Tim Mackey Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 Known for being the world's slowest model builder - I have finally got to the point in the last couple of weeks of this bird starting to actually look like it's getting there. Not wanting to pre-empt anything that Cyril Carr may have to say ( he has done a full review in the next mag issue ) I would just say that this has not been a favourite build of mine . Although touted as ARTF - in order to get the thing anything like half decent a lot of modification needs to be done - especially if you hope to ROGrass strips with retracts! The manual is truly terrible IMO, but the final model turns out very nice for what is, lets not forget , - just a big EPS foamie. Anyway, a proper build blog may well appear here when all is finished as I have been recording a fair lot of the build stages on camera as I have gone along. I am now worried slightly that the final AUW of circa 6lb will prove to be its Achilles heel, as I only have around 1000 watts or so showing on the powertrain. We will see when the maiden flight gets done, hopefully in a couple of weeks or so. Fuselage is finished now along with all radio installation, powerplant, and nosewheel and air system. Tomorrow I start the wing work, which will involve joining, strengthening, designing and making retract mounts, re-doing the aileron hinging, making up the retract legs and so on. Then it will ( as per fuselage was ) be covered in lightweight tissue and 3 coats of Poly-C before painting with acrylic red. Without any form of covering the foam and lightly sprayed factory paint finish is hopelessly vulnerable to the slightest scratch and denting so although it obviously adds weight, it is, IMO a necessity if you want it to retain any semblance of appearing decent after a couple of flights and handling in and out the hangar etc. Couldnt resist a quick mock up of how things look to date Edited By Timbo - Moderator on 04/05/2009 18:38:34Edited By Timbo - Moderator on 08/05/2009 16:53:10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 hello timbo-look's really good-when it's finished send it up here asap......thank's.. ken anderson.....keeper of the (timbo's)hawk.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 Looks sweet Tim, Cyril's had a few issues too but says it flies so nice that he's gone and bought another to do in a camo' scheme. He actually said that it's the best flying model he's ever had! Sounds like it'll be worth the effort. Edited By David Ashby - RCME moderator on 04/05/2009 20:20:10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted May 4, 2009 Author Share Posted May 4, 2009 Hi Both. Yes David I read that in the mag preview ( which I assume will be released on the forum very soon) wink wink. Be interested to read the piece, especially to discover what Cyril did regarding the retracts and final AUW. I just hope my porky bird will actually take off and fly OK ken, no worries mate, I shall send it up as soon as its ready, providing of course the big fat cheque arrives and clears first This thing has been so much hassle for me TBH I wouldnt dare to think how much it owes me in time and tears. As we say, just hope she flies well and then all will be forgiven Incidentally - is the rod at the front (on full size of course ) an aerial of some sort such as radar or whatever - it is surely too large to be a pitot tube? Edited By Timbo - Moderator on 04/05/2009 20:28:24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Pickford Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 Timbo. It is a pitot tube mate. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted May 4, 2009 Author Share Posted May 4, 2009 Ah thanks Andy - you learn something every day huh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted May 4, 2009 Author Share Posted May 4, 2009 Well it wont fit in mine - I have already tried it ! It wont even fit acrosss the back seat either, so whenever it does go out to play, it will have to occupy the front seat folded flat ( the seat silly not the model )...and then it just about goes in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 I put Cyril's extra build photos here Edited By David Ashby - RCME moderator on 05/05/2009 07:49:30 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted May 5, 2009 Author Share Posted May 5, 2009 Ah thanks David - I see he has made quite few mods in other areas too ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 timbo - you must be robbing bank's or something-that is one expensive bit of foam-did'nt realise till i read in the mag review-you've got it looking good-but at a canny price.. good luck-ken (600) post's anderson...................