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the prefect platform for aerial photography - 7/27/2006 11:40:02 PM   
steve_molmer



Posts: 132
Joined: 7/10/2002
From: marietta, GA, USA
Status: offline 		Over the past few years I have used many different model planes as camera and uav platforms.
Like:
--The Wright flyer 60 trainer
--The sig kadet senior
--The telmaster

All of these are good deigns in there own rite.
Not wanting to start a debate but here are the hits and misses of each.
When considering it for a camera plane or a uav platform.
Please note I am not considering the normal alterations and mods that I make to a plane to convert it into a uav or a camera platform, just general all-around fit and feel of the model during its use.

1. The Wright flyer 60 trainer.

Hits:
--Well built takes the punishment of hard landings.
--good all-around trainer and fun fly plane.
--good layout of servo locations and pushrod channels.
--good solid fuse to mount cameras and antennas

Misses:
--heavy, needs to have a bit larger wing.
--limited range do to weight and short glide path.
--after you install all of your standard electronics you will be limited on space inside the fuse.
--very weak nose gear that comes with the arf you will need to modify it.
--flies a little fast when loaded with equipment 4 or 5 lbs or so.


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< Message edited by steve_molmer -- 7/27/2006 11:47:47 PM >

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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 7/27/2006 11:42:43 PM   
steve_molmer



Posts: 132
Joined: 7/10/2002
From: marietta, GA, USA
Status: offline 		2. The sig kadet senior

Hits:
--Well built wing deign, easy to setup and install at the field.
--good trainer, low wing load can carry a good bit of lbs.
--good large control surfaces for better control at low speeds.
--most of the covering is somewhat transparent so it is easy to see if rigging and connections are correct with out removing wing after each flight.

Misses:
--lite ply construction, needs a lot of reinforcement to survive a hard landings.
--the landing gear that comes with the model is very weak for this large an arf.
Replace it..
--a bit hard to fly in a stiff wind.

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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 7/27/2006 11:49:24 PM   
steve_molmer



Posts: 132
Joined: 7/10/2002
From: marietta, GA, USA
Status: offline 		3. The senior telemaster

Hits:
--grate flyer, like it is on rails
--good gear and hardware with kit
--good space for equipment and electronics.
--easy to get to fuel tank and servos

Misses:
--covering is a bit loose always needs to be looked at, it slowly becomes unstuck from the bas and it self.
--wing mounting is not well setup, the slots and brasses have a lot of play and the rubber band mounting is not adequate (posts are very short) you must use the wing struts on the wings at all times.
--this plane is a flying advertisement for hobby lobby, the decals’ are easily removed if need be
--you are limited to a small fuel tank. The inner dimension of the fuse are the issue here.
I ended up using a home made drop tank of sorts for longer flights on the one that I built



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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 7/28/2006 12:00:32 AM   
steve_molmer



Posts: 132
Joined: 7/10/2002
From: marietta, GA, USA
Status: offline 		I finally have found a model from
quote:

CEDARHOBBIES
that solves all the issues of the other kits out there. Basing on the use as a camera system platform.
The Lift Master is a gigantic trainer based ARF with a 100” wing span and a cavernous fuselage that can take any equipment setup that you can come up with.
The plane even comes with two fuel tanks for extended flight time.
This thing is the prefect platform for aerial photography.
I am building one up now. I hope to have it ready to fly in a few weeks.
I will be posting picts as I go.
Just how big is this plane? Take a look below. No that’s not a 46fx its an OS 160 with a BCM muffler turning an 18x10 prop. Yes the aluminum gear and tail wheel setup come with the kit the wheel are of my doing but the supplied ones are fine as well.
below are a few picts of the work at hand.
more to come...




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< Message edited by steve_molmer -- 8/15/2006 11:07:09 PM >

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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 7/28/2006 6:01:22 PM   
aviatordave



Posts: 54
Joined: 6/16/2005
From: fairfax, IA, USA
Status: offline 		I sure like the lift master, how are the reviews on it as far as quality of construction and flying?

Dave

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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 7/28/2006 7:10:41 PM   
A10FLYR



Posts: 1282
Joined: 12/6/2001
From: Littleton, CO,
Status: offline 		I've been thinking of the Nitromodels Cessena Skymaster 337 for some quick conversion. Leave the front engine off and install a quality ccd box camera on a gimble instead of the motor. Just add a larger pusher motor.

