I need some EDF practise

[Simon Chaddock]

The very limited flying over the winter means I need to get in some practise with EDFs as I hope to get the rather "extreme" Douglas X-3 flying. The better my flying skills are the less likely it will might not get any more damaged that it already has been.

I decided to fly some of my EDFs that have spent most of last year "hanging on the wall", quite literally.

First was the 50mm EDF DH "Swiss" Venom although on this occasion it was flown without the tip tanks.

44" span, it is a Depron job and light at 520g but with a 1300mAh 4s and a clean airframe it is no slouch. Those twin booms are delicate so a belly landing needs concentration and accuracy.

Next calm day it was the exact opposite. The Depron  Douglas Skray

.

36" span and a similar weight to the Venom but with over twice the wing area. A gentle slow flyer but like all delta the drag rises rapidly in any sort of manoeuvre. Flown bank and yank nose drop in a turn is pronounced. Pull too many g and it almost stops flying!

Next was the Hawker Hunter F6. 50 mm EDF 33" span and made entirely from 5mm XPS sheet (no balsa or carbon!).  At 385g a bit heavier than the Venom although not quite as fast but flies very nicely.

Decorated as a Black Arrow of 111 squadron who managed to loop 22 of them together in formation.

Today late on (17:20) the weather improved considerably so it was the turn of the P1052 better known as the prototype swept wing Sea Hawk,

Still a "portly" Sea Hawk fuselage with a modest power 55mm EDF. Like the Hunter made entirely from 5mm XPS sheet This was my second Hawker, the first was a Sea Hawk. I made a better job of the complex bifurcated inlet and exhaust duct so it had more thrust from just a 1500mAh 3s.

Two were built. One still exists at IWM Cosford. The other was modified with a bit more thrust but broke up trying to go supersonic in a dive. The test pilot did not survive.

Hopefully at the next calm day I will be able to try the Douglas X-3, again and be a bit better prepared to not break it.      

 

 

 

[Simon Chaddock]

This afternoon was quite reasonable, not much wind and no rain so a bit more EDF practise so I got out my first foam build Hawker the Sea Hawk.I had not flown it for 2 years.

 

Although the photo is nearly 3 years old it still looks exactly the same today.

The inlet ducting is far from perfect. Any yaw any you can hear the fan note change and the direction of the inlet airflow is disturbed. 

With its generous area straight wings it does fly passably well although it needs nearly full power to climb. Like most 50s jets it has a low drag airframe so glides really well for and EDF. Managed 5 minutes 28 seconds which is rewarding.

That leaves 2 more of my Hawker jets to fly. The P1081, the second swept wing Sea Hawk that crashed and the prototype Hunter. They are both painted all over pale sky blue that Hawker used on all their jet prototypes. It may be scale but they are just horrible to see at any distance! 

Edited March 26 by Simon Chaddock

[Simon Chaddock]

A bit more EDF practise today with the Depron North American XB70 

Now very old for foam. Built in 2014 and last flown in August 2022.

70mm EDF exhausting through 6 scale nozzles which is not the most efficient set up but it works well enough.

Just 3 minutes is all I got from its 2200mAh 3s but belly landed no problem.

After 10 years it is now a bit "tatty". Needs some TLC. 

 

 

Edited April 4 by Simon Chaddock

[Simon Chaddock]

I have prepared a couple more EDFs to practise on but the weather says otherwise and likely so for a few more days yet.

You never know it might eventually get calm enough to try the Douglas X3 again which was after all the reason for the EDF practise.  

Edited April 9 by Simon Chaddock

[J D 8]

   At least the Valkyrie has some wing.😁

[Simon Chaddock]

Some weeks back on one of the calmer days I flew my sub 250g 40mm EDF Depron DH Venom. Unfortunately I briefly lost sight of it when end on (it is small) and ended up woth a nose plant!

It has been hanging on the wall since but as the weather has terminated flying such light weights or even middle weights I spent some time putting is back together.

First the damaged planking was cut back to a clean edge and a suitable Depron former added on the end of the battery compartment.

Then came the tricky job of adding planking "extensions" to reach the former and all done with small 2mm Depron pieces carefully "formed" to give the right fuselage shape.

With a bit of sanding & light weight filler.

This time the nose cone was printed in LW-PLA.

Even with a double wall thickness it was no heavier than the single wall PLA of the original. It is a great deal stronger.

Two light coats of acrylic purple on the rebuilt part.

It is ready to go even if the weather isn't.☹️

Maybe I will get some more EDF practice soon, although not for a week or so according to the forecast.