Stormbird by Aeroteam & Doc Hammond

[Peter Garsden]

How to raise the ballast tube off the bottom of the fuselage. Always before, I have created a cradle of fibreglass cloth, but there isn't enough room in this fuselage - for anything actually, The instructions advise cutting a piece of liteply and gluing it to the bottom of the fuselage.

So I followed the instructions, and used superglue which I fixed in position with accelerator.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Steve Houghton 1]

Posted by Peter Garsden on 19/02/2017 20:09:39:

Just thought I would show you the servo frames and bearing kits, which I have never used before. It means that to move the clevis one doesn't need to remove the servo. It was necessary to cut one down for the flap servo to avoid the balast tube runnning down the middle of the wing root. It takes a 12mm brass rod and serves as extra ballast.

The metal bearing screws into the hole in the servo and clamps the clevis in position. You can see in the top photo that I have file a groove to provide a clearance for the servo linkage when it comes out of the hole for the servo horn.

Edited By Peter Garsden on 19/02/2017 20:12:49

I've just used these mounts in my Valenta L213A for the first time. They make for easy fitting and easy removal of the servo should the need arise.

[Bill_B]

Hi Peter, I don't know if you've seen these Multiplex plug moulds before, but they make an extremely neat and secure hot glue joint: **LINK**

I bought one early last year and it's a high quality unit which is very quick & easy to use. Some may argue that they're expensive products, but as the saying goes, "you only get what you pay for".

[Peter Garsden]

Thanks guys

1. I am thinking of using two pieces of wide clear tape to cover the servos stuck to the surface of the wing which is higher, I think, than the clevis. I am going to cut a piece of clear tape and cover the servo hole with it upside down to stop the clevis from sticking to it. I hope that will work.
2. I remember seeing those hot glue moulds in the Andi Ellison column a while ago. I agree that one needs something to seal it neatly.
3. Tomorrow will be the making of the lead balance weight for the nose, which will be a challenge.

[Peter Garsden]

Mr Moderator will you please delete the duplicated post above.

So final preparations for maiden flight include

1. Gluing in the ballast tube with slow setting Epoxy - or Araldite as it used to be known which takes 24 hours to set and is ideal for fibreglass because it sets hard. It is difficult to ensure the tube is not too high up because otherwise it would bind on the wing joiner.
2. This is shortly followed by the tray which has be to slide in sideways then manoeuvrued into position whilst firstly slotting the wires under the tray and down the side of the tube. I used a brass tube to wedge the wires down the sides. I have used flat servo wire because there really isn't a lot of space. You get epoxy all over your hands as you slide the servo tray in and out.
3. I have to cut out some fibreglass near the nose so that I could slide the battery in and out.
4. Before putting in the tray, I had to dummy balance the model and measure the lead - it came to 170grams. I then melted the lead in an old tin can on the gas after making an indent into the sand in the plantpot to make a mould to pour it into. After I removed the sand the wastage had gone down to 160 grams due to splashes and spillages, so I stuck a small shape on the back of the plug to make up the weight.
5. I decided to use a magnetic switch available from T9 Hobby Sport as there is insufficient depth for a toggle switch.
6. Before inserting the servo tray one has to stick the wires out the way with masking tape on top of the fuselage, then feed them through underneath the ballast tray and feed them again into the hole for receiver, which had to be filed out to make it fit.
7. Fitting the rudder carbon rod was a fiddle. I had to drill a hole closer to the rudder at the rear as the clevis was fouling with the thumb nail cover. I had already filed down the clevis to stop it fouling. At the other end, the metal clevis was coming off the servo arm, so I applied a piece of fuel tubing to hold it in position

[Peter Garsden]

I had to cut down the brass rod and put it in the wings for ballast because maiden flight day on Sunday is predicted to be 35mph winds.

How to make the wing servo covers? The problem is that the servo arms protrude some of the servo wells by about 1mm which makes the recommended fibreglass cover impossible.

I decided to use some 3 inch wide 3M clear tape. If I stuck on the tape with the sticky side down, then the arm would stick,so I decided to make a smaller square the size of the well and stick it to the back of the larger square of tape so that when the arm glanced it, there would be a smooth surface to prevent it sticking. The whole thing would then stick down the underside of the wing.

[Peter Garsden]

So to preparations for flight. I had copied across the settings from my Merlin F3F without realising that it was V Tail. When I changed the model type to Normal Tailplane it took out all the settings. I thought for a minute that the flap servos had packed up until I realised that it had set the Motor and Auxiliary on channels 3 and 5. When I changed the Function programme on the Futaba 14SG they worked again - phew!

