Next Plane?

[r/c basher]

I remember the eagle attacks that you had, their not to many around here so I never had that problem, probably a good thing. The barn swallows that were flying I think were entertained more then anything.

One time when I was running my stampede I had about 5 barn swallows try and attack it they kept dive bombing it and then pulling out at about two feet from the ground. I don't think they liked the color purple. lol I don't either.

[19000rpm]

Color and/or patterns may have something to do with it. The eagles seemed particularly miffed by the camo on the Spitfire. ;D

I forgot to mention the Crows. I've only had a couple of Crows interested in the planes. They don't seem threatened after they've checked the planes out. Not entertained either. I think they're smart enough to know the planes are no threat and have better things to do than watch me fly. LOL

[r/c basher]

Last night I added a rudder to the stingray. I didn't get to maiden it last night cause I stayed out with friends until 2 in the morning.

Well woke up this morning and the wind wasn't too bad. So I took it out for its maiden.

First attempt didn't go to well the stingray acted crazy and ended up in a crash, come to find out the cg was set way to forward because of the added weight of the servo and rudder. After getting the cg set correctly it flies great and flies just like it used too just now with the added manuverability of a rudder. And I can make better coordinated turns, without having to do a half a roll just to turn. Flew through 5 flights today.

I might wait on the Beast, this is just to much fun to fly. Or I might try and make my own Beast out of dollar tree foam first. It will of course be a bit bigger, to fit the 370 motor and 9g servos.

[19000rpm]

It would be quite a challenge to build your own Beast and quite a reward to have it fly well. Sounds like fun.

[r/c basher]

Jul 14, 2011 12:13:00 GMT -6 19000rpm said:

It would be quite a challenge to build your own Beast and quite a reward to have it fly well. Sounds like fun.

Yeah it would be fun. Im thinking more of an acrobatic bipe than an exact replica of a beast. Or just an acrobatic plane. I'm currently in the process of building a new extra 300 since my first one didn't go to well.

I have a question though. Instead of using a carbon rod would I be able to use a wooden dowl? I have almost an unlimited supply of them in my wood shop. I think there light enough, just I'm not sure if there stiff enough. If they work it would be a great solution compared to spending more $ on a carbon fiber rod than what it cost for all the other building materials combined.

[r/c basher]

Well got all the pieces cut out for the extra and glued a wood dowl in the wing that should make it stiff enough so the wing doesn't break in half again. My stingray is going to be down for a while. One bad thing about the dollar tree foam is that its so cheap that making another plane costs under $5, but the electronics cost alot more.

[19000rpm]

The only real drawback in your plane using dowel vs. CF is weight. I think it should work out OK.

Yep, the electronics can add up quickly. I'm sure you're doing it already; switching electronics from plane to plane is the only cheap answer to the problem.

[r/c basher]

Jul 18, 2011 14:18:00 GMT -6 19000rpm said:

The only real drawback in your plane using dowel vs. CF is weight. I think it should work out OK.

Yep, the electronics can add up quickly. I'm sure you're doing it already; switching electronics from plane to plane is the only cheap answer to the problem.

Yep I've been doing that recently with my planes, I only have two receivers for 5 aircraft counting my dollar tree foamies. Right now the stingray is down while I get the Extra 300 in the air. I've been doing it for years with my rc cars.

[akent]

For super cheap Spektrum receivers, check out Target Hobby.

Here is an AR6100 for $3.99!!
www.targethobby.com/spectrum-ar6100-e-mini-receiver-v16-on-sale-p-4161774.html

These are most likely clones, but I bought 10 of em and they all work fine. Just remember that these are park flyer receivers and are not good for long range planes. They are perfect for our foamies!

I am also running the 6 channel Orange receivers from Hobby King in two planes now. They work great for full range receivers, if you also run the remote.
Kent

[r/c basher]

I think I'll buy some of them receivers, while I wouldn't trust them in my exi they would work great for the dollar tree foamies. Theres always those people that say "oh but there not genuine spektrum, they will probably fail." But honestly Spektrum hasn't had the best track record.

