Chris Walby
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Posts posted by Chris Walby
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Just a bit more glue/reinforcement, a bit more paint and round the cowl, then bring on round 2 🙂,
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My Wacky Racer is now in as many parts as competitors, but some hot glue and it will be ready for round 2 🙂
A great days flying with top notch chef and flyers so big thanks to all who organised and ran the event, cheers
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From the top.
It does not matter what the cell count is with regards to the charging rate e.g. 6S2000 (IMO should be charged at 2A, as in 2000 mAh) but a 3S5000 should be charged at 5A.
So cell counts for nothing, but what your charger needs to be set to, although I have some chargers that auto detect cell count so I just set the charge rate.
Note
A few people (inc Richard) charge their packs at a higher rate than 1C or the rating of the pack e.g. 4S4000 (4000 mAh = 4A for one hour) so 3x 4A = 12A and if you check your manufacturers information it may well say it can be charged at a higher rate than 1C (universal conservative value). The interesting point is how far they discharge their packs as they are still getting plenty of cycles out of them
Don't with lipos (speaking from experience!
- Don't discharge lower than 30% capacity
- Don't discharge at very high rates >50C, tricky with edf's but just don't keep it WOT for the entire flight!
- Don't operate lipos that are cold e.g below 15C
There is an opinion that if you discharge at 50C then you should be able to charge at a much higher rate than 1C
I am intrigued as to why you think its safer to charge at 1A as opposed to 3.3A when you can discharge the packs at 99A and 165A (theoretically)?
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13 hours ago, Tom Gaskin 1 said:
If you have the room why not connect two packs in parallel? Double the capacity should help your performance.
Tom
Tom, In my experience with edf's weight and wing loading are critical as opposed to a more tolerant approach with propeller aircraft (probably due to the overall lower efficiency of edf's once you add inlet and thrust tubes).
My point is that you need to almost build the model around the battery/edf fan size with low drag and minimum wing loading/low drag to get something that flies well (slow and fast).
The old adage of just banging in a bigger power source does not work as the wing loading goes up so it has to fly faster and generally the stall becomes more abrupt. take off and landings are faster so it eats its way through UC or becomes marginal if hand launched. Generally a dog!
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Same venue as Ron.
Wacky Racer maiden, Richard Willis FW190, Grumpy Tiger Cub and another couple of flights of the OV10 (thanks Ian for the photos), 6 minutes and over 50% left on the 2 x 4S4000 packs. A great day out and looking forward to the club day on Sunday
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I have a SU47 with twin 70mm edf's and it can kill a lipo in 2 min 15 sec on WOT with a 6S4500, don't ask me how I know 😞
You are simply asking way too much from the lipo, not forgetting the bigger the lipo capacity the greater the overall max current based on the same size C rating
e.g. 2700mAh at 50C = 135A 4500mAh at 50C = 225A
I have a Habu with single 70mm and 80A ESC and if I fly more that 10 seconds at WOT it will give me a low lipo voltage warning (not go into LVC), but if I hold it at that for 30 seconds it will go into LVC. I will fly at 30% throttle and I only use WOT for loops etc and get 5 minutes without knackering the lipo
EDF's give lipos a hard time, but then again the Focke Stick does the same at close to 120A on a 4S4000, but it is very fast (what it was built for)
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Still not finished as weathering, panel lines and pilot are left to do, but it will be ok for the club day this Sunday as there should be two other WR FW190 there. Lets hope we can get three up at one time and someone on the video!
Still not sure about the motor prop choice, but will wait until the Tempest is built and then fit the same size motor.
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In readiness for the clubs open days Wacky Racers competition this weekend (all the usual attempts to pit model against the ground, like limbo, loop the pole etc) I have assembled the Butchy Bird.
Wingspan is 680mm, AUM with 3S1350 lipo is 367g and paint has been kept to a minimum to save weight (tight git who's run out of time!)
Its been mentioned that at full tilt its rather feisty little model!
Personally I have a bit of a "sinking" feeling about this model although the assembly process was neither "draining / boarding" . Just need to see how much power is on "tap".
Off to walk the dogs 🤣
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14 hours ago, Keith Billinge said:
The Essex Balsa Dust Factory (AKA The Spunkwerx) has been working double shifts again.......
The Oowah! Ready for flight testing, in case we ever get a weekend where it's not blowing a gale or not raining stair rods!
