Rubbernecker

My Feedback: (22)

Thanks! LOL, looks like we have a lot in common. I too built my first one around that time period w/a golden bee and single channel Mattel Pulse. The fate of mine was a little different. Build, launch, crash, fix and repeat till it was too heavy to fly. Then a few years later when I was driving, I was parked at a friends house with my rc gear in the back of my truck and someone stole it all.

John

Rubbernecker

My Feedback: (22)

Still progressing, just not much to show. Installed servo rails, on/off switch and more filling and sanding. (entirely too much time for a half a, they are suppose to be fast builds) Ordered the wrong wheels (axle holes are 2 times larger than the axle) and waiting on canopy. Will order new wheels but will check axle hole size first. []

John

fizzwater2

My Feedback: (61)

You could use some short pieces of brass tubing to reduce the axle hole size - might even take a couple, the tubing is available in telescoping sizes.

I guess if you'd have to order tubing, though, might as well just order wheels, eh?

Rubbernecker

My Feedback: (22)

Yea, I thought of that, but it would just be simpler to get some wheels that fit. It would probably take 2 or 3 pieces in each wheel to make up the void. Also noticed that I needed some more wheel collars.

John

Rubbernecker

My Feedback: (22)

Fillets around the canopy tonight and she gets silver tomorrow to show up all the flaws.

John

blvdbuzzard

Here is my OLDER Jr Falcon. When I built it, it had a geared 370 swinging an 8X6 APC "E" prop, 7 AAA NIMH cells. It was so much weight up front, I had to shorten the nose over an inch. I tied to put a new power system in it but had to add 4 1/2 ounces of lead to the nose and use a 1750 3s battery just to get it to balance. I have been thinking of bulding a new fuse with a longer nose to use a nice lite weight brushless motor and a 500 3s battery. It has a servo for each aileron and I used 9gram servo for the rudder and elevator.


Buzz.

Rubbernecker

My Feedback: (22)

I have plans to make a Jr Skylark elexxxx. Shouldn't mention that on this site. Anyway, the weights look like they will be in line with the Falcon. I plan on doing some lightening on it to help. The Falcon auw should be in the 12 to 14 oz range. 1750 on the batteries sounds like a lot. I plan on 1300 and may even drop back to 1000. Every once counts. One must remember, with the Cox Golden Bee, run time is only about 5 minutes.

John

BTW, that is a good looking plane. How did it fly?

blvdbuzzard

The one in the pictures, after adding lots and lots of weight to get it to balance, came in at 19 1/2 ounces. Yes that is way over weight. Yet she still flew very well.

I have wanted to build another one that is setup for the power system. I was looking at a 500mah battery, (4) 9gram servos, steerable nose wheel so I can taxi it around. Just not looking forward to cutting all of those pieces again. I may wait until I finish my CNC and have it cut them for me With a newer light weight setup, 12 ounces should be easy to reach.


Buzz.

sawdust

My Feedback: (7)

John I just found your build thread on the Jr Falcon. Being able to do your own laser cutting is great. I subscribed to the thread and will follow it until your done.

My Senior Falcon is one of my favorite planes. And I have a couple of Norvels that should be just right for a Jr. Falcon.

I talked to you about your laser a couple of months ago. And I am currently learning Turbo Cad. The training material that you pointed me to on using Turbo Cad to draw model planes really got me started right away drawing planes. Right now I am having a lot of trouble figuring out how to print drawings actual size. I may have to call you to discuss this issue.

My intention is still to get a laser and attempt projects like your Jr. Falcon. And I also want to get a magnetic building board like yours. What can I say you just do it right.

Thank you for sharing the build.

Bob

Rubbernecker

My Feedback: (22)

Glad you are having success Bob. Guess after doing something for 30 + years, getting the right tools allows me to do it about ½ way right. I print out full size PDF drawings to build by. I don’t know much about printing from the cad files. Guess you could save it if you are drawing it full size and take it to a printer that does blue prints and they could get them right. Always put some type of scale on the drawing so when you print them out you have something to measure.

Buzz, shoot me a PM if you want some parts. I have them saved in a cad file and can laser cut them just like I did the one I’m building. Some (ribs etc) or all. I even have canopy's.

John

Tee Bee

It's coming along nicely. Don't be discouraged about the timeline. I have found that some of these small builds take just as long as the larger 40-60 size ones. Some of the tasks can be tedious in tight quarters and spending time researching and aquiring the right micro gear to make it all work can consume time as well. It's a hobby. I often back away for a while if it becomes frustrating. Sooner or later I'll come back to the project with renewed excitement. For the life of me I can't figure out how some guys finish projects like these in a week.

Rubbernecker

My Feedback: (22)

I'm with you man. I shot the silver today, and not really sure I want to paint it. Silver really shows you how sorry of a builder you are. [&o] Anyway, I will sand it a little and shoot it with color. Not looking to win an award, but I really thought it was better than it is. Looks like it could use 2 - 3 more coats of dope, but I'm really not interested in adding unecessary weight just to make it look better. I have reached a point where I use every build as a learning experience for the next project. Causes delays, but like you said, it's a hobby. I too get frustrated with the people that can start a plane Friday night and are flying it on Sunday. [>:] If I see where an ARF can be assembled in 10 hours, I figure 30 or more for me................ Thanks for the kind words.

