airraptor

My Feedback: (66)

I was in there today picking up some planes and I saw one of these. i bought it to make it a glow plane. The kits looks pretty strong an would be perfect for a .074 to a LA 15 type engine. The covering looks good and the cowl is fiberglass. I will post some pictures soon. Price is pretty cheap too anyway check it out to see what you think. One thing though the pics on their website do not look good at all as the planes looks 1000 times better in person. Oh they have a white version and a yellow version pictured


http://www.airborne-models.com/html/...p?ProductID=98

Pond Skipper

Looks promising what was the retail price?
Online is $79.99

airraptor

My Feedback: (66)

Here is the white one just out of the box. It says 149 square inches. I willing to recover it, you could shorten the ailerons and fair in the part you dont need, new stab and a Hot 15-18 and this thing would be pretty darn cool.

airraptor

My Feedback: (66)

The airfoil is semi-symmetrical

Mr Cox

I've been looking at those before and have a similar one myself. A Norvel .061, or an MP jet for a bit more power, is much better suited. Putting a .15-.18 on that will just turn it into a brick.
You need a thin airfoil with high aspect ratio to go fast.

Pond Skipper

Plenty of wing to support up to 130g engine.

What is the distance from the firewall to the spinner and spinner size?

The Vertigo .07 with a tuned pipe or Norvel .074 would make it a peppy
sport flyer. Says PVC cowling.

airraptor

My Feedback: (66)

Cox I dont think so at all as many 15 size engines are around 4-5 ounces. This plane would have that size battery anyway.
Pond I will get that to you today. I will not work on this plane until mid sept but I will post pics as I go along here.
Pond I will measure that for you.

Mr Cox

The lightest .15 engine I have is the Norvel .15, it weights 5.3 oz without a muffler. A typical .15 with muffler will be around 7oz.

The recommended weight of 18oz suggest a .061 or a Norvel .074 engine to me. The wing profile of these are not suited for high speed, and neither is the stock decalage (that can be changed though). Why not just convert a dedicated high speed plane instead? There are plenty of strong and slim airplanes to choose from...

airraptor

My Feedback: (66)

Mr cox lol do not be negative dude. This thing with a 15 doing 100 mph will be fast for it size. I posted this for others to look at so since there isn't many 1/2 size planes and kits out there. You can kit bash this some to make how you like. The weight is will the electric motor, speed control and battery. the suggested set up is real close to a .074, two ounce tank and the extra servo. add another 6 ounce and you are at 24 ounces with a 15. so 24 ounces on 150 square inches is just fine.
Also I posted this for the guy that wants to fly in scale fashion with a 1/2A engine with throttle. I will shorten the gear on mine with smaller wheels and might even add some small wheel pants.

Pond the cowl is fiberglass and from the back of the firewall its 2 and 3/8 of an inch.I will remove the electric wood mount in the pictures and add a small layer of light ply on the inside to seal up the holes. For this plane I think i will use an AP 15 with and open header exhaust.

Pond Skipper

I like the vintage style of the plane and will buy one.
Thank you for the engine bay number looking for firewall to back of spinner gap.
Does it have lite ply sides on the fuselage?

My Norvel .074 with prop / spinner 92g
I have a AP .09 looking for a home as an option 144g with spinner less muffler / prop.
However have a TD .15 with throttle sleeve is around the same weight. 146.3g with prop spinner and sleeve.

Pond Skipper

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1411208

RCG review of the plane.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dA3wfhYIiPQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dA3wfhYIiPQ 347kph / 216 mph airspeed recorded with onboard eagletree telemetry.

airraptor

My Feedback: (66)

Thanks Pond looks like a fast airfoil to me.

Pond Skipper

3500+ kv on 3S with a 5x5 or 4.75x4.75 prop per author's vid.

Yes it's fast with enough motivation and didn't fall apart, tough enough for IC use for sure.
The airfoil / wing shape isn't ideal for purist purposes, but great compact speedy fun with character.
I had hoped to find a IC conversion vid posted no luck.

airraptor

My Feedback: (66)

maybe when mine is done I will have to post one.

Pond Skipper

Yes please do. I will vid POV.. style

Pond Skipper

I have mine on order now thinking I might use the Norvel .074

airraptor

My Feedback: (66)

the novel will be good as I have a few of those too, but i scored a TD 09 that I might try instead

Pond Skipper

I used the TD .09 with throttle sleeve on my Dart this summer here is the result.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqrjoTlrm3E

Published on Jul 2, 2016
Best level pass 143mph / per prop calc / APC 5.25 x 6.25E
Wavescope: 232.07 kmh / 144.2mph /down wind
The reading was taken at 1.52mins into the vid.
Temp 96F (16,975 rpm at launch) 30% nitro

Mind you this is a lot of pitch but the .09 can
hack it unloaded to 24,160 rpm. What prop
are you thinking on using?

airraptor

My Feedback: (66)

The APC 1/2a 6x4 I really like this prop for a lot of applications.

Pond Skipper

Good choice, it is thin like a E prop but without the aggressive pitch near the hub.
The hub dia. is a bit small for the .09 but with a spinner covering that up.. all is well.
Speed will suffer some but its a good mix of thrust too.

Comparison to the 5.7x3 prop maybe the best over all prop for the Norvel .074
I say that is it has no bearings so why spin it at 30k + and it fits the hub great.

airraptor

My Feedback: (66)

The best prop for the novel .074 is the APC 6.3x4 glow prop. The 5.7x3 I think is a low load for that engine but depends if you like it to turn up lol. the 6.3x4 was made for this engine.

Pond Skipper

I have that prop it is heavy and thick no likey ..the 5.7x3 was just to compare to the 6x4
Big jump in weight and drag ye old 6.3x4 robs power compared to the 6x4.

MJD

My Feedback: (1)

I'll have to try the 1/2A 6x4 as well. Whether it is the optimum or not dunno, but the 6.3x4 really performs on the .074.

My experience with EP-IC conversions and modernization of old kits is that an IC conversion generally comes out lighter, and when you put modern lightweight gear in a 30 year old design for 1/2A's, you can achieve similar AUW with a larger engine. My Baby Birdie as an example, with fully sheeted 12% wing modification seems it will achieve 24-25oz all done with a piped .15. Compare that to 22-23oz with a TD, NiCad pack, big servos etc. So for this thing, trading the weight of EP gear for the weight of a larger IC engine sounds like fun to me.

Mr Cox I think you prefer the results of lighter wing loadings with smaller engines, and that is a great direction to go. Some guys just like overpowering, the goals are slightly different but in the end they have just as much fun especially with these economical/cheap electric ARFs. A .15 on this would not be too radical, but it might not thermal.

Pond Skipper

will bench test and post a vid for proof of it's value.

airraptor

My Feedback: (66)

I wouldn't say it robs power it just doesnt turn up as much as you like lol. In most sport models everyone really raved about the 6.3x4 when the .074 were popular. Before that everyone tried the APC 7x3 but wasnt happy with the power. Now if you have the .074 on a light weight 1/2A plane the 6x4 will be better and a 5.7x3 repitched to a 5.7x5 works well also