Keith,
I have had the WooHoo for a couple years and its absolutely fabulous for cost vs fun! Plus have flown it in 20mph gusting 45mph with no issues (unlike wings with tip fins).
It should fly slow all the way through to bonkers, so best advice is make sure you have three rates set up from very mild to extreme!
Good luck, enjoy and let us know how you get on.
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Rather late to the party and no idea if this helps, but my son had an aerobatic model that had flown many times and passed all of its pre flight checks on the day in question. Just after take off it became almost uncontrollable, however he did manage to get it down in one piece.
Back at the bench all worked as it should, but with the canopy off I kept prodding around with my finger until just applying a little pressure to an aileron extension lead produced full deflection of the aileron from one extreme to the other. This was quite random and the TX stick input would cause normal operation although overridden if the servo extension plug/socket was flexed.
Unplugged and reinserted the servo plug and it never did it again. I can only put it down to a poor signal connection in the servo plug/extension lead.
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IMO, go for something that's simple and easy to fix with plenty of spares, probably something like a flying wing (delta). If its blowing the no UC and hand launch is easy.
Have a look at what the slope soaring guys use and quite a few are easily converted to powered flight, but are tough as nails. I have a Flite Test Versa with a motor at both ends and the increased wing loading and plenty of power is good up to 30mph gusting 45mph all on a 3S2200. Plus the plans can be downloaded so cut 2 or 3 out at a time!
FT Versa Wing - Build | Flite Test
Benefits of cheap and tough
- Low cost
- Easy to fix
- Parts available from multiple sources, failing that use a glue gun
- Because its the above you fly more relaxed and crash less!
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19 hours ago, Piers Bowlan said:
Unfortunately my wife opened the letter with Richard’s Tempest order form in. She said, ‘ Don’t you think you have enough planes in your garage Piers?’ (I think it was a rhetorical question 🤣)
Next time Richard mark the envelope ‘HMRC’, she won’t open that!
Anyway, cheques in the post, as they say.
Previously Richard posted something to me in a shoe box, my late wife was please that I had spent the money on something else than model aeroplanes until I opened it and there were a pair of retracts! Then again she did scour most of Europe to locate a long term discontinued model from Germany for my birthday IIRC
Richard
Can't find the cheque book so BAC's made and letter in the post with the shopping list! Thanks
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13 minutes ago, RICHARD WILLS said:
That model is a proper box of frogs Chris . I take my hat off to the pilot . Even the Dutch roll on the way in speaks volumes .
If anyone is worried about all twins being like that , then think again . If you have a look at the original WBR Ju 88 thread , you can watch Ady doing some lovely landings and full aerobatic routine with my 72" version .
TNs Beaufighter also seems to fly very nicely as does my 110 . (ask Ron !) .
Hi, I concur and my point was that a good design shouts volumes like the WR FW190, P38, OV 10, and Grumpy Tiger Cub, but the things that you are not in control of like our build quality for example can turn beauty into a beast. The PZ Mosquito all be it quite a lot smaller was a super flyer before I sold it on so I think is doable, but I still think the way to go to give us all the best chance is dolly launch as it removes the chance of UC damage and gets rid of a load of weight....then at a later date do a UC upgrade pack if people want it.
It wasn't until very near the end of the Ta 154 build that I found out that the Ta154 has 25% less wing area compared with the same size DH98, I have the wood pack for it and one I'll make a lightweight version and give it another go!
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Sorry to head off at a tangent, but if you do have a dog of a model why not share it with the club instructor and great guy Dave!
I rest my case with selecting an unproven design, high wing loading and rearward C of G! None of this will be relevant with Richards designs, but just be carful what you wish for on the extras list 🙂
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New day and less gloom and doom!
Ooorr don't get me on the subject of twins...and beside the fact that I have had more one engine/motor outs on electric than IC brings me to simple point of preparation and care + a good dose of plan B in readiness when it goes Pete Tong. IC twins I have are 3 Tiger Cats, Mossie and Dual Ace and the point there is NEVER take off unless everything is 100% as it will only get worse!
