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Joined: 8/7/2003 From: Orange,
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Mike:
Great idea for the cooling, too bad my craft has now been finished and will fly this weekend after I sweep the junk off my new private runway, an abandoned farm's hay storage area. I drilled holes under the motor through the firewall like Greg suggested. Not the best place, because the bulkheads and foam will block some air flow, but, we'll see what happens.
I couldn't help but notice that your craft has, what looks like, bomb bay doors. If it isn't too personal, what is it being modified to do?
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Joined: 5/24/2003 From: Rochester,
NY, USA Status: offline
Mike,
That's a good vent idea. On my set-up, I don't expect things will warm up too much so I'm providing minimal cooling initially. When Summer arrives (and it seems so far away now) I may re-visit the cooling issue.
Can we get a closer look at your latch release mechanism?
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Joined: 6/17/2005 From: San Diego, CA, USA Status: offline
quote:
ORIGINAL: algutkin
Mike:
Great idea for the cooling, too bad my craft has now been finished and will fly this weekend after I sweep the junk off my new private runway, an abandoned farm's hay storage area. I drilled holes under the motor through the firewall like Greg suggested. Not the best place, because the bulkheads and foam will block some air flow, but, we'll see what happens.
I couldn't help but notice that your craft has, what looks like, bomb bay doors. If it isn't too personal, what is it being modified to do?
Take care
Al G.
The cargo area will hold my digital camera (very big) and what ever else I want it to. I figure some of those cheep parachute guys would get the kids going also. During the summer some small water balloons would be cool also (pun intended). I promised my son that I would drop one of his sisters Barbie's without a chute but the wife doesn't like that idea. I haven't finished the actuation system but when I do I will post pics. I got the idea off of one of the boards....I think this one. I'm interested to see how much weight I can lift with this thing, I'd bet about 2lbs with no problem. I hope not to need the cooling ducts but I put it there just in case. It's much easier to do it now then after it's covered.
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Joined: 8/7/2003 From: Orange,
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Mike:
Funny post Mike, we have to show these guys that we in Southern California have a keen sense of humor. It seems that this is the straightest thread that I have read on the RC Universe. One of the best threads is the C130 threads, good but some humor also. I tried to inject some humor here in the conversion threads, but, not much of a response.
Anyhow, as you know vacant level land in Southern California is hard to come by. I found this abandoned farm by accident right in the middle of an area soon to be converted into another housing developement for $600,000 houses. Take a look at this runway, approx. 2000 feet of pavement. The only problem is that my first Telemaster hit a big lag bolt laying on the ground and crashed on takeoff. My second Telemaster is now finished and ready for the first flight. I spent a few hours this afternoon sweeping up an area to be designated "offical RC airport or Norco California", or as we call every airport, "Norco International" At the moment the designated terminal building is unfit for human habitation and probably is designated for demo. Even the rats have left the building.
I like your ideas for the cargo area, if my craft lasts for more than a day, I might consider making the modifications.
Take care Al G.
pictures of the new Norco RC airport , I haven't decided on what to have printed on the new sign...probably "KEEP OUT" ... I think the present owners would really like my idea of a sign.
< Message edited by algutkin -- 12/24/2005 4:58:21 AM >
Posts: 4308
Joined: 5/24/2003 From: Rochester,
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Al,
I like your airport. We don't have open flat land like that in upstate NY.
I finished up the tail assembly by attaching the trim piece to the rudder and fuselage using thick white glue. Since the trim piece has no structural significance, the white glue dries clear and looks better than epoxy. I also ran a bead of glue along every joint.
I was a bit disappointed in the cheap tailwheel supplied with the kit for a plane of this size. That being said, you really get plenty of plane for the money so I won't be too picky when one of the accessories isn't up to my expectations. I replaced the stock tailwheel with a much firmer Dubro 1-1/4" diameter tailwheel. The Dubra tailwheel was slightly larger then the stock tailwheel and it fit on the axle without drilling.
