Winter Builds

[Robinder]

Hey all, learned about these FT planes back in November, and been obsessed ever since. Got a little too into it over the winter here in Canada, and have 3 new planes to maiden as soon as the ground dries!

Started with the FT Alpha, great build video and learned a lot on that one. Did it as a permanent wing, and tried my skills on the airbrush front. Add painting to the list of addictions!

Then I decided to make a few gliders for Christmas presents, so made the full-size FT Sparrow as a chick glider, and got a bit ambitious with the paint. Learned some more on this one!

Wanting to make something for the kids to toss indoors as well, I tried my hand at designing a tiny glider from scratch. Came up with something that fits perfectly on an 8.5x11 sheet, so it’s super accessible for kids to print and make. I shared the build thread and plans on the forum here:

https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/rr-finch-ultra-micro-glider.56384/

So, then it was time to build the dream plane... on to the FT Spitfire, having learned a few lessons so far. My grandpa flew Spits in the war, and so this project became near and dear to me during the process. Decided to add a few features: flaps and landing gear, along with as much realism as I could add with foamboard (radiator intakes on the underside, flares on the rear of each wing) plus wanted a removable magnetic battery access so it looks kinda scale. Paint matches a late-war unit, as accurately as I could manage. Turned out awesome, but can’t believe how much work it was! Hope it flies now

After that was completed and on the wall, ready for maiden, I still had a bit more snow to endure. Might as well add an EDF to the hangar! Loved the simplicity and easy flying characteristics of the FT Viggen, so got that one started. I also wanted to add a rudder and an afterburner LED ring. Just completed today, and finally on the wall.

Would love to help if anyone would like to add any of these mods to their planes as well, I’m happy to share as many pics of what I’ve done, if it helps.

Thanks to everyone (especially Josh Bixler and the FT boys) for making this an awesome community.

Happy flying!

 

[evranch]

Nice looking planes! Great job on the retracts, they look very professional as does the rest of the build. Did you buy kits, or did you find somewhere to get the brown waterproof foam in Canada?

 

[Robinder]

Nice looking planes! Great job on the retracts, they look very professional as does the rest of the build. Did you buy kits, or did you find somewhere to get the brown waterproof foam in Canada?

Thanks @evranch, took a while to get everything positioned properly, but it was all scratch built. LHS here stocks the brown foamboard, so I bought them out. Then when I ran out of that, I ordered a box from FT directly. All the other little bits I got from HobbyKing, whatever I couldn’t get from FT.

 

[Headbang]

Looking good! Speaking from experience, there is something to be said for water resistant foam board, esspecially when flying in snow, or melting snow spring conditions. Even with min waxing, dtfb does not hold up. Ft water resistant board is wonderful. Once the snow melted from I side, i blew out a good cup of water from inside my x-29 after the maiden. Dtfb would have disinigraded. Good job!