MJD

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Hi folks,

I thought I would jump on the "build thread" bandwagon and post a few pics of my Blink, which after festering in the box and being poked at since last spring (sorry PT..), I finally attacked on a Monday off due to bad weather.

Some people have framed them up in 45 minites or whatever, but I tend to be, well, kind of a--- retentive about building and takes me a while to get started. Mostly because I cannot help pondering what little changes, mods, whatevers I might do to make me think I did something useful or intelligent. Hey I guess that's the fun. Anyhoo.. I decided to weigh the bits as I went.

I don't like pointy fins so turned it into a clipped delta, I am sure I'll find out whether or not that area was needed on the first flight.. also wrapped a narrow strip of 0.2oz kevlar around the LE and TE for ding resistance. The bare fin as supplied was 3.8 grams IIRC. Also
added another strip of Kevlar mat to the fin mounting area for some tear resistance on the 1/16" sheeting, may not help but looks like it has a purpose for now at least.

I decided to fair in the nose area a bit, using some very light 3/8" sheet and about a minute of sanding. The total weight gain between the bare framed fuselage, and the nose-modified version with a coat of Balsarite was about 3 grams.

Those strips either side of the hatch are contest grade 3/16" square which I added for additional hold for the covering and to make the servo compartment sides flush with the center section. When you cover like me, you need all the help you can get.

That VA RC version is a bit porky, if you can call a 61 gram throttled engine porky. It looks like I could come out around 220 grams finished (using a 220mAh NiMh Rx pack and HS-50 throttle servo) which is a tad over the 7 ounce (198g) target weight of the model. The use of the unthrottled MkI would save about 20 grams, but I keep thinking I might want throttle control. I am working on a little bubble-free Jett/Tettra style bladder tank, that without fittings so far is just under 7 grams and should take 20cc or so of fuel. I'll put a "how-to" here once I finish it and test it, but it looks like a cool idea so far. If it doesn't work I'll title it "how-not-to" instead.

I can't recall how porky other folk's Blinks came out - anyone have some numbers?

Covering wise whaddya y'all think is the best option. I have a whack of, oh man what is it, Litespan? The colored no-adhesive spun fiber stuff. Liked it on a couple of other 1/2A's. Also some of the light plastic films. Now I am vacillating on that decision.. help me!

Most people would have theirs built, covered, test flown and worn out/rekitted by now..

MJD

Andrew

MJD --

I like the modification to the fin -- I'm partial to clipped deltas too and have considered the same mod. Cleaning up the nose also looks good.

I was looking at the Blink plans this morning thinking that it could be put together pretty quickly -- I have resized them to a 22" span (Sorry PT -- I'm neither as quick or as brave as I used to be ) in hopes of slowing it down a bit.

Keep the pics coming.

MJD

My Feedback: (1)

Once I started (key words there.. ahem) it did indeed frame up very quickly. In fact, I started sometime after lunch, certainly did not rush, stopped for tea and a whiz a few times, pondered the little modifications etc., and had it pretty much where it is here in the afternooon before my kids got home on the bus. So really the total number of hours was not a lot, maybe 2.5 - 3.

One thing I noticed was that the ribs carry building tabs, but they are flush with the lower high point on each rib, meaning that if I had built it flat to the building board the wing would be flat bottomed span-wise. I ended up shimming it so the taper is equal. I am sure it makes absolutely bugger-all difference.

The Rx picture shows a GWS parkie receiver, but I plan to put a dual conversion Rx in there instead. I have a couple of FMA M-5's that have been good to me so far, except the doggone things have vertical connectors instead of inline. Their new version is inline, but I better go check the price first. Might spring for one of the wee Berg 4 channel Rx's instead. I'd like to loop the antenna around the perimeter of the airframe interior, so the added range of of a better Rx should adequately compensate for the bit of range loss that might occur, and I think ultimately the workable range would still improve a fair bit. Don't wanna trail the antenna.

I shudder to think how much of my life will be spent in the workshop if I ever start the TF 1/7 scale P51 that is sitting on the workshop shelf taunting me... egads.

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

Nice looking work, MJD. You could save some weight by ditching the muffler. The plane will feel a lot more solid at full throttle, I would just wire the carb WFO and use different props for speed control. After a couple of flights you will be craving more power. I like the idea of concealing the antenna, I don't recall if Berg allows winding some of it up on a bobbin?

