rmazuera

I just got tired of waiting for the ARF. Went to Don's web page and ordered the plans. Got them a couple of days ago and started building.

rmazuera

The fuselage is almost done.

Mode One

Wow, looks like it's a quick build! I bought the plans and a wing core from Don, down at Ida Grove in the early 1990s. he was apart of the show team down there and WOWed the crowd with some impressive flying. Some projects just seem to push off building my Flying Machine, every year! However, I need to build it, before my reactions get to slowed down by age!

Condor060

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Dave McDonald

My Feedback: (19)

Me too!!!!!

rmazuera, could you make a Flying Machine ARF for me too?

rod5011

no what you mean guys i am too tired of waiting i bought a progressive aviation flying machine kit off of eBay 2 years ago im thinking of busting it out and just build it

rmazuera

I'm done with the sanding of the wing. Not enough time today to work on the fuselage.
I'm not sure if I should install a YS-45 or a OS-50SX. The YS would have the tank as close as possible to the CG. The OS would have the tank in the front.
Another change I'm thinking on is built-up stab/rudder. It would save some weight in the back and would make it stiffer (so they say!)
I would like your thoughts.

Muddiman

rmazuera

Go with a OS MAX .55, it has the same foot print as the .40 does and provides awesome power and speed. Build it like the plans and the instructions outline or your asking for problems. Place the tank fully in the nose , battery behind the tank and servos against the back bulkhead three a breast. I am running the OS MAX .55 with a MAC tuned pipe, turning a Zinger 9x8 wood prop. Engine RPM is 15,800 static. If you want speed and performance this is the best setup I have ever had since I designed the aircraft in 1983.
Check out the mod page for the first proto-type ARF to get an idea of the servo position mounting. Do not use the EZ-Connectors seen in the images running the .55 engine setup, use clevises at each end of the pushrods and no Z-bends in the linkage rods. I have never had control surface flutter but with the increase in speed using this engine setup I have found it can happen on the elevator surface. Cut the bevel of the elevator hinge point < 25 degrees top and bottom to keep the gap as small as possible.

http://www.eagle-i.us/fm_arf/

Later,
Don

rmazuera

Don

Is it a good idea to do the lightening holes on the fuselage? Is the ARF plywood or balsa wood sides?

Muddiman

The ARF is 1mm plywood sides and bottom. If you look at the mod web page you can see I have ask them to remove the lighting holes under the wing cavity area. This will provide added stiffeness that I found was needed. The lighting holes behind the aft bulkhead has not been a problem in the ARF proto-type, but remember this is plywood not balsa. I was very impressed with the ARF quality and build other than the need mods required for the Flying Machine because of it's violent aerobatic flight characteristics. The proto-type ARF flies and performs it should and came out weighting about one ounce lighter than my standard builds, most of the weight saving is from the built up wing. I just lost the first proto-type a month ago after a year of flying from a radio brown out failure. I have since then built a new fuselage using the ARF wing. Getting the ARF into production in China has been a struggle beyound East R/C's control. From an earth quake, a cyclone and the original ARF company going out of business its a wonder we even received the first proto-type. Hopefully this will come to be soon as I am just as anxious to get one as the rest of us.

Later,

Don

www.eagle-i.us/fm

Dave McDonald

My Feedback: (19)

Don, is the FM ARF project still going? Or is the ARF a dead issue?

EDIT: Don, it looks like you were already in the process of posting the answers to my questions even before I posted them.

I still want a Flying Machine ARF. In fact, there is a thread on the ProBro site and has generated lots of interest there too.

Muddiman

The Flying Machine ARF project is still in the works. East R/C has selected and new manufacture for the kitting the ARF.

rmazuera

I'm glad the ARF project is till going ahead.
In the mean time, let's keep building.
I have done some work today. There is some stuff drying so I have time to post some pictures of today's work.

Bolio

Flying Machine designed by Don Muddiman.
This was designed around 1983, a friend of mine bought the kit in 1998 and stashed away all this years. He bought it at the Top Gun show where Mr. Muddiman was part of the noontime demo with the plane.
When I saw it he was so amazed that I know about the plane that gave it to me for free.
Is really old school building with foam core wings and balsa blocks fuse, sand till looks like the plan!!!
Here are the pics:

Hope to have it flying soon.
Thanks for such good design, Mr Muddiman.

Saludos.

rmazuera

Bolio:
Did you reinforce the front of the wing with arrow shaft? I can't keep working today because I don't have anything to stick in the holes to reinforce the screws.
Attached you can see the wing before I drilled the holes.

Bolio

Yep, the front holes have the carbonfiber arrow shaft reinforcement as per plan, but my wing is foam sheeted and yours is buildup.
In your wing I believe it will be a lot better to put some end grain balsa reinforcing the holes.
So far has been a cool build and hope to have it flying soon.
I will be testing the vertical full power snaps for sure!!!!![>:]

Stripes

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I too was inspired by this thread and dragged out some plans I had bought from Don in the eighties. The wing is foam and it is powered by an OS FX 46 with a Tower muffler.

Yes, the blue is a visibility problem in the sky. I have to keep it close in.

rmazuera

Went looking for the carbon arrow shafts. Sports Authority didn't have them, Bass Pro Shop sold only a box of 12. Thank god I asked the guy in the fire arms counter. He had cut some arrows for a customer and had some small pieces he gave me for free. I'm back in business. Did some work.

rmazuera

I was able to work on it for a while today. Rudder and elevator servos installed and connected.

rmazuera

Started covering the wing. Finished with the bottom of the wing.

rmazuera

Flying Machine is ready. I am in the process of balancing it and have a problem. There is nothing in the front other than the engine and it is still nose heavy. Not by a lot, but...
I was wondering if any of you find any difference while flying the plane when the tank is full than when it is almost empty. In other words, is the plane very sensitive to the balancing?

Rodrigo

Muddiman

Hi Rodrigo,

Balance is not that critical on the Flying Machine. Balance the aircraft CG in reference to the
plans, slightly nose heavy emty is ok. If you installed the radio and battery per the attached image your balance will be correct.
http://eagle-i.us/FM_Images/

Best Regards,

Don

rmazuera

Thanks Don.

I thought I was going to maiden it this weekend but weather was too cold. Hopefully next weekend gets better. This is my FLYING MACHINE!

airbusdrvr

I hope your ARF maker is different from the one SIG uses for their Four Star 120. I bought one of those recently and the glue, or lack thereof, was horrible. First of all, what glue there was was like wax. Secondly, only about 1/3 of the joints had any glue. Thirdly, the joints that did have glue could just be pulled apart without breaking the blasa/ply joint.

daven

My Feedback: (1)

Every time I see a thread about this plane, I know I gotta get one. Wish I had bought that one I saw sitting on the shelf in Milwaukee, probably long gone my now.