I sealed the bare balsa on the rudder bottom with thick white glue.
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Joined: 5/24/2003 From: Rochester,
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My servos are the FMA Direct Premiere Digital Adjustable Servos and my receiver is the M5 v2 for glitch-free performance. Built on the time-proven M5 design, the new M5 v2 has improved resolution to support digital and other super-sensitive servos. It also has an improved failsafe technique as well as improved digital filtering. The M5 v2 is dual-conversion, narrow-band to provide full range and performance. The receiver can be used in aircraft ranging from park flyers to IMAA-legal aircraft and helicopters.
The tiny 0.3oz M5 v2 is held in place with double-sided servo tape and a ty-wrap. The antenna wire is routed inside a black plastic tube and then placed down inside the fuselage all the way to the tail.
Note how far back the servo tray ended up and how short the metal rod sections are as the dowel rod assemblies appeared to be built to the wrong length.
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Joined: 5/24/2003 From: Rochester,
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Although the rudder linkage installed fairly well, the split elevator linkage was not great. Aside from the wrong length "Y" rod assembly, the linkage could sway from side to side and the long metal rods were rather soft.
I decided to bend the metal rods out and back towards the elevator since they were excessively long and it alleviated most of the binding against the slots in the fuselage. This may be a mistake since the metal in the rods is quite soft and allows you to defect the elevators easily by hand. I may revisit this assembly if I have problems in flight.
To help keep the wooden dowel from shifting inside the fuselage, I created a custom balsa guide and glued in from an opening I cut into the fuselage bottom. The opening will also act as an air exit for cooling the ESC and battery.
The control surfaces seemed to swing well and I used minimal throw settings to increase the resolution and strength through the mechanical linkages.
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Joined: 5/24/2003 From: Rochester,
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The aileron linkage installed without issue. Note that instead of using "Z" bends at the servo arm, I used my own snap keepers. I also added rudder fuel hose "keepers" to all the clevises. Again, near minimal throw was selected for the aileron mechanical linkages.
The manual recommends an aileron differential setup if you have a computer radio. I'll likely revisit this recommendation after some flight testing.
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Joined: 8/7/2003 From: Orange,
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Happy Holidays to all.
My first Telemaster flew fine with the split elevator and the unsupported rods, however, it bothered me to actually finish the plane knowing that the control system could be improved. None the less, I flew it anyway and it flew like a big puppy, with my amateur flying it made no difference, nothing to worry about. Don't forget it's not a pattern flyer, lets call it a utility plane instead, any sloppiness won't be noticed. Actually in a light wind it almost acted like a glider, when turned into the wind I had to add some down elevator to keep it from climbing.
After the untimely accident, when Telemaster #1 hit a lag bolt laying on the runway, I ended up with plenty of spare parts, including both wings and a tail section in perfect condition. I decided to experiment with the spare tail before modification of the new craft's tail. This is what I did when constructing Telemater #2.
The kit comes with the hinges already glued. They are soft plastic hinges. I cut the plastic hinges that held the elevator halves and used some spare rod material, left over from the wooden push rods, and joined the elevator halves. I used the same method that is described in other kits designed for this step. I cut a rod 5 inches long, bent the rod ends, cut a small channel in the surface of each elevator, drilled a small hole in each elevator half, and used epoxy to glue in the rod. I thin used some spare CR hinges and re-attached the elevator. This is best done before mounting the elevator to the fuse. Just re-hinge the elevator assembly together on a flat serface and it will come out perfect. For the most part, I constructed my Telemaster #2 similar to Greg's, using the supplied push rods with twin elevator connections. However, since the elevator halves were previously glued and connected, the hook up was rock solid. Even if one of my clevises broke, the elevator now has duel connections.
For the money, this is one of the best kits that I have ever assembled. Monday it flies.
Today is Christmas day, it's a day of rest and we all can hope for peace on earth. My only personal Christmas wish is that I hope my mother keeps her mouth shut as I drive her to my sister's house.
