OMP 52" Fusion build and flight review
01-27-2006, 11:48 PM
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OMP 52" Fusion build and flight review
Here is a review of my experience building and flying the new OMP 52" Fusion Kit.
I hope some of you might find this information helpful.
Jeffro
Ohio Model Planes 52” Fusion Build and Flight Review – by Jeff Obermeyer
I’ve been flying RC model aircraft for many years and have enjoyed various aspects of what the hobby has to offer. The last few years in particular have brought about the tremendously popular 3D aerobatic models, and within that community there are those with a passion for the amazingly nimble profile fun fly designs. I began flying profile designs since 1996 and have always enjoyed their niche characteristics, but was somewhat disappointed in the lack of their “precision” capabilities, largely due to the wing’s traditionally thick airfoil. I’d always hoped to find a model that might blend precision with all out 3D in one profile design but never found the right combination.
That was until I attended the 2005 Toledo Weak Signals Expo and visited the Ohio Model Planes booth. There I saw two new profile aircraft with a semi-symmetrical, tapered wing and a longer fuselage…a profile pattern plane! The two aircraft were the prototype designs of what are today the OMP 52” and 67” span Fusions. I spoke at length with Mike Pilkenton, OMP’s chief designer and expressed an interest in building the smaller of the two new models. The early prototype was still in the R&D phase but Mike agreed to set me up with a pre-release version before final design elements were completed and kit production began. I received a set of draft plans and laser cut parts along with access to photos of the second prototype build process to guide me along. The manual was not yet completed but the build process is very similar to its larger counterpart. The main difference other than size is the fuselage construction. The 52” Fusion employs a built up balsa and sheeted frame whereas the 67” kit utilizes a sheeted foam core.
Building the Fusion
Rather than walk through every step of the build process I’ll highlight a few points of interest here. The complete illustrated and very detailed manual for this aircraft is available on OMP’s web site and at the direct link below.
http://dioncini.com/52Fusion/
A unique feature of this design is the twin carbon beam that spans the upper and lower fuselage. Two 36” X ½” carbon fiber strips are laminated between ½”X 1/8” X 36” balsa strips to form the backbone of the built up fuselage structure. All of the wood parts are top quality laser cut balsa and light ply. The fuselage skins employ dove tailed joints for tremendous strength and perfect parts fit. Everything is built directly over the plans and is very straightforward. After completing the built up structure the skins are applied. There is a wood stringer that runs the middle of the fuselage. After the sheeting is applied you simply cut the protruding lower stringer out of the wing center section and you now have the open channel necessary to route the servo wires inside the fuse!
My only suggestion at this point of the fuselage build is to consider adding a balsa filler block to the open area just under the peak of the canopy curve. The C.G for this model will be very near the wing tube location and when picking up the airplane with one hand there is no solid place to grasp it in this area. It’s always more comfortable to carry a model in a balanced position and I have to be very careful not to grab in the wrong spot. A filler block here would make handling the completed model a lot easier and add minimal weight if light balsa is used.
The wing is once again very straightforward and a very quick build! The unique part of the build here is that there are two sub spars, which make up the trailing edge of the wing and the leading edge of the ailerons. They are built as one unit and after the sheeting is applied you simply use a razor saw to cut between the sub spars to reveal the air-foiled ailerons. Sand the leading edge of the aileron flat; add the cap strip and you have a very lightweight and effective aileron!
You have a choice of where to place the hatch on the wing. Aesthetically, the bottom would be better but for practical purposes I chose to put mine on top. Because this is a two piece wing and hatch removal would be necessary for assembly I also opted to use a spring loaded hatch latch from Hobby Lobby instead of having to remove and install screws each time I assembled the model. I also chose to put a ¼-20 blind nut in the right wing half and secure the wings by threading a ¼-20 nylon bolt below the hatch on the left upper wing. So far this setup has proved to work out very well. Set up and disassembly is quick and easy!
The tail section is a traditionally built up unit. Again there are well engineered and expertly cut parts utilized for a quick, strong assembly. The instructions guide you through the final empennage installation to the fuselage as well as the final fit of the wings.
Radio and engine installation is simple and quick. I placed my battery in the leading edge bay of the left wing and used a Y-harness setup for the left aileron and switch connections as described in the manual. This is a neat trick because there is one less connection you need to deal with each time you assemble and disassemble the model. I placed my receiver in the open fuselage space padded by foam and secured with clear plastic tape to keep it firmly in place. I opted to assemble everything before covering the model. I chose a 5 ½” C.G. location and hung the airplane upside down from an eye hook placed into the bottom of the fuselage. I moved the engine to get everything where I wanted and marked the locations for the mounting bolts. This is also nice because lateral balance was easily achieved by gluing just 0.2oz of lead weight into the tip rib of the lighter wing. I then chose to cover the model with Top Flite Monokote in Metallic Red and Blue over White. As a proud member of the Profile Brotherhood I placed the Pro Bro letters to the bottom of the wing in a contrasting metallic green.
