gunradd

My Feedback: (9)

Keith I had issues with my stab locks also. One would not lock so the horizontal stab would have departed in flight if I didn't fix that. It was a pain to fix after the aircraft is built but got it done. I brought up the issue with them and it was ignored like the other things I told them about that needing correcting on this plane.

FenderBean

FenderBean

Chris Nicastro

My Feedback: (3)

FenderBean

FenderBean

FenderBean

Dusting of the thread and trying to finish the pig time, so I decided not to scarp the project for the next build. I just cant give up on it so here goes nothing! Im about 90% complete but still have three fixes to do before it can fly, but once done its just equipment setup. The repaint will come eventually when I can find someone to help with that, if not I will just sell it.
Video is uploading showing the things I changed between last video and now. I had to move more things forward to help with CG and I have no idea where to put air tanks yet. The larger JMP tanks I had were switched with smaller JMPs to hopefully fit them in the nose some place.

New flat Ions vs the square Air fill ports on the nose as well



New filter locations, easy to see and remove if need be.

removed the back gray tray and moved everything on to the nose minus the shutoff valves

Drilled two 4mm holes through the gear door mount for the fuel lines

FenderBean

And RCU is being goofy with my Youtube link so just click the channel link in my signature its on my page with everything else.

FenderBean

A little progress since last post, I am continuing to finish the model but will changing motors. I have airlines ran and will be mounting air tanks on top of the inlet, hoping with different engines I can move things back to the original format at the beginning of the thread. Started on the cockpit and OMG SM and their horrible cockpits strike again, this day in time there is no excuse with 3D printers being so cheap. Like all of SM kits you have to butcher the cockpit and to me and the pictures I have seen this cockpit and seats are too large for the scale. The front and back seat foot areas will be cut out to make room for the landing gear, the front will need everything under the seat cut out as well. Once the cockpit is trimmed I will make a mounting system that will allow the CP to be removed like my F-14, just a series of wood blocks and servo screws. I had a friend 3D print the front battery holders so I can easily slide the turbine batteries out of the jet for charging, I just cant bring myself to charge lipos in the model. No video today, not feeling very photogenic after dealing with the cockpit, I would probably curse too much.

3D Printed battery holders



Should have no problem balancing with gear, I refuse to add 4pounds of dead weight to the nose!

Butcher Cockpit time






I have said this with every Skymaster kit I have bought and they just don't care what we think. They make some of the worst cockpits in the hobby. They are brittle, over sized and heavy as crap when they dont need to be. In the day of 3D printing there is no excuse, heck I bet at this point 3D printing a cockpit is cheaper. Anyway SM if you care at all do a better job on the cockpits!

FenderBean

A little progress, spent more time pondering how I was going to mount the cockpits. Managed to get the rear bucket trimmed mounted as well as the front bucket trimmed. I had to cut the center section of both buckets in areas for the nose wheel parts. I have a feeling the nose wheels are going to hit the front bucket on the forward end and will require significant butchering. The front bucket is going to take some thought since rear sits on top of the frame and the front will sit under it.
I am going to make an angled extension to the back seat dash to help lift it to a more scale position and angle. No video yet since I wanted to complete the whole cockpit before making one.
Rear bucket is secured with four small screws and the back dash will be hard mounts to the bucket while the front dash with be mounted soft mounted to the jet.






Notice the shape to fit the back of the cockpit bucket

secure with four screws

The back dash sits under the cross beam and rear ejection seat sits against the canopy lift. Stock had some stupid resign piece there to simulate the lift.

gunradd

My Feedback: (9)

I think the over sized launch bar hits the bottom of the cockpit so look for that

FenderBean

If you look back, I trimmed mine to the correct size, but it still requires the front bucket at the back middle to have a channel cut. More worries about the front wheels but cant tell until I get the thing hard mounted.

FenderBean

Warmed up enough out back to do more butchering on the cockpits, I have the two buckets in and mounted. Small blocks were used on the front bucket to make a channel to slide in and back sit on frame with screws. Front dash/heads up display will be mounted with four small blocks with small velcro or goop to hold in place. Once the cockpit is done I will fix the flap pin issue and the critical stab lock issue and that will almost finish the jet. still need to straighten one flap/aileron gap cover but that can be done any time before flying and painting.
Video is up on Youtube showing this, Cheers


rough cut for fitting, nose gear catapult arm clearance on front bucket

Nose wheel clearance on front bucket

Created a channel for the front bucket


Getting there

If I can find the right colors this thing will look great in the air

cmjets

Hello from Spain, is it possible get this 3D file ???

my email is:

[email protected]

thanks in advance.








