littlefly

Hello again, ladies and gents:

Am currently cutting out the balsa for a "Squirt" in .020 size. In the plans, HS-55s are shown for the servos. There seems to be a clearance problem for the linkages and arms. I was thinking of using the small 9 gram servos, inverted and mounted under the canopy, to provide the needed clearances. This plane will be built very light from 1/16 sides instead of 3/32 and will be powered by a PeeWee .020 engine. Might even add some nice round wing tips to extend the span a touch.

In your vast and varied experiences, do you think that 11 oz of servo torque should be enough for this small plane? Not really interested in 3D, just a medium speed, small bumblebee. Was thinking 200-300ma bat and GWS Pico receiver to help with weight.

Whatcha think guys?
Has littlefly totally lost what he never had?

matchlessaero

LittleFly, I don't think it sounds like a crazy idea at all.... The servos sound appropriate-should have plenty of torque (I run even smaller servos), but I would stay away from the Pico receiver if you can. I run them in some of my smallest planes (.010 sized and small electrics), but they only single conversion, and are very prone to being overrun by another flyer's transmitter. A 555 with the case removed might be a good replacement without too much weight penalty...

Good luck with it and post pictures as you build!!!!

Andrew

The newer Hitec Electron 6 specs a little lighter than the 555 -- for about $3.00 more you get an additional channel and .1 oz less weight.

Matchlessaero: I run even smaller servos

What servos are you running?

Regards,

Andrew

matchlessaero

Andrew, I use the little GWS PicoBB servos on my .010 planes. I also have some little hobbico servos that are halfway between the pico and hs55 in size weight and torque (can't remember the p/n).

For one of my next projects, I have my eyes on the new little Cirrus 5.2 gram servo......

jboy381-RCU

hey match,
if you use the cirrus servos...let me know how they work for you...i've been thing about getting some myself...

tks,john

Mike Taylor

My Feedback: (1)

I've been using the Cirrus 6 and 5 gram servos in smaller electric models. They seem to be holding up well for me, but people have warned against moving the output arm by hand. It seems that you can strip the gears. I've been carefully not to man-handle them and they work OK. YMMV. They are a lot smaller than the 9 gram servos, so clearance problems should be a non-issue...

Bipe Flyer

I used Cirrus CS10 servos in the prototype. I drew HS55s in the plans because I think that they are better servos and more common. Check the CG before deciding on the final position of the servos. Due to the heavy RX battery in mine I had to position the elevator and rudder servos behind the wing and put a small hatch in the bottom of the fuselage.

littlefly

Bipe Flyer:

The servo I'm leaning toward is the top one in the attached photo. The lower one is a Hitec HS-80 for reference. Have five of those that I am saving for another project. Used the top ones in my PicoStik-F to cure a tail heavy problem. (Tail heavy right out of da box!) Have a couple of these in hand. Seem to be fairly decent.

littlefly

[img][/img]

Bipe Flyer

The servo in the picture should be more than enough. Go with the smallest servos you have available and skip the rudder if you want to save weight. Use the lightest battery pack you can find. I recently bought a 120 mAH NiMH pack from http://www.batterystation.com which weighs 16g and would be ideal.

The rounded wing tips may slow the roll rate, which is plenty fast enough, and add some area as well as look nice, so I'd say go for it. If you want to tame it a little then you can use a Clark Y instead of the symmetrical airfoil drawn on the plan. If you like I can make adjustments to the plan for a Clark Y and email it to you.

littlefly

Thank you for your help and advice,' Bipe '.
Just looking to cool down what looks to be a rocket. I'm 51, just had shoulder surgery, ain't got the best eyesight either! Want it to launch without throwing my arm out of the socket and not get out of sight so quick! Guess I'll have to cover it in florescent orange.

Appreciate your efforts on the airfoil. Good thing I haven't cut the ribs just yet!

Email
'[email protected]'

Once again, THANKS!!

littlefly

littlefly

Here's the progress I've made so far. Doesn't seem like much, but I'm still at it.
Carbon paper, Carbon pencil, #s 1&4 knives, small squares, duck adhesive and Ca.
To the scroll saw next for the #%** plywood parts. Holding off on the wing parts till I hear from Bipe.
Whatcha think?

Littlefly

Bipe Flyer

Since you already cut out the fuselage sides, you might as well just draw a straight line through along the bottom of the fuselage and use that as the rib.

littlefly

Thanks Bipe:

That piece of balsa for the rudder and elevator sure is ruddy lookin. Hard too! Don't expect them to flex much. Probably will make my wing spar joiner out of same peice! Doubled up on the box former. Everything else is more or less kosher.
Later y'all

Littlefly

Bipe Flyer

That's what we in this part of the world might call skookum. Are you planning on rudder/elevator/aileron control, or just 2 channel? If you don't intend on doing aerobatics you could skip either the rudder or the ailerons. If you don't use ailerons, double the dihedral.