MJD

My Feedback: (1)

Well, if I want to run WFO I'll install the VA MkI shown in the other picture, 20 g lighter and I presume more powerful although I have not run the RC motor yet. But I've never seen a throttled motor make more power than a C/L version. I don't know about performance differences between the MKI and MKII versions if any. I have a couple of the MKI's and they are the hottest 1/2A I own but nothing to a Profi or Fora AFAIK. I might not make friends at the field with one of those unmuffled at 25k.. they sure beat my ears to death. Screw 'em, I'll fly it somewhere else then

I am not sure what you mean by feeling more solid? A couple of images come to mind. My general plan is to test fly on a 5-3, then progress to 4.5-3.5 and 4.2-4's clipped as appropriate.

BTW when are you gonna put a piped .061 on one of these? [X(]

Oh and here are a couple of shots of a bladder tank system I am working on. Obviously it is film can based, with an internal polyethylene bladder a la Jett/Tettra. I'm using molded nylon fittings here, but will likely try undersized holes and tubing as well. These fittings weigh squat. I think it will work like a champ, at this point it is completely airtight. I think it should hold about 20cc of fuel. I'll try to test run one this weekend, well, test run an engine attached to one I mean..

Hmm, maybe I should have kept this secret, now someone might copy it and make thousands. Oh wait, this is the 1/2A market.. silly me, I keep forgetting

I tested the GWS antenna and if I follow the LE and TE in a large loop it will all hide in there. Not sure if the Berg antenny would be longer or not. If so I'l hide as much as I can then exit the arse end between the elevons.

All this work and I stand a good chance of planting it three and a half seconds after launch..

MJD

EDIT: Now I have to make another prototype. Seems you shouldn't squeeze the tank too hard to check for leaks..

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

MJD, I was under the impression that pretty airplanes crash on take-off?

MJD

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Well, with my typical color schemes and covering jobs, I should be pretty safe until later in the flight then..

Hey, the Blink is a cute plane. Pretty, well, dunno about that, but cute. It's too small to be called sinister or anything like that, but I'll reserve judgement on other names until I try flying it..

Oh and PT, what do you think of that tank idea?

rainedave

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But, 1/2A planes bounce!

Beautiful work. Thanks for the build thread. I won one of these kits at the last reedy race. I've been looking at this little inrunner that spins an APC 4.2x4 at over 27,000. I know, it's blasphemy, but it would probably be pretty fast.

Raymond LeFlyr

My Feedback: (2)

Patrick and David,

I've been fondling the parts in my Blink recently. I thought about going the lekky route too. But its just too easy to knock one out of FFF for e-power. So I put the parts back in the box.

Then I thought about putting a PAW .049 in it, but that quickly lost its apeal too.

Now I'm thinking of really screwing up the intent of Patrick's design and putting a PeeWee engine in it. Uh-huh, you read that right.

So, here's what I'm thinking - drop the go-fast concept and take advantage of the good slow speed handling characteristics of deltas and make it so I can ONLY go slow. The design in very light anyway. Covered with laminating film and with HS-55 servos and a AAA battery pack and maybe it'll fly. Whatcha think?

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

MJD, by "feeling solid" I mean that the plane goes where it is pointed better with a screaming TD than it does flubbing around with a stock reedie.

vicman

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I got all excited when you started down the PeeWee in there cause instantly my wrinkely grey thing conjured up your tri-motor lust. [sm=tongue_smile.gif]
Then you mentioned the s word and to further stink things up you post an inflamatory signature[X(].

There will be an orange one showing up soon.

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

MJD, what do I think of the tank idea? Well, it's got all the good qualities of a balloon tank without the bad ones. It's also got all the good qualities of a fuji tank without any of the bad ones. I'd say that's pretty darn good! Not pretty, huh? Well, you're right in the stock configuration. You keep dressing it up and the pre-flight jitters will only get worse!

Dave, that might cost you a pair of underwear. What's the setup? I'd like to see the motor/battery!

Ray, I've held a peewee up to one. You'll need to make a shim to get the prop past the leading edge and I still have to wonder whether it will work. I built a peewee delta that was about the same size and the best I could get was a gentle glide back to earth. Mine did end up about 8oz. Sounds like a challenge!

MJD

My Feedback: (1)

Okay, I gotcha. I thought it was referring to something like the difference between eating breakfast at Taco Bell versus a bran muffin from the local coffee shop. [:-]

I just raided the photo counter at our local supermarket and ran off with a bag of Fuji film cans, nyuk nyuk. I'm sure 5 years from now I'll be cleaning up the workshop and wonder why I ever brought so many of the doggone things home.