[/QUOTE]

FenderBean

I bought these from someone so I cant help in that arena

wing13z

Hello there, I already ordered the F-18 and it’s going to be delivered during the summer. Any idea if the K-320 would fit there ? Because I’m about to order the turbine now, and just worry if it’s going to fit and if it would be clear from the wing spar!!

FenderBean

No idea if that will fit, thats way more than it needs

Misha Javornik

Hi Fender, was wondering if one could get the 3D file of the exhauast you had made for your F18?

Regards from Argentina

Misha Javornik

wing13z

I did watch some videos on the YouTube for sky master F-18. Some people flying this bird with 2 x K-160 which is equal to the K-320, and I watched one flying with 2 x K-210 😒
for the BVM one, many folks having the K-320 !!

FenderBean

Ultimately you can put what ever you like in the jet, I dont know if this motor will fit without mods. There are so few of these flying I don't know but if I manage to muster some motivation to finish this thing it will have 120s.

I didnt 3d print the nozzles I bought them from a fella who sells 3d printed cockpits. No idea who it was its been so long ago

Philip Baum

Hello,

we are ready with the Skymaster F-18 C (1:5,75) with 2 turbines in prototype scheme!

Challenge: reasonable flight time with 2 turbines and under 25kg! It worked out - 4.5l fuel and 25kg to the point! Customer is happy!

This aircraft is equipped with:
- PowerBox Pioneer
- PowerBox iGyro SAT
- PowerBox GPSIII
- PowerBox Premium wire
- MKS servos HBL380HV and HV1220
- Skymaster scale landing gear
- 2x Jets Munt M122NG turbines
- 2x thrust pipes made by Grumania
- Fuelbag tank
- Jeti DC-24 TX, 2x REX 3 A20
- Jeti LiIon 2s 3.100 Batteries
- Xicoy turbine telemetry

Here some pictures from the maiden flight... Many thanks to the guys which helped me and gave me tipps.

Best regadrs from Germany - Philip

Philip Baum

Hello,

we have a special challenge with this F-18C Hornet. I hope some of you had the same and can tell us how to prevent:

Mgt Summary:

When I put the flaps down I have no elevator any longer.

Story:

The plane flies good! And it is easy to land also without flaps. But of course we want to use them and want to understand what the reason for that behavior is. Is spoke already to Anton and Peter Goldsmith. Peter told me before the maiden, that I have to take an eye on the speed before using the flaps, regarding the elevator effect. So I was aware of that and was able to recover easily when I had no elevator during flight #1 after using then flaps. In the meantime we flew a few times. This "elevator-reaction" comes, independent from my speed. If I use the landing configuration the plane goes nose down without reaction to the elevator. If I use the starting configuration I can level the plane with elevator. But if I will fly a turn the plane does not react to elevator. If I take more and more elevator the plane suddenly reacts to elevator and flies a hook so to speak. That is the current status.

The plane does not have slats or a speedbrake and a weight of 25kg (full tanks). The CG is around 172mm.

In Switzerland a friend of mine - Patrik - is flying also the F-18C Hornet, also without slats and speedbrake. His CG is around 165. We have absolutely the same functions and deflections programmed. The only big difference - our had the elevator "issue" and Patriks does not have that. He also tried to use the flaps with higher speed after we spoke 1st time after our maiden. But even with a higher speed his F-18C has not a single comparable behavior.

Question:

We have 2 similar planes with similar programming and a CG difference from ca 1cm - what can be the reason for that "elevator-behavior"?

Many thanks in advance and best regards

Philip

wing13z

Hello Philip, I do have the same airplane with the same issue that you have but with a single turbine K-320 which is suits very well. Mine is a little lbit lighter than yours. I never knew about this issue, I did fly it and experienced that problem. When I put the flaps full, I feel there is no control and the plane start to dive!! The speed is not the issue because I flown the F-18 a few times and I tried to configure with deferent speeds to solve the problem. I have the same CG as yours, Mine have the operational slats too which mixed with the flaps.
I’m sure the problem not the speed or the slats.
I did talk with a guy who lives in Canada, and he build a few of these F-18s. He told me they never experienced this issue.
Im really like you, I don’t know what’s going on lol.

Philip Baum

BTW: I forgot to mentioned my elevator servos: that are MKS HBL 380 (41kg/8,2V). Which kind you use??? I ask, because Patrik does use the ~70kg Futaba. Maybe this is the problem?

I am sure you spoke to Jonathan from Canada. For sure he knows what he is doing. As I said Patrik is flying the described configuration without any problems. In the meantime I got the information from a owner in Kuwait with the same problem (also 41kg Servos - brand Futaba). Fact is: a few does have that behavior, a few not. The question still is: what is the reason for that? Maybe the power of the elevator servo?
It is intersting to know which torque is instealled within the Hornets without that behavior?

Philip