servohead107

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I thought I would let you guys in on my recently completed Herr engineering Beechcraft bonanza build. Designed for rubber free flight I converted it to brushless electric and 4 channel R/C. The motor and speed control,battery, servos, and receiver are from Hobbyking. I am thrilled with the outcome of this laborous buildup. It took more time than I thought it would. Engineering a weak rubber powered airplane to stand up to the higher weights, loads, and forces of r/c was a task to say the least. All up cost was less than 100 dollars though. The plane flys like a dream, very very stable and smooth flying charactaristics. Not very sporty but looks very scale in the air. I've flown it probably 20 times now without a hitch. If any of you are planning on taking on this very build just know the CG on the plans is set about an inch too far aft. I nearly crashed the plane on the first flight due to tailheaviness. Please see my Gallery to see all the images of the process! Let me know what you think!!

guapoman2000

Wow!

I got a HERR ENGINEERING J3 Cub of 35 inch wing span made for RC and it is still in the box and you have inspired me to get it out!

What you did is something long past by many who do not know the self satisfying feeling of building it yourself and seeing your own labor of Love fly afterwards!

Congrats and thank you for sharing.

Love your picture with the little one!

Regards,
Carlos[8D]

servohead107

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glad to see my project was an encouragement! Get that Cub going! You know how your car seems to drive better after you just washed it? Putting all the work into this little plane was like that, I swear it flys so well its like it knew how much work ittook to complete. Well, it was a lot of work for a father of 2 - put it that way.

guitardude

Thanks for the post, I just started a Herr Engineering - Starlite, have a post here on RCU about the build (see link below). Going to try to add alerions and remove some of the diheadral in the wings to maket it a little more fun to fly. I"ve opted to cover my Starlite with the "Solite Solar film" Radical RC sells since I had some.

www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_10729711/anchors_10729711/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#10729711

My next challenge may be building a Gullows Piper Cub I purchased and converting it to RC. That should be interesting if I do it.

Nice build!

onesixright

Hi,
I've started to build the HERR Bonanza about a year ago. I couldn't find any threads about this project in the past - so I'm happy to read about this flying bonanza.

It looks great and I could already get some new ideas how to realize the engine mount etc. - thanks!
I've got some questions left:

-any particular reason you didn't build the V-tail?
-What is the total weight?
-what kind of batteries do you use?
-which engine and prop do you use?
- is the front gear a fixed one (not coupled with the rudder?

Sorry - so many questions...

Thanks a lot in advance.
regards
Markus

servohead107

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Hi there!
Sorry for the delay! I've recently had some people ask me about the model, so I'll answer your questions also. The all up weight is Ithink just below a pound. battery is a lipo 7.4v 1000 mah. Engine is a brushless outrunner from Hobbyking, AX 1806N 2500kv Brushless Micro Motor. Servos are Turnigy 1440A Servo 4.4g/0.8kg/.10sec (V2). The front gear is actually steerable, and coupled with therudder,as you will see the hole in the firewall for the steering shaft. I used the same bit of carbon fibre tubing to run the nose gear rod through. Took some head scratching to figure it all out.

The plane flys like an absolute dream (with the center of gravity where it should be). Iam literally sad when i need to stop flying to recharge. Because it was such a labor of love I have not chosen to fly in much wind, so I don't know how dauntless it actually is in the air. The all up weight is no issue, the motor pulls it just fine and slow speed capabilities show no tendancy to tip stall or otherwise be unstable.

Be encouraged! I'll take more pictures if you like of the final bird! Get to it markus!!

steve

insalacosm

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Steve - Beuatiful work! I love flying but building is the most satisfying part of this hobby in my mind, especially when you are challenged with design mods and such. Nice job!
Steve

servohead107

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Here's a video link - actually taken today.  http://vimeo.com/m/39006431

mike526mp

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really cool!

dmbaerry

Very Nice

helichuck

Can you tell us if you beefed up the construction any? I have a GEE BEE Y to build and convert. I believe that it will use the same motor and electronics that you used here.

Chuck

servohead107

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Yes the construction is beefed up as you say.  Think of it like wolverine.  That's what I did to the airframe.  The upper and lower main wing spars have been painstakingly webbed with 1/16" balsa sheeting from root to wingtip.  Also there is a 10" or so 1/4 carbon fibre tube at the wing root. It is extremely strong and there are no signs of weakness flying it.  The landing gear mounts have been substantially strengthened with ply wood.  The fuselage has reinforcement from about the CG forward, using a smaller diameter Carbon fibre tubing also.  This worked out fantastically for strength, I tried to engineer it so the forces from the nose gear would not break the fuselage.  Wolverine.  Think balsa construction but when you look at the bones there is a sovereign structure of near unbreakable backbones.  The tail feathers have extra wood but nothing special.  Some diagonal reinforcement is all.  Overall the work was extensive to reinforce sufficiently but the payoff is a work of art.  I wish you the best of luck in your endeavor!

servohead107

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To answer two other questions here also:  I designed my own straight tail as I wanted simplicity of design.  I simply trust straight tails more than the Vtails.  I have seen/heard of scary anomalies with Vtails real life and model scale.  So, I knew I could trust the straight tail.  I took a picture of a bonanza online and used the outline of the rudder/elevator to design them.  It was not overly hard.  Came together quite well.  Also, as for the nose gear it is steerable with the rudder.  This was tricky to engineer myself with no prefabricated parts.  I used a steering arm and passed the gear rod through a hollow piece of the carbon fibre tube for its mount.  It is solidly epoxied in place.  Steering is razor accurate in function.