Foamboard Mosquito

[eflightray]

I cheated, and built a profile Mosquito, loosely based on the RCM&E free plan June 2005 In the air it's not really noticeable it's profile, but if you turn it over it looks pretty messy with all its bits exposed.

It's built using the original 6mm Depron foam.

50" span - two 2408-14 motors - 3s Lipo - various props tried - 1lb 4.25oz flying ( 20 1/4 oz )

 

Ray.

[RICHARD WILLS]

Like the profile Mossie . Its all about experimentation isnt it ? Plus there is always potential for a "Mk2" with few improvements. Whatever the case it does give you ideas about what you want and currently enjoy . 

[RICHARD WILLS]

1 hour ago, martin collins 1 said:

Very nice Richard, any chance of a pic of your Heinkel, always fancied an HE 111.

Same format . This one has foam veneer wings and balsa planked fuselage . 

[martin collins 1]

WOW, that is a stunner Richard, a seriously under modelled aircraft and beautifully built and finished, wish someone would kit one of these.

[Graham Davies 3]

Great stuff Richard.

 

I love the development of this material as a genuine medium for our scale models. It has serious potential that we are only just tapping into.

 

For those interested, I have a foamboard Ki45 at 60" span that runs on a single 2200 3S pack and gets 5 minute flights. It weighs under 3lb, and hand launches easily, and flies like a trainer. I also have a 55" Regiane RE2005, that flies on 4S 3700 packs (but only to balance it as I was a bit careless keeping the rear end light). It still only weighs just over 4lbs despite having flaps and retracts, Both models do not look like anything other than scale models, and both fly really well.

 

Graham

[RICHARD WILLS]

I had an uncle Reg , 

Worked on a pig Farm.....

Nice pictures Graham . I particularly like the fact you chose subjects that are unusual but have wonderful colour schemes . 

I think maybe , somebody needs to make a foam board kit that challenges the Foam ARTFs and traditional balsa kits . 

Now , there is a challenge !

[martin collins 1]

Do you accept that challenge Richard 😀

[Graham Davies 3]

25 minutes ago, RICHARD WILLS said:

I particularly like the fact you chose subjects that are unusual but have wonderful colour schemes

It's easy when the airframe costs £20! We can play with 'marginal' subjects. I reckon a Polikarpov 1-180 should see me right. Only 2 prototypes, and both crashed as they were unstable. Sounds like the perfect subject to me...

[Eric Robson]

2 hours ago, RICHARD WILLS said:

Like the profile Mossie . Its all about experimentation isnt it ? Plus there is always potential for a "Mk2" with few improvements. Whatever the case it does give you ideas about what you want and currently enjoy . 

Richard ,  you should look at Efliterays builds he has a nice 90" span Sunderland , scratch built in depron.

You must have had some of our weather looking at the progress on the Mossie.

[RICHARD WILLS]

Little bit more done on the Mossie . The rear fuselage is skinned in 4" long sections of maker foam with no card . Attached with Uhu por . 

Then you fill the gaps with light weight filler . 

Sand the whole lot with 400grit wet and dry (very easy and quick ) .

I then put one coat of slightly (10% water ) Pva on the foam . Let it dry and then brown papered with pva . Iron carefully (just keep the iron moving ) 

 

All very easy .  Beautiful cigar shaped rear fuz . only weighs 4.75 oz . Stiff and very nice smooth resilient finish . 

i'm inspired to have a go at other things !

BTW , a nicer surface than the best EPO artfs......

[martin collins 1]

Very impressive Richard, thanks for sharing, it looks like some very light scale looking and hard waring models can be produced using foam, it is just getting used to the different technics and exploring the boundaries to get the best result.

[martin collins 1]

Has anyone tried this foam, i am looking for an alternative to the FT 3mm board that seems unavailable in the UK at present.  https://www.lionpic.co.uk/p/13401/Foam-Board-3mm-1016mm-x-762mm-1-sheet

[RICHARD WILLS]

Sorry Martin , not sure about that foam . 

Anyway , been doing a bit more on the mossie . Lots of tricky bits when you start looking at it . 

The rear end for example . Funny long "wombles nose " sticking out the back . Plus , of course , I need it to be hollow so that I can fit in a control horn to work the rudder . Now , balsa would have been tricky , because the diameter drops to very small at the back . 