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

pt, the merchant suggests using a gearbox, but people on another forum are running them direct drive with the 4.2x4s on 3-cell lipos:

http://www.lightflightrc.com/HTML/pr...-20-34-110.htm

Raymond LeFlyr

My Feedback: (2)

!. The mental picture I get of V-man "all excited" is disturbing so I won't say anything about it.
2. "Down the PeeWee in there" and "my wrinkely grey thing" are even more disturbing. Ditto.
3. The object of my tri-motor lust is painted and I'm waiting for the Rustoleum to gas-off (don't even think it) so it will resist hot fuel. But otherwise, its RTG (that's Ready-To-Go, youse all).
4. You made reference to the "S-word". Drat and gol-darn. Now's there another hyphenated word (*-word) that I can't use and still be P-correct.
5. Oh lordy, what the heck is an "orange one"? Will we have to refer to that as an "O-one" in the future? Pretty soon there won't be any whole words left!
6. I really DO need a translator (and a nap).

MJD

My Feedback: (1)

I agree with the "maybe" part!!

It would be interesting, but I wonder if that poor ol' PeeWee will have to oomph to drag it through anything but really wide turns, deltas being deltas and really kicking up the drag in turns. Hmm, in the spirit of the Blink perhaps open up the venturi, run 60% nitro and clip the prop..

MJD

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The Blink is on hold while I wait for a Microstamp recevier and crystal to arrive, but once I get tha tin and the antenna routed it's time to "close".

The tank did not get tested this weekend, too many "honey-do's" and kid's soccer games. Plus, I am waiting for some nylon hex nuts and 3/32" barb fittings to arrive (versus the 1/8" I have) to arrive to make the lid closure the way I want it to end up. But I worked out a nice light way to do the vent without bard fittings in the meantime. I'm treating the tank not as a one-off for the Blink but as more of a standard tank for /12A's for myself and anyone else who is successful at conning me out of one. If they work as I hope, they should be dandy for ukies too.

[EDIT] - the fittings arrived today as if by magic, and the completed tank, with 6"of vent tubing sticking out of it weighs 8.9 grams. I'd call that an improvement over a Sullivan, but heavier of course than a balloon.

[EDIT #2] - I measured the capacity just now - 26cc. A bit more than I thought so that's good. No leaks so far..

For the first time I thought to weigh my AME .061 with muffler, and the bugger is 10 grams lighter than the VA .049 RC.. humph! I haven't found out yet which one will outturn the other, although I suspect that carburetion is better on the VA but the .061 will outrun it. Not that the Blink needs part throttle anyway for much except when I start soiling myself midflight. [X(] [:'(]

MJD

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Not only is my building speed an utter disgrace, so was the lead time to get the new receiver for this thing. Here we have a forum where CP designs, builds, tests and wears out a new model every week, and nearly two months later I'm ready to finish and cover an 18" span delta with 12 parts..

Anyhow I am only posting because finally I got my Berg Microstamp receiver.. after waiting a month. Man that is one tiny little devil! No sweat fitting that in the Blink or smaller. I'm going to route the antenna around the perimeter of the wing internally and check the range with that setup. Should be fine, I don't need full range anyhow. Now that's I've fondled the Rx, my fever for an .010 acrobat is rekindled. Combine that with some Bluebird 3.whatever gram servos and appropriate battery, and you'd have an incredibly small full range flight pack at what, about one ounce? Coolness.

So now with spring here (the spring peepers started up last night, a sure sign of good things to come) it's time to plant a Blink.

MJD

shimotto

Help!!
I am looking for plans or a kit to ThE Blink rc delta plane by patrick ulmer. All the info I find is build threads which only fuel the fire to have one in my hanger. No links connect to Mr. Ulmer although one did connect to Select Hobbies they specialize in small arplanes, they carried the Blink kits for a while, his reply to my email was fast

Hi Mark... I no longer have any. First 20 sold like hot cakes 2nd dozen took 3 years. The fellow who designed it doesn't appear to be in it any more ... his site no longer works. Try youtube. Might find a lead there. Or ask on RCU. 1/2A forum. Steve.

if someone has the plans or a kit please contact me.

[email protected]

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

And just where do you get .2oz kevlar, a spider maybe?

Andrew

Shimotto -

Here you go - enjoy.

andrew

MJD

My Feedback: (1)

That's Kevlar mat or tissue whichever you prefer to call it. Comes from Aramid spiders, you gotta get them drunk first, then they just bounce back and forth spraying fibres every which way.

http://www.acp-composites.com/home.php?cat=252

Oops, it is 0.25 oz/sq yd, the CF mat is 0.2oz.

MJD

forsakenrider

DId you ever finish this MJD?