My final setup for the Fusion was a s follows:
Thunder Tiger Pro .46 with MACS pipe and 11.5 x 4 APC prop
Hitec 325 servos on all control surfaces, HS 81MG on throttle
JR R600 receiver, standard switch harness.
A.U.W. 4lbs 6oz.
Flying the Fusion
Let the fun begin! My dreams of a do-it-all airplane have arrived! I began the maiden flight by taking it easy and trimming things out. Inverted flight required only gentle down elevator input for level flight. Axial rolls are very crisp and quick even at small surface deflections. Knife-edge flight is OUTSTANDING! The flat fuselage and long tail moment really keep this model tracking straight through all precision maneuvers. A gentle rolling circle is one of my favorite things to do and the Fusion does it with ease! Snaps rolls are spectacular, and no bad tip stall tendencies were noted when slowing the airplane up in a high alpha attitude.
After getting a feel for the Fusion’s gentle characteristics it was time to jump up the rates and wring it out. High alpha knife-edge was very stable and altitude was easily controlled with throttle input. Upright and inverted harriers are great with only minimal wing rocking noted. This airplane hovers very stable and a little left aileron input will get it torque rolling faster. At this point I really cannot find any flight characteristics that are under par. The Fusion has at this point satisfied my need for a hybrid design that truly does it all! I’m currently experimenting with some flaperon and spoileron mixes to enhance various 3D maneuvers and so far I’m very pleased with this model’s versatility!
I picked a bad January day to get some video footage of my model and the gusting winds prevented me from capturing any good examples of the Fusion’s capabilities. However, the link below is for a video of Mike Pilkenton flying his Fusion and giving a great demonstration of what this design is all about.
http://www.putfile.com/dcarpen117
Summary
I was very impressed with this kit’s quality and ease of construction. I built this without a manual to guide me and it was still incredibly easy. The two-piece wing design on a .46 size aircraft is a HUGE plus too! One of the pitfalls of many profile airplanes is the amount of room they take up during transport and storage. This design certainly fixed that problem easily! Flight characteristics are outstanding whether practicing your IMAC sequences or doing a rolling harrier on the deck!
If you are looking for a model that blends the smooth precision of an F3A pattern aircraft with the wild side of a profile fun fly design then the OMP Fusion is definitely a model you want to fly! - JO
I hope some of you might find this information helpful.
Jeffro
Ohio Model Planes 52” Fusion Build and Flight Review – by Jeff Obermeyer
I’ve been flying RC model aircraft for many years and have enjoyed various aspects of what the hobby has to offer. The last few years in particular have brought about the tremendously popular 3D aerobatic models, and within that community there are those with a passion for the amazingly nimble profile fun fly designs. I began flying profile designs since 1996 and have always enjoyed their niche characteristics, but was somewhat disappointed in the lack of their “precision” capabilities, largely due to the wing’s traditionally thick airfoil. I’d always hoped to find a model that might blend precision with all out 3D in one profile design but never found the right combination.
That was until I attended the 2005 Toledo Weak Signals Expo and visited the Ohio Model Planes booth. There I saw two new profile aircraft with a semi-symmetrical, tapered wing and a longer fuselage…a profile pattern plane! The two aircraft were the prototype designs of what are today the OMP 52” and 67” span Fusions. I spoke at length with Mike Pilkenton, OMP’s chief designer and expressed an interest in building the smaller of the two new models. The early prototype was still in the R&D phase but Mike agreed to set me up with a pre-release version before final design elements were completed and kit production began. I received a set of draft plans and laser cut parts along with access to photos of the second prototype build process to guide me along. The manual was not yet completed but the build process is very similar to its larger counterpart. The main difference other than size is the fuselage construction. The 52” Fusion employs a built up balsa and sheeted frame whereas the 67” kit utilizes a sheeted foam core.
Building the Fusion
Rather than walk through every step of the build process I’ll highlight a few points of interest here. The complete illustrated and very detailed manual for this aircraft is available on OMP’s web site and at the direct link below.
http://dioncini.com/52Fusion/
A unique feature of this design is the twin carbon beam that spans the upper and lower fuselage. Two 36” X ½” carbon fiber strips are laminated between ½”X 1/8” X 36” balsa strips to form the backbone of the built up fuselage structure. All of the wood parts are top quality laser cut balsa and light ply. The fuselage skins employ dove tailed joints for tremendous strength and perfect parts fit. Everything is built directly over the plans and is very straightforward. After completing the built up structure the skins are applied. There is a wood stringer that runs the middle of the fuselage. After the sheeting is applied you simply cut the protruding lower stringer out of the wing center section and you now have the open channel necessary to route the servo wires inside the fuse!
