Raymond LeFlyr

My Feedback: (2)

Cp,

I have an alternate suggestion for the postal-ization of your twin. First paint the fuselage glossy white and include a permanent Sharpie (tm) marker in the box. Then everyone who flies it performs one of my favorite (and most practiced) maneuvers, The split, reverse, immelman, lomchavec (yeah, yeah you look it up), inverted, figure nine. The pilot then carefully, before removing the craft from the ground, the line of maximum penetration. Only one attempt per pilot. Then as the model slowly works its way around the planet, science would have a valuable record of the relative hardness of our flying sites AND the pilot who has accomplished the deepest penetration (oh I blush when I write that word) would not only have the admiration of the rest of us mere model airplane players-with, but a suitable trophy could be displayed in the Smithsonian Garber Facility (or whatever they call it now).

But think of it, dear CP, you would have been the inspiration of a scientific accomplishment that would resound in the academic world for its daring and innovation. One small plane for a man, one giant step for penetration (oh there I go again). Applause, applause.

KidEpoxy

Looking at the nose on that plane,
maybe CP should go with carbon over glass,
over kevlar mat, around Tungsten Rod,
and sell it to the military for Anti-Tank work.

.... but the military would probably have to slow it down from CPs standards for 1/2A planes

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

KE, I've been calling this fuselage "ornamental drag and ballast" everytime I look at it. It might work OK in outer space, but down here this plane will top out at 80 mph with a belly full of lead and thrown off the Empire State Bldg, no matter how much power I try to throw at it. The decision whether to power it for climbing ability with the .074s or try for speed with the AMEs is still up in the air.....
It seems to be a cruel fact that futuristic & small "prop-jet" models have to be slower than plain jane conventional types.

The real challenge is to come up with a facsimile of the real deal that flies OK as a model. Hopefully this one flys long enough to gather enough info to try a scaled up version. I've got a bunch of 31 cc Ryobis laying around doing nothing.

Raymond, I like your penetration idea, we should see if there is any grant money out there for this kind of research.

Perhaps someone else could design a plane that this one could dock with? Have a scoring system for successful dockings and extra style points for torque rolls after insertion and stuff like that? Of course attempting to dock before the judges blow the horn would be known as premature dockulation. Maybe even form a SIG for this event and petition AMA to sponsor a new category at the Nats?

KidEpoxy

Are you talking about a SnugGlove Hanger docking,
or getting someone to fly a Flattop Derrigible for carrier landings while at altitude?

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

Where does the time go? Oh ya, some goes to flying. Here is some behind the scenes work on the twin.

KidEpoxy

Are those holes at the rear of the nacelles for mounting a pair of F rocket motors?
Or am I thinking too far outside the box again [&:]

Maybe a 30mm computer chip fan, just enough blow to act as a DragBuster at the back of the nacelle

newtech

The engines look to be the .074's so my guess is the openings at the back of the nacelles are for the two .061 AME's I sent him. Piggy probably needed the weight to get the thing to balance. If you have to add weight it might as well earn its keep

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

I like all those ideas. You know, if you spend X amount of $$ on the lightest and best materials to build a model plane, then have to use lead to make it flyable, then the design is a failure. All ballast on this sucker will be functional, even if it has to be in the form of electric motors in back.

ZoomZoom-RCU

Too Cool CP. Now to make it really interesting with that long nose sticking out there, you should slap on a servo powered canard. Talk about some interesting aerobatic possibilities! Hehe. Sorry...couldn't resist....I think it will likely be interesting enough as is. Keep up the good work!

ZZ.

MJD

My Feedback: (1)

No problem, of course the most important feature is an open cockpit [sm=kiss.gif]. You could use plush combing, or smooth leather if you prefer it that way (I do). The owner should make sure the upholstery is always clean. Of course you'll be buying fresh fuel regularly (the best stuff) despite the fact it has hardly used the last can at all, new props every time you get the tiniest mark on the old one, and keeping an assortment of glow plugs on hand even though the old one looks fine to you and works well enough. Oh and don't forget the latest in over-priced perfumed after-run oils. One down side is that you only get to fly three weeks out of the month, and just before the week off you need to smile a lot, stay quiet and agree with everything it does.

