Topic: Designing and building my very own plane.

looking good slurp

All advice duly noted and i spent most of yesterday and early evening building a new rudder, elevator etcc.

yes..it took a long time. I managed to break 3 rudders that i built, so the final one is the fourth... ( don't ask )  i also managed to slice the side of my foot after knocking off a scalpel from the side after id just changed the blade, ( tip one.. dont wear sandles when working with sharp pointy things ) . I am hopeing today, ..well, tell you what..lets just see how many more bits i can break that i build, and what else i can try sliceing off next.

will post any pics later... 

In fact, i have a question.

the tall mast thingy that the rudder hinges to, what it that best made out of?? hardwood? plastic?? 

cheers peeps.

Maz

In fact, i have a question.

the tall mast thingy that the rudder hinges to, what it that best made out of?? hardwood? plastic?? 

cheers peeps.

Maz

 The rudder post? I would choose a nice stiff piece of balsa because you don't want the rudder flapping all over the place whilst ripping down the strip, full throttle, knife edge!    Alternatively you could use a section of carbon tube or rod, dependant on how thick your rudder is.

 Now, about cutting parts of the body; Most women I know usually cut their.....ahem.......noses off, not their toes! 

 .........Runs for stab proof vest and hard hat!!!

The rudder is 1/8 balsa...i think i might try and make it out of carbon or something. last thing i want is it to break.

tootsies are still intact, though im not long back from the minor injuries unit. youngest had something stuck in the bottom of her foot and mine started bleeding again when i ripped the plaster off it . All good fun eh wot!..  and why do the kids get the sticker and a teddy.. i wanted one.  < no arms crossed tapping foot smilie > but alas i was told they were for the younger kids, not the bigger kids.

umm..she aint looking too bad actually at the mo. all the flappy bits are just taped on to see what she will look like.

Looks good Marian. 


Did you get the book? 

Nice work Marian - it looks like a very neat and tidy build. Quality stuff 

ack!!..ive just spotted a mistake in the aeilerones!!  i think ive taped em on upside down.... if not... then the triangular bits are in the wrong place!!..gawd..... im trying to figure it out by looking at the pics... the pointy bits are sposed to point towards the fuz... trying to figure out if they are or not. umm..the pointy bits i mean are the further most edges nearest the fuz..gawd..

Thanks guys.. appreciated....

jeeze..i hope ive only taped em on upside down.I will really smack my head on the table if its the other option.

when the final sanding is being done,  keep the edges of the ailerons, rudder, and elevator square,  this will keep the dreaded flutter at bay,  having assisited in the scratch build, and test of many nationals class1 funflys, we found at an early time, that to fully round off, or thin out these edges, induced flutter,

also, with the triangular stock you have used in the fuzz, it would be nice to plain away all those corners, and give a nice, round fuzz,   it would also remove a lot of material from the back end, thats not needed,   ours balanced with OS 32s, and throttle pipes,    can i suggest a full closed loop system, to the rudder, and elevators,    its easy to do, and gives positive control   

if all the grains are now going the correct way,   it looks fantastic,  and an open structure would look well, covered in transparent film, with a solid colour film to contrast, i actuallt wanted to stain the fuzz on ours, but i got the we want film vote     stained, and a lightweight glass, it would be bullet proof, and look great

when the final sanding is being done,  keep the edges of the ailerons, rudder, and elevator square,  this will keep the dreaded flutter at bay,  having assisited in the scratch build, and test of many nationals class1 funflys, we found at an early time, that to fully round off, or thin out these edges, induced flutter,

if all the grains are now going the correct way,   it looks fantastic,  and an open structure would look well, covered in transparent film, with a solid colour film to contrast

yep, all grains now going the correct way.Thanks for the tip.. i will most definately heed your advice.

I wouldn't mind witnessing it's maiden flight. 

ack!!..ive just spotted a mistake in the ailerons!!  i think ive taped em on upside down.... if not... then the triangular bits are in the wrong place!!..gawd..... im trying to figure it out by looking at the pics... the pointy bits are sposed to point towards the fuz... trying to figure out if they are or not. umm..the pointy bits i mean are the further most edges nearest the fuz..gawd..