The first and probably last Spektrum receiver that I bought that didn't come with my dx6i was a 6110e, it doesn't work like it should. Theirs about a 1/4 chance that when you turn the plane on the servos will jump around when you move the controls. If you turn it off and on again it will work fine. I've been using it this way for a long time and never had it happen during flight or lose control. I find that its not worth sending back.


Ok now for the interesting stuff. I took out the newly built extra 300 last night for its maiden. While it didn't go as well as I had hoped, it went worlds better then the last extra. Even with the wood dowl in the wing, the wing bends at an uncomfortable rate. All I dared to do was circuits, and I didn't go above half throttle. The wing needs more reinforcement which I already took care of this morning.

I ended up putting a 12 inch strip of wood on the wing through the fuse. It shouldn't bend now. After the battery gets done charging I'll take it out for its second maiden.

The little bit that I saw it fly, I liked what I saw, I think it'll be a fun plane once I get the little bugs worked out.

[akent]

Fun stuff, Basher!!!

Hey, before carbon fiber, wood was about it.
Really good wood that is reasonably light, stiff, strong and flexible (almost like carbon) is spruce. It's hard to find, but it's awesome stuff. That's what I used in the wings as the main stiffener in my Miss Dara formula 1 racer.
Bass wood is also a good wood. This is what many folks are using instead of spruce, as it's easier to find.
Have fun!
Kent

[r/c basher]

Jul 19, 2011 10:30:44 GMT -6 akent said:

Fun stuff, Basher!!!

Hey, before carbon fiber, wood was about it.
Really good wood that is reasonably light, stiff, strong and flexible (almost like carbon) is spruce. It's hard to find, but it's awesome stuff. That's what I used in the wings as the main stiffener in my Miss Dara formula 1 racer.
Bass wood is also a good wood. This is what many folks are using instead of spruce, as it's easier to find.
Have fun!
Kent

Thanks Kent. I ended up using oak, which IMO is heavy, but it was all I could find in my shop, but it was stiff. It added 15 grams of weight.

Anyway just got back from its second maiden with the new reinforcement. The wing doesn't bend anymore. But now I have another problem, the tail twists a bit.

I think it may be do to the elevator, I used the elevator from my first extra since it already had a piece of carbon fiber in it, not realizing that its warped a tid bit. So it acts like an aileron, it also flutters in flight at above half throttle. Its sloppy too. I might need to make another one. I'll fly it some more to pin point the problem.

Other then that the extra flew pretty decent. Good thing that I didn't choose a balsa 3d plane to learn acrobatics on cause there is somewhat of a learning curve with this thing. If your just flying circuits its easy enough but when you start trying to do acrobats is where it can get out of hand. Also hovering is harder than it looks. Maybe because I didn't give enough throttle.

Should be fun plane after the bugs are worked out.

Its extremely hot out right now, the heat index is supposed to be 107F today. You can almost see the heat in the air its so hot, I break a sweat almost just standing outside.

[akent]

One thing you can do for strength with almost no weight is to use Kevlar thread and small washers.
You can run a zigzag pattern with the thread between parts of the plane.

That's what a friend did with his Yak built from EPP. It was really floppy. After he put the thread on it, it was really rigid.
Kent

[r/c basher]

Jul 19, 2011 11:07:30 GMT -6 akent said:

One thing you can do for strength with almost no weight is to use Kevlar thread and small washers.
You can run a zigzag pattern with the thread between parts of the plane.

That's what a friend did with his Yak built from EPP. It was really floppy. After he put the thread on it, it was really rigid.
Kent

While I was researching the extra I found a how to about the kevlar thread, I might have to try it.

[r/c basher]

Well I got to thinkin, and I cut off part of the elevator, the part where it has negative control. Now the elevator looks around the same design as the t28, I took it out for another flight and it flies much better. No elevator flutter at all and I actually got to enjoy flying it. Except for the part that it feels like 110F out.

It actually is a lot of fun to fly. You have to plan ahead though when you fly, no doing outside loops 10 ft. off the ground like with the stingray. Practiced hovering and some knife edge too, the longest that I could hold a hover was about 5 seconds.