Stephen Jones Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Ok this is a Spin off something i was doing for indoor flying and as it flys so well i decided to make one for out door flying as well . I have been building flying fleas for some time now and i decided to do something that was a bit different than the normal flying flea that most people may have seen . Now then the concept behind the flying flea was an aero plane that someone could build them self and store in there own garage and would be easy to fly and cheap to both run and build . So a poor mans plane . It was a very compact plane with simple controls , just rudder for left and right and a motor bike engine for power and the main wing would tilt in order to gain or lose height . But what would someone really like to fly if they had the money well some might like to have a Pitts Special . So i decided to morph the two together to create The LB Special . The Little Bit Special has the same wing shape and fin as a pits special but has been cartooned in order to make it both more compact and to confirm to the tandem wing design of a flying flea . So without the bottom wing and the top wing using a tilting mechanism the concept is born . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 So here we go , Plans drawn up . And Fuselage . The fuselage made to look as close to a Pits Special . Edited By Stephen Jones on 13/10/2013 00:56:08 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 The body near completion , start rear wing which will also give lift as opposed to a conventional plane which gives negative lift you may also notice that there are no elevators needed . A large rudder to stir the model with . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 Yes its like building one of those old Keil Kraft kits from long ago . And with a wing span of 30" not much bigger . But i don't cover it with tissue instead i use brown paper and Poly C as it is a lot stronger and water proof just what one needs for out door flying . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 I plastered it on a bit thick here , not to worrie it came out ok in the end . See it doesn't take long to dry . Just like tissue paper one adds a little at a time . There we go one large paper plane . Needs painting Now . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 Thats the spray paint on . Some go faster stripes . And some wheels and a pilot . And does it Fly . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 You bet Ya , It has a wing span of 30" a AUW of 400 Grm two 5 Grm servos one small 2.4Ghz receiver a 50 Watt motor and is the easiest thing i have ever flown more stable than you're average trainer and will fly in light winds too considering it`s size it` a little belter even my son likes to fly it and he has not passed his A certificate yet . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 Here is a early Video of it flying . Edited By Stephen Jones on 13/10/2013 01:41:28 Edited By Chris Bott - Moderator on 13/10/2013 22:18:39 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Harris Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Stephen, I think your efforts deserve at least some response. It looks like a well sorted model, you must be very pleased with it. I for one would not hesitate to build it Your photos are very good too, what editing programme are you using? Bigger???? Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 Thanks Richard , Yes i am pleased with it , considering its unorthodox . it flys very well . If you would like to build it , i have done a slightly modified version in TurboCad16 just PM me and i will send you the file it needs a little finishing off for the struts but nothing you car`nt fix i am sure . My pictures are edited with Gimp 2.8 free . Bigger ? / thats why i cad it . Its almost on the board due to its size it need more Mods to figure out . Cheers Steve , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Bott - Moderator Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Blimey Stephen I wondered how I'd missed this one, then I looked at the dates on the posts and am relieved that I haven't just missed this over a period of weeks! That's a lovely job you've made of that. Not really my cup of tea, but very well done all the same. Nice job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Tweddle Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Thank you for sharing this with us Stephen. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted October 13, 2013 Author Share Posted October 13, 2013 Thanks Guys , Flying Flea`s are a bit like Marmite , . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted November 18, 2013 Author Share Posted November 18, 2013 Hi , I have been building yet another one but this one will be a little bit different as i have taken some inspiration from one of Richard Harris models and some inspiration from RLG`s models . Only this one will be covered in Solar Film . Watch this space ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted December 1, 2013 Author Share Posted December 1, 2013 Hi again , I have thought that this little plane was missing something . So i have made one more to suite my son`s taste and added a lower wing to support some rockets much like the one`s on Richard Harris Auto Gyro little Nellie and i will add some guns on top of the Fuselage . Then i hope to be able to pull it off . and cover the body to resemble a Bumble Bee compete with eyes and a menacing grin . The wing is made from a sheet of Balsa . So it is a Little more like a Bipe now , the only problem now is the wheels , i may change to a tricycle setup on this although i have not fully decided . For the time being i need to order some wheels and a motor and receiver . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riverlandgirl. Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 Hey that's cute. An angry bumble bee, rocket assisted tandem wing,sesqui plane. I like it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted December 11, 2013 Author Share Posted December 11, 2013 Thanks RLG , I have not had a great deal of free time to spend on this so only a little progress . I was concerned as to how it would look with a tricycle set up but now i have looked at it a bit more i will run with it . I have made an air scoop to cool the motor and Esc , which i will also use to make it look like a mouth . And this is where i have stopped . i was hoping that i would of had enough light blue to cover the wings , but it looks like i will have to use the darker blue in the picture as there will not be enough to do the main wing and i don't think a miss match of blue will look right . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted December 13, 2013 Author Share Posted December 13, 2013 Hi just come across this picture of a Flying Flea , Nice . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted December 14, 2013 Author Share Posted December 14, 2013 Hi again , I got a bit more done today Next i need to add some detailing . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riverlandgirl. Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 Looking good, I think the tricycle u/c looks fine. Must say though, it looks more cheeky than menacing at this stage! (maybe long eyelashes and lipstick?) Edited By riverlandgirl. on 15/12/2013 02:00:12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted December 18, 2013 Author Share Posted December 18, 2013 Thanks RLG , It took me ages to get the mouth to look menacing no matter which way i tried it looked cheeky or like a clown . But hopefully it looks Menacing now . But is it more like a Wasp than a Bee . Now the next challenge to make some guns and rockets . And do i leave the wings as they are or add strips of some kind Hmmmm .. Edited By Stephen Jones on 18/12/2013 11:52:19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riverlandgirl. Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Definatly menacing now, and the tounge's a great touch. I like it a lot! personally I think a backwards facing eye on the tail fin would look quite sinister... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted December 20, 2013 Author Share Posted December 20, 2013 Thank You RLG , A backward facing eye Hummm . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted March 13, 2014 Author Share Posted March 13, 2014 Not so little is it . I also took another video today . It is so relaxing to fly . Edited By Stephen Jones on 13/03/2014 19:26:58 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted March 13, 2014 Author Share Posted March 13, 2014 Ok it`s time to get back on to this Bee , I now need to add a windscreen and paint the bare wood parts and i am thinking of adding some white strips to the wings . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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