Thanks guys.. appreciated....

jeeze..i hope ive only taped em on upside down.I will really smack my head on the table if its the other option.

 1) ''Triangular bits'', ''pointy bits''; You really must start to learn model plane speak Slurp, that way we'll have a hint as to what you're rambling on about! 

 2)''I will really smack my head on the table if its the other option. ''  No comment necessary! 

 3) What a super job you've done so far! It's extremely impressive for a first 'in the hand-no plan' build, quite stunning in fact, good on ya girl! 

yes your ailerons are taped on back to front, but they ARE built right!


looking spot on, are you going to have a lovely pair of tiPs or not? 

When i spoke to steve at weston, i asked him if the tips were just decorative or were needed in flight as opinions seem to differ.
He explained that the tips made the cougar more stable, and without them the roll rate is increased and the plane less stable.

so, right now i am undecided,  i still have on the wing to do, the umm.... ( desperately searching for right terminology ).. the holes to make where the servos sit in the wing. the hole to drill for the cables from the servos that thread through the centre section. and i am also considering modifying the wing a bit to add dowels to make the wing more secure and bolt the wing on rather than use bands.

I am chuffed with what i have built   this time last year... i couldnt of done any of this.

I do like the capital P. 

For what little extra work it is I would fit the tips as it will make the plane look more like a miniature of the full(?) size, although I'm not sure about the merits of an improved flight envelope with them on. I would keep the wing banded on as it makes it just that little bit more survivable in a crash unscheduled landing.  

 You are right to be chuffed with yourself as not many people have achieved in 12 months what you have (let alone being a female flyer as well) and I for one look forward to see what you will achieve within the next year!  

You like capital P's? Here ya go Slurpy,
PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP
PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP
PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP
PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

Is that enough for you!  

Yes theres lots more to tips than roll rate and stability, itll be a lot more efficient with them on and protect the ends of the ailerons when you 'wingtip it' whilst learning to prophang.

Keep the wings banded on as suggested, many good reasons for them and they dont look out of place on a funfly model.


You going electric with this one or glow?

You wouldnt need to spend more than 40 quid for a full brushless and lipo setup for this if you go the cheap hongkong route (as i recently have, see 'light is right') and the weight saving would be useful.

Im assuming mini servos all round?

Its going to be electric and yep, mini servos all round.Though steve from weston did advise to use metal geared ones for the elevator.
HS 65s i think were the ones he said and HS MG 65s.
I will have a go at making tips for it..

Why dont you have a look at the Turnigy servos ive recently bought off Ebay, 4 for 32.00 inc postage, better specs than the 65's and a tough geartrain.  Half the price too...........


Make your tips as you did the elevator and rudder, using strip for the inside and outside long bits ad a few shorter spacing bits in the middle and a bit of sheet cut into a curve at the front, then just glue them on with a bit of diagonal bracing from the ends of the spars.  Make sure you draw a centreline from LE to TE on the wingip first though, and fix them to that line, otherwise you will find you will need aileron trim.


Got an electric setup in mind yet?

Why dont you have a look at the Turnigy servos ive recently bought off Ebay, 4 for 32.00 inc postage, better specs than the 65's and a tough geartrain.  Half the price too...........


Make your tips as you did the elevator and rudder, using strip for the inside and outside long bits ad a few shorter spacing bits in the middle and a bit of sheet cut into a curve at the front, then just glue them on with a bit of diagonal bracing from the ends of the spars.  Make sure you draw a centreline from LE to TE on the wingip first though, and fix them to that line, otherwise you will find you will need aileron trim.


Got an electric setup in mind yet?

Gawd.. i need to know what the inside of the tips look like. i.e. the bare frame of them. can anyone help with that? as the tips for the 2000 i repaired were smashed beyond repair and i left them off. 

and... nope.

whats your all up weight going to be estimated at?

a word to the wise...

do make sure the tailplane and wing are "square" before gluing

guess who didn't 

my new Limbo Dancer kept skewing out of loops, it was only when I flew it directly away from me, slowly, that I noticed the tailplane was as, they say round here in Suffolk, "on the huhh", with the wing and fin vertical. So now it is out with the sawblade and abit of careful slot cutting and gluing to put it in the right place. Bu&&er

This evening i have been making the tips. and to be honest i aint happy with them and they are really annoying me. A simple job i guess, but i'm just not happy as i have no idea what they are supposed to look like on the inside so i am kinda making them up as i go along.

