Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

This is my first kit and I got it cheap so that is why I chose it. The wing is done but as I thought it would one wing tip is loose and pulls out a bit easily. The other is tight for now. There is really nothing holding the tips on as far as I can see. Ilooked through the book a couple a times and didn't see anything about this. I am thinking about using magnets or gluing it together. Iwill have to measure the back seat of my truck to see it I can carry it in one piece. I can carry a trainer wing there. There is nothing holding the tips on except for the metal rod in the brass tube at the mid spar and the wood dowel at the TE. Am I missing somthing here? BTW, the wood dowels fit real tight so only the front edge of the tip comes out. Maybe a 1/4 inch or less. Except for my Radian I have never owned a glider before.

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

I am not familular with the Eclipse but a standard practice is tape them togther. Some put a layer of tape on each side of the joint so the layer of tape holding the two halfs together does not pull the covering loose when removing it.

 Joe

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

Thanks, That seems like it might work. Although the kit was well does as far a completeness and parts fit, the instructions were kind of a head scratcher. There really are not any glider owners in our club.

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

Are you making any progress ? Intrested in how its comming along. I just found and bought one of these from a hobby shop (pegasus hobbies) while visiting my brother in so cal. I will be starting it in the next few days.

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

Thanks for come back. I finished the Eclipse but haven't flow it. Too windy here. Iwill try to post a picture or may have to send it to you. As Isaid this was my first kit but Istill think the dirctions were a bit screwy. When you pin the center panel down there is a hardwood piece in the TE middle that will be covered up and the book will tell you to cut a piece out and put the hardwood in but you won't be able to see where. Look at your plans and make two marks outside (south?) of the wing so you can see it.
Igot in contact with a soaring/electric group in Spokane, Wa. which is not to far away and talked to a guy who has built one of these and understood it. He told me "they" usually use colered electrical tape and it won't tear the monocote. I was lucky and there is red tape to match my red wing. Haven't used it yet though. He told me to call back when Iwas done and we could go to their field. Your book will show using a can motor and a big lump of nicads and a servo for the on off switch but I used an out runner, ESC and smaller servos for the rudder and elevator.
Tom

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

I couldn't download the photos with the message but they are in my photo gallery.

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

Whiptail, your eclipse looks great, and I bet it will fly as good as it looks. Post back on how your first flights go.From what I understand its an olympic 650 thats been electrified, so it should fly really well.

I have a few questions. Do you know how heavy it is? and did you have any problem balancing it? did you have to add any weight to the nose? What motor and battery did you end up using?

I havnt decided what to power it with, but have a few ideas in mind. The wing I will make one peace cause transporting it will not be a problem and I can save a little weight by not using the steel rods and brass tubes.

I will post back here on how things are going with it. Maybe post a picture or 2 if I can figure it out.

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

I was really careful when I built the wing but when balancing it before covering it was pretty heavy on one side. Could have been all the epoxy with the brass tubes. I added weight inside the wing before covering. Iwill ahve to go look at the motor and esc packages. The battery is a Hobby king (can't thin of the name) 1300 3s. I think the battery is lighter that the nicads and I had seen that these planes were tail heavy so I have the outrunner out front with battery next then the esc. The two servos are micro not the full size. The servos are pushed together with the arms pointing to the fuse sides, or "out". I didn't weigh it after building so I don't know what that is.
I went to the hobby store nearby where they are into electrics and the owner ordered the motor and esc acording to the weight on the box.
As far as addign weight, I had to add some as far back in the fuse and the rear former would allow. When I balanced front to back before covering I forgot to add some of the folding prop parts. I guess the short story is that Ihave more wieght out front that the kit shows. I think I put 1-1/4 oz in the fuse. When it is all done you can barely get your finger all the way back to the last former. That is why I put so much in. I didn't want to stick it on the outside of the tail although it would have been less added weight over all.
I had to make the nose different because of the out runner. The plan says to use lots of balsa then shape it but motor mount needs for area and I used 1/4 ply which was hard to shape anyway.
Back to weight Ithought of putting the battery back further but the push rods would get in the way and Iwanted the 2.4 rec. isolated.
Hows that?
Tom
[email protected]

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

Here is the poop on the motor. The shop ordered these so the names are not the popular stuff.

