
Bonzo Moon
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A while back I posted a series of 3 videos showing my return to balsa building after 12 years of messing with foamboard and foamies. Model I built was a cheap Chinese kit, Real Hawk Mini Stick, which I later discovered has been around for years under various names. Anyhow, someone on YouTube said they were looking forward to the maiden and I remembered I'd maidened it a few weeks back but hadn't finished the video, SO FINALLY HERE IT IS! Made a silly mistake again. Put on a small u/c but didn't recheck CG. Doh. Flew OK though considering! It'll be even better next time!
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After its rather spicy maiden, my FX707 Albatross cheapo foamie rc build had a few tweaks and later some new test flights . Rates and expo were set properly this time and more down thrust, but the BIG QUESTION was, was the Centre of Gravity wrong? The original CG before converting this great chuck glider to a power model was 50% of the chord and didn't look right to me, but I went with it and some people online thought it looked ok on those first test flights? ANYHOW, I MADE A BIG CHANGE from 67 mm to 45 mm, more like a third. Was it an improvement? Check out the flight tests. What do you think?
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Treated myself to a couple of very cheap foamies at Xmas! Keep me busy during all this rubbish winter weather in the UK. 😔 One was the FX707 Albatross chuck glider. 1.2m span, which has converted to a lovely RC plane, build and maiden on my channel. But also 2 others, also very cheap! Thought the EPP Dolphin might make an ok small FPV plane cos I'm still trying to get that to work, but without spending loads of money on Walksnail gear! This is the build blog of that and a taster of the maiden. Good fun for the money and durable.
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Hi Simon, shutting the throttle to see if the nose drops (as it should) is one of the first things I do with a new build. This maiden freaked me out a bit and took me by surprise largely because I had rates set at max throws and no expo. (Hadn't set up properly.) It was so twitchy with the slightest input, especially elevator, hence my cartwheel, lost the plot and too high inputs. The FX707S really is one of the best "chuck" gliders. Certainly is. And nicely made and good foam. The glide took me by surprise. I can see why people build flaps. And as I said in the video, very much overpowered with the 3s. I'll fly next time with 1000mA or 800mA 2s. Next flight will be more calm and controlled! Watch this space. 😉
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My FX707S RC conversion had a rather interesting maiden, mainly as a result of a silly mistake I made when setting it up! It survived though, despite cartwheeling on one 'landing'. (Foamies can take it!) It'll hopefully be easier to fly next time. I'd built my RC conversion to the same CG as where it was when it was a chuck glider, but strongly suspect (mid-chord?) was way too far back for power. But like I say, that was where it was when it came out of the box and I assembled it!
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I spotted this glider in a post on a Facebook RC group, liked the look of it and bought one. £16 delivered. It's a slightly easier conversion than a Lidl foamie build, as main wing is split and there's already a hollow in the fusi. A bit bigger and nice looking plane. Here's my unboxing and build blog. No maiden yet, but I know it'll fly well!
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Interesting, the claim to making history was rather tongue in cheek! I'm not surprised someone has done it before. I saw a video on YT since making this by Peter Stripol. Crazy inventor and creator and pilot. He built a foamboard lightweight plane with a couple of dozen wings! Even managed to get it flying! As far as flying that little foamie, it's not obvious in the video but the plane is tethered on a bit of light line to my tripod in the middle of the space, so it's flying around that. There was no intention to pretend I was flying it RC, it just has a timer for 15s. If you had seen the original biplane video you'd know that it's tethered. Light was better in that video below. Here's Peter Stripol's crazy plane!
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No dihedral really and it's a kind of rubberised , very durable foam but doesn't bend and stay bent. I haven't tried a blade cut and glue though. Do it, let us know how you get on? I've got two more at home now. Worth it for the brushed motor, prop and small lipo inside. Great fun though as you say and funny enough, I had wondered about control line flying! 😄 Did you see the round the pole flights?
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Posted a video the other day of my latest 'build', the cheapest plane you can buy. Don't let the gales and rain stop you giving a small plane a maiden! There is a way. 😟 Build video is on my channel too. £2.59, ideal Xmas gift for your kids. No children or small animals were injured in the making of the following video. Happy Xmas.
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Compared to my last 3 part video series, getting back to balsa after 12 years, this was easy! 😂 Worth buying just for the brushed motor and prop. Good for pulling apart and experimenting with the motor too? No maiden, needs a calm day and that doesn't look likely for a while. Happy Holidays!
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I just realised that and was just coming back to my post to correct that! You beat me to it! In fact I can afford to move the lipo a couple of mm further aft! My 77 year old brain was getting a bit confused. 🙄 I misunderstood the conservative bit I think. Of course what you meant was it'd be nose heavy, not great, (but better than tail heavy). For better flight characteristics CG further back, ie less nose weight, would be better right? I just worked out, the difference to make it 33% is 3 mm and on that covering it's not actually that easy to figure the actual CG that accurately! I'll maiden it like it is and see how it flies, making adjustments if necessary 😉
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I think they were different plans , this is an old model and apparently, I have since found has been around in a few different guises. I' d already measured the main wing and it's 115mm. CG recommended is 32mm and that calculates as 28% (if my maths is OK) And I thought conservative. I'd prefer the usual 30% - 33% It'll need a bit more lead to achieve that. 😏 All the same, how anyone is supposed to achieve that with this kit, the recommended motor and lipo without lead is hard to see! Thanks to all for comments. As I say, last few years I've been building foamboard and foamie conversions and this was a different ball game. And I've had good success with those.