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Lucas Hofman

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Everything posted by Lucas Hofman

  1. Lucas Hofman

    Lucas Hofman posted a gallery image in Member Albums

  2. Lucas Hofman

    Lucas Hofman posted a gallery image in Member Albums

  3. Lucas Hofman

    Lucas Hofman posted a gallery image in Member Albums

  4. Lucas Hofman
    To John: I think it is too early to conclude that more elevator movement is needed. I have increased it by 15% but maybe more important reduced exponential from 30 to 10%. What do other fly with? Main learning point for me is that a site with a straight in-out flying path is needed so that an aborted landing can be done by just opening the throttle keeping wings level and pull up after sufficient speed has been reached. Also trim in 1-2 mm up elevator straight away. At launch you may need a bit of up elevator to prevent a dive before flying speed has been reached.
  5. Lucas Hofman
    The maiden was eventful, to say the least. I had chosen a site where the launcher could stand about 4 m. over the terrain. At launch she sank a bit and then was away like a scalded cat. Very quickly very small. I had to trim the elevator up a lot before she would fly straight and level. Elevator authority was lacking with the specified 6 mm up and down and 30% expo. Aileron was ok. What I had not though well through about this site was the lack of a straight line in and out for landing and abort. When coming I saw the gnat going too far and when aborting I pulled a turn with too low speed. The inner wing dropped and touched the grass, with a cartwheel leaving the fuselage cracked before the wing. Damage after removal of the covering is a separated fuselage:
  6. Lucas Hofman
    And ready for maiden: Cross fingers!
  7. Lucas Hofman

    Lucas Hofman posted a gallery image in Member Albums

  8. Lucas Hofman

    Lucas Hofman posted a gallery image in Member Albums

  9. Lucas Hofman

    Lucas Hofman posted a gallery image in Member Albums

  10. Lucas Hofman

    Lucas Hofman posted a gallery image in Member Albums

  11. Lucas Hofman

    Lucas Hofman posted a gallery image in Member Albums

  12. Lucas Hofman
    Congratualations! May I ask how you put the blue on the canopy. Is it self-adhesive vinyl or shrink film. If the latter, did you do anything special to avoid distorting the canopy? Regards, Lucas
  13. Lucas Hofman

    Lucas Hofman posted a gallery image in Member Albums

  14. Lucas Hofman
    Found out that on the nose it works better not to use a template, but cut oversize. Fix in the middle and shrink the film while putting it bit by bit down. Like one does on wingtips.
  15. Lucas Hofman

    Lucas Hofman posted a gallery image in Member Albums

  16. Lucas Hofman
    I did some testing with different batteries and found big differences between them. My 6 year old 25C Turnigy batteries delivered about 450 gr thrust. A new 45C Gensace 2300 mAh battery delivered 630 gr without battery hatch and 580 with the battery hatch closed. Check yours on the scale. I put the plane nose down on the scale, hold it lightly and open the throttle. If you spin up the first time and have your face over the exhaust you get a lot of balsa dust in your face (do not ask how I know....)
  17. Lucas Hofman
    Started covering. This is a time consuming model to cover. Here I have make a paper template to avoid having to cut film on the model.
  18. Lucas Hofman

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  19. Lucas Hofman
    Does anyone know if there is a file somewhere with all the decals for the yellow version as described in the article? That would save quite a bit of work. Lucas
  20. Lucas Hofman
    Beatifull cockpit Steve! And also covered the insides of air intakes! May I ask what the weight of your Gnat is? I glued the cockpit in place tonight: Covering is next. This is a complicated model to cover, with all flying surfaces already attachted and many "bulbs" on the fuselage. We will see how it goes. Regards, Lucas
  21. Lucas Hofman

    Lucas Hofman posted a gallery image in Member Albums

  22. Lucas Hofman
    Oh dear, looks like I have started something which has ignited some members.... I must admit I only fly models with motors, not engines. Neither I.C. nor steam. And, with the risk of inflaming some, neather would any full size aircraft designer/builder have done if they would have had the option of vibration free, low maintenace and very reliable electric propulsion that we model aircraft operators have. But back to the connectors. Low vibration makes a difference for the solution choosen. And a 600 gr. electric model is likely to have a different optimal solution compared to a 15 kg scale model with a 100 cc 2 cycle petrol engine. Glued the canopy tonight. Now it is only covering left. 550 gr. including battery at this stage. I think she will be on or below the target weight of 620gr. Lucas
  23. Lucas Hofman
    Time to close the canopy: The advantage of 3D printed pilot is that one easily can scale them down...
  24. Lucas Hofman

    Lucas Hofman posted a gallery image in Member Albums

  25. Lucas Hofman
    Thanks tim, I will try on an offcut first. Real soon now.
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