210_211419.jpg

Scale it up and put a twin A pack on it...
 

buzzbomb

I know nothing!
Learning to harrier land is a win win solution, same with the hover, I am sure your MSBP could do it with enough throws. Flat spin landings might work too
Gives you an excuse to build more planes.

I have one you could try, just built this today as a chuck glider, you might recognize it from your childhood :LOL::ROFLMAO: View attachment 150562
Scale it up and put a twin A pack on it...
Oh, Snap! Jokes aside, she is beautiful! B.A. Frackin' Utiful! I've been talking and dreaming about doing something like that since I got into RC flight.

It's where it all started. Just a frame with some wings. Darn, man. Well done! (y)(y) :love:
 

buzzbomb

I know nothing!
I knew it when I posted it. I just wanted some opinions. It's now 0530 and the rain may have finally stopped. Imagine trying to get out to the field for over a month. You want to fly so bad, but you just can't do it.

Tomorrow is wet and windy, but I should be able to get out there. Would you let that stop you? LOL. No more than I! :D
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
Oh, Snap! Jokes aside, she is beautiful! B.A. Frackin' Utiful! I've been talking and dreaming about doing something like that since I got into RC flight.

It's where it all started. Just a frame with some wings. Darn, man. Well done! (y)(y):love:

She is actually good from far, far from good. I just whipped it together with HG so I keep having fix it. The concept worked though, so I might scale it up and use CA for the next one.
 

BATTLEAXE

Legendary member
I knew it when I posted it. I just wanted some opinions. It's now 0530 and the rain may have finally stopped. Imagine trying to get out to the field for over a month. You want to fly so bad, but you just can't do it.

Tomorrow is wet and windy, but I should be able to get out there. Would you let that stop you? LOL. No more than I! :D
We have had about 6" of snow in the past 48 hours and there is still another 3 days of it coming, but thats not the issue, to damn cold and humid to run the batteries in, don't want to kill them. Once this cold snap break though, Ali's are going on the Bushwhacker and she is getting her dues. Been practicing on a sim too so there is some stuff I wanna try with it
 

Captain Video

Well-known member
Learning to harrier land is a win win solution, same with the hover, I am sure your MSBP could do it with enough throws. Flat spin landings might work too
Gives you an excuse to build more planes.

I have one you could try, just built this today as a chuck glider, you might recognize it from your childhood :LOL::ROFLMAO: View attachment 150562
Scale it up and put a twin A pack on it...
That looks awesome! You might want to reinforce the skewer joints. As nice as hot glue is, landing can stress an break the weakest joints. Wrap some strong thread around the joints and spread some additional hot glue across the thread. Cheap and easy.
 

Merv

Site Moderator
Staff member
I agree with @Zetoyoc, I use colored packing tape on all my planes. The tape is fast, light weight, water resistant and looks good. I'm not sure tape is water prof like the FT foam and can fly off water. But wet grass is not a problem, I've done that may times.

My experience with the rattle can sprays, they dry very fast, 10-15 minutes. A quick coat of one of the sealing products and you're good to go.
 
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sprzout

Knower of useless information
Mentor
I wouldn't fly in damp. I tried it once with fog front out at the coast; the plane came back in damp all over. Within about 15 minutes, the wings were sagging and everything was drooping. Not good...