MJD

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After a monumentally taxing clean up job in the shop over a long-won two week break over the New Year, I have started to dust off some neglected projects and ask myself why they aren't out there flying like they should be, you lazy sod?

The Blink needs to get back in action. I flew it a handful of times, and while it was a riot, I had a few bad hand launches using small high pitch props. It bounced fine, nothing worse than a few scuffs. Had some good flights. The bubble-free film can tank works perfectly. Engine is pretty peppy, that's a VA MKII RC.

But I think the main reason it fell dormant is my spiteful relationship with small NiMH packs. I found them untrustworthy, and finicky to charge. After all, all the battery how-to stuff I ever read stressed the importance of form charging NiMH batteries at C/10 for a few cycles for the best longetivity. Problem is, 22mA or 30mA charge rates require tinkering to achieve, any charger I've ever owned charges down to a lower limit of 100mA. They're probably fine at 100mA charge rate but whatever, I had a few small packs go flat on me despite the best care I knew how to give them, and I never trusted them after that.

But fast forward, and I gave up my stubborn resolve to fly 72mHz for the rest of my life and bought into the modern age with a DX-8 transmitter.. and immediately discovered the joy of little tiny affordable receivers with tiny antennae. And now little LiFe batteries like this. And oodles of affordable micro servos. It really is a hey day for 1/2A radio gear right now.

So what used to be a cramped radio install is now quite spacious. The Rx slips between the spars behind the radio compartment. I'll rewire the tiny shorting plug switch I had in before. 200mAh LiFE replaces 220mAh NiMh and 2.4 micro receiver replaces Berg 4channel - which is a tiny receiver but you still have the antenna to contend with. This model predates my oath not to use HS-55's anymore on half-A's. They do work, as does the HS-50 on throttle. For how long we'll see. Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Oh yeah, forgot I posted this a while ago.. bench running the VA before flying the Blink: [link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fj4EJE61aI]VA ,049 bench run[/link]

Peak 25,300 with a 4.2-4. Not like a combat engine but pretty decent and it's muffled and has pressure and it throttles.

I think I'll fly it a few more times with the VA, then if all is well swap in a Profi and get some speed happening. It was pretty quick with the VA though.. you can sometimes see it here: [link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KESA58aHZcA]Blink first flight[/link]

Then the VA can go in the little jobbie behind it, another similarly ignored project and one that needs a throttle. I used a Sure Start for the first couple of flights, but had balky runs. When the engine quit it glided great. One ACE constant chord wing panel, a bit on the stubby side.

forsakenrider

Love it, I need to build a blink!

mick1404

ditto to that, are the plans for the Blink available anywhere?  All my .049s could have a place they could call home due all the micro gear that is readily available. I can remember not long ago when micro gear cost way more than your standard size gear, in the last 10 years it has been far more affordable for 'scrooges' like myself.

mick1404

just watched your vids, nothing beats an .049 screaming like a banshee, sweet engine, love it.

MJD

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Not sure if ptulmer is still in the game or not. I bought two laser cut kits, one for beam mount and the other for firewall mount. Must have been 2008 I think.

Andrew

The last post from Patrick was about a year ago. I have the plans in PDF - since he had posted them on his site (which has disappeared) for download, I don't think he would mind about posting them here.

MJD, what do you think?

andrew

MJD

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I agree - if they were available then for download, he already made a decision to make them available to anyone that wanted them.

BTW not sure I have a soft copy, I do have the print plans. I wouldn't mind a copy myself.. I'll PM you.

combatpigg

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The modular control panel is a great way to do those models..!
Patrick is a very talented young man. He's focused on securing his familys' future and I will bet he will be back playing with these toys after that mission is completed.

Andrew

He gave the forum several very nice designs and was a great contributor to the discussions. I do hope he decides to return in the future.

forsakenrider

Agreed. My first venture into 1/2a was a DNU, which I smashed the first time I flew it. It got flown by two others before though. It felt surprisingly good smashing a plane I had built as it screamed along, I was hooked.

MJD

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Who else takes 6 months to drill mounting holes in a Blink and sand a 1" sq block of balsa?

Actually I spent all season finishing a 1:1 project and have now managed to grab a breath and look at something else..

I made a short stubby 22cc bladder using what is really intended as bladder material for F2D, and a plastic adapter, all housed in a film can rear and some obscure plastic cap (I save these things) for the front, and they telescope together snugly. I decided to fair it in with some balsa and qwikfair epoxy.

I rebuilt the motor mount to add some rigidity, by filling the old holes with filled epoxy, then epoxying on a hardwood doubler beneath the mounting plate, and contouring it to match the airfoil. Then I drilled new mounting holes and added 2-56 blind nuts on the bottom.

Oh yeah, since the earlier post I pulled out the VA and here I have fitted a Profi Rambler .049. That ought to pull it along a bit better. I have been asking about the tuned pipe version but still wasn't available last time I asked. This will have to do.

I ripped out the HS-55 servos and am gluing in HS-65HB's instead, turns out they fit in this thing.. cool. Then a 2.4 Rx instead of the Berg 72mHz I used before, and a 200mAh battery (and spares in the kit).

Should be sanded up and the nose repainted in 2-3 days. It is getting a little battle worn, but the bones are still sound.

skaliwag

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Go ahead ,,, Make some Noise.. Curious what the Summer 1:1 was..

forsakenrider

AHHH! I need to build one!