Not adverse to electric twins with OV 10, P38 (two!) BH Mossie, WooHoo, Grumpy Tiger Cub and the Focke Stick, so sticking to the subject the foam P38, OV 10, are interesting in this discussion along with the Grumpy Tiger Cub (balsa)
The foam P38 is a surprise as its 63 inch wingspan and AUW is just short of 3.7kg (over 8 lbs) and flies really well, but has that presence of don't push me or I might just bite back (if you do something silly). Three blade is nice and the 2 blade/motor upgrade is outstanding! hence why I have 2.
The OV 10 is another surprise, but with a twist its 55 inch and weighs more that the P38! with 2 x 4S4000 packs..and the twist? it has more wing area! Can't beat a thick wide plank of a wing!
Last is the Grumpy Tiger Cub and talking to Peter (the designer) it is very tolerant of single engine operation. 55 inch and AUW 2.5kg (5 1/2 lbs) and I can vouch for this as Mr dumb nuts repeatedly flew it with a duff 4S4000 causing one of the ESC to latch in LVC (the ESC continues but only up to 50% throttle), no drama and on one occasion carried on to the end of the 5 minute flight.
Now for a word of caution with a couple of bitter experiences, both of my doing. The first was the demise of my first BH Mossie, gear down, flaps 1/2 and slowed it up resulting in it dropping a wing at 25 ft. BH use to jig build these so they are very light, but when the UC hits the ground it rips the entire nacelle out of the wing, near total write off. The other was my Ta154 Moskito ic twin that turned out just plain heavy and a rather (massively understated) rearward C of G. Was it nice to fly...hell no and prop hanging a 18lb 80 inch warbird at 250ft due to loss of elevator authority was a very memorable moment!
With Richards help we did tame it a bit
Broken record time, build light without UC or flaps, dolly launch or hand chuck. Then once you have the hang of it add the weight and the expense if you want
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Mr doom and gloom here!
On the EDF front (yes I would like one), but I think its a very emerging area of the hobby. There are some real winners out there mk1 Habu, but here is the catch as on tarmac they are a dream to get off the deck (4S3300/4000), but short grass and you have to peel it off, wet or long grass don't bother it will end in tears. Now these have fixed gear so look pants when flying around. If you had launch with the gear its very marginal, but without the wire gear (not even the weight of retracts) its a piece of cake. So what does that tell you about margins.
Now roll on the mk2 Habu...why does it have fixed gear, why is it 4S or 6S compatible, IMO because its all still very marginal. 4S off tarmac ok, off grass it has to be yanked off. 6S and grass and it gets off ok, but its hammering the battery in the process (yes I get LVC on the ESC, but with 1/2 to 3/4 the rest of the 5 minute flight is possible),
I have a SU47 (twin 70mm) that can kill a 6S4500 lipo in 2 min 15 sec and its so marginal flight performance its bike clips at all times. I has such aggressive cheat holes that with UC it actually sucks it to the deck on roll out...back the throttle of and it lifts off the ground...but not for long before its aggressive stall catches up! The most successful launch is to remove the retracts (still weighs 2.6kg) and hand launch with stabilisation/safe on. Its that marginal it just misses the ground but then it up to me then get a few circuits before belly landing!
IMO Arrows have cracked it, small and light models powered by 3S2200 and guess what...no retracts, no wire UC, no flaps and not even a rudder, why? because they know its all about power to weight.
I tried a FT kit that could be pusher or EDF and what was surprising was the loss of EDF performance once you add and induction and thrust tube + it wants to implode on full power! So something like an A10 is doable but its been done and expensive.
Not flown one but the HK Vampires are very popular and fly very well, what's the winning formula?
Looks like we are back to single engine WW2 fighters with popular (common) at one end of the spectrum or unpopular/ rarely modelled at the other end....or dolly launched twin... but people will want retracts, then flaps and wonder why the retracts come out of the wings on a rough grass strip!
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9 minutes ago, Shaun Walsh said:
You may have problems with spares availability or the Gen 1 DX8.
The main reason IMO that DX8 gen 1's hold their price is that they will do both DSM2 and DSMX, the gen 2 will only do DXMX so less sought after.
Yes Spektrum don't do spares for a DX8 gen 1 but the only things than have gone wrong with mine is me damaging a switch of the aerial pivot breaking (non OEM ones available and work ok). If you don't want the risk or hassle then go for a gen 2. Firstly the aerial is fixed and secondly Logic RC will probably service/repair.
The second DX8 gen 1 I bought the chap had just had it serviced and had the receipt.
