frednjess

This plane is off of the Crimson Skies video game, produced by Microsoft. It's a pretty fun flight sim (even though the flight physics are a joke) and has some of the coolest looking propeller driven airplanes. Most of the planes are loosely based on actually aircraft, lots of WW2 German experimental stuff. One of the planes, the Devastator, is not based on any real aircraft other than a Pitts Special flying backwards. There have been quite a few forums on building models from the game, but to date I haven't actually seen a model. That's where this forum comes in. I've actually started building my plane! I am starting with a fanfold brushless version to test the airframe type. If all works out, I'll be putting together a .46 - .60 version.

My fanfold plane has a 36" wingspan on the lower, larger wing. I'll be working on a box style fuselage, so all of the electronics will be concealed. The first pics are essentially the bare bones, but I'll be building this morning and should have a better airframe sometime today.

Any questions or comments, just let me know. I hope this thing flies!

frednjess

Alright, I've got the ailerons hinged and the belly, sides, wings, and the vertical wing spars are all glued. Now I've just got to figure out where to put all of the electronics...

seemefly_1

wow i love that game keep us posted

irish_lord

Dude, that looks like an X-wing.. cool

frednjess

Alright, here's the final pics. It's awfully purdy. That'd be the good news. Here's the bad news. After a nice, hefty 5 degree up angle full power toss, the Devastator nosed in and cracked the front 1/3'd off. Re-glued the nose on and tried again, with full up elevator. Same results. Decided to put in a full flying canard. Same results. Going to try recalculating the CG for a flying wing. Should be able to give her a toss tomorrow. Here's the pic...Enjoy!

enephel

My Feedback: (13)

That is way cool. Keep us posted.

I want to build the "old timer" looking pusher bipe from that game. My first attempt will be from Depron. If I like it I will try to build a larger built-up balsa one. Probably electric. Like almost 4 feet span.

There are posts in rc forums about canard theory and cg calculating. Try rcgroups.com. I remember reading something there.

I am willing to bet you are very nose-heavy.

You should try tossing a model without any electronics at all and see if you can get any glide at all. Trial and error with taping a penny or two somewhere. I think you'll end up taping a few coins in the very back. Once you get a decent descending glide you are close enough to put controls in maintaining the same balance point.

Good luck,
Jerry

frednjess

I did check the CG calculator for canards before flying the plane and according to that I was right on the mark. I'm thinking that the canard is actually too small to be effective, so a flying wing CG might be more reasonable. I'm going to take her out this morning, even with 5" of snow on the ground. I'll post again once I get back.

Clinton, OH eh? I'm from Defiance and Dayton.

enephel

My Feedback: (13)

Defiance is nice. Used to have a phone system service contract with the post office. Napolean, Bryan, Defiance. Very flat in that part of the state. I repaired a 300 pair phone cable at Owens Corning out there once. The furnace blew and melted the cable right in half.

I posted a picture of the Devastator. The wings are swept back more than I thought. Flying wing CG may work. That game is my favorite game. I've been waiting for them to make another but that design team (FASA) is no longer. Most of them are still working for Microsoft. Well there goes that. There is no way they could lose with a sequel.

enephel

My Feedback: (13)

Here is the one I want to build. I thought it was a pusher but it's not

frednjess

Looks like a Gee Bee with the wing and horizontal stabilizer reversed. Might be interesting.

I was trying for the Devastator or at least something close. I tried to fly it again today with no luck. I think it might need some more vertical surfaces to help straighten the flight. I'm also going to snip off the canard and convert the controls to elevons. Maybe next time. There's more snow called for tomorrow, so I think I'll put the floats on my fanfold Cessna 182. Something about lemonade from lemons.

enephel

My Feedback: (13)

I'm not sure if vertical surfaces are necessarily needed. I fly a Zagi and it does not need the wing tips. Other than the wing tips you just have a small bump in the middle from battery cover.

enephel

My Feedback: (13)

Since your elevator is now in the front of the airframe you have to reverse the movement right? Down deflection will lift the nose. Up elevator will now push the nose down.

frednjess

Yeah, you're right. I had it correct on the original. It just didn't seem to work.