Suitcase Shrike
Gotta spend a month in Portland, OR for work. Can't bear to not fly for a stretch that long. So- something to take with that will fit into about a two foot square box, including Tx and the battery chargers. I was thinking about checking it as luggage until I saw the Model Aviation blurb about how we're still trying to teach the security dudes how to inspect one of these without trashing it. No thanks. I'll have the wife UPS it to me after I get there.
1/2A Shrike, Astro 020 with an 8 cell KAN 1050 NiMh battery and a 6x4 APC prop. Airtronics micro 5 channel Rx, and a pair of Tower TS-10 micro servos.
Modifications from the kit are:
1. Lanier calls for 1/4 balsa to form the bones of the horizontal stab, and then it's covered. My aft piece and both left and right outside pieces are 1/4 spruce. There is no internal frame work as called for, rather, I sheeted the stab with 1/32 balsa.
2. The left and right stab outside pieces have 4-40 blind nuts (2 each) installed on the inside to accept the bolts that hold the removable fins on. The fins are 1/8 a/c grade plywood. I didn't cant them outward as called for on the plans, and the bottoms are even with the bottom of the stab instead of extending below. (This prevents damage to the fins and stab during landings- something I learned about with my Shrike 40)
The weight at this point is a bit below 18oz, and with the battery as far to the rear as I could get it, the CG is just a touch forward of the recommended 3 and 3/8" aft of the LE at the fuse. The covering should bring it right on, as most of the covering is behind the CG.
Should fly tomorrow.