However , foam board seems to take it in its stride . I have added a wooden core to the last pip , just to make it more robust . 

 

[martin collins 1]

Looking every inch a Mossie Richard. 😃

 

[RICHARD WILLS]

Im planning a marathon game of noughts and crosses on the fuselage . When we see it like this in its primitive state , its hard to believe we are aiming for a believable "airfix" look Mossie . 

Lets see how we go . 

Target in sight !

[martin collins 1]

Looking forward to seeing more of the Mossie Richard, more pictures please 😃

[Simon Chaddock]

I always surprises me that folks are quite happy to plank in balsa but planking with foam is not so common.

Sheet foam is a sheet just the same a balsa and can be used in the same way.

The planks band easily so it helps to keep a "half shell over the plan" straight.

3mm sheet foam on the way to emulate a full size glass fibre glider fuselage. 

 

 

[martin collins 1]

Nice project Simon, which foam are you using, you forgot to mention the miniscule cost compared to the balsa option as well, i reckon my whole 109 airframe will come in at under £10 for the materials. The fuselage will have taken one sheet of Hobbycraft board at £2.50 and 1 sheet of B&Q underlay depron at £1.30 😅

[Simon Chaddock]

martin

The glider was one of my early (Nov 2012) foam projects so it used true original Depron which was available at the time. Slightly heavier but much stiffer than the current 3mm foam so the skin provides all the strength without any further reinforcing, just lightly sanded and painted.

 

Yes foam is cheap but when building up a complex structure like this, 11 planks per fuselage side, it does mean the glue cost becomes significant. A tube of UHU POR then cost slightly more than a 1250 x 800 mm 3mm sheet. It still does. 😟  

[RICHARD WILLS]

You know when a car manufacturer is testing a new design ? They some times stick an old grill on it and cover bits in masking tape , so that it looks like a right old pigs ear ?

 

Well here is the MB1 . (The Milk Bottle Bomber) .

The MB1 is not a pretty sight . It weighs exactly 5lb without cowls , spinners and paint . 

The final variant will include the above mentioned , plus a sound system . So maybe 5.75lb  ( nice imperial metric combo there you will have noted ) .

The test flight wasnt without drama . I had not set up the trailing edge surfaces carefully enough so almost full right aileron was required for level flight . Clearly my flaps were not aligned , resulting in a bit of ................a flap.

Still , the saving grace was that it seemed to have impeccable manners at that weight so floated around while I twiddled and sweated for one whole circuit then managed a light touch down and prompt return to the pits . 

Second flight , with flaps sorted was excellent . 5 mins of Mossie performance on a single 3300mah 4s pack . Two more flights confirmed the same . 

I didnt use the flaps for any of the landings as its approach , even with no wind , was so gentle that they are totally unnecessary . 

To be honest , if I built another , I wouldnt bother with the flaps . Just a lot of work for nothing . 

So far , I have to say that I like the "one pack , 64"" twin concept . 

[RICHARD WILLS]

I thoroughly recommend including a milk bottle. However there are a few guidelines that you will need to adhere to . 

You can see above a correctly employed semi skimmed bottle . That is appropriate when no ballast required . Those who have made their models a little "arsey" 

(sorry moderator ) , then perhaps a full fat variant might be better suited . 

For the die -hard's , then by all means stick to the old gold top (if you can lay your hands on one ) . Although , I would take it easy on that stuff or you may have the heart failure before the test flight . Wise to plan ahead on that one . Lets be considerate to those who will be clearing up after a full fat milk overdose . 

I am beginning to wonder if the next project could be entirely derived from the recycling bin ?

[martin collins 1]

Glad you had the `bottle` to go the Blue Peter route Richard, may i suggest your next `one pack twin` might be a Miles Monitor, a very under modelled aircraft and using your new source of nose mouldings you would end up with a Milk Monitor. 😜

[Dad_flyer]

The milk bottle is more appropriate for a Bristol Blenheim mk IV surely?

[Eric Robson]

I've heard of a bottle nose whale but not a bottle nose Mosquito, could have used a bluebottle they fly very well. nice idea for cooling the battery.

[RICHARD WILLS]

Thats it , get it all out . 

No point in bottling it up ....

Oh Blimey , when is this going to end ?

Honestly , you chaps are really milking it .