Ian Jones Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 Hmm, there seems to be a few of these about bearing different brands but same specs. I saw one at Cosford show and it did look the bees knees - similar price too, about £500. Yes I did say similar, £320 (aircraft) + £160 (2x 3500 Lipos) + £27 (Rx), I make that a tad over £500 actually. I'd love one but it isn't going to happen; enjoy it Tomtom39. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graeme jones Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 Still no reply from HK re. ESC sent to UK warehouse 20/08/12. I have sent a reminder today. So much for their promise of a "first class warranty service". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reno Racer Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 Thats the 90mm one from a Swiss company ready2fly. Worlds apart from the HK/Durafly one,but at £320 still very expensive for a lump of foam. I rather hope that FlyFly release a 90mm Venom or Vampire, that way jepe can turn it into one of his 'sorted' fast foam versions.Link Mind you i note that theHK/Durafly 70mm kit is sellng in HK for £44. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 They have confirmed that they will replace my retracts - just waiting. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David P Williams Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Flew mine for the first time yesterday using GensAce 4S 2200 25C packs that I already had- really pleased with it. Email from Hobbyking this morning to say they're back in stock - only 48 left! Get your credit cards out..... David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Posted by Captain Slog on 28/09/2012 12:36:14: Flew mine for the first time yesterday using GensAce 4S 2200 25C packs that I already had- really pleased with it. Email from Hobbyking this morning to say they're back in stock - only 48 left! Get your credit cards out..... David I'm using the same the same batteries and agree they seem to be up to the job. Just has an email from HK indicating my replacement retracts have been packed and will be shipped soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graeme jones Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Reply from HK needs some translation but I think they have accepted that the ESC was faulty and have agreed to replace it...................but only when they receive one from their supplier. That could take "some time". I have suggested that HK UK send me an ESC from the ones they have in stock but no dice. Neither good customer service nor "a first class warranty service". As soon as I have time I intend writing to Lucky Stuff Ltd (the UK name of Hobbyking) pointing out their obligations under the UK/EC consumer regulations. Don't suppose it will make a lot of difference but it's worth a try. Nil illigitimi carborundum!!! Graeme Edited By graeme jones on 28/09/2012 17:00:45 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott cuppello Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Please PM me the purchase number and CS ticket number.....it will save a lot of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Bernard Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 If I can hijack this thread a littIe, I am after some thoughts from you Vampire experts. I have had a Durafly Vampire for quite some time but not had much success with it. On my first flight it did not seem to want to take off and I had to force it up. It did a couple of trimming circuits OK and looked and sounded good, but then on trying to pull out of a 45 deg diving turn for a low level pass it seemed to lose elevator authority and refused to pull up - rebuild no. 1 ! (I guess this was down to the booms flexing too much. CG was as per manual.) 2nd flight went OK although the wind was a bit blustery. As this was the first actual landing I was prepared for the long glide I had seen reported and so started the approach some way away - but the glide didn't happen and I was too far away to notice some uneven ground which took off the front U/C and surrounding foam. - rebuild no.2 ! So now I wait for good weather (some wait!) and try flight 3 - and this time when it takes off it is wallowing from side to side and I cannot control it - so it meets a hedge - rebuild no 3! Now flight 4 - and exactly the same - uncontrollable rolling from side to side. Now for the last two flights I am wondering if subconsciously I have been pulling the model up too early? Could that cause this symptom? (At the time of both flights there was 4' high corn at the end of the strip.) And now I am faced with the question of do I rebuild again - or is there maybe one rebuild too many and it would be better to start with a new airframe? I know it does fly - I have flown it - so I am anxious to repeat the experience! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Hi Colin, On flight 4 did the rolling problem stop after it achieved some airspeed? If so then it does sound like you might be forcing it off the ground before it's ready and it has insufficient airflow over the surfaces to fly. At least 25C LiPo is recommended, if your battery can't deliver that then performance, including take-off speed of course, will be down. Are you getting decent flying speed? If it is 25C+, is it tired and not delivering the power you expect? The other thing is the CG, I know you said it's to the instructions but may I gently suggest you recheck very carefully? A long take-off run, reluctance to leave the ground and poor glide can all be symptoms of being nose heavy. The reluctance to pull up could in extreme cases be caused by being nose heavy too. If it is nose heavy then it could be quite a lot, so I would not recommend the usual roll to inverted to check, with marginal airspeed that could be rebuild no 5! Unusual for this aircraft to be nose heavy I know but it looks like one of the things that needs eliminating. I've taken-off from short grass with mine and it's been fine, longer grass will of course slow it down. There could be a combination of issues, e.g. battery not so good, nose heavy, flexing booms and dare I say that you have not had chance to properly trim the elevator? Just some thoughts - hope they help. Edited By Ian Jones on 01/10/2012 12:47:03 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Bernard Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 HI Ian - thanks for the suggestions. Firstly flight 4 ended like flight 3 - meeting the hedge alongside the strip! As to the battery - I was using ZIppy 2800mAh 4S 30C's so I don't think there is an issue there. On the CG - I had read all the various postings which seemed to be Scot on one side saying 'fly it as it says' and then the other camp saying it needed to have some weight in the nose to bring the CG forward by 10mm or so. So I made a