I used the settings that Doc Hammond had sent me, which are on another forum but for completeness

[Peter Garsden]

CG = right on the wing ballast tube at 85mm.

Movements:

Mode Control Up Down

Normal flight:

Ailerons 15mm 9mm

Elevator 8mm 8mm

Rudder 17mm 17mm

Thermal:

Throws same for Aileron & Elevator

Camber mix Flap 2mm Aileron 1mm down

[Peter Garsden]

Had to split this in 2 bits

Flaperons:

Ailerons 13mm 7mm

Flaps 5mm 3mm

Landing: Ailerons 14mm

Flaps 85 degrees (90 if you can get it)

Elevator 3.5mm

Rudder 17mm 17mm

Checked everything and went out today for a maiden launch at the Mermaid Pool (see this month's RCM&E article by Simon Cocker here

[Peter Garsden]

So today was maiden flight - it was a WSW blowing right onto the slope at the Mermaid Pool. I put the ballast in the wings in the form of brass rods of 12mm sold rod. In addition there are 8 slugs of ballast which can go into the fuselage tube - so it will cope with any wind.

The wind was a bit gusty but the lift plentiful. I had coupled flaps and elevators - flapperons which really helps control in loops. I had dialled in a 5mm thermal trim on a switch but would not need it today. Coupled flaps and ailerons natrually. I also managed to get about 90 degrees out of my flaps.

Well, moment of truth. After pre flight checks, Keith chucked it off the edge. It rose quickly in the booming lift, but needed some up trim. Once sorted, I started to test its limits. How did it fly AMAZING - 5 stars.

It is fast, sleek, very aerobatic, with axial quick rolls almost as you traverse the slope. It flies inverted with very little down trim. It does amazing large loops, and is very manoeuvrable.

How did it land - the butterfly stopped it in its tracks, and brought it down very gently.

I had 2 flights from it today as we had to dodge the rain showers.

A few lads from the club now are going to order one they say - who can blame them its and all round easy to transport, light, fast and aerobatic. It did amazingly momentum led stall turns - just incredible - its a ten from me.

[Peter Garsden]

And here is the final finished article

[Andy Meade]

Very nice Pete, glad you get on with it. Definitely on the "want" list once my Pike gets too tired!

[Steve Houghton 1]

I followed this thread with interest Pete. Nice bird!

I'd be interested to hear how strong that tail boom is just in front of the fin. I remember watching a friend about to launch his Schwing in a 40 mph wind, and as he stood there on the edge of the ridge, holding the model aloft, I could see the tail fin oscillating ridiculously from side to side.

[Peter Garsden]

Tail boom Steve,,,,hmm.... seems strong enough. I was more concerned about the strength of the nose cone than the tail to be honest. I think the Schwing is slimmer than the Stormbird, so maybe that is why. There is certainly some carbon lining for stressed parts.

In his blogs, Doc Hammond goes on about how he resented the lot at RCRCM for refusing to put more reinforcement in his designed fuselages for the Typhoon, and Sunbird, Vector etc, so I would be surprised if he supplies a weak fuselage. It would be a bit hypocritical.

See you in April.

Edited By David Ashby - RCME on 21/03/2017 20:39:51

[Peter Garsden]

Can you retrospectively amend my 20th March entry to change RCM&E to RCRCM please Mr Moderator because I am now out of time for editing?

[David Ashby - Moderator]

LOL, right, all done

Nice model Peter, some of the lads were talking about it at the slope today so will be interested to see how it goes.

[Peter Garsden]

Thanks David. That sorts out the unfortunate mispelling.

If you want to read how it flew read above.

I think the only faster glider I have is the D40 but that is just mad.

The Stormbird is electrically fast, incredibly aerobatic, and very nimble indeed. It is amazing and flies like a dream. Full of ballast ie 8 slugs of lead, I can only imagine that it would have incredible momentum. The wings are so slim and the profile so sharp that it just cuts through the air.

It rolls at incredible speed. It loops perfectly over and over again. It flies inverted almost as well as upright. If you took out all the ballast, I would have thought that it would fly with the thermal setting in less than 10mph. Will have to try it.

Can't recommend it more highly. Great fun to fly.

[Peter Garsden]

Just realised that I didn't do a picture of the finalised neat yet cramped cockpit.

