Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes!

Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes!
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Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 10/14/2005 4:45 AM

W4UAV

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Ok, Ive finally gotten back into the video game, the Grey Ghost as I call it because it disappears at certain
orientations, has finally got a dome camera and 1 watt 2.4ghz transmitter.
The previous post:
New plane about ready,
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_3269525/tm.htm

mentions a 'drawer' for the video gear. I installed the 1 watt transmitter in there and it fits good!
The drawer is easily accessible and slides in and out good, nice tight fit, a servo screw holds it in when closed.
Im going to test fly the new camera ship Saturday, Ill post results. The dome is mounted in front
of the nosewheel giving incredible view from the front, no props, no oil residue, nothing but air!!
No GPS guided camera yet, I just have the video bug, must put camera in air!!!
Ill post results and hopefully some video.

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 10/14/2005 2:31 PM

kd7ost

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Excellent Mike,

It nice to see a professional looking build. Even the wires are neatly dressed up.
I'm anxious to see the video.

Dan

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 10/15/2005 12:15 AM

Blue Collar Sound

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Nice looking plane! What camera dome are you using and where did you get it?

Mark

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 10/15/2005 3:04 AM

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Thanks!
The dome is from Supercircuits, its made by Javelin.
I believe its this model but in tan instead of black:
http://www.supercircuits.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=3495

Black looks cooler.

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 10/15/2005 5:02 AM

Skycam41

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Wow, that is an awesome looking plane and great idea for access to all the goodies on board! Keep us posted of your progress!

Mike

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 10/15/2005 11:57 PM

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The first video was vibration-ridden! I went over the entire video
system and discovered the set screw to the lens on the camera was loose,
I tightened her up and tried again. I got much better results:
http://media.putfile.com/Ghost120

Ill try and post more flights as I make them.

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 10/16/2005 1:27 AM

Dennis H.

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That is GREAT!

Now you got me thinking, on building my own plane like your! can you move your camera up & down and side to side?
Dennis

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 10/16/2005 4:59 AM

typicalaimster

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That's pretty cool. I see you're getting a bit of the same vibration I get when throttling back. I also see you have the Gensys working. Keep up the great work.

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 10/16/2005 5:30 AM

W4UAV

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Thanks guys. The dome is fixed forward, the future may still bring a pan/tilt
camera further back, and connected to a 2 cam switch.
Yeah, I get a little vibration still, nothing like the first flight though, I think it
wouldve shaken your fillings loose if you were on board!

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 10/16/2005 9:54 AM

cwrr5

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Very nice! I kind of like the last few seconds while it's rolling in the grass.... kind of a unique perspective.

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 10/20/2005 2:35 AM

Dennis H.

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Hi Mike, What are your booms made from, how long, and how long is your fuse. ?
Thanks,
Dennis

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 10/20/2005 3:55 AM

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The idea from this design was I wanted to keep from having
to insert weight exponentially to balance it, in other words, if you
have weight at one end, you only have to add that much weight
to the other end to compensate for it.
Ok, the wing is from a Tower Hobbies 40 Trainer, 62"
The fuse is 36" long, the booms are 36" from the LE and are 1/2" X 1 " solid balsa.

Mike

< Message edited by W4UAV -- 10/20/2005 3:56 AM >

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 10/21/2005 2:54 PM

kd7ost

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That video feed looked pretty good Mike. I do see the shake but it's not very discernable. I get that in my gasoline plane but it's larger amplitude and slower frequency in mine. It's a non issue as far as I'm concerned in the style of platform. POV (Persistance of Vision) allows everything to look as clear as the downlink and camera provides.

Dan

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 10/21/2005 11:57 PM

Dennis H.

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Hi Mike thanks for the info, I plan on useing my wing off my Hanger 9 Apha, Do you think its better to leave the wing as is, or flatin it?
Did you try to see how long your 24 oz fuel tank last? last one, your C G did you go with the main spar to get your C G ?
Thank,
Dennis

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 10/22/2005 4:35 AM

JettPilot

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Great Video,

Im with you on getting it in the air and flying with a camera as soon as humanly possible

Whenever I have a new toy I want to try it, rain, shine, wind, doesnt matter, its flying !!! Have you considered any long range flights, out of visual range ? Its a lot of fun

Put an FMA copilot on it and you will be all set.

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 10/22/2005 12:53 PM

W4UAV

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Dennis H. , a Hangar 9 Alpha wing would be perfect, just remember if you keep the dihedral,
you will have to adjust the squared (rectagular) booms to keep them straight when you mount them.
The CG is 1/3 back from the LE, it falls on the spar in most cases. I did get a 45 min flight about a
week ago in high wind, my fingers got numb, still had over half a tank left and of course the Genesys kept the
main batt fully charged! My advice, if the wing is still in two pieces ie out of the box, straighten it, itll be easier
to mount the booms, if its already glued together, shim it to make the booms straight.
Jettpilot, this plane at certain attitudes IS out of visual range even when its in visual range!