point of ensuring the CG was spot on the settings in the manual and then from there I was going make my own mind up for subsequent flights - so it was definately not nose heavy. As to the elevator trim - to confirm the trim i had it flying level hands off on flights 1 and 2 and it flew this way straight out of the box. So my feeling is still that the first flight crash was boom flexing, and the last two was insufficient speed. I have never seen this with any of my other planes hence asking on here. The reason I am thinking of a new airframe is to rule out my having not reglued the booms at the correct angle. Obviously foam does flex as you push the bits back together so this is a possibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Well colin you seem to have it pretty well covered and more speed before take-off seems to be the answer. If the booms are at the wrong angle then I would expect problems - too high at the back I presume? In which case as speed increases the aircraft may well tend to pitch down more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piers Bowlan Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Colin, as I said in an earlier post I reinforced the booms with 10mm wide strips of carbon (one on the underside of the booms and another at right angles running along the inside. The strips started about 5cm forward of the TE of the wing and finished almost at the tail so the areas of maximum stress (TE of wings) are reinforced. The model (and tail) is now very ridged with no flex. I found the model had a mind of it's own with the recomended C of G. With it moved 20mm forward the model is very relaxing to fly and will land at a walking pace with no tendency to dutch roll, as it did when the c of g in the recommended position. If the model is reluctant to unstick on take off then perhaps the grass is a little long (considering the tiny wheels) plus the landing gear is positioned a little too far back in relation to the c of g. You can't move the gear forward and moving the C of G back is undesirable so ... Mow the grass? ! Just my 2p worth. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graeme jones Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Re. ESC problems, HK have now credited my account to cover the cost of a replacement. My thanks to Scott for sorting that out. Graeme Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn Johnston Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Just bought one,; first EDF. what glue do people recommend for this type of foam? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete taylor Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 I used medium cyano (foam friendly as happens but not necessary, just what o had in) with kicker and thin cyano. Works a treat and quick too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn Johnston Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Thanks; I just reread earlier comments about UHUpor and cyano. I seem to be developing a very painful reaction to cyano though, might get some foam-safe, odourless stuff instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn Johnston Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 I'm surprised how thick the trailing edges of the wings are, nearly a quarter of an inch. Is it worth shaving this down a bit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn Johnston Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 And where's the best place to locate the ESC? I can see that it's got a (lightly) sticky pad on the back of it but it's just floating in space at the moment, (doesn't look like it'll stick well to the foam). And what's the other little electronic gizmo that's attached by a cable to the ESC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David P Williams Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 My ESC was floating around in the bottom of the fuselage too - I just stuck it back there with a new bit of velcro, doesn't seem to get very warm. The other gizmo is the BEC, so that lead is the power lead to your Rx, the other lead from the ESC is the throttle channel. Don't worry about the trailing edges, it flies fine as it is. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piers Bowlan Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 I strapped my (60A) Turnigy Plush ESC down with a tye-wrap threaded through the louvres ahead of the fan. I wouldn't trust sticky backed Velcro for very long. There have been several reported cases of lose wired being sucked into the fan. You have been warned! Have fun. Piers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn Johnston Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 Haven't started building yet, but I've noticed that there is no wing-joiner of any sort, the wings are just to be glued on. Doesn't look strong enough to me, but I've not heard of anyone complaining, so I guess it must be good enough. Edited By Martyn Johnston on 06/10/2012 10:15:01 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piers Bowlan Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 I used UHU Por initially and after what looked like a terminal spin (see earlier post) and arrival into a bramble bush the dihedral was slightly increased! After correcting and applying a liberal quantity of cyano and kicker the wings/fuz joint now appears plenty strong enough to me. My verdict; no need for reinforcement if you use cyano. The model is stronger than it looks even if it does dent easily -being foam. My 2p worth. Edited By Piers Bowlan on 06/10/2012 11:38:21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn Johnston Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Massive screw-up. I've not used UHUpor before; it says on the packet to spread on both surfaces and leave for 10 - 20 minutes til dry, then push together (and boy does it stick !). This might work well on a flat surface, but the wing joint is not flat, it's more a mortise and tenon joint. As soon as I started to push the wing (tenon) in to the fuselage (mortise) it stuck ;-solid. So the wing is not all the way in, it's in OK at the top, but the bottom edge (where the strentgh is need most !) is only half in, and the main flat surfaces are not touching at all. The next wing I covered in UHUpor and slid together immediately and it's gone in fine. So now I have a bit more dehedral than I'd like, and a much weaker wing joint than I'd like. Bugger ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn Johnston Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 I did manage to get some 8mm x .5mm carbon strip, as some people have recommended. I cut a long straight slit along the underside of both booms and slid the carbon in. Invisible and 'much' stronger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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