hackobo

When we first caught sight of Plantraco’s Butterfly — a remote-controlled plane designed to be flown indoors — we knew we wanted one. Heck, we wanted a whole fleet of them. But at $239 a pop, we had to do our best to keep our credit card safely tucked in our back pocket. Now that it’s been reviewed by DistracTech, we’re tempted once more. The review confirms everything we hoped — and feared — the Butterfly would be. Yes, it’s lightweight, agile and capable of flitting effortlessly around your living room. And, yes, the balsa wood and paper wings are fragile; crash this a few times and you’ll be gluing it back together. Of course, that’s all the more reason to pick up a fleet, instead of just one.

i think is expensive,, or not?


http://www.tecnocracia.com/?p=28

Video: http://www.plantraco.com/hobbies/product_butterfly.html

BMatthews

If you must have one then get it by all means. Fly it until it breaks and is repaired enough to get too heavy and crooked and then build your own using the Plantraco gear. A simple stick and tissue model of this sort is actually VERY easy to build once you get the hang of it. I could build one in an evening with ease. While you're at it make a second one with slightly lighter sizes of wood and make it rubber powered free flight.

hackobo

DO YOU KNOW WHERE CAN I FIND A TUTORIAL?

I want to (try) build and airplane like that,, do you know how

a am very very newbie,, but i want

BMatthews

A direct tutorial no. But this is a very basic indoor model design. A few sticks of 1/16 sq, some 1/32 sheet to cut ribs from a nice light bit of 1/8x1/4 for the fuselage and a sheet of art store tissue is all you need to build these. It also helps if you do not have 10 thumbs...

There's some tricks to working with the smaller sizes such as using different glues to avoid heavy joints but still be strong enough and similar.

To get a feel for this sort of design download and study the Parlor Mite plans from [link=http://www.smallflyingarts.com/Free_Plans/free_plans.htm]THIS PAGE[/link] . Then, if you buy the Plantraco setup, measure the model design layout and wood sizes and do up your own sketch for it's eventual replacement.

But you gotta promise me that you won't get distracted by all the other nice plans to download....

It looks like that Plantraco outfit may be quite well suited for putting into smaller stick and tissue backyard scale models as well. The ones that would be just a bit too large and too heavy to fly in the living room. Turn size being quite related to model weight and size after all.

Join the crew over there at smallflyingarts.com and ask away. They are really in tune with that style of model be it for indoor RC or rubber power free flight.

Some hints to ponder in the meantime.

- with such small wood sizes quality is very important. you want light but stringy wood as it's more flexible and stronger. Cut test strips from sheets and break them. Study the ends for signs of fibers (good) or a clean break (bad). Use teh stringy but light stuff.

- Use a glue stick to attach the tissue. Just a light wipe is all you need, don't cake it on.

- lightly sand the sheets with fine paper to remove the fuzz often seen on the wood. it'll be nicer to look at, take the glue better and be a tiny bit lighter.

- when you get more advanced you can sand a taper into the wing "spars" (leading and trailing edges) so they are smaller at the tips where the strength is not needed.

- Use a pin to transfer very small drops of thin CA from a big drop held on a bit of wax paper. This reduces the amount of waste glue in the joints and is far lighter. Or use Ambroid or Sigment thinned with acetone. Get a small bottle with a hypo needle (plastics shops sell them for use with plexiglass solvent) and just use a little with a second coat. The glue being thinned about two parts solvent to one part glue. This mix on such small parts dries in about 2 to 3 mintues and a second coat forms a filler.

- a model of this sort costs a whopping 50 cents worth of materials. Just dive in and learn as you go. Count the first one or two as learning exercises. After one or two you'll find you can easily build one in a couple of hours.

hackobo

Thanks BMatthews , great link!
you gave me a nice way to spend my time

thanks again!

BMatthews

It's not really my cup of tea either. If I'm going to make up something in sticks and tissue like that I prefer honest free flght so I can sit back and enjoy the simple pleasure of flight without the need or responsibility to make it go somewhere it doesn't really want to go.

But variety is what makes the world an interesting place. And if a living room RC flyer is what tickles someone's fancy then it's all good.

rrragmanliam

My Feedback: (1)

BORING !!!

[size=2]Two hundred plus bones for this thing? A well trimed paper airplane would be just as much fun. PM me your address and I''ll send you a few sheets of paper and some plans for some great pulp flyers. No nitro = No fun.


Darren

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

Funny stuff, I agree with both Rag and Bruce,,I have an online friend who started with GWS parkflyers so he could graduate DOWN to a living room flyer....and over in electric forums indoor stuff you wouldnt believe the hits on threads of those tiny twin motored electric (charge them on the tx) flyers that turn by slowing one motor down,,wattage air hogs, almost makes you want to go out and get one for the front yard.....free flight is not allowed at either of our fields here, but we had a Pattern contest at my closest field yesterday,,I didnt go,know why? I dont care anything about pattern stuff, just as soon watch static on TV,,same reason they dont come out to my 1/2A funflys ..as far as the pattern crowd is concermed I'm wasting good flying time out there..."But variety is what makes the world an interesting place" ( a wise man once said)....I bet not one of the planes that showed up at my funfly cost $1000 ....like pattern ships do,,but then when we have a crash theres no ohmygawd factor..its more of a ..crap now I gotta spend another 2 hours makin a plane again... thing....Rog