Al G.
< Message edited by algutkin -- 12/26/2005 6:38:33 AM >
Posts: 4308
Joined: 5/24/2003 From: Rochester,
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Al,
I suspected that it would fly ok with the split elevator halves and weak "Y" assembly but will recommend that people consider locking the halves together before installing it in the tail.
My next step was to assemble the wing. Again, the manual instructions are poor. I needed to cut a slot in the wing chord end to route the aileron servo wires to the bottom. The wing halves are jointed by two large spruce spares. My assumption is that you want to keep the wings split when not in use due to the large 95" span. The manual has not recommendations of final assembly instructions in this area.
What have you Telemaster pros been doing to keep the wing halves together and attached onto the dowel rods on the fuselage? The manual recommends 8 rubber bands here.
One more question, what are the extra balsa blocks and long finished spruce or maple pieces for in the kit?
Posts: 576
Joined: 8/7/2003 From: Orange,
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OK Telemaster fans, I flew my Telemaster #2 today as planned. Guess what? It made it without any harm, didn't hit any lag bolts on the makishift runway, didn't crash into any cows at the neighboring farm, and I didn't have to wade out in the surrounding cow muck to pick up any pieces. The makeshift runway is pictured in an above post, it was all that was left of a covered hay storage area.
Today the wind was gusting at a 3 to 8 MPH crosswind, as a fast moving storm passed through, however, the Telemaster just jumps into the air with very little takeoff roll so there was no ground loop on takeoff. The Hobby Lobby advertising talks about the Telemaster landing into a 15MPH headwind while almost sliding backward. However, it doesn't talk about the craft's crosswind component. It took me 5 minutes and 10 tries at getting the thing to land with a light crosswind. It just acts like an overpowered glider and is hard to set up a glide to a normal landing. I quit flying helicopters a few years ago, and I wish that I still had my quick finger skills. I was slow to control the Telemaster's pitch changes due to the wind, and I was very reluctant to slow fly the craft to determine the stall speed. Besides, I learned that you shouldn't fly close to stall speed when the wind is gusting. Had I practiced flying this glider on a calm day, I might have felt more comfortable. The Telemaster seemed very easy to overcontrol and twitchy in the light wind. Perhaps I need to add lots more expo to the transmitter and check the control throws. I finally got the thing down with a normal landing, the roll out looked good until the wind caught the tail, yep, it groundlooped. No damage.
I then flew my Polk Axi powered and modified C47. Same flight report at the Telemaster, only the C47 ground looped on take off. I hit it with full power and it got off the ground in a rather uncontrolled procedure. The landing was much better with the C47 it isn't quite the glider as the Telemaster. It also ground looped on landing.
I uploaded some pictures of the my central battery location, which are installed close to the aircrafts suggested CG. The craft still needed 3oz of weight in the tail to balance. I also made my battery connections in the compartment under the hatch cover so the batteries could be charged with the wing still on the craft. Since room was not a problem, I constructed the battery packs from Cellpro 3S 1500mah 8C battery packs. These packs were on sale at FMA Direct, and Tower Hobbies. Rather than using one big pack as suggested by Greg, I made up 4 sets of two 3S packs so they could be charged in a normal charger. Each pack has a seperate Deans connector. I then used a parallel and series connector from FMA to get the packs in the proper configuration. I ended up with a power supplly of 24 volts, 6000mah. It just took 8 packs of 3S to do it.
Note: The wing hold down procedure calls for 16 elastics around the dowels, this seems outdated. It's not too bad installing the elastics, and the wing halves do stay together perfectly in flight. However, it's a real pain in the butt to remove the elastics. Either they snap and hit your fingers, or they fly away. Perhaps the procedure should be to just cut them off and don't re-use them. I'm making a wing bolt modification, I can't stand elastics.
Al G.
< Message edited by algutkin -- 12/27/2005 6:51:43 AM >
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RE: Hobby Lobby Sr. Telemaster ARF - 
