A place for Pushy Cat builders to hang out

[brfc7]

baz, would be me aka brfc7.

Only sign every post off with my name

baz

[John Privett]

Posted by Dave Miller on 18/12/2013 16:01:37:

Your collective advice is again sort.

Having at last mastered the intricacies of the HK website I have today received a Tunigy D2826/6 2200kv motor to push this wee beast around, its maximum rating is given as 342 watts.

Dave, one small point to start with... Whilst they quote a mximum rating of 342 watts, the more important max is the current - stated as 34A. Now on a 3-cell LiPo that's more or less the same, but if you wanted to use a 2-cell LiPo then the maximum current of 34A would leave you somewhat short of 342 watts. So it's the current that is the important figure!

For comparison I have a 2200kv motor in my pushycat - though not this one, mine is a "Wasp" B2835 and I use a Wasp 33A ESC. Initially I flew it on a 5.2x5.2 and it flew fine on that. I soon switched to a 6x4 as self-launching (using Ken's underarm technique) is much easier with the lower pitch prop. I set my timer to 8 minutes and usually (apart from last Sunday!) have a fair bit left in the battery after landing.

And mine tips the scales at about 28oz with battery. 

Edited By John Privett on 18/12/2013 20:53:00

[John Privett]

Posted by Erfolg on 18/12/2013 17:28:39:

I have been wondering how many Pushy Cats are under construction and have been built.

My spread sheet suggested that 5 were registered as part of the voting process. Yet there seems to be many more. From that i thought I would try and list those I can remember, so some may be omitted in this list, in no particular order, as they say on come flying at Greenacres.

1. Ken Anderson of department fame
2. Graham C
3. Colin Liefield
4. Richard Harris
5. Dave Miller
6. Richard Harris
7. Simon Burch
8. Tim von Model Markings
9. Bob Cotsford
10. IanR?
11. Woolsten Flyer
12. John
13. Depron Daz
14. Fred Clarke
15. Victor Saliba, will he be at Greenacres?
16. Andy Fox

That is at least 17, there could be more, who have I missed?

Who intends going to Greenacres? There could be a couple of squadrons!

Is number 12 me? Or another John? Though mine's not a completely new build, but a rebuild of a crashed earlier build. The rebuild was inspired by these threads though!

I've not been to Greenacres before, but wouldn't rule it out completely...

[Colin Leighfield]

Erfolg, it's a name used generically for large aircraft formations. Named after the head of the pre-war Italian Air Force, Italo Balbo. He was famous pre-war for flying a large formation of S55 flying boats across the Atlantic to South America and the USA. Killed in Tobruk in 1940 flying a Savoia Marchetti SM79, shot down by his own side.

[Erfolg]

Apologies Baz, unusual name , where does Aka come from brfc7. Are you related to Bilk? . Apolgies i have never noticed.

John, I was a little concerned that my model weighed in at 28oz, it is reassuring that there is another model of the same weight and flys.

Colin, just shows how little I actually do know. For a moment I thought it cold be a Bilbo as in Baggins. Call me stupid, oh! you did

Edited By Erfolg on 18/12/2013 22:08:58

[Colin Leighfield]

I'd never call you stupid Erfolg, I'm certainly aware that there's far more I don't know than I do! I suppose it could easily have been Balbo Biggins though, now you mention it!

[Dave Miller]

Posted by Erfolg on 18/12/2013 22:07:56:

Apologies Baz, unusual name , where does Aka come from brfc7. Are you related to Bilk? . Apolgies i have never noticed.

John, I was a little concerned that my model weighed in at 28oz, it is reassuring that there is another model of the same weight and flys.

Colin, just shows how little I actually do know. For a moment I thought it cold be a Bilbo as in Baggins. Call me stupid, oh! you did

Edited By Erfolg on 18/12/2013 22:08:58

AKA = Also Known As

It's police shorthand.

[fred clarke]

Re model weights.

Mine weighs in at 28 oz primarily because it has a undercarriage - see piccies in my gallery. I am more than happy with how it flies but have not seen another PC to compare it with. Certainly, the speed range is fine by me.

fred

[brfc7]

Name - Baz
User name - brfc7
aka - also know as.

Really must get around to doing some more covering on my pushycat as I haven't touched it since I covered the tail and glued it on to the wings and that was back on the 6th.

Baz

[Erfolg]

brfc7

Yes, yes, it is time to panic, it will not be long and Greenacres will be here and gone.

Although my own model appears to be complete. Personally I do not consider a model finished until flown. Now that Christmas is almost here, it is as far as I am concerned, and there has been a deterioration in the weather there will be an inevitable hiatus.

Possibly more importantly, as I now have a test pilot, who is far more trustworthy than myself, I am dependant on ambushing him, encouraging him to try and fly it.

I have set the failsafe and tested it, I have not as yet done a range test. Before flight this will need to be done with the help of the "Test Pilot", just in case.

So even in my case, where once I would have considered the job done, now I see some time before the job is really done. So yet again, I can easily slip down the finished table.

[simon burch]

Getting close now!!

[GrumpyGnome]

I'm building one too............... first plan build in my 40 years or so of fiddling with toy planes

Part way through final fitting out - Metallic Blue fuselage and booms, silver wings and tailplane, day-glow orange wingtips and control surfaces. Can you tell I'm a bit wary of losing sight of it ? Will post a piccy in album when it's flight ready.