If you are budget driven, want a more user friendly menu, more relevant support (I understand Spektrum are still issuing firmware upgrades for the gen2) and spares then IMO go for a DX8 gen 2. One other risk is that there were a lot of DXM2's RX that were counterfeit so I can avoid that with a gen2
PS I had some serious issues with a DX8 gen 1 (both) with Lemon RX's 8 channel (two), but others didn't with lower channel counts
PPS as others have said, wait for a new in box, never been used one turns up...and avoid the punter that doesn't have a good reason for sale/has crashed his last 6 models due to TX failure (or dumb thumbs).
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Mr Dinosaur here!
I still have mine and my son's DX8 gen 1's (silver), work perfectly well on DSM2 and DSMX of which there are plenty of DSM2 RX's as lots of people have moved on and the DX gen 2's will no operate DSM2 RX's. This is why DX8 gen 1 still hold their value. Of course being old tech then don't have the functionality to get the best out of the forward programming features of the modern RX's. Depends what you fly? and more importantly what you think you will be flying in a few years time?
DX8 gen 2 is a nice TX and has the forward programming functionality if you are panning on using stabilisation/safe.
IMO the biggest driver is what you want and how prepared you are to learn whatever system you intend to use, if you local club have experts in system Y then choosing system X is hard work, but then again their are people that have the time and enthusiasm to learn and just go it alone anyway.
I bit like GG says!
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2 hours ago, GrumpyGnome said:
Possibly just the two of us.... I keep mentioning it, and the Whirlwind....
Make that 3 of us...just need to find another 35 buyers!
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2 hours ago, Flying Squirrel said:
Fantastic, appreciate the advice. Mine has two 3s 2200s up front and balances around 90mm from F2, total weight is only just over 4lbs so didn't know whether to leave as is for the maiden or add weight up front.
IMHO add weight that you can take out of later and get the C of G to max 80mm. Maiden time is normally high workload so and until you have its measure and trimmed in you don't want something too lively!
A 3 way switch with elevator rates is a real benefit as if needed you can calm it down or not, but I think you will find the FW190 a very pleasant model to fly with no vices I have found.
PS When it comes to landing you should be able to slow it right up!
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Drawing quotes 70mm, but its very tolerant and to save adding lead only to then remove it I maiden mine at 78mm and it was fine (might remove some more when I get around to finishing the model!
Ron has mentioned hos is as far back as 100mm (did say its very tolerant !) and the point there IMO is the elevator becomes progressively more effective as the C of G goes back so don't fly with massive elevator throws if the C of G is a long way back from 70mm conversely don't have little travel and C of G at 70mm.
I put a little up on my elevator...that I then had to remove, IMO set flat.
PS one of the advantages of a more rearward C of G is it will take off and land slower, handy for the dolly launch.
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Two options, put the tank in the right position or put the engine in the right position.
Failure to adhere to either option 1 or 2 will result in sub optimal running and possibly a dead stick at the most at the most inconvenient time. Result..loss of model or injury, is that negligence as you knew it was not correct?
Looks ok to me!
Laser appreciation society view
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Spec for the 100
Additional information
DISPLACEMENT BORE STROKE PRACTICAL RPM RANGE RECOMMENDED FULL POWER RPM RANGE RECOMMENDED PROPS WEIGHT -
I'll go along with a Mossie (can never have to many
SpitfiresMossies. Either built, unbuilt or needs rebuilding I can can count 5, but half a dozen sounds like a round number to me!Just an observation, but with all the Mossies getting the C of G forward enough is always a challenge. One BH Mossie I bought has larger than required motors, but the correct props, clever as the additional motor weight is about as far forward as possible bearing in mind the 4S5000 lipo is in the nose already (so you can't do a bomber version). All eth servos are very near C of G. Even putting lipos in the nacelles may be a challenge if UC is used.
My SG Mossie has 2 Laser 70's, everything else as far forward + extra weight up front to get the C of G and looking at the electric versions the lipo packs are well forward in the fuz. Not sure that's a good place to put a lot of weight if a hard landing takes place as it might break its back.
I an sure Richard can iron these challenges out as he has in the past with his other twins 🙂 ...should he accept the challange!
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Warbirds Replicas FW190 - the 2023 version
in The 2024 Forum Mass Build
Posted
When I requested both in the same frame I wasn't quite expecting Red Arrows close 😉 No wonder one of my decals started to peel off.