Motor is Suppo,1000kv, (label says) BL 2814/8

suppomodel.com

esc is swift CE 35, 15v/4s lipo, linear bec, 6-12 NiMH, 2amp max.

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

Thanks for that info whiptail1. What it took you to balance the plane is very helpful to me on planning out my layout.

What little infothats avaliable on line about this plane is very limited, but did talk about the plane being tail heavy. Even thoughthe stock can motor and gearbox is a monster, they show on the plans a lot of radio gear behind the C.G. including a 4 cell nicad reciever pack. That kinda got me thinkin that by moving every thing forward of the C.G. and no reiever pack andall of the weight ofa .480 eflite motoron former F1 and not spread out behind itthat I wouldnt have problems with adding alot of weight to compansate for a tail heavy condition.


You have pretty much confirmed that. I didnt want to have to lenghten the nose and wanted to keep the original look of the plane.

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

On the plans it show putting pieces of thick balsa on the nose so there will be something to shape to a point. I did the four pieces with the ply on front of that. I kept thinking the further the motor was out the better. Also I did something different with the front former but don't remeber what. Also there is a 1/2 former piece to hold the can motor and Ileft that out. The worst part is that they assume you understand things that they don't mention. Example, when you build the fuse and the sides are on the plans it will tell you to glue spruce strips to hold the servos but doesn't say anything about the strips where the hatch will go and the photos are dark. Then it talks about those unmentioned parts and you have to figure out what the heck they are talking about. Like I said this was my first kit although I have finished a couple with the wood done but Many time Iwould go in the house muttering and my wife would say what now? Anyway good luck and I will help if I can. Tom</p>

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

Thanks tom.

The instruction book leaves alittle to be desired, which is surprising, airtonics kits were known to be some of the better kits when they were being produced. The first airtronics kit I built was in the mid late 70's, a Q-tee. Had many control line kits done by then.


Except for the instructions the kit is pretty nice considering this was before lazer cutting. The kit that I have must have been stored in the shops attic for 20 + years. The booklet and plans have yellowed real bad and the plans have become real brittle. I had them laid out on the floor and the cat walked across them and punched a few holes in them. Just rolling them out caused tears (cracks) in them. They are getting alittle heavy with scotch tape.

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

Sweet, another Eclipse. I just ran across this thread, and am now grinning. I bought an eclipse as my first airplane when I was around 13 years old (flew dad's planes before that). We built it with standard sevos (3, one to switch the motor on) a reciever battery pack, a 7 cell 1700 mah nicad and the stock geared can motor. It flew but it was a brick. Its maximum speed was barely above what it took to keep it in the air, and landing consisted of a very fast glide, a slight flair, and the plane slamming to the ground. The plane went in the hanger till about 2 years ago (I'm 36 now). I was able to take about a pound out of the plane, I replaced the motor with a hk brushless got rid of a servo and the receiver pack, added an esc and used a 2200 mah lipo. The plane is wonderfull now. I can fly for 20 minutes in dead air and have thermaled it till I was tired of flying. it is gentile and lands nice and slow like most old wood gliders do.
I hope you enjoy yours. A couple bits of info for you. Electrical tape is available in clear so you don't have to match your color scheme to the tape. The wing is similar to the oly 650 with the flat center section, but the airfoil is different. The Eclipse has a raised entry whereas the oly was flat all the way to the leading edge. Have fun.

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

Good to hear from you. I found red electrical rape and works.
I found that the whole wing fits in cab of my crew cab truck so I
leave it taped. The first time I flew it it was nose heavy so I fixed
that. Last time it caught a thermal and I had to power it down it was
going up so fast. Love the out runner. Soars and lands nice but it
is heavy.
<br type="_moz" />

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

I built mine with a one piece wing. I made a 1/4 plywood joiner to replace the the brass tubes and steel rods.
Saves a little weight and I dont have a problem transporting it.


