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Suitcase Shrike

Old 07-09-2005, 02:58 PM
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Mustang Fever
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Default Suitcase Shrike

Gotta spend a month in Portland, OR for work. Can't bear to not fly for a stretch that long. So- something to take with that will fit into about a two foot square box, including Tx and the battery chargers. I was thinking about checking it as luggage until I saw the Model Aviation blurb about how we're still trying to teach the security dudes how to inspect one of these without trashing it. No thanks. I'll have the wife UPS it to me after I get there.

1/2A Shrike, Astro 020 with an 8 cell KAN 1050 NiMh battery and a 6x4 APC prop. Airtronics micro 5 channel Rx, and a pair of Tower TS-10 micro servos.

Modifications from the kit are:

1. Lanier calls for 1/4 balsa to form the bones of the horizontal stab, and then it's covered. My aft piece and both left and right outside pieces are 1/4 spruce. There is no internal frame work as called for, rather, I sheeted the stab with 1/32 balsa.

2. The left and right stab outside pieces have 4-40 blind nuts (2 each) installed on the inside to accept the bolts that hold the removable fins on. The fins are 1/8 a/c grade plywood. I didn't cant them outward as called for on the plans, and the bottoms are even with the bottom of the stab instead of extending below. (This prevents damage to the fins and stab during landings- something I learned about with my Shrike 40)

The weight at this point is a bit below 18oz, and with the battery as far to the rear as I could get it, the CG is just a touch forward of the recommended 3 and 3/8" aft of the LE at the fuse. The covering should bring it right on, as most of the covering is behind the CG.

Should fly tomorrow.
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Old 07-10-2005, 11:56 AM
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Mike Connor
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Default RE: Suitcase Shrike

That is an interesting way to attach the vertical fins. Should make for easy shipping. I have a 40 Shrike and they are neat looking and fast airplanes. Not so sure I would use UPS to ship a model. I used to work for the second largest UPS shipper in the state and damage was high compared to other companys.
Old 07-10-2005, 12:06 PM
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jlingrel
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Default RE: Suitcase Shrike

You have no idea of bad shippers. I just packed up 5 airplanes to ship from Cairo, Egypt to Tucson, AZ (there is a 1/2a Shrike amoung them). I am praying that they make it. I had large wooden crates built for the planes, removed all the access covers and hatches, removed the batteries (the Egyptian customs people will steal almost any battery they find). I would hate to have them pull that 2100hAh Li-Po from my Giles and try to charge it with the wrong charger. I am going to mail all my batteries back. Made a sign written in Arabic stating what they are and that they are extremely fragile. But I also am taking out all the insurance I can get on them
Old 07-10-2005, 02:23 PM
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Mustang Fever
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Default RE: Suitcase Shrike

You're right about UPS- I've received several Tower Hobby boxes that have had their corners crushed, etc, and only the superior packing job that Tower does prevented damage, so I thought I'd try to do as well. I think my box will be 1/4 inch ply, and all the airplane stuff will be in soft foam that is cut to shape.

Think that'll do it?
Old 07-10-2005, 02:28 PM
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jlingrel
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Default RE: Suitcase Shrike

I am using bubble wrap with 1 in bubbles, but it is not the movers that worry me, it is the Egyptian Customs people. They will inspect everything going out of the country. And I have found from several moves here in the middle east that all customs people are theives. They even stole my Iraq most wanted deck of cards (still in celophane). Insurance, Insurance, Insurance. My kids work for Hobbico and I have never been impressed with the condition of what arrives here in Egypt (and it comes thru the military APO system). Although the kits I have received have never had internal damage, only box damage.

Old 07-10-2005, 08:20 PM
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Default RE: Suitcase Shrike

Here she is, RTF. I'll post tomorrow afterwards.
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Old 07-11-2005, 09:58 AM
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Default RE: Suitcase Shrike

Very interesting, I had the same desire to fly when I go out of town on buisness but I wanted to take a slope plane as I used to fly alot of slope and where I live it's rare and far to fly them. So I built a take apart sloper that I can carry on with me, here's a link to pictures.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_17...tm.htm#3145764
Old 07-11-2005, 01:46 PM
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Default RE: Suitcase Shrike

That's a nice looking sloper.

