1/2A Combat Plane
06-02-2003, 02:25 AM
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1/2A Combat Plane
I finally flew my new 1/2A flying wing today. I am a C/L Combat flyer and have been flying a little RC for fun the past couple of years, but not much so far this year. Even when I was flying RC regularly, my skill level is a bit marginal for anything this quick and fast (and a 36 inch wing gets real small real fast if you are not turning toward home most of the time), but I got up and down 4 times with only a little wrinkling in the covering from one aborted takeoff.
The plane is about 280 sq in., 12&1/4 ounces, VA powered, 555 receiver, 250 MA battery and one HS 81 and one Expert SL300 servo (I'm not real clear on how I got different brands of servos in it).
If I could figure out how to get the attachment small enough to be accepted I would attach a photo, but that must also be beyond my skill level....
I have been reading this forum fairly often for a while and appreciate the tips and enthusiasm I see here.
Larry Driskill
The plane is about 280 sq in., 12&1/4 ounces, VA powered, 555 receiver, 250 MA battery and one HS 81 and one Expert SL300 servo (I'm not real clear on how I got different brands of servos in it).
If I could figure out how to get the attachment small enough to be accepted I would attach a photo, but that must also be beyond my skill level....
I have been reading this forum fairly often for a while and appreciate the tips and enthusiasm I see here.
Larry Driskill
06-02-2003, 03:19 AM
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Larry,
Just go fast and turn left. It will be just like 1/2a combat. I think you and my son had a few combat matches, in slow combat before they changed it to 8o mph combat or whatever they call it now.
Good luck
Just go fast and turn left. It will be just like 1/2a combat. I think you and my son had a few combat matches, in slow combat before they changed it to 8o mph combat or whatever they call it now.
Good luck
06-02-2003, 05:04 AM
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1/2A Combat Plane
Larry, try to load the pic into some sort of phote editing software that lets you change the size of the pic. Cut it back to about 4x6 inches and then save it as a JPEG or .jpg file. If it comes out around 30 to 40K in size you should be good to go. There's a max pixel count of 700x700 so you may have to resample it at a lower dots per inch as well.
Hurry up and learn how to do this. Perspiring minds want to see your effort....
Hurry up and learn how to do this. Perspiring minds want to see your effort....
06-02-2003, 10:31 AM
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Hey! I've heard of you. built several 1/2a combat planes back when. I remember the 1/2 diamond well.... anyway, nice to see your combat job; looks like a lot of c/l influence there!
I usually use a proportionately large fin and stab myself, for 2 reasons. 1) it tends to be where I left it after I look and see where the other guy is and 2) after losing 4" of a wing in a midair, it will still be controllable albiet out of trim! I use a flat bottom airfoil with reflex ailerons. it flies inverted fine, but mainly it is very fast, and produces enough lift to out loop others while maintaining airspeed. see, most r/c combat I've done the tightest corner makes it. Although the fast richard sneak might come in handy... I'll have to use it on someone!
These are my combat jobs, about 230 sq. in., different fuse lengths to accomodate 049/15/25 so it can be flown in 1/2a, a, and open b. here is an open b one.
I usually use a proportionately large fin and stab myself, for 2 reasons. 1) it tends to be where I left it after I look and see where the other guy is and 2) after losing 4" of a wing in a midair, it will still be controllable albiet out of trim!
I use a flat bottom airfoil with reflex ailerons. it flies inverted fine, but mainly it is very fast, and produces enough lift to out loop others while maintaining airspeed. see, most r/c combat I've done the tightest corner makes it. Although the fast richard sneak might come in handy... I'll have to use it on someone! These are my combat jobs, about 230 sq. in., different fuse lengths to accomodate 049/15/25 so it can be flown in 1/2a, a, and open b. here is an open b one.
06-02-2003, 11:08 AM
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Very Cool Larry
It looks like an RC version of your Litehawk. Is that what it is? Would construction be as simple as RC'ing the LiteHawk kit, or is there more to it?