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 Thanks Ken...I havent received my mag yet - so havent read Cyril's review, although I gather he likes it in the air ! I did a lot on the wing yesterday and last night, and I hope to be doing maiden flight sometime next week. Heres a couple of pictures from yesterdays efforts. I completely changed the stock undercarriage mounting system which would have given out after the first run on the grass. I also added a carbon spar across the span as the stock item had nothing, flexed alarmingly, and I simply didnt fancy its chances at AUW 0f 6lb. The resultant wing is now very strong, and the retracts should be pretty secure. Of course, as always, the downside to all this beefing up is increased weight Edited By Timbo - Moderator on 07/05/2009 08:30:33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Hindle Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 that reinforcement is exactly what I did Timbo, grass is not a problem with those spring air retracts, you got the AOA correct so rock on ........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 CheersJjames - great minds think alike then eh! Is your Hawk still flying - and do you know the AUW you ended up at? Also, bit geeky this one, but I migght as well ask... do you know how long a ground it needed before rotation? You can probably tell I am suffering from a dose of lack of confidence in this fat birds ability to actually get off from our strip !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Read 2 Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 Timbo, Noted that you used tissue and Poly C on your bird. Never used this myself. Does it shrink the tissue and therefore leave the possibility of warping? How does it compare with, say brown paper and PVA? The reason for asking is that I'm looking at beefing up the robustness of some of my foamy flyers but don't want to build in warps. Good luck with the first flight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Read 2 Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 Doh! Just noticed a similar thread to my question above under 'all things flying'. You can slide my post over there if you like. Cheers Timbo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Hindle Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 rotation is very much dependant on the wind, as with all EDF's static thrust is low but inrush from a light breeze helps tremendously. With a 5mph head wind I'd say she rotates in 20m. i'm using the blue hyk motor and 6s lipos, no idea how heavy she is but there is a bottle of epoxy in her after a good smash (remember the lipos in TX issue !) Have you done the rudder mod by the way ? Edited By James Hindle on 08/05/2009 16:45:50 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted May 8, 2009 Author Share Posted May 8, 2009 Hi James - thanks for that - no didnt fit a rudder, hmmd and haad over the decision, but felt adding even more weight was probably not the best idea. Not impossible to retro fit if I really want to. Our strip is circa 200 feet long, so providing the grass is nice and short, and we have a little headwind, I expect it should be fine. Tony.... the POLY-C and tissue just dries nice and tight, but wih no discernable shrinkage..I reckon it s the bees knees for foamys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted June 25, 2009 Author Share Posted June 25, 2009 Bad news chaps and chapesses..the fly fly EDF hawk is seriously DEAD . A catastrophic failure of the all moving tailplane linkage saw her fail to respond to pitch control at the bottom of a large loop whilst on her second flight of the night tonight - she went in very fast and very hard. Its a complete write off, even the new 4000mahr 6S lipo was destroyed. I havent even bothered to take all the bits out of the car since I got home.... but theres a heck of a lot of them. Full post mortem tomorrow, and after a few days thinking time, I shall have to decide on whether to replace her, or seek an alternative. I am off for some comfort food - a bar of CDM chocolate is about to be similarly destroyed. Good night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Mullins Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 . It can't be! After all the effort (and money!) you put into that model! Is there anything you can salvage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultymate Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 This hobby can jump up and bite you when least expected, I have several versions of that "T" shirt Tim aquired over the years and I'm sure there will be more. Enjoy your choccy whilst licking your wounds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin spit Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 bad luck tim ,im sure we all feel your pain ,it is the worst part of this hobby and as ultymate said it seems to happen when you least expect it .its that awful sinking feeling when a model goes in i hate . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete B Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 A million commiserations, Timbo, it was a fine model. At the very least, make it a CDM and Bar ( a second one, that is.........) You deserve it Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 That's a great shame Tim, sorry to hear that, funny old hobby sometimes isn't it! Edited By David Ashby - RCME moderator on 26/06/2009 07:10:31 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Harris Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Sad loss of a serious battery ! Commiserations ... Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.