CptCrunch

I'm about to start building the HOB 2X6 Glider. The sell a Power Pod for this kit.

Has anyone built this kit with the electric motor pod? Any special building considerations, lessons-learned, battery configuration you could share?

Tom Savoie
The Crunch Meister

Ollie

An electric with the motor in the nose and a folding prop will have a much, much better glide than one with a power pod.

If you make the nose block removable and cutout the front former to accept the motor, then you can convert back to a pure glider easily and have the best of both worlds. If you place the motor battery under the wing, there will be less CG shift to compensate for. If you use an ESC with a battery eliminator circuit, then the weight of the receiver battery in place of the motor at conversion, minimizes CG shift and the need to rebalance less of a problem. If you position everything just right, you can even make the CG shift with conversion zero.

Spiro

Sorry about digging up old treads, but this is something I am thinking about as well.

I have been considering the HOB 2X6 as my first glider after several strong recommendations. What I really would like is an electric powered sailplane. If I went with the 2X6 I would be building it from the get go to be electric powered.

I was wondering if anyone has done this before (surely it has been done a hundred times) and if anyone had some advice on how to best go about this based on their experience.

Thanks in advance,

Spiro

dgliderguy

Spiro,

We meet again!

Yup, I built an electric 2X6. It was a SUPERB flyer. I replaced the lite-ply fuselage sides with medium grade 3/32 balsa, and built the rest of it stock, except for the direct-drive Speed 600 motor in the nose. I flew it on a 7-cell 1200 mah battery pack with a BEC-equipped ESC, and had many hours of good fun with it. If there was any lift at all, I only needed one short motor-run, the rest of the electrons were used for stick-wiggling. Some of my flights were well over one hour in duration. The whole dadgum plane, with battery pack and all, weighed a mere 33 oz. Not BAD! I'd pit this model against a Goldberg Electra or a H9 Aspire EP any day.

Do it with confidence,

Don Bailey
Seattle Area Soaring Society

Spiro

Don,

Thanks again for all of your help. I have some reading to do about the various kits you mentioned in your email, but I was glad to see the 2X6 in there. It seems like a very solid kit and I have read a lot of positive things about it in the various archives.

Specifically for that electric conversion I am wondering about the motor mount and nose modifications. The 2X6 has a somewhat unusual nose which does not immediately seem to lend itself well to other electric configurations I have looked into. Perhaps if you could briefly describe how you went about modifying the nose of the 2X6 and what kind of motor setup you used, that would be very helpful. I also imagine a picture might be worth a fair number of words in this case.

Thanks again,
Spiro

dgliderguy

Spiro,

Unusual nose? The 2X6 has a very typical nose, with front former and shaped balsa noseblock.

You just leave off the nose block and use a round front former, the same diameter as the spinner you intend to use. Then you add some triangle stock in the four corners between the fuselage sides and top/bottom, and shape to fair. I bolt my electric motor to the front former with small cap screws, through the threaded holes in the motor face plate.

Simple, lightweight, and durable. You don't even need a top hatch for this installation, so it is stronger than the stock pure glider.

Enjoy!

Don Bailey

paulcarnes

I built the 2x4 and stuck an old .049 on the nose. Hung it on the wall and forgot about it for about 8 months. When I finally did fly it I was really surprised at how well it took to the thermals.

My 2x6 is nearly finished so let me know how the electric conversion goes.

scout1205

I bought a 2x4 for that purpose. I got a greatplanes electric power pod and the plane shipped together. After the plane arrived I quickly learned how much craming was involved in sticking just the battery into the fuselage, and after much thought I elected to just go with a power pod (ordered from house of balsa) and a cox black widow. This allowed me to be able to pull of the power pod and still use it on a hi-start. This plane flew very well, I also use a goldgerg electra wing on it that fits perfect. The conversion can be done but it will take some modifications and as with any electric glider it will add quite alot of weight. I would suggest using micro or mini servos and placing the in the aft section (behind the wing) and removing the mid walls in the fuselage (2 intead of 4) just leaving the two for the wing support. This would leave the space under the wing for the battery and the front for motor and ESC reciever. Hope this helps.