Im just starting to cover it now, so it shouldnt be to much longer before I will try it out. Im using a eflite 480 for power
and I will try the stock prop and spinner, but will most likely replace that with an aluminium spinner and cam 10x6 prop.

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

Who makes the aluminum spinner?

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

Heads up rc has 2 inch ( approx 50mm) aluminium spinners for folding props. They have the turbo one in stock but are out of stock of the standard type.

Since you didnt cowl in your motor you could use a much smaller one. Value hobby has them too. they both have really good prices on them also.
I usually get the folding props from esprit models. I have used theCAM folders with good results. should be much better then the stock master airscrew.

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

Thanks. I am using Graypner pro and
spinner. Don't care for the spinner. I got a
50mm so the prop would fold around the
nose. The bar inside is a certain length to
get that done and it takes a certain size
spinner but I guess you know that. All in
all I am pretty happy with the Eclipse.
Turns out there is a competition glider
owner in our club and he told me I should
have put whit on the wing top so I can see it
when it turns so I may add some aalthough
it certainly doesn't need any more weight.
Tom
<br type="_moz" />

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

Im still new to this folding prop stuff, so I may have givin you some bad info in telling you you could go with a smaller spinner. I started in this hobby in the early 70's. I spent a decade off and just started again just a couple years ago and have spent some time relearning old stuff and trying to learn the enormous changes in the electronic end of things. Myself being computer stupid has made it a real challenge.

Im just about done with the eclipse now and will give it its first flight next weekend. It came out at 31 oz's with a 1300 3 cell battery and im happy with that. My chrysalis which is a much more modern 2 meter sailplane with the same motor is about 4 oz'smore (and it flys great), had to use a bigger battery to get it to balance.I built a wanderer last year and with the 1300 battery and 450 motor it came out at 28 oz's. I was really surprised thatthe eclipse isbalancing slightly nose down with no extra wieght added.

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

Let me know how it flies. I had mine at our meeting and
everyone liked how it turned out.

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

Yours turned out great. I will let you know how it flys. I will try and post a picture of it when I can also.

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

Icouldnt figure out how to post a picture, but I did manage to put it in the gallery.<a href="http://www.rcuniverse.com/gallery/galleryItem.cfm?itemID=239097&dummy=2836.175507940 1396&opener=/community/profile.cfm%3Fsection%3Dgallery%26memid%3D565422">

http://www.rcuniverse.com/gallery/galleryItem.cfm?itemID=239097&dummy=2836.175507940 1396&opener=/community/profile.cfm%3Fsection%3Dgallery%26memid%3D565422</a>

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

Sweet!

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

I finally got a chance to fly the eclipse today. There was no wind so it was perfect for a first flight. I tossed the plane a couple times to trim it some and it did need a couple clicks here and there. I have a sky limit switch in the plane but had the cutoffs turned off.
With full power the plane wants to pitch up fairley hard so I held in down to keep about a 60 degreee climb. I shut it off after about 20 seconds. That left it at about 400 feet. I had to add a little more trim. The plane just flew great. The elevator felt good and the rudder was very responsive. It flew faster then I expected. I stayed up for about 15 minutes without having to add anymore power. This plane is supposed to be basicly a oly 650 with electric power. I have never flown any of the olympic series planes but now have an idea why they are popular.

The second flight I turned on the cuttoffs on the sky limit switch. It is set to let the motor run for 30 second or 200 meters in alltitude, which ever happens first. It reached 200 meters in less then 30 seconds. I found a thermal fairley quickly (birds showed where it was) and rode that up to 1437 feet. before it was over. That flight lasted 21 minutes.

The plane flys really well, came out lighter then I expected and I really like how responsive the rudder is. When I was building this I had tossed around the idea of adding spoilers but decided not to, I think I blew it by not adding them. I could open the wing back up and do it, but im feeling lazy so I wont, which is why I didnt add them in the first place.

All in all, Im really pleased with how it all came out.

RE: Airtronics Eclipse wing
 

Thanks for the report. Glad you had a
good flight. I am on a waiting list for a
Bruce Tharpe Enterprises Flyin' King. You
can google bte. Went to a different field
today and watched one fly. I got a new
91 four stroke from hobby people for the
FK.