MR Flyer57

Hello Littlyfly,
I too have a set of the Squirt Plans, and am watching with great interest. Please keep printing the updates.
You have the good fortune of having Bipe Flyer on this thread to walk you through it.
I can't wait to hear how it flys. I live about a mile above sea level and if yours flys with authority, mine might struggle into the air also. I might have to up the power just a little, but I will wait to hear how yours does.
MR Flyer57

littlefly

Mr. Flyer:

Don't wait on me, man. I build slower than molasses!
I'm about 160 mi. east of 'TigerKitty'. Probably 5 or 10 feet above sea-level.
You may have to build yours lighter than mine!
Go zip yourself some 'assembly copies' of the plans. I started to make a transparent template for the fuse sides, then decided to just 'stack&hack'. If it works out ok I might just make the template anyhow. Would make marking the internal locations easier just to flop the template over.
Broke my scroll saw blade last night. D@#$%t!! Got to go to Ace and get another one.

Off topic (as usual!) Has anyone tried the new Krylon Osha colors? Wonder if they'll stand up to 10% nitro.

Boy do I love modeling - you compete on your own terms with yourself!

Littlefly

littlefly

Okay, gents:
Here's today's progress.
Told ya I was slow. Haw.
Thinking about changing turtledeck to round top instead of trapezoidal.
Time to start tackin'and stackin' 1/16th for the rib cutting.
Later:

Littlefly.

[img][/img]

littlefly

Forgot to add; Not the first pin in it so far. CA & Zipkicker only. Love it!!!

Littlefly

Bipe Flyer

Lookin good. With the rounded turtle deck it will look a lot like the Firefly.

littlefly

Bipe

Did you layout that wing covering as two pieces with the stripe over or 3 pieces seamed? Did you lay it out on glass or do it on the plane?
Looks great. Was thinking of bright lime w/bright orange stripe for mine, with one orange and one lime panels on bottom.
Found some 1" trailing edge today. Going to make 2 wings, one w/ailerons and one without. Need to part and gusset the ply rear wing mount to clear aileron pushrods; drawing flaw in plans.
Already tried to drybend 1/32 on turledeck. Broke 2 attempts so far. Guess I'll have to get the water and ammonia out. If not then, will have to redo the formers for less bend. What did you use for that canopy? I was thinking of using a cutout from a soda bottle. (A SPRITE bottle? Haw!).
Leaving the wing symmetrical as drawn. Adding some 1/16 tips gusseted.
What'cha think, sir?[&:]

Littlefly

Bipe Flyer

The covering is 3 pieced seamed direcetly on the wing... yellow, red then black.

The canopy is a 1L pop bottle. I've used them on several planes and they work great.

I just use water to bend balsa. I select a soft piece of balsa and then wet it with a spray bottle. The balsa will usually bend easier one way than the other. I carefully roll it back and forth being careful to compress the inside of the curve as much as stretching the outside. I can usually bend a 1/32" piece of balsa around a 1/8" curve.

Bipe Flyer

Ok, I just bent this piece of 3/32" to see how tight a curve I could make with just water. Not bad eh?

littlefly

Ok Guys:
Time for littlefly to step up and take the ribbin'.
Last night the CA bottle split; didn't know it; glued my big toe to the floor!
'Tain't funny, McGee!![:@] Luckily got it loose, losing only a very small patch of skin![&:]

Anyhow, below is the progress so far. Made a booboo on left side of deck. Wound up with a hole to patch and rough finish edge. Will disappear with some sanding sealer and a little luck! Sure wish it looked like the right side (start of covering). Oh well......

Gotta stop this and go do some other things before I get booted outta here!!

Later:

Littlefly

littlefly

Darn:

Just can't buy a break today!!!
Trying to post images again..
[img][/img]

Littlefly

corey-RCU

My Feedback: (2)

Littlefly, I have built a couple of small squirt planes, one with the 020 and a couple with the 010. For both I used the gws pico flight pack...made the fuse a little fatter in the mid section for servo clearance. The 010 version had I think 16" span 3" chord 48sq. in. if I remember right. This plane was a blast and really fast...great for pylon racing and a lot of people were surprised when they saw the performance it had, it would also glide very well right to your feet! I think I may have to go build another one soon! Good luck with yours, Corey.