[SteveBB]

As I mentioned elsewhere, I'm building this little beastie for my mate and fellow club member. It's part built so it's not too onerous, simply a matter of assembly really. The keel is quite a nice jigsaw (built already) I added the reinforcing strips along the base. Wings have the servo wells cut; cable tubes inserted and LE and false TE glued on. I've glued em together upside down to get the dihedral. naturally, it's going to be a red one!

http://cloudmodels.com/ ...if you're interested.

[Eyeboy]

Looking forward to seeing this build and fly. Nice choice of PSSer I reckon.
 

[Kiwikid]

Nice one Steve - the Komet has always been a favourite of mine. Here's a short vid of my 36" Me-163c version. It's a multiroll model having a motor with a Xeno folding prop tucked away in the tail end of the fuse. All of the flying in the vid is ridge soaring.

Me163C PSS Glider

I have some bits and pieces for a larger 60" Me-163b in the build queue.

 

[SteveBB]

Thanks chaps.

A bit more today..bought the servos; used these several times previously, and for this, more than sufficient. Shaped the wing tips, and glass clothed the underside of the wing, using my preferred Ronseal diamond hard varnish..The wing roots on the fuselage have been cut out (far easier to cut these from the inside with a NEW scalpel blade.)

Instructions recommend using the scrap from the cockpit hatch opening for the little overlapping tags on teh edges..However..although I used CA with kicker, some stuck (overnight drying) and some didn't..Epoxy might be the way to go? It could be release agent on the plastic (I think it's poly-carbonate) so although I gave a rub down, I could have missed some. The highlighted dashed lines on the wings is the datum for the wing root, as of course the wing join is fuselage centre..you don't cut the entire wing root moulding from the fuselage.

More later.

[Gary Binnie]

I built one about two months ago, flew it twice and put it away!!
A photo and power set-up is on the 4-Max website ('customers models' I think).
Cheers
Gary

[slopeflyer]

Check the centring of those servos before you install. I used a batch of 4 and three of them were a mile out. Sent them them back and had them changed, np. New ones ok.

[SteveBB]

A bit more done today. Dry fitted the fus halves together and trimmed where it was needed. Trim where it was needed and glued the keel to one half of the fus..the triangular bits don't fit at the front, but I'll pack those with balsa before fitting the second half. Ramin pegs glued on the outside of the servo wells for the covers to be screwed to (Not using the kit poly rubbish). Mixed up an epoxy/glass frit (microbaloons) concoction and glued the keel to the installed wing, and ran a bead of mixture down the inside of the wing/fus join. Taping up the outside first so it didn't leak onto the wing surfaces. All clamped up and waiting to set now.. Probably more tomorrow. I've noted what you said about the centering Jimbo, but so far I've been lucky. I don't worry much about such fripperies such as uncalled for trim change anyway... 

[SpeedsterDEN]

My 163 models.
The big one is brand new for me, Sunshine Wega model, but 14 year old I think, got the fiberglass fuselage for free, and had to make new wings for it 
Now just missing the pushrods.
135 cm span
Set up is 8x8 prop, Turnigy 42 50 1000 on 6 cell lipo batt, 100 Amp Esc,

Small one is scratch build
78 cm span.
Set up 4,4x4,5 prop, Turnigy 28 35 3700 on 4 cell lipo batt, 60 Amp Esc.
And a link to 163 paper planes, print and glue on cardboard, cut and put together.
http://www.juniorgeneral.org/JClick.php?UID=2801

[SteveBB]

Thanks for the input; what colour red did you use? I'm planning on using halfords finest over a white primer. Something Ford?

[SpeedsterDEN]

Hi.
Its red spraypaint from Motip, and the wings are covered with Farrari red Ora cover.
Almost same colour.
 
The small 163 in flight.      4,1x4,1 prop, 5 cell batt, and 65 amp, and 1200 watt

ME163, Turnigy 2836 Brushless 3700kv. + 5 cell.

[tiposx]

Mine is the first one on the customers' models page (Michael Cooper). A lovely model when painted, It was extremely fast, even in the glide. It whistled up and screamed down in a very intimidating manner - the only model I have had that always used to make my knees shake! Make sure your c of g is well forward to start with.

[SteveBB]

Mine is the first one on the customers' models page (Michael Cooper). A lovely model when painted, It was extremely fast, even in the glide. It whistled up and screamed down in a very intimidating manner - the only model I have had that always used to make my knees shake! Make sure your c of g is well forward to start with.

Off the top of my head it recommends 100mm forward of the back of the 'cockpit', is that too far back? I'm not ready to do that yet-weather has curtailed any sanding this week, which is my next job to get the joins flush. It's not been the easiest pair of fuselage halves to join I must say. Although I'm impressed with how I got the wing/fus root to blend in with smooth filler.

[tiposx]

I can't remember exactly what C of G worked, but I would go another 15mm forward for the first flight. I had some trouble with the Spektrum rx which may have caused the problems I had. (This led eventually to the model being written off)

Mine was quite heavy with the electric set-up I used, and launches were a bit dodgy till it reached flying speed. A dolly or bungee would have sorted that out.

 You won't have that problem on the slope - I am sure it will fly very well.

[SpeedsterDEN]

Today my big ME163 had its maiden fligth.
First flight was with a 4 cell 4000 Mha battery.
Extreme fast on the ailerons, until I gave it the dual rate
After that it was a real pleasure to fly, and much more stable than my small one.
Second flight was with 2x 3 cell 3600 Mha in serie.
And then it realy kick some a..
Easy to land, but it need to have low speed and altitude at the beginning of the runway, because It glides realy well.

Cool sound and looks great in the air

Love it

Me 163 First flights.

[tiposx]

SpeedsterDEN that is an impressive video and model. My Cloud Models Komet flew in a very similar way, notably the sound effects and the squirrely behaviour on launch.

[SpeedsterDEN]

Christmas decorations 

[SpeedsterDEN]

Flying my ME 163 and suddenly the ESC burned, and after a fast landing, where Thomas was very quick to find the screwdriver, we succeeded to get the burning ESC and batterys out of the plane before the whole plane caught fire.
Set up is:
Turnigy 42-50. 1000 motor
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewitem.asp?idproduct=8489
9x9 prop
100 Amp ESC (Birdie)
4 x 3cell 1800 Mha batteries 2 paralel and 2 in serie (6 cell)

Burning ME163.

Happy new year to all.     

[tiposx]

Great video. Sorry about the damage to your model. You acted very quickly and saved the day, but I must admit to laughing at the mild panic though    - at least you have tinted glass now!
My sense of humour is very poor I know...

[Bustergrunt]

Just like the real thing (on occasion) now that's what I call a scale model

[RGPuk]

Well saved that fast man with the screwdriver! ..... 

After a little shmoke, it's time for a doughnut.

Ro.

[SteveBB]

Right; It's been a labour of love, and today I finished it. The vinyl stuck on to make it look more what it's supposed to represent. I made a little dolly for it to sit on too. Wheels are from a long dead E Flight Taylorcraft, and suit this quite well. Hopefully it's owner will like it. I won't be test flying it as he's putting his radio in it, but I'll be there to photograph it when he does.


Would I buy one? Absolutely not. The retail cost of this is a complete joke. It's too expensive at half it's price, thankfully my mate bought it a swap meet for considerably less.