One can see in the picture:-

1. The enlarged access hole for the battery at the front.
2. The fuel tube inserted over the cheap metal clevis to stop it coming off (I used it because of the limited room)
3. The magnetic switch.
4. The FR Sky receiver inserted in the slot which had to be widened to accomoodate it
5. The wooden dummy ballast slugs, which I have replaced with lead versions to check the fit and balance with ballast inserted in the tube.
6. The wire aerials inserted into tubes at right angles to each other for optimum signal strength.

Edited By Peter Garsden on 22/03/2017 22:24:29

[Steve Houghton 1]

A great job there Pete. I hope you're coming along to Bwlchfest in June as I'd love to see that bird go.

I'm looking to maiden my new bird this weekend, the Valenta L213A.

[Peter Garsden]

Today I started making a radiator insulation material carrier bag for it. I can mock these up in 20 minutes, so I thought I would show you my method as the whole thing fits in one bag which you can then carry up to the slope. There is a bag set you can buy, but the wing bags are separate, and with mine they all fold into the middle.

This is the bubble wrap bag the wings came in. It is too flimsy to use for carrying so I drew round it for shape and size.

I also cut out bags for the tail planes and wing joiner. Note oversize to allow for wiggle room.

Note the white gaffer tape which tears easily, and the layout for the 2 wings with the fuselage in the middle. the tailplane pockets will attach to the outside when it folds in the middle.

One puts a strip of tape on the inside and outside edges. Here the wing bag is taped on the inside before the tape is folded over and folded over.

[Peter Garsden]

Because the fin protrudes from the rear of the bag, it is prudent to protect it with a cap of triangular radiator insulation, which is held on with two pairs of sticky Velcro fastening. Again taped inside and out seams.

And a pocket to hold the nose at the front and stop the fuselage from sliding forwards. There can be issues of wear from the sharp protruding multiplex male plugs at the side of the fuselage. These plugs need to be well glued from the outside and inside of the fuselage (not the bag!).

On the outside of one of the wing bag I attach 2 smaller pockets to hold the tail plane halves.

And finally a large pocket to hold the ballast slugs. I make sure I place this over the C of G of the bag which is shown with the Sharpie arrow. This is not necessarily in the middle - in the same way as a fuselage. At one end is also a pocket for the wing joiner. The tail joiners slip into one of the tail plane pockets inside the same plastic sleeve in which they were delivered. The tail plane pockets all have sticky Velcro secured flaps to close them and stop the contents from falling out.

Edited By Peter Garsden on 26/03/2017 23:05:07

[Peter Garsden]

I had to make handles to carry it in the middle of the C of G. I use some braiding my wife uses but any tape would do. I knot the ends then stick them down.

To hold the sides together I also use thick string, taped to the sides.

[Peter Garsden]

On building blogs it is not always advisable to document crashes and repairs because it can put off potential customers if you want to sell. Still, I had a crash with the Stormbird up the Bwlch. I am still not sure how it happened. I think it tip stalled. I think I have seen that weakness posted online. The tips are very narrow so it is likely.

I was flying up the Bwlch on the Friday night of the PSS weekend. I had just taken off, and the model was not up to full height or speed. I flipped inverted to do an Innelman turn, pulled up elevator to come round. The model went into a diving spin and hit the deck. I was really annoyed.

The damage was to the nose cone which snapped off where the inner meets the fuselage in front of the wing. It also snapped the ballast tube. I did repairs and pieced it together. The nose cone was a bit tight. The next flight I seemed to land safely and the inner nose snapped again. This time difficult to repair. There is a weakness where the thick servo tray ends and before the start of the thick part of the fuselage in front of the wing.

I have seen online Tony Fu's method of creating a mylar tube from sheet then wrapping round fibreglass to create an inner reinforcement for the join, so here it is.

I used 150gm, 80gm, and carbon tow.

I supported the fuselage with some balsa jigs I made.

I wrapped some mylar sheet round the fus at the break which shows here from underneath.

Edited By Peter Garsden on 30/06/2017 08:18:32

[Peter Garsden]

You can see the mylar sheet, then the fibreglass, carbon tows and resin, wrapped in peel ply which holds the cloth in place, and absorbs the excess resin. Ideally, I would have like to wrap the sheet round the inside so I can do an internal radius tube, but there was no space.

This is the tube when dry. One slides it off the fuselage then compresses the mylar from the inside to ping it off the cloth. I then trimmed it with a carbon disc