GG

[Dave Miller]

That's a nice bright scheme Simon, don't forget the ailerons before you launch it.

I agree GG, the brighter the better.

[Colin Leighfield]

The numbers continue to grow. This could turn into an invasion. More than a Balbo, more an aerial Armada!

[Dave Miller]

Posted by Colin Leighfield on 20/12/2013 07:56:34:

The numbers continue to grow. This could turn into an invasion. More than a Balbo, more an aerial Armada!

And all in the air at once!

[ken anderson.]

very nice model you have there simon......well done.......think that its time the mag gave us a bit space(10 page's+) ... as we are ambassadors for the hobby etc....

ken Anderson...ne....1 chairman of the PC's dept...

[Victor Saliba]

Well done Simon, nice colours, I like it.

Ken Anderson.....ne....1 chairman of many depts....with all this interest in the Pushycat, we deserve a couple of pages in the magazine. A collection of different pictures of the Pushcats will be nice, I'm sure others will follow and built one if they see how nice and simple this model is and 'Greenacres' event will be a huge success.

[ken anderson.]

well said victor...you will get an extra special mention for the fact that your model is in the overseas squadron.....we'll probably nominate you to be in charge ......

 

ken Anderson ne..1 ..international communications dept...

Edited By ken anderson. on 20/12/2013 16:37:13

[ken anderson.]

Simon -what is the covering that you have applied to the bottom of your PC ....?

ken Anderson...ne..1 .......... curious dept....

[simon burch]

It the cheap HK covering film. I can't fault it and the price is spot on. Bought about 100 quids worth a couple of years ago from HK (wasn't stocked in the uk then), got a load of different colours. Still got a fair bit left but will order more next year. The cost of sola film and profilm was just too much for me, so I tried this stuff.

Cheers,

Simon

[Colin Leighfield]

I managed to get into the shed for 90 minutes this aftternoon. Before I started, here is the fuselage nacelle resting on top of the wing panels. This shows how I intend it to look with the shorter than plan length and the canopy set well forward, Vampire/Venom style. I've managed to get on with planing and sanding the wings, hopefully tomorrow I can post a couple of pictures showing some worthwhile progress!

[Erfolg]

Colin

I have been thinking about your comments with respect to a more powerful jet engine for the Vampire.

I guess the issue would be that of adequate fuel capacity. In those early years of jet aircraft the consumption was particularly high. I guess they would have considered the addition of additional drop tanks, perhaps extra fuz length to instal more tanks. Given that they stuck with the Vampire as it was suggests that it was considered that the design was optimal.

An example of fuel issues was the EE Lightening, that due to lack of fuel capacity had a limited range and loiter time, before the tanks were empty.

Anyway your Vamp is looking good and moving along at a pace.

[John Privett]

Posted by GrumpyGnome on 20/12/2013 07:39:56:

... day-glow orange wingtips and control surfaces. Can you tell I'm a bit wary of losing sight of it ? Will post a piccy in album when it's flight ready.

GG

I can certainly recommend the dayglo orange tips. After flying mine - with white wings - against a typical British sky (light-grey clouds!) the orange tip covering was added the same evening. The difference it makes in the air is amazing!

Before;

 

After;

Edited By John Privett on 20/12/2013 23:11:47

[Colin Leighfield]

Erfolg. The Australians fitted the Vampire with a Rolls Royce Nene engine of 5,000lbs. thrust, which gave it a very fast climb rate but the airframe was at its' aerodynamic limit. They built 80 and used them for years. You can identify them by the extra air intakes behind the cockpit.

De Havilland flew one with the Ghost, also around 5,000 lbs. replacing the 3,500 lbs. thrust Goblin, but realised that it needed a thinner wing to exploit the extra power and go faster, which lead to the Venom. That could do a respectable 640 mph and probably would have handled a Mig15 quite well.

My PC is altered to reflect what I imagine a Venom successor could have looked like if DH had taken it one stage further, with a moderately swept wing, further aerodynamic refinement and more power, 7,000/8,000 lbs. thrust from perhaps an early Avon or Sapphire, or even their own Gyron Junior. It could have been high subsonic and supersonic in a dive. In truth it would have been pointless because it would have been too close to the Hunter and Swift, although perhaps it would have had export potential.

I'm one of those who remains frustrated by the way our incredible aircraft industry was squandered and wasted by stupid politicians (some things never change) and like to dream a bit. The PC is an opportunity to do something a bit different without much effort.

GrumpyGnome, I see what you mean about your dayglow wing-tips!

Edited By Colin Leighfield on 20/12/2013 23:46:58

Edited By Colin Leighfield on 20/12/2013 23:48:45

Edited By Colin Leighfield on 20/12/2013 23:50:19

[Dave Miller]

I’m having trouble keeping the wings warp free. I tissue and doped the bottom side of the wing blanks so that I could pin them flat whilst they dried. Following the shaping of the top surface I tissue doped the top surface, again pinning them flat whilst until dry, but both panels exhibit a slight twist and bow when released, which I find highly annoying. In an attempt to flatten them I have just covered them with light weight glass cloth and Aeropoxy and again pinned them flat whilst they cure.

Am I being too pedantic; I usually am?