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ABX Disaster...How I fixed an obliterated wing/pix...

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ABX Disaster...How I fixed an obliterated wing/pix...

Old 01-15-2006, 03:04 AM
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airganism
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Default ABX Disaster...How I fixed an obliterated wing/pix...

Well...my new and "pristine" ABX finally left the couch today. We had about an hour between rain cycles and so I took it to the high school football field. First time out with it. I ran the 2800 NiMh battery and hand launched into a (I found out soon enough)shifty breeze. I went up about 200 feet and was a bit pitchy since I had not yet trimmed it just right . Have not flown this wing before...so I left it at about 4 fifths throttle on the climb and backed off to 3/4 once at altitude. I left it there so I would not have the added input of varying thrust confusing the fix I was trying to get on the pitch control.
Since I had not flown an ABX yet...my plane looked like it had had a few beers....but I managed to keep it 'sorta' lose to my directional intentions...for about 5 mins. I did a few unintended tail slides!
Then the next rain cycle got nearer and as I saw the clouds moving closer, they were preceded by an increasing wind. So my plane drifted off a bit further than I intended. I pointed it back to me and started descending but my depth perception was off a bit(I did not know that I was on the OTHER side of a house!!!!)...I lost sight of the plane and then I was assured that the plane had indeed 'landed', by the huge and multi part crash sounds. Multi part crash sounds are worse than regular crash sounds. Multi part crash sounds especially when you cannot see what you hit... have you wondering who you will owe???
I ran of the field with my flight box in hand...raced down the street to 'face the consequences'. I was searching for house or car damage and was confused...as I knew my general visual coordinates of where the plane should be were right. Not there though. Hmmmm...I turned my head to the right to find my plane directly across the street from where I stood...in too many pieces.
I had bounced(the nicest way to put it)my plane off the top of a chain link fence(the horizontal bar part!)and (skilled beginner I am)managed to spend the rest of whatever kinetic energy the plane had, ramming it into a telephone pole just the other side of the sidewalk. Would have been worth many points on a pinball machine.

My wing was in THREE seperate pieces and the nose was cracked on one side. Yet.(and thank you very much!!!!)my following one guys idea(on this forum)to clip off the piece that holds the battery and board connectors together...saved my board from getting ripped out...when the battery came out and flew a few feet from the plane. The electronics were fine.
I picked up my 'aeroshamble' and walked back to my van, AKA: Mobile Medic and I passed a guy in a cab(parked waiting for somebody). He just said: "OOOOPS!!!" It had a mocking tone, I think...but I am not sure(?!).
Anyway...though I know a new wing is only $17.00...I had to save a bit of pride and fix this if possible. I'm good at fixing stuff. Lets not talk about why that is.

If you want to see all the pix of the steps I used to fix this thing(using: epoxy...wax paper....expandable foam....sand paper....5 mil tape and a whole freakin' afternoon...)ask and I will send via email. For now...I just wanted to show what I did today...and that ABX (A Bad Xperience) can also be A Better Xperience! If I'm the last one on the bus as far as these repair methods...then at least give me the credit for thinking of it myself...nobody told me about doing it this way. But the results are terrific.

I want to make the point that I was amazed actually at how well the expandable foam filled the 'extra benefit' huge chunks that had been torn out of BOTH leading edges. That stuff with a couple of contouring techniques brought both my leading edge and trailing edge lines back into PERFECT FORM!!!!! The Top wing and bottom wing too. Most would have passed on fixing this wing or expecting a perfect(near as possible)fix. Yes...I will get and keep an extra wing handy. AND go to better fields on calmer; less iffy days! But the information of todays events may just help somebody else feel better in case they 'MAX X' their ABX. I did some other little tricks I have not read about as well.
Supposed to be sorta dry tomorrow (sunday) and this bird is ready to fly again already. Going to a way bigger place to do it. And the pitch is corrected....I think!!!!
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Old 01-15-2006, 03:45 PM
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brownstone101
 
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Default RE: ABX Disaster...How I fixed an obliterated wing/pix...

what type of paints safe for the wings and the plastic i want to paint my firebird like that PM me dude
Old 01-16-2006, 04:05 PM
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Default RE: ABX Disaster...How I fixed an obliterated wing/pix...

ha ha i broke my V tale and fixed it with packing tape its prety good now need a new V tale its so old and dry not worth trying to make it stronger by fixing it
Old 01-18-2006, 03:55 PM
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Default RE: ABX Disaster...How I fixed an obliterated wing/pix...

Thats a sweet paint job
Old 01-19-2006, 09:25 PM
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airganism
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Default RE: ABX Disaster...How I fixed an obliterated wing/pix...

thanks...just don't use Krylon plastic paint. THEY LIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It really does not stick great to the fuse part. I wiped with laq thinner to prepare and remove mold release. Hardly helped. Good thing the fuse takes little abuse(if all goes well!)so it is okay. I asked another guy what he used to paint his...but have not heard back from. I guess had i steel wooled(oo)it as well it might have helped.

Touch ups are easy though. it's just rattle canned at 14" to get the fade effect. Would rather have had it look like chrome...way cool that would be. but I don't think it can be done bright enough and I think a good shiny chrome paint (like bumper paint?)would be too heavy for that same reason. See, there you go...when I can't fly...I think of other useless but cool stuff. I would get kicked out of any meditation class...I can't stop thinking about this or that!!

(:

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