MJD

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/101559935@N07/



Been busy for a couple of years or so on this one!! But it was all worth it.. flies like a dream. 1940 DH-82A Tiger Moth, Gipsy 1 engine. 30th example off the line at Morris Motors. I sprayed more butyrate dope on this than I have put on every model I ever built put together including all the stuff I spilled.

skaliwag

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TOTAL KOOLNESS. I guess she is not a Home Grown but was shipped over

MJD

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Served with the RAF until after the war. Later spent a large part of her civilian life with the KLM flying school (the name is unrememberable for me) registered as PH-UDY, and worked as a glider tug during that service, then was purchased and shipped to the US oh I forget.. in the '70's? We bought in in PA two years ago and trailered it up here, and have been nose to the grindstone ever since. First flight Aug 27.

Built at the Morris plant in Cowley, Oxford, in 1940. This was her first flight back home on Commonwealth soil in over 50 years.

Mechanically we went over it with a flea comb, it's in great shape. Rebuilt and recovered the tail group, rejuvenated the fuse and wings, all with fresh top coat in by-the-book camo colors and markings. Engine in tip top condition, new valve guides, valves including sodium filled exhaust valves, couple of rockers. Much fiddly work here and there and endless scrounging and wheeling-dealing for parts. We do have to show the Canadian registration somewhere, but as a historical aircraft we have permission to apply it in small letters under the stab, in contrasting color. Black contrasts well with dark green, I think.

We do have the glider tug harness for it, and Dan (partner in the Moth) and I both fly gliders, so down the road we may have some fun. It's hard work for the aircraft but with a lightweight classic glider and just doing it now and then for a lark.. no sweat.

p.s. go to the Flikr page above, and the first image is a short video of the first engine start after rigging. Does it sound like a tractor or what? It runs like a top actually.

aspeed

I got a couple of voltage boosters from HK, Turnigy brand for a couple of bucks each. They are supposed to take a single cell LiPo (LiFe?) and boost it to 5V. It would save the weight of an extra cell, giving maybe room for more mah possibly. Haven't tried them yet, but the reviews are good at HK if that is accurate-who knows. I wouldn't put it in a bigger plane with even standard servos , but the 1/2A stuff might be good. Haven't tried the Ace Simple 400 yet either with a Norvel .06. If I can handle it (which I doubt) I may try the new Fora .049. I will need to make up a throttle or cutoff and something that looks like a muffler for my field, so it will likely be next year.

MJD

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The Simple 400 is a very solid, smooth, predictable flier. With the .06 speeds will be sane - the 15%-16% airfoil keeps things in check. I was flying mine on about 300W lekkie power and Wav-O-Scope said 206-207kph.

MJD

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p.s. I realize I have never really taken notes on fuel consumption for thirsty high performance 1/2A/1cc engines.

Anyone got an idea how long 20cc of fuel (15-25% sport brew) will run a hyperactive .049 like this? I figure about 2 minutes but not sure.

aspeed

Don't know about a Profi motor, but the Norvel .06 control line one says 250 grams / hr. That would be what , maybe seven minutes on 20 cc. I think something revving higher would be a bit more thirsty but not double. Having said that, the Fora carb is 7 mm, compared to a TD, which is less than 3mm. I would guess the Profi is similar.

Andrew

Mike --
The Moth is a little big for 1/2A, but what a great plane. You guys have done a bang-up job with the restoration. I'm certainly envious!!!

MJD

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These little guys gobble fuel on pressure and big venturis. Considering power output is probably three times a stock TD I would guess somewhere in the 7-10cc per minute range. I'll try to remember to time it when I ground run this thing. I bet I get two minutes or more.

MJD

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We're totally jazzed about how nicely the Moth came out. We all had our impressions and hopes based on the individual components but when bolted back together, we took a step back and said "oh yeah baby".

We worked hard on it, and never thought the end would come. But there are folks that tackle projects many times what this was and they make it through.. my hat is off to them. One of my gliding instructors designed and scratch-built a 15m high performance sailplane.. made all the molds, everything. That was not his first scratch project either. I bow to those with true perseverance!

Imagine a nice light 30-32" sport scale on an .074.. ah ha, tie-in to the forum!

MJD

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I hardly see the point of posting a progress picture because it really doesn't look any different, except maybe uglier. This is a battle scarred model, but often those are the best kind. Anyhow it is done, with the exception that I need to pick up a couple more HS-65HB's and goop them in. I made a rough and ready fairing for the front of the tank, mostly to keep the exhaust from blasting directly on polyethylene. I was trying to think how to protect it and my eyes fell upon a tube of high temp RTV - so I blathered a coat on the area that will get beat on by the exhaust. We'll see how long that lasts.

Profi Rambler .049, 4.2 x 4 prop for now. Wonder what kind of top speed we're talking here - I'm guessing 110-120? Whatever, should be amusing to say the least. Gotta go to a trade show in Vegas this weekend (boo-hoo ) so "born-again" maiden weekend after this or some evening perhaps.

aspeed

Should top 30,000 rpm? Maybe unload a bit in the air to 130 mph? Just thinking, see how far off I am. A lot of experimenting with props could make a huge difference. The little Russian combat props are a bit low on pitch for high speed, but the APC one you have might be a good one. Too bad the tank is in the way for a pipe. CS has a little one that may work with some machining or butchering. The Fora exhaust is at an angle so a pipe is trickier. It likely goes fine without it.