Aren't they just flat balsa with triangular gussets going from the tips to the rib (top and bottom)? 

Aren't they just flat balsa with triangular gussets going from the tips to the rib (top and bottom)? 

yeah, i went and had a look at the mini jazz thread, i know where i have gone wrong so will correct tomorrow once i have repaired the damage the flaming four legged curtain wrecker has done.

once i have repaired the damage the flaming four legged curtain wrecker has done.

LOL........see my previous..

...... once i have repaired the damage the flaming four legged curtain wrecker has done.

 Sorry to hear about that Maz.
  If it's any consolation my dog managed to smash a piece of Edinburgh crystal earlier this year (which is now out of production) and came very close to being drop kicked into oblivion!
It's only the fact that he's a superb killing machine which saved his sorry, hairy, Jack Russell type ar*e!

Sorry to hear about that Maz.
  If it's any consolation my dog managed to smash a piece of Edinburgh crystal earlier this year (which is now out of production) and came very close to being drop kicked into oblivion!
It's only the fact that he's a superb killing machine which saved his sorry, hairy, Jack Russell type ar*e!

way im feeling right now, my dog is on very borrowed time. its gonna cost me a fair bit to fix what he has done and its gonna take a while aswell. 

Flown it yet?

Rectified the mistake i made, yesterday. No damage done.

I have a request, i will be covering it in the traditional cougar colours and i know there are different patterns out there. Could you guys with cougars post pics of yours so i can see the different types of design of covering please.?

I have no idea what the weight will be once finished.

No idea of power train yet.

Im just building the blooming thing.   Once i get it built, then i will think about everything else. I did think maybe the same sort that is in my Raven.. couldnt tell you offhand what it is, but the lipo is a 3 c 1300 i think.

I have a request, i will be covering it in the traditional cougar colours and i know there are different patterns out there. Could you guys with cougars post pics of yours so i can see the different types of design of covering please.?

Anyone??

If not, it may just end up pink...

A pink panther. 

Hi Maz

suppose your using Iron on film, like profilm or solafilm...being of the female variety, the use of the iron should be a doddle!!

hehehehehehehehe

Best regards

Neil B

A pink panther. 

Now i do like that...   you have given me an idea Owen..

Hi Maz

suppose your using Iron on film, like profilm or solafilm...being of the female variety, the use of the iron should be a doddle!!

hehehehehehehehe

Best regards

Neil B

Iron    Mine is for decorative purposes only.   In fact, i think ive used a covering iron more than i have my own for clobber  ( the creased look is in kids..honestly  ).

A pink panther. 

I have a Limbo Dancer (same as a previous one) covered in what I am reliably informed by non-colour-blind people, is a violent bright pink, with a scattering of black discs of various sizes on the upper surface of wing and tailplane. Very easy for orientation and always raises a smile 

Heres one of mine from 6 years back, the Dave Smith Panther (still the best floaty funfly!) i bought it off a clubmate in this 'Pink Panther' scheme.

I believe it was pink solarfilm with yellow and purple moggy footprints across it.............

I have today, started covering my cougar, the half size one. Im doing it in red white and blue. purely because all the colours go well together.

I also have an admission to make... i went a bit mad a few weeks ago, and in a few days, i built another cougar... but this one is half the size of the one i have just built. So technically its a quarter sized cougar. All it needs its covering then gear put in it.Bit like a set of russian dolls.lol  Might even make a smaller sized one yet.. I have to say, this smaller one i feel is better built than the half sized one. Maybe its becuase i knew what i had to do, and where i went wrong before.. but i still did make a mistake. Somewhere i erred and the wing is 12mm shorter in span than it should be. Only realised after i had built the flappy things to go on it. So i got advice and cut the flappy things down to fit the wing.

Will post pics soon as i take em..

a couple o pics.. i messed up with the wing, which the observant amongst you will see what i forgot to build on it..oops!

It looks very pretty, but where will the servos go? 

Which ones Owen.......