YC-14 Build (From MikeysRC)

dezertdog

Senior Member
I stumbled across this plane a couple weeks ago in a video by schraut5, but didn't realize what it was. It's been popping up in my head since for some reason, and I don't think I'll be satisfied until I build one.

After some searching I finally figured out it was a MikeysRC YC-14. Once I found the website with the plans in PDF, I uncontrollably hit print and now this is on my living room table... I guess I never knew I had a soft spot for T tail cargo planes? :D

plans_cut_rs.jpg
 
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treadd

Uber N00b
Just checked out the completed build pics, and that looks awesome! Keep us posted with your build and maiden results!
 

dezertdog

Senior Member
Stopped by the craft store today and picked up 4 sheets of Elmers foam board, and all the other little stuff I'll need.

I started by soaking the foam board in hot water in the bath tub, then while it was nice and warm bent the board all around until the paper was loose and pulled off in one big sheet.

foam_paper_pulled_rs.jpg


Then I transferred the templates to the board and off I went. I borrowed a rotary fabric cutter from my wife's sewing room and wow did that make life easier. Just traced the lines, rolled down the foam and on to the next part. It would have taken me probably twice as long to cut each part with the hobby knife. The rudder is doubled up and glued, the fuselage extensions are glued on, and it's all waiting to be assembled.

body_parts_rs.jpg


I took inventory and decided I had enough foam to make an airfoil instead of just gluing the two sheets together as the plan states. Making sure the bottom stayed very flat, I glued two strips of foam towards the front, and one little strip near the back. Then I carefully started at the nose of the wing and worked my way back gluing the top piece to each next contact point as I went. This took a little while to get right, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. There really is very little weight penalty here, and this airfoil will have much more lift than just a plank style wing. Another motivation is I like a clean wing and will try to route all the electrical inside the cavities when the time comes.

airfoil_rs.jpg


I ran out of time tonight, it was hard to stop here...
 
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RCD

Senior Member
I used Testors spray paint. It comes in a tiny bottle, but is completely foam safe!
 

dezertdog

Senior Member
Major progress tonight, very little pictures...as in just one.

Basically I just methodically assembled the pieces I had cut out while watching the MikeysRC video set on youtube. I took some liberties with the design when it came to the nose to accommodate the GoPro, but other than the airfoil and nose it's pretty spot on to the plans. Didn't have time to assemble the flying tail or cut the rudder tonight, as always it's so hard to quit when you're on a roll!

Some highlights to point out are the bevels on the airfoil and tail. For the airfoil I took it to the table saw and ran a 45* down each side. I cut out the ailerons by hand, and then took them to the table saw for the final bevels as well. Then with some 240 grit I hand sanded the final curves on the leading/trailing edges of the wing and called it good. The tail met the bench grinder with its table set at 45*, and I slowly ran around all the edges, again hand finishing with 240 grit. After all that was done, I built the aileron hinges with packing tape as shown in the video, and then sealed all the edges with hot glue by running a bead and then pressing it flat with the side of the glue gun nozzle also as shown in the assembly vids. The tail supports are counter sunk into the airframe by cutting two small rectangles, filling them with glue and pressing the sticks in. The top of the sticks are counter sunk into the tail using a similar process.

I'll post more pics off all the work when I have some more time...

airframe_done_rs.jpg
 
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dezertdog

Senior Member
Finished up the flying tail and I'd call this airframe done.

I took it out last night and stuffed a roll of tape into the nose to get the CG right, chucking it down the lawn and it glided about 40' straight and level to my astonishment. Can't wait for the bits and pieces to show up!

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colorex

Rotor Riot!
Mentor
That ought to be the first airplane I have seen with a flat windshield :) However it's nothing compared to a GoPro facing forward.
 

dezertdog

Senior Member
Wow, ok. Learning lessons left and right!

The CG on this build is off (didn't have the GoPro on, maybe that was it?). I had it balanced exactly like Will did in his videos, did some glide tests and it was great, but under power it was a circus. With the battery touching the inside of the nose, still had severe tail heavy flight. The wing per the plans appears to just be too far forward? After some crazy unintentional 3d flight due to CG issues, and then a nose in on takeoff this plane is toast.

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I guess it's time to rebuild using thicker foam? That dollar tree cr@p is like egg shell. :(
 
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colorex

Rotor Riot!
Mentor
That's fixable, very fixable. Just some hotglue and some reinforcements and it's good again.
 

dezertdog

Senior Member
That's fixable, very fixable. Just some hotglue and some reinforcements and it's good again.

The crash that took the nose off was a hand toss and slight downward nose in at a hay field. I need something much more durable... I'll patch it up and mess with it a bit during the next build, but this thing is waaaaay more brittle than I ever thought it would be.

Speaking of the next build, I've started a Mark II tonight out of pink Owens Corning foam. Were going from one extreme to the other! Should be interesting to see how it turns out, I want something that can take some moderate hard landings and not need complete front end rebuild. :) This stuff is almost impossible to cut with an exacto or rotary cutter, I had to take it to the bandsaw for clean lines, makes for fast work though.

Like I said, I'll patch up the Mark I for fun and see if I can get some better results, but I'm excited about the beefier version already. :)

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dezertdog

Senior Member
OK, But how much heavier is that pink foam?

That I don't know yet, I didn't realize they make it in 1/2" though and bought 1". I'm going to weigh it once all the parts are cut out and see how much weight gain there is, it was cheap enough, it's in hand already and the cutting goes fast enough on the saw. If it's nuts I'll get some 1/2" and try that.