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< Message edited by A10FLYR -- 7/28/2006 7:17:24 PM >

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A10FLYR

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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 7/31/2006 6:05:09 PM   
steve_molmer



Posts: 132
Joined: 7/10/2002
From: marietta, GA, USA
Status: offline 		Dave:
I will have the one I am building on a test flight some time next week.
So far this plane is a real find it is well made and looks like it will be a good flier.
Just like with any plane this large you will need a large space to put it together, not to mention you will need to take your time building it.
I have added a bit of reinforcement, but I always modify a few bits on every plane I build so I can set it up my way.

I will put a few more Pict's up on the build this evening.

PS. if you want one of these you need to get it from cedar hobbies soon , Neal is going to be running low on them so if you do not want to weight for the next shipment you need to give them a call.

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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 7/31/2006 6:30:40 PM   
steve_molmer



Posts: 132
Joined: 7/10/2002
From: marietta, GA, USA
Status: offline 		Dean:
I just finished a tiger moth and a long easy from Nitromodels for a Friend out at the feild.
I personally was not impressed with the quality of the kits.
Don't get me wrong nitromodels makes a good looking kit but on both the planes that I had to reglue a good bit of the joints in the fuse as well as a lot of sanding and cutting to get the wings to fit correctly on both planes.

these are what you call narfs not arfs.

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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 7/31/2006 9:51:27 PM   
A10FLYR



Posts: 1282
Joined: 12/6/2001
From: Littleton, CO,
Status: offline 		Hey thanks Steve,
I saw a P-38 from them in pretty bad shap but I thought it was the builder/assembler....a newbie. I guess I was wrong. Next time I see the guy I'll be sure to give him a compliment for doing such a good job!

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A10FLYR

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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 8/2/2006 4:23:39 PM   
steve_molmer



Posts: 132
Joined: 7/10/2002
From: marietta, GA, USA
Status: offline 		As you can see from the picts below I am getting close to having the fuse and wings ready. The tail wheel linkage is a bit tricky. I made a control rod from a 5/16 wood rod with 256 steal ends. I had to use a gear strap and a wood block as a guild for the control rod to get the slop out. It seems to word well.
I am going to put the receiver and batteries just behind the fuel tanks in the forward bay in the fuse. Now I need to do some mods to the inside of the main wings so I can get the POA. tube and the yaw and tilt sense mounted in opposite ends of the structure of the wing.
This is a list of the toys that are going in this big bird.
1. OSD GPS and control telemetry unit
2. 1 watt 2.4GHz video transmitter
3. two 600 line resolution cameras, one on a tilt control and one pointing down from the tail of the plane.
4. BTA auto pilot with altitude hold and wave point tracking
5. air to ground transponder
6. on board generator driven by engine
7. on board fuel heaters and glow driver
8. LNA and notch filter for rc receiver for long range control of the rc system

This should give me a range of about 50 miles or so with the high gain tracking on the ground station setup.

Please note that this plane will be used as a test bed for this 3rd generation fly by video system. I always fallow FAA and NSA rules and regs when operating these aircraft in FAA air space when flying beyond the range of an AMA sanctioned field.



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< Message edited by steve_molmer -- 8/2/2006 10:50:41 PM >

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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 8/4/2006 8:50:20 PM   
steve_molmer



Posts: 132
Joined: 7/10/2002
From: marietta, GA, USA
Status: offline 		I am trying to finish the RC gear installation this week.
here are a few picts of the on-board glow wiring and switch placement.
due to being out of Town this week I will continue with the video equipment installation on Thursday of next week.
during initial test of the OSD found issue with the zero function of the gps altitude. Looks to be a code issue.
Need to let Kennith re-flash the pic.


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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 8/7/2006 5:21:35 PM   
steve_molmer



Posts: 132
Joined: 7/10/2002
From: marietta, GA, USA
Status: offline 		Did range test on the video transmitter today.
getting about 4.5miles on the ground.
Looks like i can start putting the system together in the plane on Friday.

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RE: the prefect platform for aerial photography - 8/15/2006 10:44:59 PM   
steve_molmer