critterhunter

I've been neglecting this thread as of late but will soon post the completed new Streaker along with the hot triple stator motor stats. I've test flown the bird once and, while the thrust angle was way off, she was a rocket! Here's why I've been absent lately. Yea, not exactly a Stryker, but I am using many of the same build mods for this bird that the Stryker was/is such a great test bed for. The EDF setup for one thing should do well on an F27...

Welp, here's the mostly done body on my Klingon Bird Of Prey. It still needs a bit more sanding but is real close. I had cut a prototype body out a month or so back to give me ideas and that really helped make my final decision for the final body. It's hot wired out of a single piece of really strong EPS. I made my rough cuts using the EDF dimensions as my guide, then sanded to final contour. Used a drill hole cutter for the EDF duct. I think it came out great.

The 3900 k/v inrunner on this 2.58 (2.68?) EDF should suck down about 30 amps and produce somewhere around 21 to 24 ounces of thrust. I have plans to buy a slightly higher k/v outrunner (4000 or 4100 k/v or so) that should max my 3 cell 20C packs out at about 38 amps and produce a good bit more thrust, though the current setup is no slouch. I've also got a 2.5" EDF that produces more thrust than this one that that one might also go into. It has similar amp draw on the 3900 k/v motor but produces 2 or 3 ounces more of thrust.

The nose is detachable via magnets and, after I've destroyed this one, I plan to replace it with some soft sponge like foam that will bounce back. I've found on my Stryker builds that a magnet held nose designed to break away really helps prevent body damage by absorbing monentum and also by deflecting the body from a straight ground hit.

I was going to go with the standard carbon tube in the fuse but this one is pretty thin. As it is I'll just be able to squeeze the 2250ma 3 cell pack into the forward fuse, so I plan to cover the foam in the slender front portion with balsa. It'll go on the top and bottom. That way if I take a nose in landing it should snap cleanly for repair. If I sheeted the sides I'd expect the balsa to break width-wise and thus make things messy. The balsa will also go into the fat EDF portion of the fuse several inches to prevent breakage there. The wing already has two carbon rods in it and is stiff as a board.

The hardest part was figuring out where to put the fins for cosmetic reasons. A single or dual ones on top didn't look good. At the tips of the wings looks best but I've already got the wing tips to where they just touch the ground along with the belly for landings. I plan to strengthen the tips with something to prevent road rash. Either way, I decided mid-wing looked OK and would keep the v-stabs clear of the ground.

The EDF exhaust inside the fuse will be lined with clear notebook protective plastic or some other form of slick material. Covering inside with Ultra-coat would be too hard to do.

I'm planning a few test throws without electronics to determine a good COG location, which I'm figuring should be right around the leading edge of the wing tips. Fuse length is about 33". Wingspan is 3.5 feet. I think this may be one of my best builds yet...If it get's in the air. Just have to attach the disruptors (err...V-Stabs) permanently and throw the elevons back on. Test glide is tonight!