Twisted
03-18-2009, 10:49 AM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Bellefonte,
PA
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Twisted
The wing, stabilizer and elevator are from a H9 Twist that flew for 3 seasons. The only thing wrong with the Twist was that the fuselage kept breaking from harder than average landings and tail touches and I was making repairs on top of repairs. I sawed the wing in half on the radial arm saw, took out the notched center section where it mounted at the fuselage, made new center ribs and reinforced the wing halves with two sections of carbon fiber arrow shaft glued in along the main spars. Most of it was re-covered with scraps of (mostly) Ultracoat. The 1/4" square stick balsa frame is sheeted with 1/16” balsa with the grain running vertical for torsion strength. It has carbon fiber arrow shaft through most of its length.
Some minor hardware bits are the only things that were purchased specifically for this plane so it was a cheap project. To save weight, I went light on the hardware/landing gear and three of the servos are high-speed units slightly smaller than standard size. Determining the wing position and gluing it in place was the last major step so I was able to obtain my target CG location without the need for extra balancing weights. Its 4 lbs total. I don't know if that’s light for a profile plane and I don't remember what the Twist weighed but it's the same wing as the Tango and my Tango is 1.5 pounds heavier. My only other profile plane (a GP Gee Bee) is also similarly equipped and it’s ½ pound heavier. Everything lined up well so it should fly OK.
With the colors that I used for covering it looked like an abomination. It reminded me too much of a circus tent thus the evil ultracoat clown.
Some minor hardware bits are the only things that were purchased specifically for this plane so it was a cheap project. To save weight, I went light on the hardware/landing gear and three of the servos are high-speed units slightly smaller than standard size. Determining the wing position and gluing it in place was the last major step so I was able to obtain my target CG location without the need for extra balancing weights. Its 4 lbs total. I don't know if that’s light for a profile plane and I don't remember what the Twist weighed but it's the same wing as the Tango and my Tango is 1.5 pounds heavier. My only other profile plane (a GP Gee Bee) is also similarly equipped and it’s ½ pound heavier. Everything lined up well so it should fly OK.
With the colors that I used for covering it looked like an abomination. It reminded me too much of a circus tent thus the evil ultracoat clown.
03-28-2009, 08:29 AM
#5
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Bellefonte,
PA
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RE: Twisted
Thanks for the interest! Today is warm and mild-but rainy. It’s still a possibility for the maiden flight–or perhaps tomorrow. One thing I wish was done differently was to use two carbon shafts in the fuse instead of one-and run one of them in to the engine mount area. It’s a thin arrow shaft, about ¼” to match the ¼” balsa framework. However, a 3/8” thick balsa cheek cowl (sort of) was added and this stiffened up the nose by tying it to the wing-joint area. It needed a spacer anyway for the tank mount to clear the engine case.