Nah, as I stated at the first post of the other thread, no out of visual flights with this plane.

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 10/30/2005 3:12 PM

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The Grey Ghost proves to be a great platform. It was very windy down here in FL yesterday, I was the only one of about 6 guys at our field to fly, I flew the Ghost in 20mph winds, it handled it with agility and the landings were even better in the wind! I flew yesterday because I wanted to test a header tank I installed after having fuel flow problems. For those of you wanting to build a platform in pusher configuration, remember, the fuel tank clunk, if you install the tank stopper toward the engine like you would in tractor config, is going to be sucking air when the nose is high. Ive seen several fixes for this, I think the header tank is the way to go, I used the one from my Raptor 30 heli since Im converting the heli to brushle$$, I didnt need it. It also added 2 more ounces to my flight time, total 26 oz. now!
A second camera is being installed where the rudder servo used to be in the right wing under the boom, I put a converted (to 180degrees) S148 servo and the camera will be aimed down about 45-50 deg. I put the pan on the slider switch on my 9C, Ill switch to this cam when in "search" mode, downed RC planes ect. I might put a second receiver in later.
Thats the update, Ill post more video as I make them.
Heres a pic my friend Chuck took of a landing last weekend.

It makes great carrier landings, nose high!!

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 10/30/2005 6:26 PM

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Hi Mike, about your rudder, did you use one servo for both, or two servo? I know nothing about heli engine, I know you said about power, but dose the heli engine turn the same way? Do you have any photo of your build? Thanks for the heads up on the header tank.

Dennis

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 10/30/2005 8:01 PM

W4UAV

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One servo and an airboat-type crossbar from one to another. It doesnt currently have any rudders. Yes, the heli engine turns the same way, I use pusher propellers, usually denoted by P at the end of the size, like 10X6P. I dont have any build pictures, the fuse and boom specs should get you started. The width of the fuse is up to you, keep the engine mount near the center of the fuse, you can raise it a little to get better prop clearance when taking off.
Hope this helps, get to building!

Mike

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 10/30/2005 8:39 PM

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Just goes to show ya that with video nothing beats a big glow plane. More power, more control, and more options with equipment.

Right now I'm experimenting with electrics but when I want to shoot GOOD AV I get out the glow plane.

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 11/4/2005 3:56 AM

W4UAV

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I must say, the only downside to the Genesys system I first remember saying to myself "that wont work" is its mounting system to the engine. The device works great but the two real soft aluminum rails they have to be able to adjust the magnet's distance to the ring is too soft and should not be that flimsy when its going to be taking vibration that close to the engine. In short, these two rails broke where they bend to attach to the backplate of the engine. I have since removed the system from the engine until I can create a more sturdy way of mounting it. For those asking for more details of the plane, Ill try to provide those soon.

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 11/8/2005 1:48 AM

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Well I for one am going to make a copy of this plane. I think it is perfectly suited for AP use with nothing in the front end to get in the way to obstruct the camera view. I bet an electric version would be brilliant also! Can you post the dimensions of the fuse and tail feathers please? I have never built a scratch plane before and need some help with the sizes you used etc and the materials used.

Cheers

Mike

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 11/14/2005 9:46 PM

W4UAV

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Mike, I sent you an email.

Mike R.

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 11/15/2005 2:53 AM

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Thanks for all your help Mike, pictures, measurements etc....

I have been searching for what I consider an ideal glow powered AP platform and really became very interested inW4UAV's design and idea. I have a new Irvine .53 that I think I will use in this project. Seeing as I have no experience at all in scratch building and RC plane design this will be a bit of a challenge. To cheat a little, I will be using a wing from a BIY kit which is from CheckerboardAir (60 Sport) which uses a NACA 2415 airfoil. Here is a link to the now discontinued kit.

I certainly do not want to hi-jack W4UAV's thread but I thought of making a build thread if anyone is interested in following along. I have been sent samples of video overlay equipment and HAM ID to try out, demo and report back to the manufacturer/distributor and therefore I want to incorparate all this stuff together in one plane. I really like the idea of the fuse being "open" for equipment such as a camera, A/V transmitter etc. With a pusher/boom design I am sure that I will have to be careful as to the placement of equipment or I will have balance issues!

Well its time to make some balsa dust!

Cheers

Mike

< Message edited by Skycam41 -- 11/15/2005 2:55 AM >

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RE: Twin Boom Grey Ghost gets eyes! - 11/15/2005 3:47 AM

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Yes Skycam41,

Start a thread on your build. I would like to follow along. The 2415 airfoil should give you soft pitch changes which I personally like in an AP platform. You'll loose a little lift though being it's a semi symetrical. Too bad you don't have a 5 to 6 foot clark Y wing laying around. You know though, that 2415 will do you.

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