My only suggestion at this point of the fuselage build is to consider adding a balsa filler block to the open area just under the peak of the canopy curve. The C.G for this model will be very near the wing tube location and when picking up the airplane with one hand there is no solid place to grasp it in this area. It’s always more comfortable to carry a model in a balanced position and I have to be very careful not to grab in the wrong spot. A filler block here would make handling the completed model a lot easier and add minimal weight if light balsa is used.
The wing is once again very straightforward and a very quick build! The unique part of the build here is that there are two sub spars, which make up the trailing edge of the wing and the leading edge of the ailerons. They are built as one unit and after the sheeting is applied you simply use a razor saw to cut between the sub spars to reveal the air-foiled ailerons. Sand the leading edge of the aileron flat; add the cap strip and you have a very lightweight and effective aileron!
You have a choice of where to place the hatch on the wing. Aesthetically, the bottom would be better but for practical purposes I chose to put mine on top. Because this is a two piece wing and hatch removal would be necessary for assembly I also opted to use a spring loaded hatch latch from Hobby Lobby instead of having to remove and install screws each time I assembled the model. I also chose to put a ¼-20 blind nut in the right wing half and secure the wings by threading a ¼-20 nylon bolt below the hatch on the left upper wing. So far this setup has proved to work out very well. Set up and disassembly is quick and easy!
The tail section is a traditionally built up unit. Again there are well engineered and expertly cut parts utilized for a quick, strong assembly. The instructions guide you through the final empennage installation to the fuselage as well as the final fit of the wings.
Radio and engine installation is simple and quick. I placed my battery in the leading edge bay of the left wing and used a Y-harness setup for the left aileron and switch connections as described in the manual. This is a neat trick because there is one less connection you need to deal with each time you assemble and disassemble the model. I placed my receiver in the open fuselage space padded by foam and secured with clear plastic tape to keep it firmly in place. I opted to assemble everything before covering the model. I chose a 5 ½” C.G. location and hung the airplane upside down from an eye hook placed into the bottom of the fuselage. I moved the engine to get everything where I wanted and marked the locations for the mounting bolts. This is also nice because lateral balance was easily achieved by gluing just 0.2oz of lead weight into the tip rib of the lighter wing. I then chose to cover the model with Top Flite Monokote in Metallic Red and Blue over White. As a proud member of the Profile Brotherhood I placed the Pro Bro letters to the bottom of the wing in a contrasting metallic green.
My final setup for the Fusion was a s follows:
Thunder Tiger Pro .46 with MACS pipe and 11.5 x 4 APC prop
Hitec 325 servos on all control surfaces, HS 81MG on throttle
JR R600 receiver, standard switch harness.
A.U.W. 4lbs 6oz.
Flying the Fusion
Let the fun begin! My dreams of a do-it-all airplane have arrived! I began the maiden flight by taking it easy and trimming things out. Inverted flight required only gentle down elevator input for level flight. Axial rolls are very crisp and quick even at small surface deflections. Knife-edge flight is OUTSTANDING! The flat fuselage and long tail moment really keep this model tracking straight through all precision maneuvers. A gentle rolling circle is one of my favorite things to do and the Fusion does it with ease! Snaps rolls are spectacular, and no bad tip stall tendencies were noted when slowing the airplane up in a high alpha attitude.
After getting a feel for the Fusion’s gentle characteristics it was time to jump up the rates and wring it out. High alpha knife-edge was very stable and altitude was easily controlled with throttle input. Upright and inverted harriers are great with only minimal wing rocking noted. This airplane hovers very stable and a little left aileron input will get it torque rolling faster. At this point I really cannot find any flight characteristics that are under par. The Fusion has at this point satisfied my need for a hybrid design that truly does it all! I’m currently experimenting with some flaperon and spoileron mixes to enhance various 3D maneuvers and so far I’m very pleased with this model’s versatility!
I picked a bad January day to get some video footage of my model and the gusting winds prevented me from capturing any good examples of the Fusion’s capabilities. However, the link below is for a video of Mike Pilkenton flying his Fusion and giving a great demonstration of what this design is all about.
http://www.putfile.com/dcarpen117
Summary
I was very impressed with this kit’s quality and ease of construction. I built this without a manual to guide me and it was still incredibly easy. The two-piece wing design on a .46 size aircraft is a HUGE plus too! One of the pitfalls of many profile airplanes is the amount of room they take up during transport and storage. This design certainly fixed that problem easily! Flight characteristics are outstanding whether practicing your IMAC sequences or doing a rolling harrier on the deck!
