papajeff

Please keep us informed of your progress and a few photos posted would be nice.
Hey, if possible, do a video of your maiden flight.

kymont

My Feedback: (2)

Hey, just found this thread. I got a preadator this christmas and have read the thread. Regarding the wings, I think i should us your idea of the neodymian magnets, but replace the washers with lesser magnets to improve the strength, but my dad thinks we should just glue them to the fuselage. We could take places with the wings on, but i belive this would increase the risk of damaging the wing. I've already punctured the monocote on our planes several times, and im trying to be alot more carefull about that stuff.

kymont

My Feedback: (2)

also, what do you think of this plane? Theres also the dh-86, but i have been so far unsuccessfull in my attempts to find a model of it http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXTKS4&P=ML

kymont

My Feedback: (2)

Also, and idea. It might be possible, with servo mixing, to keep the the vtails use as the rudder and elevator and have a steerable nosewheel, if you really want it to be scale

jumper666

Wings fixed or removable is one's preference. Mine are fixed. I do not care for putting together and beaking down. Others will see it otherwise.

Yes, steerable nosewheel is a fairly simple mod. Mine is pictured at #597. Others did it before I. Mine pretty much copied theirs. A side benefit, what was once dead weight to correct CG, became useful nose gear steering apparatus.

kymont

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks for the pics. And i like your idea of a separate platform in the nose. By the way, does anyone come down to the big flyin here in louisville, or the warbird flyin?

kymont

My Feedback: (2)

Papajeff, when you get the chance, what was that plane you were sitting on in post 606? I love warbirds of any type.

kymont

My Feedback: (2)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2009!

kymont

My Feedback: (2)

My new years resolution, finish my predator in less than 6 weeks

kymont

My Feedback: (2)

Brownlab, what time is it where you are?

kymont

My Feedback: (2)

While glueing the hinges for the tail on my predator, I bent one of the control surfaces to far, and now there is about a 2 or 3 mm gap. Is there anyway, I could possibly fix this? If not, what should I do?

papajeff

First, Happy New Year! Now, Jumper was right as it is just a matter of preference wether you want the wings removable
or permantely fixed to the fuselage. For me, it was easier to transport with the wings removed and I have not experienced
any flight problems because I did not attach them permantely.

Rather than messing with those CA type hinges, once they are attached, you can just put a srtip of Blenderm tape
over the hinge gap and the issue is solved.

That DH-86 is a kit and if you are up for a long Winter build, go for it.

That plane I was sitting on is an old T-33 Starfighter. My pal build a BVM Turbine version of the T-33 and used some
photos of that old plane for reference.

Have a good day and enjoy your build.

jumper666

kymont, expanding on papajeff's good suggestion to tape the gap, make sure to flex the movable surface while applying the tape so there will be no binding in the travel. The attached diagram is an extreme example. Tape need be applied to only one side for your already hinged surface. One would want the travel in the diagram for a 3D acft. You will not need anywhere near this much travel for the Predator. Dual tape would be used if the tape were to be the hinge.

kymont

My Feedback: (2)

thanks, both of you, ill try to post some pictures

mikesan

Hi

I have a Predator on order and will be using a spektrum tx and receiver. Due to long wings am considering using the differential feature for aileron movement
which I have used on long winged sailplanes previously. any bodt with experience of this??

Thanks

mike

papajeff

Mike,

Go to post #19 and send an email message to Chris Hornby, as he is on your side of the pond and a great
RC builder who has several Predators. I know that you will be pleased chating with him.

mikesan

thanks and a happy new year to you


mike

lejongleur

My Feedback: (10)

I flew my Predator (well, I actually got one of my club's best test-pilots to fly it) today! It flew well with minimal need for trim. I was surprised at how fast it goes thru the air, even when gliding. I was also interested to see how hard it is to see a Predator in the air on a gray day just before snow fall - the shape just seems to morph and it's hard to see which way its's going.

It flew for about 7 minutes and used about 800mah from a 3S. As you all reported, response to the control surfaces is slow and scale-like. Although I had programmed in flaperons and some other wrinkles, they weren't used this time. AUW was 39.6 ounces/1123 grams using two 3S batteries in parallel to get the cg right. Given that one battery weighs 3.1 ounces, it would be easy to use just one and mount a FlyCamOne2 (about 1.6 ounces.) That should still give a good 19 minutes of active flying.

Next steps are to clean up the hangar rash I inflicted during building, put on the airforce decals, add a bright stripe under the left wing (so I can see it!), probably add an air vent somewhere up front, and fly it!

Thanks for all your help on this project...Chris

junkjet

My Feedback: (55)

Kymont I flew my Predator all season at our field and at the warbirds, cant belive you havent seen it yet. it has all the mods + marker lights and landing lights. here are some old pics. RCRC Freddy

junkjet

My Feedback: (55)

Kymont, the pics that upsize are on page 14 post 330-335 and here is the vid from our field
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOSYGdIq-IY
Freddy

jumper666

lejongleur, marking really help....

lejongleur

My Feedback: (10)

Yes marking is essential for me. I have been using dayglo orange/red peel & stick covering to put a strip under the left wing and left vert stabilizer on my planes. By the way - nice main gear on your plane - did you make it of is it a commercially available piece?

Another couple of questions for anyone interested:

1) Currently installed an 8.5x6 counter rotation prop, which flew OK (watt meter says 235 watts). What props are you guys using without ground clearance issues? Anyone using a 3-bladed prop? I am contemplating trying a 3-bladed 9x5 if they ae ever back in stock.

2) Has anyone installed a steerable nosewheel while STILL using the v-tail as a v-tail (rather than modding the lower fin to work as a rudder, and using the v-tail as elevators)? How did you do it? I though of hooking one up using a Y adapter on one of the aileron servos (and steering with the ailerons on the ground.)

3) Do you know where I can find the correct application of the military decals, or even better, does anyone know where I can get RAF roundels sized to suit this model?

Thanks for your help...Chris

papajeff

All of you are doing so well with your different modifications of the Predator. It gives me a great
deal of pleasure to see what you have created. Keep up the good work and remember to have
"FUN" with your projects.

Chris,

With respect to props for the Predator, I used a normal (tractor) APC -sf prop, size 9X6, and
mounted it with the hub numbers facing the nose of the plane. It works just fine and there
really is no need for a counter rotating prop.

Go back to post #612 for my mod to solve any prop clearance issues.

For decals, try http://www.onlinelabels.com/ol175.htm, as they seem to have a great selection.

The actual Predator/Reaper really did not have any markings, as you can see from the photo
below. Also, I am I the only "OLD DOG" Grandpa that raided his Grandson's toybox to find
some armament for the Predator?

jumper666

lejongleur, you asked: Has anyone installed a steerable nosewheel while STILL using the v-tail as a v-tail. Yes, that is the way mine is set up. The ground steering is done with the aileron (not rudder) inputs.

lejongleur

My Feedback: (10)

Thanks Jumper - I guess you are not using flaperons, or your plane would lunge left (or right) if you turned them on when ROG or landing