RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think   
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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 7/17/2008 5:27 PM   
MinnFlyer



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Status: offline 		What should the CG be? Since I got it pre-built, i just had to guess (made for a REALLY interesting maiden!)

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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 7/17/2008 6:36 PM   
woopie


 

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Status: offline 		My CG is marked at 2 & 7/16" in front of the main gear block wire center line. Another way to measure would be from the rear wing spar (where the ailerons are hinged) and measure forward along the wing & fuselage joint to just about 16".

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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 7/17/2008 6:43 PM   
MinnFlyer



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Status: offline 		Wow, my CG is only about 3/4" forward of the main gear - but it flies nice

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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 7/17/2008 9:38 PM   
Lamoilleriver


 

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Status: offline 		My CG measures 16" from the trailing edge of the wing, NOT the aileron, plans show CG at 15 3/4" from edgw of wing. I think I'll try taking a " wee" bit more weight from the nose. Do not have any downthrust and the plans show 1 1/2 degrees down, will add that also. Litttle by little I'll get the bugs out of the Northstar. Have always loved the Northstar from the time I first saw it on the cover of RCM in the late 1980's, Laddie has sure come up with some pretty cool designs.

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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 7/18/2008 8:47 AM   
russram


 

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Status: offline 		on the wingrocking read my earlier write up about it on this thread. also i have now flown my latest model which i bought s/hand and in the 4 flight i got no wing rock and the tip float have not been modified. this model is quite old and the wing covering is very loose wether that got any thing to do with it. I know that a few years ago i was playing around with banner towing and to stop my banners from flapping i used wind break messing so that there was a balance preasure on both sides of the banner when towing them my latest banner is 8mtrs X 1mtres and it follows around a steady as a rock keep the chating up chaps saves building cheers Russell NZ

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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 7/18/2008 2:43 PM   
MinnFlyer



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Status: offline 		What I find interesting is:

Since my Northstar is second-hand, I guessed at the CG. It flew great, but it was about 1 1/2" behind where it should have been. Last night I added about 3oz of lead to the nose. The CG was still back from where it should be, but it flew well in the other location. so I knew I was safe.

The wing rocking disappeared, but it was so sluggish in the pitch axis that I eventually removed 2 of the 3 ounces of lead.

The wing rocking has subsided a bit, but it's much more responsive in the pitch axis. But like my first Northstar, it could still be more responsive to elevator input.

I am thinking (like I wanted to do on my first one) about adding a canard to the front to give that big nose some lift.

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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 7/18/2008 5:36 PM   
Falcon6667



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What are you running for power? Whats the up weight? Whats is covered with?
Falcon

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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 7/18/2008 5:47 PM   
MinnFlyer



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Status: offline 		OS 46FX I got two rolls of The same color Towercote with it, so I'm assuming that's what it's covered with. Don't know AUW

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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 8/27/2008 2:30 PM   
knifeedgeyak


 

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Status: offline 		Hello All,


There has not been any action on this thread for a little while so I thought I would post progress on my Northstar. It is getting close. I only have 3 weeks or so before my clubs first fall float fly. Here it is. I have to cover the top of the wings and put in the radio. I can't wait.


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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 8/27/2008 3:08 PM   
MinnFlyer



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Status: offline 		Sweet!

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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 8/28/2008 8:34 AM   
russram


 

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Status: offline 		That.s looking great sure looks easy when you are doing it you will love flying it they are a dream cheers Russell NZ

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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 8/28/2008 4:24 PM   
knifeedgeyak


 

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Status: offline 		That is not me. I wish I was that good. That is my buddy Dale. He is teaching me the way of the covering. We got it finished last night. I will take some photos and put them up soon. It has been along process. Glassing and painting the hull took a while but it payed off. I won't have to worry about my covering coming off.

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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 8/29/2008 3:08 PM   
knifeedgeyak


 

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Status: offline 		These are bad pictures. I will get some better ones when I have a chance. All I have left is the engine and radio. It will be maidened on Sep 20th. I am pretty happy about how it came out. It is only the second plane I have built from a kit so there are some flaws but all in all it turned out pretty nice.


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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 8/30/2008 11:43 AM   
russram


 

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Status: offline 		Well you have done well have you got a weight as it is should be 4>5 lbs but heavier will not worrie the flight much just the sink on landing forget mowing the back lawn and get on the water soon cheers Russell NZ

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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 9/2/2008 7:45 PM   
Deadeye



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Status: offline 		Ok, phase 1 of wing is done. I am at the stage in the fuselage where you start sheeting from the step back. After fitting the wing on, I thought more about sliding the whole tail assembly forward. I could slide the part 21 clear to the TE of the wing, giving me about an 1 1/2 inches of gain. The only thing I can see getting in the way, is the TE of the wing and the control rod. This looks like an easy fix.

Whadda ya guys think?

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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 9/3/2008 6:43 AM   
Deadeye



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quote:

ORIGINAL: MinnFlyer

What I find interesting is:

Since my Northstar is second-hand, I guessed at the CG. It flew great, but it was about 1 1/2" behind where it should have been. Last night I added about 3oz of lead to the nose. The CG was still back from where it should be, but it flew well in the other location. so I knew I was safe.