What kind of covering did you use....
Keep posting pics. There was a Combat demonstration at SMALL this weekend, and it really interested the people that were there....
What kind of covering did you use....
Keep posting pics. There was a Combat demonstration at SMALL this weekend, and it really interested the people that were there....
06-02-2003, 01:24 PM
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BMatthews wrote:
Larry, try to load the pic into some sort of phote editing software that lets you change the size of the pic. Cut it back to about 4x6 inches and then save it as a JPEG or .jpg file. If it comes out around 30 to 40K in size you should be good to go. There's a max pixel count of 700x700 so you may have to resample it at a lower dots per inch as well.
Hey thanks. I found an Adobe programs and followed your instructions.
Larry, try to load the pic into some sort of phote editing software that lets you change the size of the pic. Cut it back to about 4x6 inches and then save it as a JPEG or .jpg file. If it comes out around 30 to 40K in size you should be good to go. There's a max pixel count of 700x700 so you may have to resample it at a lower dots per inch as well.
Hey thanks. I found an Adobe programs and followed your instructions.
06-02-2003, 01:32 PM
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Matchless wrote:
It looks like an RC version of your Litehawk. Is that what it is? Would construction be as simple as RC'ing the LiteHawk kit, or is there more to it?
What kind of covering did you use....
Matchlessaero, it is built like the CL LiteHawk, but with the "chines" on either side of the nose. Some folks in Denver have been converting LiteHawk kits to RC and I probably need to kit an RC version so they don't have to come up with aileron and fin material. Also, the wing panels on the CL version are asymmetrical need to both be "inboards" for RC.
The covering is laminating film on the underside and Econocote or similar on top.
It looks like an RC version of your Litehawk. Is that what it is? Would construction be as simple as RC'ing the LiteHawk kit, or is there more to it?
What kind of covering did you use....
Matchlessaero, it is built like the CL LiteHawk, but with the "chines" on either side of the nose. Some folks in Denver have been converting LiteHawk kits to RC and I probably need to kit an RC version so they don't have to come up with aileron and fin material. Also, the wing panels on the CL version are asymmetrical need to both be "inboards" for RC.
The covering is laminating film on the underside and Econocote or similar on top.
06-03-2003, 03:13 AM
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Wild Fred wrote: I use a flat bottom airfoil with reflex ailerons.
Good Evening Fred, How much reflex do you use on your 1/2As and what is the effect?
Good Evening Fred, How much reflex do you use on your 1/2As and what is the effect?
06-03-2003, 10:31 AM
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well, here's the thing; a flat bottom wing provides more lift, hence a tighter corner. however, with my incidences set at zero-zero the plane will climb more and produce more lift (hence drag) the faster I go. but by raising both ailerons about 1/16", it kills excess lift at higher speeds, while not having much effect at lower speeds/ higher angles of attack. what I do is raise them both 1/16", then do some vertical dives to check decalage. if it pulls out on it's own, I raise them more. If it tucks under, i have too much. the raised ailerons seem to help the roll rate.
and if you look at some of the n.a.c.a. high speed reflex type airfoils, it looks similar to my flat bottom wing w/ raised ailerons anyway, it is good for an honest 88 m.p.h. w/ a fox b.b. 15 (yes, i still fly fox!) and 116 on a twice midaired raggy norvel 25 powered one, and will corner RIGHT NOW!
I hope this helps, have FUN! (how could you not w/ 1/2a)
and if you look at some of the n.a.c.a. high speed reflex type airfoils, it looks similar to my flat bottom wing w/ raised ailerons
anyway, it is good for an honest 88 m.p.h. w/ a fox b.b. 15 (yes, i still fly fox!) and 116 on a twice midaired raggy norvel 25 powered one, and will corner RIGHT NOW! I hope this helps, have FUN! (how could you not w/ 1/2a)
