Sabre XLT A large scratch built flying wing sport jet
03-03-2016, 06:54 AM
#177
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: willow springs , IL
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Gary
I have had C 50 units in 3 planes.
The Horten had them with 6 " nose wheel and 4 " mains. The plane weighed 19 kg dry. It had plenty of flights and the retracts worked well.
The Boulton Paul P111 used them and had 4" nose and 5" mains. The doors on the mains require a lot of pressure to close and it had been difficult to get them to go up reliably. I am converting the C50 units to hydraulic to overcome the problem. The plane weighs 24 kg and has flown off grass and tarmac.
the Arado 555 weighs 34 kg and has 4 wheel 4" bogies for the mains. I could get them work on the bench but would not pull up in the air as the door is very large. i made some large retracts with much larger cylinders but even these would not pull the mains up. Clearly these need converting to hydraulic. The units themselves were strong enough and survived a bouncy first landing.
All wheel hubs and brakes were made by me as light as possible using the tough Dubro foam tyres.
I used Behotec oleos as they are very strong.
John
I have had C 50 units in 3 planes.
The Horten had them with 6 " nose wheel and 4 " mains. The plane weighed 19 kg dry. It had plenty of flights and the retracts worked well.
The Boulton Paul P111 used them and had 4" nose and 5" mains. The doors on the mains require a lot of pressure to close and it had been difficult to get them to go up reliably. I am converting the C50 units to hydraulic to overcome the problem. The plane weighs 24 kg and has flown off grass and tarmac.
the Arado 555 weighs 34 kg and has 4 wheel 4" bogies for the mains. I could get them work on the bench but would not pull up in the air as the door is very large. i made some large retracts with much larger cylinders but even these would not pull the mains up. Clearly these need converting to hydraulic. The units themselves were strong enough and survived a bouncy first landing.
All wheel hubs and brakes were made by me as light as possible using the tough Dubro foam tyres.
I used Behotec oleos as they are very strong.
John
Can you post the details of how you are doing your hydraulic conversion. It would be informative.
Joe
03-03-2016, 09:29 AM
#178
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Norfolk , UNITED KINGDOM
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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rsfXvDwlmRA
my current system is http://www.magom.com. The pump is brushless and has the tank bolted on it. There is just the rotary valve which they sell, a compressor pressure switch off ebay and a non return valve. The Behotec fittings were replaced with Festos to take M4 pipe. Oil is Citroen suspension oil. The pipe is Nylon high pressure pipe and I am running on the video at 200psi. Watch out for the fingers! It is a very simple system. I had a spare esc 20 amp that controls the pump motor. It needs one channel to arm the esc and one to retract in the normal way.
John
John
02-06-2017, 05:53 PM
#180
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After 11 months in the penalty box I got the Sabre XLT out again and dusted it off. I acquired a set of Electron ER-50s with the GS-200 controller last summer and finally got them installed last month. Test flights are scheduled for this weekend.
This is a photo blast of the repairs and install of the gear and controller.
This is a photo blast of the repairs and install of the gear and controller.
02-06-2017, 06:06 PM
#181
12-31-2017, 05:38 PM
#188
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Update for anyone following this thread:
Sorry I let the thread go for nearly a year. The remaiden flight was on 10 FEB 2017. The takeoff was normal and the new Electron ER-50 worked great for takeoff and retract. The flight was good and the Sabre XLT was very easy to fly. Two low approaches were made and were uneventful but showed a little more elevator was needed in low rate. On the landing approach the final was extended too far behind a tree line and I allowed the jet to descend into the trees on final approach. The jet hit a tall tree and fell into a shorter tree with thick vines. It came to rest about 10 feet from the ground and was saved. Most damage except for the first tree impact was done trying to extract the jet from the thick vines and get it down. The video link to YouTube is below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXX6h5sR2uE&app=desktop
Sorry I let the thread go for nearly a year. The remaiden flight was on 10 FEB 2017. The takeoff was normal and the new Electron ER-50 worked great for takeoff and retract. The flight was good and the Sabre XLT was very easy to fly. Two low approaches were made and were uneventful but showed a little more elevator was needed in low rate. On the landing approach the final was extended too far behind a tree line and I allowed the jet to descend into the trees on final approach. The jet hit a tall tree and fell into a shorter tree with thick vines. It came to rest about 10 feet from the ground and was saved. Most damage except for the first tree impact was done trying to extract the jet from the thick vines and get it down. The video link to YouTube is below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXX6h5sR2uE&app=desktop
Last edited by Viper1GJ; 12-31-2017 at 08:13 PM.
12-31-2017, 05:54 PM
#189
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After recovering the jet and assessing the damage it was found that none of the damage was major structure. Most of the damage except for the first tree impact was cosmetic scratches and dents from removing the jet from the trees. I decided to repair the damage and modify the design to reduce weight as much as possible.
The modification and repairs started the first of DEC 2017. The rear engine location was abandoned and and thrust vector system was removed. The smoke system was also removed to save weight. The turbine was moved forward as far as possible (20") to just behind the rear wing tube and a conventional thrust tube installed to aid in removing as much of the nose ballast weight as possible. New air inlet holes were cut and the old ones were plugged.
The crash damage was repaired and repainted. Internal components are now being reinstalled. The Sabre XLT is now nearly ready for a 3rd remaiden flight. Target date is 9-10 Feb 2018. Its getting to be a tradition now, one flight and wreck per year. I looking forward to the taxi back this year!
Redesign and repair photos follow.
Gary
The modification and repairs started the first of DEC 2017. The rear engine location was abandoned and and thrust vector system was removed. The smoke system was also removed to save weight. The turbine was moved forward as far as possible (20") to just behind the rear wing tube and a conventional thrust tube installed to aid in removing as much of the nose ballast weight as possible. New air inlet holes were cut and the old ones were plugged.
The crash damage was repaired and repainted. Internal components are now being reinstalled. The Sabre XLT is now nearly ready for a 3rd remaiden flight. Target date is 9-10 Feb 2018. Its getting to be a tradition now, one flight and wreck per year. I looking forward to the taxi back this year!
Redesign and repair photos follow.
Gary
Last edited by Viper1GJ; 12-31-2017 at 08:05 PM.
12-31-2017, 07:06 PM
#194
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Main gear mount torn out in wreck
Gear mount glued in with polyurethane foaming glue lightly sprayed with water
Glue foam out under plastic sheet after cured. Very solid repair into the wood and foam structure
12-31-2017, 07:11 PM
#195
12-31-2017, 07:19 PM
#197
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Leading edge damaged area taped over on top and front
Tape wrapped under the bottom leading edge
Spray foam applied into cavity
Expanded foam trimmed off and sanded to shape
Last edited by Viper1GJ; 12-31-2017 at 08:17 PM.
12-31-2017, 07:29 PM
#199
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Leading edge wood replaced
Light weight spackle applied to fill voids
Sanded ready to glass
Glass cut 1 6oz layer topped with 1 3oz layer
Glass applied with West Systems resin
Last edited by Viper1GJ; 12-31-2017 at 08:18 PM.