Well, my late winter-early Spring project is finished. I think with all of the redesigning, changes, decorating, water proofing the entire air frame, I probably spent over 50 hours on it. Yeah....lots of time, but I know when I hit the gas.....she will be solid. Not only that.....it is my relaxation therapy. When I am in my shop....no one bothers me....I am in my own little world. My improvements are: #1 Did away with the bell cranks on the ailerons and used one servo (HS 85 MG) per aileron. Fabricated servo hatches and covers. Used extra long fiberglass servo arms.
#2 I installed all the electronics in the turtle deck for a few reasons. Makes the body lighter, the weight of the battery is close to the wings so I will get a faster roll rate, I am putting floats on her so the water will not hurt the electronics if some should get in the fuselage. #3 Added a Perry pump to the 40 four stroke because I used a larger tank and mounted it down in the fuselage. The tank is 10 oz. the old one was 4 oz. I did not want a fuel delivery problem with the tank being so low. #4 I use carbon fiber rod instead of bamboo skewers for the rubber band dowels. Also added a carbon fiber rod thru the rudder for extra strength.

OK.......enough talking.....how about some photos?

Another photo.......

A ready to rock pilot!!!!!

She is very photogenic! Work the camera baby!!!!

Man that looks great! Looks lik you made lots of mods. I'm sure building a second or third has given you a lot of ideas for improvements. I still have'nt got my Speedy Bee 100 percent.
I'm not happy with the rear linkage. I think I want a pull-pull set-up for the rudder.
I really like the way you finished the cockpit!
Bet she fly's good!

Thanks Mars.......there are only a few of us that can really appreciate the fun of a Speedy Bee. I like being the only guy at my field who has one.....and everyone likes it but they say they want to stick with the ARFs and that it takes too much time to build a kit. Too me building is fun!

You are having problem with the rudder? In the air, is it mooshy? Before you fly, with the wing off the fuselage, try holding tension on the rudder and with the radio, move it left and right while looking into the fuselage at the control wires. There may be deflection with the the control wire. They need to be anchored down and anchored down well! Sometimes glue does not hold. I have wrapped thread around the wire housing and structural parts of the fuselage to cut down on the deflection in my other Bee. I learn my lesson after my old Bee would not respond to the radio when it would not come out of a dive. That is why I put my servos in the rear with short rods instead of those long wires and plastic tubes.

Dave

I've been flying my Speedy Bee for 5 years. I built the floats and fly it off snow. Mine is powered with an OS .26 Surpass. I used mini servos all around to keep it light. I love to fly it slow and in close. My only gripe is I don't like the rubber-banded wing mounting. I prefer bolts, but couldn't figure out how to make the bolt-on wing and still keep it light. Imsofaman, your covering scheme looks great! How does it fly with the .40 Surpass? How'd you offset the additional engine weight?

GBee......Seems that I was a little too agressive with this project. :stupid: I flew it today and it seems to be way past it's flight envelope. Just too heavy and so it was unstable in the air. Not only that, The 40 four stroke was being a real pain in the ass. Later I figured out that the prop was loose and that is why the engine was breaking up on me. So.......I reinstalled the LA 25 which is what I had in the first one. Now it very light! Can't beleive the difference!

To answer your question about the offset weight.....a combo of the battery in the turtle deck and the servos in the rear. Now.... I will have to do some very creative balancing to compensate for the light motor. I will use an extension wire and will put the battery way up in the nose, I may even use a five cell pack if I need more weight.

Believe me, the 40FS was too much weight and also, I had that large 10 oz. tank in her also. Oh well, I will try her out sometime this week and will post my results.


Dave

Cute little bugger!

Thanks Mike.........Hope I can keep this one around for a while. I hate spending all that time on a project and in your mind it is going to be the greatest thing since sliced bread and it turns out WAY below your expectations. It was disapointing but she is ready to rock now. Just need some time to try her out.



Dave

I hate to write this reply to my newest project but with a heavy heart I must. My second Bee was so cool, so many improvements, balanced just right, I knew it was too good to be true.

I was flying our field pattern....counter clockwise like most fields, and a new guy to our club who was already up in the air with is new trainer decided to pass me.... not to the side..... but above me ....very close.....and when he got too close for comfort.....he lost his orientation and dove right into me. His prop ripped into my turtle deck. I could not beleive it! It was raining Monocoat and blasa wood! I was pissed! Two months of building and I was left with a pile of tooth picks. His plane was destroyed also. I had to be diplomatic about it since he is new and it is very easy to get discouraged in the beginning. We shook hands and made everything OK between us. I was the one with the experience up there.....I guess I should have been on the defensiive. She was so bad........I could not even take a photo.

Now I think..."If I would have only turned away when he got close, if I would had just stayed home, I would have my new plane hanging up in my basement." But guess what......I have to be out there flying....sitting in the pitts with my planes as if I were in a car show is not why I go to the flying feild......I go there to fly. Speedy Bee.....R.I.P.!

Dave

Man what a bummer!! I feel bad for ya. Are you going to start anothor Bee? I mean it wasn't the planes fault! Things come in three sometimes.

Is the gear ok?
Maybe do a 60" scale bee!
I'd like a Lazy Special on floats for winter. Ever have floats on any of your Bee's? We have snow like 7 months of the year and am curious about Clancy's floats.

When I wrote my last note, I was very down. But now I am feeling better and just about finished with a Stinger 60 ARF. Things are looking much brighter now!

I went ahead and ordered a Lazy Bee ARF. The floats I was going to put on the Speedy Bee, I will use them on the Lazy Bee. I have not built the floats yet, the box is still unopened. Can't decide on electric or glow power. I think I am leaning toward the electric. Hobby People suggest a super cobalt direct drive. I disagree. I am thinking about a reversed rotation monster truck motor and a Master Airscrew 5 to 1 gear box and a 10X7.5 prop so I can used all of the sub C packs I have laying around. What do you think?

I am very interested in the New Bee by Adrian Page. Looks like a winner. Much easier to build than the Speedy Bee. I do not want to spend any more time than I have to building. They say it is an awesome design and it is great in the air. One guy says it does not roll as fast as the Speedy Bee. I will not know for sure until it is in the air. I may buy it soon. Just feel like I am pissing a lot of money away trying to get some closier on two downed planes. I hate analyzing myself! Somebody has to I guess.

At this time, the only thing I have that is air worthy is my Electrajet and my profile Mustang from Hobby Lobby. At least I can fly something!

Dave