Jitterbug builders thread

[Erfolg]

I have just noted the plan pack offer, via my E-Mail.

 

This seems really good marketing, being timely with respect to the publication of the magazine. To make the offer more attractive the kit price looks very good.

 

I guess my only reservation at a personal level, that this is not the most attractive model published in recent times.

 

Yet this is first time I have looked twice at an offer.

Edited By Erfolg on 17/03/2011 13:23:23

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

At the risk of "contaminating" one thread with another - an excellent example of an outfit using its email contact list to engage with its readership (members?) and do a little marketing along the way! - oh dear, its everywhere! (Well not quite everywhere - cos we know one place where it isn't!)

 

BEB

[Bill Hughes 3]

The Jitterbug very closely resembles the old Precedent Lo Boy in many respects, all be it no flaps and different undercarriage configuration, but very similar all the same.

[Steve W-O]

I didn't get an email, thankfully. I hate spam marketing mails, and simply blacklist them ! Of course with Yahoo and Gmail, that scores up and eventually all the mails from that sender get put in the recipients spam box.

 

 

I do agree though that the Jitterbug is a nice project

[Hugh Coleman]

Posted by Erfolg on 17/03/2011 13:21:49:

I have just noted the plan pack offer, via my E-Mail.

 

This seems really good marketing, being timely with respect to the publication of the magazine. To make the offer more attractive the kit price looks very good.

 

I guess my only reservation at a personal level, that this is not the most attractive model published in recent times.

 

Yet this is first time I have looked twice at an offer.

Edited By Erfolg on 17/03/2011 13:23:23

I'm sure Alex likes it... and that's what matters, surely. Others who want to build a low wing aerobat from scratch will build it perhaps... Me? I'm waiting for Hanger 9 to release the Pulse XT in kit form.

 

Cheers,

 

Hugh

[Phil 9]

Is it me or does the jitterbug free plan look like something we have seen before too many times. I may be just on a downer but it just does not look very inspiring to me and with the two wood packs costing £88.98 plus postage not a cheep way to build a model

it is a very mundane easy to build sport model and not a particularly nice one with its lines designed just to make an easy build rather than to look good or interesting.

if we are to have a free flan every month is it time to mix it up a bit

[Pat (rActive) Harbord]

Phil, can I pull you up on your comment re mixing it up a bit?
April - jitterbug, low wing hack
March - melody, sports bipe
February - blohm and voss, odd ball foamy
January - stranraer, scale flying boat
December - pix-E Major, vintage stooger

I think that a pretty mixed bag

I do agree that ?80 plus for wood feels very expensive. The choice is there to cut your own though so it's a case of you pays your money you takes your choice. I would think that you could use this plan as a basis for modifications to make the lines flow better?

[Phil 9]

rActive maybe you are right and i am being harsh

 

 

[Pat (rActive) Harbord]

Did you have a bad day?

[Eamonn Fahey]

Has anyone else noticed that there are two different models in the review and I cannot believe Alex would fly a model with only two wingbands attached (mocked up photos?)

[Shane Sunday]

I thought it looked like what it was meant to be... A quick to build weekend acro hack. I've considered reducing the plan by 20% or so make styrofoam core wings and fit an existing motor in it. It looks like a fun build.

 

my 2 cents

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Posted by Eamonn Fahey on 22/03/2011 13:02:02:

Has anyone else noticed that there are two different models in the review and I cannot believe Alex would fly a model with only two wingbands attached (mocked up photos?)

 

Only you Eamonn but your detective work is flawed I'm afraid

Alex has mentioned the bands here.

 

[Hugo Fasster]

I exchanged messages with Alex on his new site where he explained that the model had a slight mishap and had to have some rebuilding, So Eamonn you are right there were two different versions of the model.

