Peter Miller Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 I used a "V" leg pivotted near the centre line rather like a Turbulent undercarraige. with a vertical shock strut. As I said a complet redesign I did the same with my Culver Dart. Coiled wire as you show might help but could still be bouncy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Why not use inexpensive sprung oleo legs? I have a pair intended for my Percival Mew Gull from HobbyKing but I haven't tried them in anger yet. I have the standard undercarriage as Peter designed and fly off a hard runway which I guess is as firm as ice. I find landing is (usually) fairly bounce-free and I am far from an expert pilot (especially landing). Geoff Edited By Geoff Sleath on 05/01/2017 10:46:45 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas Hofman Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 I looked at them Geoff, but they look like too big for the Ballerina. Do you know if - they absorb, or is it only a spring in a tube? - the spring can be adjusted (or changed out)? The wheels are quite far ahead of the CG, which means any vertical speed left at touch-down rotates the plane and it starts flying again. It can only do that when the wing is not stalled off-course, so maybe I should come in more nose-up (and slower). With an F3A plane one often touches tail wheel first. I will bend up a thinner undercarriage to start. 4mm for 1800 gr. is probably needlessly stiff. Lucas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piers Bowlan Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 Posted by Lucas Hofman on 05/01/2017 08:48:23: About 50 flight done with my Ballerina now. I would like to have much suspension (vertical) in the undercarriage, since it is very difficult not to bounce when landing on ice. I ordered "very soft" wheels from HK, but when they came they were the same that already are fitted The legs are nearly vertical, and while the construction has a nice springy action in the for-aft direction due to the torsion wire, it is stiff as concrete in the up/down direction. Any ideas on how to improve this? Lucas A simple solution perhaps, Lucas, is to splay the legs outwards slightly so there is more give in them rather like this Victor Airtourer here. I know this has a trike landing gear but you get the idea. Shock absorbers sound rather over engineered for this elegantly simple model. The outwardly splayed legs (as well as being raked forward) will have a little more give even though they are not damped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 As I said. mine doesn't often bounce. I tend to let it find it own glide path and just fly in with the merest touch of flare. To be honest I rarely land perfectly but the pecentage is much higher with Ballerina, . I don't try for three pointers, just happy for a smooth landing In fact Ballerina is a lovely model for repeated touch and goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McG 6969 Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 A simple solution perhaps, Lucas, is to splay the legs outwards slightly so there is more give in them rather like this Victor Airtourer here. I know this has a trike landing gear but you get the idea. Shock absorbers sound rather over engineered for this elegantly simple model. The outwardly splayed legs (as well as being raked forward) will have a little more give even though they are not damped. Hi Lucas, I'll second Piers totally with his proposal. The static angle will give a 'start' for the vertical bending. But then - as you wrote - I also think that 4mm might be a bit too much as your Lady is the lightest one of the conventional builds. I suggest having a try with 3mm wire, possibly also splayed out a bit as Piers suggests. I used 3mm wire on my Bella, but I sandwiched a 2mm carbon rod to its rear held in place by 3 pieces - top, center & bottom - of thermo-retracting insulation. It nicely hides into the back binder that you are using too. Cheers Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted January 5, 2017 Share Posted January 5, 2017 On a purely technical note spring rates and damping are actually inversely related. Any plane has a degree of aerodynamic damping so the softer the springing the more relatively effective it becomes in controlling the rebound. Most models are extremely strong so the undercarriage springing tends to be set up accordingly. The resultant short U/C travel means the limited aerodynamic damping has little effect so virtually all the landing input energy is returned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas Hofman Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 The pilot complained about the cold.... Ballerina flies well with skies too! Lucas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 Get him a scarf on poor lad looks frozen Good picture John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trebor Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 Lovely covering job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 I don't know about the pilot in the model but I would have been frozen stiff long before I even got that far. I even feel cold looking at the picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas Hofman Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 Posted by john stones 1 on 08/02/2017 11:41:28: Get him a scarf on poor lad looks frozen Good picture John The misses has received the order before Christmas, but she is slow in delivering.... Lucas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas Hofman Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 The misses delivered: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 Great!!!! I need that sort of gear when the temperature gets down to 5 degrees!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i12fly Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 A bit late, but I'm a slow builder and I like to fiddle with the plan -and savour every moment. That's my excuse. Same assagi pilot as Peter used so must be experienced... (I wish he still made them) Split flaps too. The field doesn't really slope like that, in fact it is flat. Does it fly well? Oh yes very well indeed. 640W and 4lb 6oz and it can really buzz. The flaps are a novelty, not needed but they do add fun and allow a very slow landing. It can be very gentle or quite energetic if you open the taps. I think I need to move the battery back a bit though as it is difficult to get it to spin. Really enjoying it. Another good one Peter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 Great! I am so glad that you find her just like mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mowerman Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 iI2fly where did you get the decal for the fin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i12fly Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 Hi Mowerman, the vinyl decal is 'Craft Dancer 004 and obtained off ebay seller '2015faile' (note there is no 'd'!) They run an ebay shop called Saxon Digital Servicesbased in Norwich, the cost was very reasonable at 99p for 2 and 99p postage, and available in different colours. These were 'small' size 10cm but other sizes were available. They were bought early February so don't know if they are still selling. Very pleased with the quality and they are sticking very well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mowerman Posted June 4, 2017 Share Posted June 4, 2017 Hi ifly2 Thanks for that just ordered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas Hofman Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Congratulations with your completed Ballerina.It has been my winter favourite. The problems with entering a spin are due to the rounded leading edge of the wing airfoil combined with a low wing loading. I get it to spin most reliably by keeping about 25% throttle, flying nose high a gently have more and more elevator. When the plane stalls (but not before) full rudder. I do not remember of aileron appliation is necessary. I think the decal is the same as mine. Can be downloaded for free somewhere. If you send me a pm I can send a pdf. Lucas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor Crook Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 I didn't bother with a decal. I googled "ballerina silhouette" and found what I wanted. I then sized it and printed it, then stuck it to a piece of covering with a glue stick, and cut round it with a scalpel. I used the same method for the letters. They are then ironed on. It saves trying to find stickers or vinyl the same colour as the covering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Very nice TRevor. I have used that method for markings but never seem to get it perfect. Probably because I rush things Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mowerman Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Trevor I thought about doing it that way but me hands are far too shakey to do that. I made the mistake of buying an unpainted pilot figure, disaster, now I will have to buy a ready painted one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mowerman Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 Now have decal and pilot figure so ready for maiden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mowerman Posted June 12, 2017 Share Posted June 12, 2017 I managed to Paint the pilot but do not look too close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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