ORIGINAL: Fisher
The problem with anything I have to say is that it all comes from building 4 of these planes with no problems with any of them. If you follow Foam Flyers directions you can hardly go wrong. I really like using hot glue as he suggests as it is so quick and easy. Takes all of 15 minutes to assemble a complete airframe once you have cut out the parts.
Flight characteristics of the plane are just as you say (using a BP-21 and a 2000 ma 3 cell LiPo). Every time I take this plane out I learn a new maneuver with it. The only two things I have had issues with are inverted flight and outside loops. A symmetrical air foil on the wing would take care of that though.
The next direction is to up or down size it. Critters larger version is a good start on up sizing. I really think with the tiny BL motors available at United Hobbies someone could down size it to half scale and have a smoking hot little ride.
Hey, Fisher lives! Great to hear from you. Nice job on the So in the picture. Is it build #5? One question about following Foam Flyer's directions. Didn't you say that you also had prior tail heavy problems with the build since you where using a brushless motor and lipo? I could have swore I remember you saying you needed a good bit of down trim to try to compensate for it?
Inverted flight isn't so much from not having a symmetrical airfoil. I think the problem is the high lift the Clark-Y produces. But, I was able to do some decent inverted with mine, provided the COG is near perfect and the motor thrust angle isn't off. To be honest, though, I can't remember exactly how well it did at that, but will report back when #4 is flown.
I don't remember if I said it but Big'N has been retired. It only had two short maidens and showed promise, but I decided to re-build it. Not only because I want to tweak a few things (like not needing as fat of a fuse since it won't be flying my camcorder as originaly intended...got an AP build I'm working on for that), and building it out of the stronger EPS foam I've got now will be an added bonus. I also agree that a smaller version would be cool, perhaps an indoor bird.
Nice to see you around and hope you'll throw some more pictures up and offer more advice as you've done in the past. If it wasn't for you and Saucerguy I would have had a much harder time breaking into building with EPS.