rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

OK, I did some more work on the ribs.

One thing I have noticed on my end is that lines on my monitor (I still have a big old CRT) always look pixilated, whereas once the plans are printed the lines come out a lot smoother.

David

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

Here are the ribs and foam templates organized on standard letter paper.

David

Bone

Thanks Dave - very nicely drawn plans of a great looking model. If I scale it to about 85% to 90%, the plane looks to be ideal for my Taipan 2.5 rear exhaust engine. And just to be different ('coz it's fun to be different), I will probably hand launch the thing [8D]

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

I cut some wood. It's a start.

I'm thinking it will be better to use a smaller/lighter engine than the piped Enya. I have an HB PDP .21 that's pretty strong:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_82...tm.htm#8242211

The Enya w/pipe weighs 13.75ozs (390grms) and the HB weighs 8.6ozs (245grms). That's a big difference on a small plane.

David

doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

Oh yes, I see some ribs! 14 to be exact. Some spars and sheeting and frame up she comes.

David, good call on the engine. I was a little concerned about the mass of a piped 25 on such a light airframe not to mention the impact on wing loading. The only reason I allowed myself to consider the ST G23 on the D10 was because it is essentially the same size and weight as the G15 - just more hollow inside.

That HB 21 looks perfect and you don't even need an engine mount (maybe)! Actually odd that the vertical flanges sit recessed compared to the cylinder OD. Ah, engine mounts are nice and convenient.

Pico? I got motors tonight... A little serious engineering is going to be required though.

David.

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

Got one wing panel roughed out last night. It weighs 1.4ozs without the tip block.

David

doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

Sweet!

Left one must be done by now.

David.

doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

Bone,

great idea!

At 90% you'd have a WS of a tad over 39" (I believe the UFO span is 65" so David's 66.6*% model should be at 43-1/3"). Classics with a span range of 38" (e.g., Arrow, Deception) to 44" (UFO, DB, later MK designs) make for nice models for the 2.5 - 3.5 cc (15 - 21) class of engines.

Please do post a picture of your Taipan 2.5 (15) RE if you get a chance - I've heard of Taipan engines but never seen one! I have a 2.0cc RE Webra which is a little jewel but I'd have to produce a fuse top header for a Bridi under the canopy pipe setup.

David, your plans and build might just be inspiring me to produce a UFO66 for the other outrunner I picked up... See, now it's all your fault!

Keep the dust flying!

David.

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

More dust has flown. Thanks David.

The wing panels are joined. I won't glass the center section until I fit and adjust it to the fuselage.

Weight without ailerons is 3.6ozs. This plane is going to be light. Sorry for the poor photo.

I'll start the fuse tomorrow.

David

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

The wing is finished except for the servo cutout, center glassing and final sanding. Weight with ailerons and torque rods is 4.3ozs or 123grms.

I forgot to set the camera for incandescent lighting; sorry for the bad color.

David

doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

David,

nicely done - as always. The wood you're using appears to be of excellent quality. Did you cut and shape the tips short of the ailerons/TE and then use the TE to form the rear portion of the tips? It seems like a nice way to insert some thin ply to reinforce the rear portion of the tips. Also, are your ailerons shaped from sheet stock or did you use pre-shaped aileron stock?

I imagine some more dust has flown! Where are you at?

Time for me to get back to some final fuse work (canopy and front motor/battery area) and get some covering on it.

David.

alcarafa

Dave im always inspired by your building skill's, great construction, clean, smooth and perfect.
Will keep building and maybe one day i'll match your's.
Nice job.


Was about time my friend... want to see da PICO flying [>:],
Hey... maybe you should learn something about cameras from Dave your's must be able to be set up like his...

doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

I think I just answered my own question - I see that you did from the previous photo.

Different stock for the torque blocks than for the ailerons?

David.

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks guys. David, yes, I cut the tip blocks flush with the TE and then shape them. Then, I glue on a little section of TE stock to extend them back. It's just easier that way for me. I do soak the wood with thin CA, but a layer of 1/32" ply sandwiched inside would be a good idea.

I haven't taken a lot of build photos on this project. Most of the major wood working is done. Next I'll glue on the fin and install the stabilizer.

The entire chin/belly is removable. The nose-ring is split horizontally, so the bottom half is part of the removable lower section. This will make it easy to get to the tank and install/remove the engine. As everyone knows, the old pattern ships are cramped at full size. When you scale them down the noses get really, really tight. It was too much hassle for me trying to shoehorn the engine in. The removable section makes things a hundred times easier. I will tack glue it on and iron the covering over the seams. If I do need to get inside I can release the lower section with a razor blade. But, the covering will hide the seams.

Weight of what's in the photos is 8.4ozs (238grms).

