Keith Simmons Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 Hi Simon. The AN 124 looks amazing and what’s the total weight including batteries? I work out the maximum thrust could be 3,344g from the 4 EDF units and being hand launched helps. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian101 Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 I have waited a long time to see how you approach something like this. Well worth the wait and look forward to see a flying video. Fantastic Simon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted January 22, 2020 Author Share Posted January 22, 2020 Keith I am using tiny quad motors and props inside the engine nacelles so only 250 g (8 oz) thrust from each but on the plus side each motor only takes 8 A at full power meaning that just one 2000 mAh 4s battery is all that is required to power its 1500 g (54 oz) all up weight- hopefully! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 That plane is going to float around the skies for sure. Better make sure it is a flat clam day for that one Simon. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted September 16, 2020 Author Share Posted September 16, 2020 It has taken a while, nearly 9 months, but today the weather was kind enough to actually fly the Antonov. This is actually is second flight. I did not video the actual maiden which was pretty short due to the motor problem. It flies ridiculously slowly. It flies better than I dared to hope thanks in no small part to the gyro! Still a couple of things to adjust but mainly to correct fin as it looks a bit offset to the right needing quite a bit of left aileron trim to counter. Made worse by the fact its scale size ailerons are not that effective to start with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyGnome Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 Awesome. Simply awesome! GG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 Well done, congratulations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McG 6969 Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 ... you did it again, Simon... Simply superb, Congrats... Cheers Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 well done Simon… ken anderson...ne..1...congrats dept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted September 16, 2020 Share Posted September 16, 2020 Well it maybe russian but their`s, No rushing in that is there. Well done, that looks really scale like. Steve P.S i would of loved a photo of you launching it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted September 16, 2020 Author Share Posted September 16, 2020 Thanks for the kind words gents. It made the long wait to maiden really worthwhile. Stephen - all it needs some really calm weather at the next DVMFC fly-in and you can watch the launch first hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted September 19, 2020 Author Share Posted September 19, 2020 The fact the AN 124 flies so well re awakened the though of converting it to an AN 225. The advantage of such a conversion is that it would use virtually all the AN 124 parts. The only new parts would be a new centre section that would carry the two extra fans. Outboard of that would be the normal AN124 wing. The fuselage would have extra sections inserted either side of the wing. Of course described like that makes it sound easy. Yeah right! This shows the sort of thing that is required. Grey is the new centre section, Blue the fuselage extensions. I have shown a standard AN 124 tail rather than the twin arrangement on the existing 225 which was required as a Buran space shuttle carrier. The second but unfinished 225 does not have a tail plane so it is reasonable to assume (to me anyway!) that if ever completed (although its is now 20 years old!) it would have a conventional tail assembly. Hopefully the limitations of ever getting the 225 bits into my car (the AN124 bits only just fit!) will stop me before going any further. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted September 23, 2020 Author Share Posted September 23, 2020 To be honest I did not see this coming. Having adjusted the fin so it really was pointing straight down the fuselage centre line I took the AN124 out to test if it made any difference. Flew around for several minutes and this happened. The RH wing panel became dislodged from its locating pins and rotated 90 degrees around the joiner tube. The resulting loss of lift and massive increase in drag not surprisingly resulted in a nose down RH spiral. Quite slow so I had time to close the throttle and watch helplessly as it crumpled into the ground. The Depron did its usual shock absorbing such that the fuselage aft of the wing is completely undamaged however the impact was not kind to the nacelles or their pylons. However the wing centre section itself suffered only cosmetic damage. I do have enough 3 mm Depron to rebuild it, not so sure about the patience, however conversion to the AN 225 is now out of the question. First task is to try to work out why it failed when the previous 'video' flight had no problem. The wing panel joining tubes are a friction tight fit with small short locating pins to keep it aligned with the wing centre section. The outer panel also carries the aileron which being a swept wing means they are some way behind the joining tube axis. It is thus possible that using the ailerons and it needs a lot, caused the wing to wiggle a bit allowing it to 'work off' the locating pins. Perhaps with the benefit of hindsight I should have anticipated this. The remedy is simple - put a retaining pin through the tube.so it cannot come out. The second task is to establish the extent of the damage and 'tidy up' the pieces to prevent any further damage. Finally work out what can be repaired and what needs to be rebuilt from scratch. I have made a start on the fuselage by rebuilding it up to the wing leading edge. This should ensure the previous relationship between the wing and tail plane is retained. Not looking forward to building the complete fuselage nose section again - all 750 mm of it! Edited By Simon Chaddock on 23/09/2020 18:08:00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted September 23, 2020 Share Posted September 23, 2020 My commiserations Simon. Hope the repair is not to long a job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 what a shame there Simon...….hope you get it sorted as I was impressed from day one, more so with the maiden flight.. ken anderson...ne..1.....set back dept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 This one is too good to be over! What’s more Depron might not be disappearing completely. Another chapter - - - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted October 4, 2020 Author Share Posted October 4, 2020 I have to agree the maiden was so successful that I have made a serious start on the rebuild. I do have the individual CAD files for all the parts and the plan (such as it was!) so in theory its just a matter of the resolve to actually do it. So the 42 parts for the fuselage nose section and many hours of printing! Bed limitations mean each complete fuselage former is made up of six parts glued together with cyano and each is subtly different And that does not include the parts (another 20?) required for the removable nose! As before it is built vertically using 3 mm grey Depron which is the only type I can still get.. The engineers squares make sure it is kept as 'true' as possible. Note the white Depron temporary supports positioning each former are cut from the remains of the crashed skin. A bit of recycling! Every time I get involved with planking a major structure like this I remember why I keep saying to my self "I'm not going to do this again!" but the human mind is very good at forgetting just how tedious some bits are! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted October 4, 2020 Share Posted October 4, 2020 Well done Simon for your skill and tenacity in this rebirth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 go for it Simon...the model was impressive in the video...worth repairing etc.. ken anderson...ne...1..... keep Simon building dept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted October 8, 2020 Author Share Posted October 8, 2020 Slowly proceeding with the planking with enough completed to allow it to be free standing.. The next tricky bit is the cockpit perched high up and cantilevered out from the fuselage. Same shape as before but using more bigger printed pieces. It is still completely hollow inside. At some point I will have to start thinking about the removable nose section. I seem to remember it was a bit of a nightmare to get right the first time round! Edited By Simon Chaddock on 08/10/2020 16:24:38 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted November 1, 2020 Author Share Posted November 1, 2020 Still slowly ploughing on. The new front fuselage section complete. The new nose complete and painted silver. The yellow circles showing the locating pins. After quite a bit of local repairing the restored wing centre section sitting on the aft part of the fuselage. The next bit is to work out a suitable method that ensures the outer panels will not work loose again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted November 6, 2020 Author Share Posted November 6, 2020 The final bit was creating a method to 'lock in' the outer wing panels so they could not come out and preferably in such a way that did not disturb the highly stressed wing joining tube. The best solution was to use a small pinch bolt on the front locating pin. Both of the locating pins were also doubled in length. The 10 BA pinch bolt and the tap to thread the printed mount. When installed the bolt head is accessed through a small hole in the wing leading edge. All the bits together. When I will be able, or pluck up enough courage!, to fly it again is open to question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 Well done Simon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 well done again Simon...... ken anderson.....admiration dept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted November 7, 2020 Share Posted November 7, 2020 Nice idea with the pinch bolt. I find you have to fly the model again after a crash or it will remain a hanger queen. So wait for the right conditions check all your controls are working everything is secure and fly. Good Luck on your next flight Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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