Or if you sing in a different choir, just get it up to top speed and ram it stright into the tail section of the first cute trainer you see. Docking guaranteed, ready or not. [:'(]

MJD

lildiesel

I really like the idea of two Estes F motors in the back of the nacelles wired and ready to light off after take off and throttling back. Out of sight vertical, for sure! Oh... and come on, ditch that nose and build a flying wing -- make the ghosts of the Horten brothers smile!

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

Well, there are nothing but compromises to make all the time, that's why I don't bother drawing anything up [except a rough layout] until after it's built, saves on erasers. To keep the rudder linkage concealed, it will be hogging the room in the back of the nacelles that the rocket motors should have. The "exhaust nozzles" are actually access to the elevon and rudder linkage. The rudders will be the hardest part to get right, especially with matching tilts. I can't wait to get done enough to start shaping some wood.

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

More hackin' and hewin'. The wiring is done, tedious little stuff. Now the next step is getting the nacelles shaped and get the rudders mounted and hooked up. I hope those .074s will put out enough thrust for strong launches, this plane would be hard to throw. It might take a high start if the thrust isn't there. I figure the plane will weigh about 2 pounds RTF.

mylamo

My Feedback: (1)

Really high cool factor. Two pounds should launch easy enough.
I wouldn't want to get too involved with the rudders though until
it gets some speed built up[:-]

mylamo

My Feedback: (1)

BTW, Your mayor in the news? More cool factor.

mylamo

My Feedback: (1)

Brain fart ,right city wrong state

eroc144

My Feedback: (1)

Concealed rudder linkages? Way cool!

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

I don't see why I can't use a torque rod to hook up the rudders, like it's done with ailerons. The torque rod bearing will be tied to a balsa post that is an extension of the vertical fins' trailing edge. The rear exhaust nozzles with have to be cut open to pass the whole mess through, then get patched when the surgery is complete. Gotta finish shaping and sanding the nacelles first and get past that balsa dust factory stage.

KidEpoxy

Wow,
I thought you were gonna cover it with Doculam,
but I see you already started the cover job with DuctTape.

Not my first choice, but it should be pretty durable and give the plane a nice aluminium skin look



uh, I must be forgetting something pretty darn heavy, cause it still looks like 90% of the weight is ahead of the mean chord.... you gonna run D cells for the flight batts & put them in the exhaust holes to ballance?

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

KE, nice thing about duct tape is it goes on so quickly . Years ago I used a piece of duct tape to secure the servo leads and antenna inside the fuselage and nothing would work. Took off the tape and everything magically worked again.

Actually, if you want to see a more realistic SR71 project, the Exreme Speed forum has one. He has already flown his 90% faithfull copy and is beginning version II with improvements for flying ability. I like his idea of using CIA color sceme on top with the bottom side pimped out. Wishful thinking says I could fly it all flat black with no major highlights, maybe. With .074s and 3 pitch props this plane wont be that hard to keep up with.

KidEpoxy

Somehow I doubt you mean 9x3 with low nitro & extra gasket Norvel Texacosovik

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

There is about 1/2" of room for a 7" prop to clear the fuselage, [the passengers in that row ride for a 50% discount].
7x3 prop at 17,000 rpm should be good for 50 mph falling off a cliff, this is the catch 22 about using .074s, if you try to go down in diameter and up in pitch it gets impossible to build a clean enough ship with an engine as big around as a silver dollar to get anywhere. This is why I look at .074s as good for power but not speed.
I haven't tried "Toading" one of them yet, but parts are scarce and there are still too many hot .061s around to take care of those speed missions. If this plane proves to launch well with a 7x3, then I might try a 6x4 to see it get up to a breath taking 60 mph [X(]!

Half-A-Hec

CP,

That's Cool Man![8D] If you shape your nacelles out of balsa block, I can vacum form you a pair out of clear windshield material. I like the clear windshield PTG better than the abs. It is takes impacts a lot better. Ask me how I know this![:'(]

Hec

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

Hec, thanks for the offer! I was tempted to mold these nacelles, but the way that the firewall intersects the wing would have made sliding it on as a unit impossible. If this design proves to be a good flyer, even with one engine out....then I'll be interested in doing a molded unit [and down sized for .061s]. I'm still wondering how well the forward cabin will survive at the hay field. It might need to have the chines razor sharp to sickle its' way through the grass?

Half-A-Hec

I was thinking more along the lines of a cowl for the engine with a turtle deck top for the Nacelle?

Hec