David

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

I for got to mention that I made one change to the scale dimensions of the full-size UFO. After building the fuselage I felt like there wasn't enough room in the nose for anything larger than a .15. So, I sawed the fuselage in half lengthwise and glued in a 3/8" strip between the two halves. This gave plenty of room for larger engine mounts and also added more space in the radio compartment. I don't think it detracts from the original lines.

I have updated the plans. When I get them finished I'll post a new PDF.

David

bob27s

My Feedback: (19)

this is a great little project... I may have to build up a sister ship once David has his done

doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

Nicely done David. I suspected that you were making good progress!

I see that you've encountered, the issue of narrowness in the fuse front. The removable bottom chin looks like a great solution. I'm actually wondering if this mod would help in producing an inverted installation leaving only the cylinder head exposed along with a RE configuration with a pipe centered under the wing. Of course, this wouldn't work for a belly landing setup - some fixed gear would be required (as we wouldn't want to make it a TD!).

David, on a related note, if you're going to produce a laser kit (for which I'm sure there are at least a dozen orders standing by), it might be interesting to produce a FG canopy mold. I can see myself wanting to put in a pipe under the canopy on this one if not mounting the engine inverted.

Another nice option would of course be e-power for which your front layout would work very well as is, albeit, the fuse dimensions might be able to be kept a tad more scale. David, to what extent (percentage wise) does the front deviate from scale?

Looking forward to seeing the airframe assembled!

David.

P.S. David, you might want to keep the original plans available as an option in case e-power is used and the extra width is not necessary. I'm going to print up the front section and see how things look battery and motor wise.

Trisquire

E-power makes sense to me. E-flite has several ARFs in that general size designed around a Park 480 motor and a 2100mAh 3 Cell pack. I would buy a folding prop, leave the landing gear off, hand launch it and belly land it.

Tom

doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

Tom,

yup! You got the right idea.

Both David's UFO-66% and my Picorare (Tipo-62% - active thread) were inspired in part by these concepts. No landing gear, optional folding prop (although apparently not necessary and not as efficient as non-folding) and in the case of the Pico, e-powered with a 300W BL motor (Park 480 equivalent) and 3s lipo (moving up to 25C 2350 from 15C 2100's).

When done with the Pico, and David has had a chance to test fly his UFO66 and produce a laser kit, I too will want to build one of these with the same power setup as above. Being lighter yet by design than the Pico (no redesign there and fully sheeted solid wings and stabs), it should fly very nicely on the same 300W although a tad larger than the Pico.

David.

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks. I agree, an electric motor would definitely fit in the scale nose. That's easy enough to include on the plans.

While I was carving the dugout canoe I was thinking about making a plug for either vacuum forming or FG. It's just a hell of a lot of work.

Next, is my least favorite part of building planes: the fairing on the center section of the wing that flows into the underside of the fuselage.

David

doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

Hey! Is that a mini UFO!? Too cool!

David, your canopy looks nice enough to use for Sushi! Are you sure you won't reconsider?

I wonder if talented excellent people like Leo might not be able to pull some canopies from your canoe? If so, one could then be filled with plaster, the canopy popped off, treated and then FG canopies could be pulled.

David, this model should be in the top 10 of ARF company wanna have's. Perhaps you could layer some film on your canoe and pull a FG one for your model to preserve the canoe. I know I ran into the same dilemma with the foam one I made for the Deception 10. I've yet to attach it to the fuse...

David.

alcarafa

Dave that canopy is a master piece great job, if you ever produce lasser kits of this lil bird please let us know.

I will keep an eye on your project , congratulations.

doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

David,

got some update shots? I bet you're covering!

David.

doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

David,

I was wondering if you have an unfinished airframe AUW?

I'm thinking about another small model for the other 300W motor I have and am wondering whether it will be enough power for it. I have two options for the scaling: either 43" or 45" span including wing tips. The latter is better for several reasons but I'm wondering if I can build it to the same 13 oz as the Pico (or less). It's a built up wing and stab and a conventional gear design. It would have 8 ribs rather than 7 but I was thinking of drilling them out and doing so on the sheeting too. Speaking of sheeting, did you use 1/16" or 1/32" on the wing? Ideally I'd like to get a pair of 10 sized mechanical retracts in it on the wing for a total of 4 x 9g servos + 1 18g servo.

It sounds like your 43-1/2" span (?) UFO is tipping the scales at around 10 oz all up? If so, I'll go for the 45", otherwise I'll keep it to 43". Also, are your wing tips hollowed?

TIA, David.

courtice

Please post the plans soon! I think the Dirty Birdy and UFO fuselage profiles are the coolest looking of all the classic pattern designs. Something about them just really pleases my eye. The little UFO is looking very sweet so far!!