The wing rocking disappeared, but it was so sluggish in the pitch axis that I eventually removed 2 of the 3 ounces of lead.

The wing rocking has subsided a bit, but it's much more responsive in the pitch axis. But like my first Northstar, it could still be more responsive to elevator input.

I am thinking (like I wanted to do on my first one) about adding a canard to the front to give that big nose some lift.


How hard do you think it would be to install a canard like you ae talking about? I have seen the picture you made in the other thread, and it looked COOL!!!! How about a pivoting canard, ala the TF Arrow II stab; with an adjustable incedence on the LE? It could be fastened with screws, but loosened and readjusted if need be. If a guy can figure where to put the canard in relation to the thrust line, at least he would have micro adjustment capability with the adjustable incedence. Once that is established, it could be sealed for water.

Hell, if a guy built it like the TF Arrow II stab, with bearings (needs weight in the nose anyway!), you could control the pitch of the canard with another servo (again, needs weight! let's make it USABLE). It could be mixed with throttle or whatever to counteract pitch probems, etc. OR!!! Mixed to a knob!!! There's a ton of room in the nose of the North*. Why not use it up and avoid dead lead?

What do you guys think? I'd be willing to mothball mine, or maybe even be a gunea pig. But I know NOTHING about canards.


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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 9/3/2008 1:24 PM   
jmupilot



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Status: offline 		I've seen a canard somewhere on a Northstar, but cant recall just where. You have to remember that the canard word opposite of a elevator or you'll be in trouble right from the get-go. Having flown the Northstar in both the original and a reduced size, I might say the putting a canard will change the flight characteristics of it but I really dont think it's needed. The way Laddy designed it works just fine on both of mine.
But you are right about if you are going to have to add weight , it may as well be something useful, and it looks way cool to have other flight control surfaces out there flipping the air.

Pete

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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 9/3/2008 2:08 PM   
MinnFlyer



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Status: offline 		It would be easy enough to put a solid 1/4" canard through the nose. It would also be easy to add elevators to it with a torque rod that could be easily connected to the existing elevator servo.

I have experimented on paper with a few canard designs, but I'm not too thrilled about any of them yet. But frankly, I don't know if movement is even needed. I think the nose just needs a way to catch a little more air to help it recover from a dive.

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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 9/5/2008 8:46 PM   
knifeedgeyak


 

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Status: offline 		Ok here are some good pics of my newly finished Northstar. It gets its maiden on the 19th. I can't wait.

The plane weights 6.6lbs. I was a little worried about the weight when I had to put 15oz of lead in the nose. But reading other posts I guess this in not an unusual thing and it is well under seven pounds so I guess I am good to go.


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< Message edited by knifeedgeyak -- 9/8/2008 6:57 PM >

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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 9/5/2008 11:21 PM   
Falcon6667



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Status: offline 		That looks great. Be sure to keep us posted on how it fly's.Every report i have heard on it has been good. Lots of luck.
Falcon

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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 9/6/2008 5:03 PM   
Deadeye



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Status: offline 		Welp, I bit the bullet and performed surgery on the Northstar last night. Scooted the entire tail assembly 1 1/8 inch forward. That should help big time in CG placement. I split the fuse at f7, and rejoined it. I laminated some 1/16th ply inside, and had to reroute some control rods. The following pics should explain themselves, and the big conduit is for throttle servo cable. I'm going with an hs-81 for throttle, maybe an hs-55.

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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 9/15/2008 3:00 PM   
knifeedgeyak


 

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Status: offline 		Everyone cross your collective fingers because on Friday the Northstar is getting it's maiden.

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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 9/16/2008 11:37 AM   
alasdair



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Status: offline 		Hi,
I posted a couple of photos on another "Northstar Mods" thread. I'll stick them in again on this one.
I based my model on the Northstar (of which I've had 3 over the years, all built by other people and fantastic fun). I made up my own structure, changed the wing section, the span, the fuselage section, made the tail removable, I lengthened the nose, added a cockpit with pilot and all flying canards (and gave it the name Lochstar as it is a bit different).

The canards are pivoted at about 20-22% of their MAC and have their own servo. They go about 7 degrees each way for pitch control (mixed as slave to elevator) and about 50 degrees LE up for airbrake (see photos). Airbrake is not strickly needed, but handy in calm weather for steepening the approach and reducing float.

The canards add a little to the pitch control, but I did it mainly for the looks and the airbrake experiment. Using the ailerons as elevons makes a bigger difference to the pitch response and I definately recommend that. The airbrake experiment was for a future jet powered project in which airbrakes will be very necessary, and the usual options are unsuitable for a delta wing flying boat.

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< Message edited by alasdair -- 9/16/2008 11:40 AM >

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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 9/16/2008 12:24 PM   
Falcon6667



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Status: offline 		alasdair ,,,,,great looking shot tks. for sharing
Falcon

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RE: Northstar mods - Tell me what you think - 9/22/2008 9:22 PM   
knifeedgeyak


 

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Status: offline 		Well the plane flew and it flew well. It left the water and climbed out straight and level. No trim adjusments were needed. I did not experience any wing rock at any stages of flight. I am very pleased with the plane. And man is it fast. Next to my club members new Grummen Duck it was the most apealling plane out there. I will post pictures when I get them.

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