John

Tee Bee

I build them to suit me. Their primary purpose is to fly. Good looks are nice but I haven't won any awards for that yet. I know I'll never build or fly as good as those guys at Top Gun but I probably have more fun.

RickP

My Feedback: (2)

Been a while now John, must have flow it already no Any finished pics?
Rick

Rubbernecker

My Feedback: (22)

No, it's ready for paint. Too cold and damp to spray today, so I decided to start the Tweedy Bird build. Not doing it online. I have most of the ribs traced for the F-16. Want to hold off on the fuse till you send me the fan stuff so I can design around it.

John

Rubbernecker

My Feedback: (22)

Finally shot the first coat of paint tonight. Hopefully do the trim this weekend and then post some pictures. Give the paint a week or so before I put any fuel on it. That is if the weather cooperates.

John

RickP

My Feedback: (2)

Looking forward to the flight report John, You know the Falcon 56 was my first RC airplane! Hope you enjoy flying the JR Falcon!
RP

DICKEYBIRD

Just bumped into your build thread John...very cool having your own laser! Nice build of a great old design. Old Carl G was a very clever fellow and as mentioned earlier in the thread, all his designs fly very well.

Just a comment on one of his design philosophies: you'll notice a lot of his wing designs had internal spars which required extra "lumber" (and weight) to have sufficient spanwise strength. Most people didn't like that much but when you look at the covered wing, the airfoil shape is very smooth and slick with no spar lines interrupting the chordwise airflow. That and the fact that he believed in thicker stabs with airfoils instead of flat sheet balsa stabs is why they fly so smoothy & efficiently. My buddy's lightened Senior Falcon with a howling OS .61 FSR up front won many a climb & glide contest back "in the day" due to it's low drag and good glide ratio for a simple trainer design.

One other comment about battery size & weight: I noticed you mention a 1000 mah battery earlier? Sorry if I missed a later comment if you ended up with something lighter. I haven't bought any in a while since I've been 1/2A inactive lately but a few yrs. ago my 1/2A buddies & I were using the 110 mah NiMH batteries for 2 channel reedie planes. They were the size of 50 mah NiCads with more than twice the capacity and were very light. Ya gotta be a real lightweight thinker with 1/2A's to get real performance.

They could be easily "pumped up" with a field charger after a few flights and the planes really perked up not having to drag around the extra weight of a plump battery. Now that I think about it, my old BareCat 1/2A 3D plane had 5 servos with mixing and it had the same battery. I did have to charge it after every flight though.

Can't wait to see a video of your little Falcon doing its thing in the air!

Rubbernecker

My Feedback: (22)

Not sure where that 1000 mah stuff came from. I will be using a 400 mah nickel metal pack. 1 oz. That is about the smallest I can find reasonably priced. Bernie sells a 300 pack but it weighs about the same. Figure if I keep it under a pound it should fly fine and I'm guessing 14 oz at this point. Not sure about that video. Don't want to publically embarrass myself. Need to go finish shooting the wing so I can do the trim this weekend.

John

Andrew

John
Check out [link=http://www.cheapbatterypacks.com/custompacks2/CustomPacks.aspx?mid=20]Cheap Battery Packs[/link] - you can custom build the pack type you want. I configured a 250 mAh pack for $7.00, weight about .8 oz.

Dickeybird

Glad to see you weren't washed away in the great flood. Nice to know you're still hanging around a bit. Will send you a PM.

andrew

Rubbernecker

My Feedback: (22)

Thanks, I may have to give them a try.

John

Rubbernecker

My Feedback: (22)

Decals and clear coat and she will be ready for pictures. Very pleased with it thus far. Little bit of paint run under the tape, but not bad. Standoff 5 feet and you cannot see it. I rediscovered today why I don't like painting. The taping part! [&o] Maybe by the end of the week I will have some pictures. Need to shoot the clear before untaping the canopy. Also shot the Hummer today. 2 planes painted in one day! [X(]

John

Rubbernecker

My Feedback: (22)

The decals didn't go so well. They were from a kit I built many years ago (35+). I put them in the water and 10 minutes later went to slide them off the backing and they were in a 1,000 little bits and pieces. O'well, no decals. Hopefully clear coat this weekend and then pictures. Been painting a 1/2 A Hummer as well, that is what is taking so long. Try to get the most bang for the buck when I paint.

John

Rubbernecker

My Feedback: (22)

Finally! 2 months after starting, I finally finished it. AUW is 14 oz even with a 400 mah nickel metal pack. If I used any lighter pack (1 oz), I would need to add weight to nose to balance. Hope to maiden soon. Weather here has been warm, but windy or rain. I have been finishing a Hummer as well and have also been building a .25 size pattern plane Tweedy Bird and doing some cad and laser work so it all hasn't been Jr Falcon. Will post Hummer after installing gear. Enjoy!

John

I have them for real, Internal 500 Error Message. Maybe tomnorrow.

2-7-12 Finally

RickP

My Feedback: (2)

John,
That's great! Please post a picture or two when you get a chance and have a blast flying her!
RP