The Suitcase Shrike flew today for the first time, and I'm still shaking three hours later. It was stable and easy to fly, but is wicked fast. If you believe Astro's specifications on the 020, pitch speed is 65 mph. I think it must be going faster than that, though. Maybe closer to 75 or 80. This is gonna be a fun one.
Old 07-11-2005, 04:36 PM
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Default RE: Suitcase Shrike

You just can't complain when a new airplane delivers what you hoped!!! Congratulations!!
Old 07-11-2005, 04:43 PM
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Default RE: Suitcase Shrike

Aint that the truth?

I used to get the new airplane terrors- I'd wait weeks sometimes after finishing one before I flew it. Haven't had too many failures this year, tho, so it's getting better. I still get aprehensive, tho.
Old 07-13-2005, 03:41 PM
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Default RE: Suitcase Shrike

I have a problem with wing vibration,my .15 shrike has a .25 fx with tuned pipe on it . at about 1/2 throttle and up the right wing starts to vibrate very bad . I put packing tape between ailerons to stop airflow through ailerons. could it be the z bend in control rods to servo? there is a little slop not much but maby enuf to make aileron vibrate causing the whole wing vibrate. Im stumped maby i should replace z bend rod with fixed rod to servo ?only problem is there is not alot of room to do so. [&o]
Old 07-13-2005, 05:36 PM
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Default RE: Suitcase Shrike

Walbanger,

There is nothing wrong with a properly done Z bend. I suspect there is too much slop somewhere and you need to get rid of it. It could be in the servo or linkage or maybe the torque rod in the aileron itself is loose. I over sanded the ailerons on my Shrike and had flutter only at top end speed in a dive. I finally covered the gap with a 1/64 ply strip and the flutter is gone.

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Old 07-13-2005, 05:47 PM
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jlingrel
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Default RE: Suitcase Shrike

We have a 15 Shrike over here in Egypt that had the same problem. We ended up putting 2 aileron servos out in the wings. Problem solved. What size wire did you use to make the aileron linkage, I would suspect that the rod is vibrating at speed.
Old 07-14-2005, 01:29 PM
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Default RE: Suitcase Shrike

I think the holes in the servo arm were drilled out just a little to much and that is where the play is coming from. Try moving aileron back and forth while watching the control arms to see if there is slop in them. I had the same problem . if so just get a new control arm and drill holes smaller so that everything is tight . This should solve problem.
Old 07-15-2005, 05:31 PM
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Default RE: Suitcase Shrike

Kind of an update, here, on how the little Shrike is doing.

It is really FUN to fly, but it is a bear to get a good hand launch that is followed by a flight, rather than a crash.

I think I'm almost there, as it seems there are three things that, taken together, will yield a good launch:

1. Minimum 10mph steady breeze. Without it, airspeed does not come up fast enough for the bird to be controllable.
2. A bit of right alileron trim to counteract the mighty Astro's torque. Otherwise, over we go left into the ground every time.
3. A bit of up trim, to hold the nose up until I can get my fingers on the stick. (Lanier recommends this, I didn't have enough at first.)

I've also discovered, through experimentation, that the following makes her fly really well:

1. Stick with the recomended minimum aileron travel. I had mine a bit over in the beginning, and it made her real twitchy.
2. CG should be just a touch aft of where shown on the plans. I had balanced mine to the plans by using 1/2 oz of lead right behind the spinner. I ended up removing 1/4 oz, and it made a huge difference. I may remove the other weight, eventually, depending on how she does inverted. (Haven't tried any, yet.)
3. Using an Astro 020 on 8 NiMh cells, the ideal prop is an APC 5.5x4.5. This gives a very fast top end, while allowing me to throttle down about 50% and cruise around at a very high speed- high enough for most aerobatics.

With all of this taken together, this airplane grooves really well, and will do anything you're crazy enough to try.
Old 07-15-2005, 09:09 PM
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Default RE: Suitcase Shrike

Forget using United Package Smashers use FED-EX and spend less money
Old 07-15-2005, 09:47 PM
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Default RE: Suitcase Shrike

OK I'll give it a shot, assuming this little shreik survives it's test flights.

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