[Alex Whittaker]

To reiterate: there is only one Jitterbug prototype. It is the same model in all the static and flying shots. Just bear in mind the North Wales weather. The magazine photos were shot over a number of weeks, with the prototype flown by two separate test pilots. This was to get a dispassionate assessment of the model, and also so I could take the flying pictures. There were radio problems with some dodgy brand new servos, and a rough landing, so I had to repair the tail. I decided to remove one wing dowel as a trial, since I found I was tending to use the rear undercarriage dowels anyway. I innocently re-covered the tail with yellow film, since I had run out of checks. I was blissfully unaware that such routine running repairs to a sports model would provoke so many conspiracy theorists. Amusing, though. Even Elvis down our chippy had a good laugh.

[Tim Hooper]

Tough crowd tonight, eh?

 

tim

[Shane Sunday]

Well I have decided to build the jitterbug but mainly from DEPRON as I want to see if it can be done or should be done. I will be useing spruce bearers and ply wing and UC supports but mainly Depron.

 

I like the simplicity of this model and while I have a motor (leccy) that will handle the balsa build, I prefer to use something smaller for my flying field.

I'll let you know how it goes.

[Joao Miguel]

I am building the Jitterbug (bravely the first build in decades) and going electric. Could Alex provide more details of what he fitted? I've got the motor but I am struggling to decide over the ESC , BEC and lipo. Regards

[Alex Whittaker]

Sorry Joao,

I have been away from my desk for a few days, and could not reply sooner. As a guideline, the Jitterbug prototype was designed around a Turnigy C5055-600 motor, a 3200MAh / 15C / 14.8 Volt pack, a 70A ESC, and a 14” x 8” el*ctric prop. However, experienced el*ctric modellers will devise their own power trains, I am sure. Good luck with your build. Send me a few flying snaps.

Alex

[Alex Whittaker]

Shane,

Please send me some snaps when you have created your masterpiece.

Alex

 

[Shane Sunday]

Alex I have started building the wings with minor changes. I am real happy with the outcome so far. I plan on doing a build blog so I will be posting picks of the entire build and hopefully get feedback and advice as I go.

 

Cheers.

[John Papandreou]

Hi Alex,

I just bought the April issue today (It takes a while for it to arrive at the news agent here Down Under) It looks to be a nice design, good to see something bigger than a 25 model or a Electric Foam thing as a free plan ,I have put Jitterbug on the "next to build" once my curent build project is finished.I have just finished Re-building my old OS50 FSR, it is ready for a new model,should be just the right size for a Jitterbug

 

Alex it was stated on page 77 that Decals can be download...Could you point me in the right directon.

 

Thanks

 

John

South Australia

[David Ashby - Moderator]

John, he jumped the gun a bit as, sadly, our designer let us down so no decal to download I'm afraid.

[Shane Sunday]

hey there folks. Today is fathers days so happy fathers day to all you dads. It's the day we get thanks for thing like electricity, the roof, heat, cloths you know all the stuff our family' recon comes out of the ether. So obviously this gave me the go ahead to get out and fly. Match this with a fantastic evening with a calm breeze and I've a fantastic time ahead of me.

 

I just want to say here that for anyone on the fence about building this model DO IT! You will not be disappointed at all. This evening I did loop after loop hard turns rolls and stall turns I even got to try some knife edge for the first time. That takes a bit of practice. take off's are about 9 meters or so but the landings will take quite a bit more obviously. Sure mines made from depron and is 3lbs so I can't say too much about the balsa built bird. But if it handles at all like the airframe I'm flying, it'll be better than a bag of kittens.

 

And while in the report Alex said she didn't prop hang... I've almost got mine to do it, if only for 5 seconds. Need more throttle control me thinks. And practice.

 

If you do build it show us som pics.

 

Cheers and happy fathers day.

 

[Les Littleton]

Hi folks.

I decided to go for the Jitterbug as a first build and so far i have an airframe ready for covering. I have thoroughly enjoyed the build and it looks like i may have joined the ranks of the balsa bashers. Thanks for the plan Alex , i hope the covering works as well as the build.

[Les Littleton]

 

Getting there slowly. Planning to use ASP 61 from worn out pc9 , i think it should give enough grunt to allow me to enjoy flying . All i have to do is decide on a nice simple colour scheme.