If you are looking for a model that blends the smooth precision of an F3A pattern aircraft with the wild side of a profile fun fly design then the OMP Fusion is definitely a model you want to fly! - JO
01-29-2006, 12:50 AM
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RE: OMP 52" Fusion build and flight review
Jeff
One of these day's when I can pry the transmitter from your hands I will have to take that thing for a spin and see if it fly's like the big one..
Dale
One of these day's when I can pry the transmitter from your hands I will have to take that thing for a spin and see if it fly's like the big one..
Dale
01-29-2006, 07:08 PM
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RE: OMP 52" Fusion build and flight review
That is awesome, I'm gonna have to steal that scheme for mine, he he.
I have a question about the tail. I was thinking of adding tail wires to mine, very light, using pull - pull cable. Is there a need? How's the structure hold up? I'd appreciate your thoughts.
Great job on the fusion.
I have a question about the tail. I was thinking of adding tail wires to mine, very light, using pull - pull cable. Is there a need? How's the structure hold up? I'd appreciate your thoughts.
Great job on the fusion.
01-29-2006, 10:27 PM
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RE: OMP 52" Fusion build and flight review
I have the 90 size one and the tail is very stiff. The way all of the pieces interlock seems to create a very rigid structure. They don't twist nearly as much as other stick-built surfaces I've built in the past.
But, if you feel the need, strength never hurts!
But, if you feel the need, strength never hurts!
01-30-2006, 07:40 AM
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RE: OMP 52" Fusion build and flight review
Actually tail wires or braces will add stiffness to the whole tail feathers and thus add to precision authority. That's just my opinion. On a friends 67" Fusion he built, we added small diameter carbon fiber rod from the bottom of the fuse to the leading edge corner of the stab. Kinda the same thing a lot of folks do on foamies these days. Not a bad touch and the tail is super strong.
Hey Jeff, that scheme does look a whole lot better with the stars and graphics. I think the first time I saw it it did not have the complete scheme. Saturday was awesome weather and I finally got John Drake outside to fly. We flew four Fusions for several hours and nothing else.
Hey Jeff, that scheme does look a whole lot better with the stars and graphics. I think the first time I saw it it did not have the complete scheme. Saturday was awesome weather and I finally got John Drake outside to fly. We flew four Fusions for several hours and nothing else.
01-30-2006, 10:02 PM
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RE: OMP 52" Fusion build and flight review
ORIGINAL: SigFan
That is awesome, I'm gonna have to steal that scheme for mine, he he.
I have a question about the tail. I was thinking of adding tail wires to mine, very light, using pull - pull cable. Is there a need? How's the structure hold up? I'd appreciate your thoughts.
Great job on the fusion.
That is awesome, I'm gonna have to steal that scheme for mine, he he.
I have a question about the tail. I was thinking of adding tail wires to mine, very light, using pull - pull cable. Is there a need? How's the structure hold up? I'd appreciate your thoughts.
Great job on the fusion.
Trust me, you'll LOVE this airplane!
01-30-2006, 10:08 PM
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RE: OMP 52" Fusion build and flight review
ORIGINAL: AFSalmon
Actually tail wires or braces will add stiffness to the whole tail feathers and thus add to precision authority. That's just my opinion. On a friends 67" Fusion he built, we added small diameter carbon fiber rod from the bottom of the fuse to the leading edge corner of the stab. Kinda the same thing a lot of folks do on foamies these days. Not a bad touch and the tail is super strong.
Hey Jeff, that scheme does look a whole lot better with the stars and graphics. I think the first time I saw it it did not have the complete scheme. Saturday was awesome weather and I finally got John Drake outside to fly. We flew four Fusions for several hours and nothing else.
Actually tail wires or braces will add stiffness to the whole tail feathers and thus add to precision authority. That's just my opinion. On a friends 67" Fusion he built, we added small diameter carbon fiber rod from the bottom of the fuse to the leading edge corner of the stab. Kinda the same thing a lot of folks do on foamies these days. Not a bad touch and the tail is super strong.
Hey Jeff, that scheme does look a whole lot better with the stars and graphics. I think the first time I saw it it did not have the complete scheme. Saturday was awesome weather and I finally got John Drake outside to fly. We flew four Fusions for several hours and nothing else.
Hey Mike, glad you like the added graphics! Saturday WAS great! I managed to get out for a couple of hours. We had a steady crosswind at our back at about 10MPH. I COULD NOT PUT THE 65" YAK DOWN!!!!!This is the most freaking AWESOME windy day machine there is! Next time you see Nick ask him about the hovering KE and "Death Slide Elevators" we were doing right down to the deck! The 91FX is purrin' now and I can't wait to take it out again! Oh BTW, The Fusion is getting SERIOUSLY wrung out now. No more new plane jitters for this baby!
Thanks again,
Jeff
