The Whale
 

I've been kicking this around for a couple years, and I finally just decided to do it. I built this with all leftover parts that I had around the shop without buying anything. My goal was to create a simple to build Q500 airplane, that utilizes an off the shelf ARF wing (VIPER), that would be competitive in 424 or club style Quickie Racing.

I am very much looking forward to this test flight, I expect it to be intereresting. My hope is to get it in the air, find out its bad habits, safely land it, and then mix them out with my radio. If any of you experts out there want to predict the effects of a full pull elevator turn on knife, or expected take off / landing issues, I'd be curious to hear your thoughts.

I had a great name picked out for this plane, but after taking the first picture below, I figured if it looked like a Whale, thats what I should call it.

If any of you question my sanity, so be it, it was fun and partially induced by cold wintery days like today mixed with a couple coldies.

RE: The Whale
 

A few more things about the plane.

TT .40 on the nose (9x6 prop)

Elevator Servo JR 3421
Rudder Servo Hitec 225
Aileron Servo JR Sport MN 48
Throttle Servo Hitec 85
Standard JR switch
600 mah NICD battery
Hitec 555 Battery
4 oz Tetra Tank

Servo hatch behind the wing on bottom (not sure why I did that).

Weight came out at 3 1bs 12.8 oz, so its a hair heavy, I could replace the heavy battery, but it helped get the balace to 2 3/4". Part of the weight issue was the additional reinforcing, and the heavier than usual Viper Wing.

The tail area is heavily reinforced to help minimize twisting.

The Horizontal Stab started with a center piece of 3/16" balsa with 1" wide Carbon Laminate .007 laminated on each side. Then top and bottom of the Horizontal stab got a layer of 3/4 oz glass and then capped both sides with a piece of 1/32" balsa and vacumm bagged. After this came out, it was sanded to shape and mounted.

The inside of the left side of the fuse is fiberglassed with 3/4"oz glass and has substantial additional Carbon Laminate supports up to the middle of the wing. Their is 1/4" tri stock in the corners of the fuse from the servos back, and the top and bottom of the fuse are supported with 1/8" cross grain balsa. There is an additional fuse former about half way back from the trailing edge to the tail. This not only helped with support, but it allowed the substantial bend in the balsa right fuse side.

The complete fuse was fiberglassed with 3/4 oz glass, primed, and painted with some rattle can Mettalic Charcoal from Dupli-Color. Not sure where that came from, but I used it. Hope its fuel proof.

RE: The Whale
 

I'm thinkin you had MORE than a COUPLE of coldies! Looks very interesting.

Good Luck!

RE: The Whale
 

A 424 that flys knife edge the hole race. Wow I got to hand it to Dave. That is pure genius.;)

RE: The Whale
 

ya' know ? , that one might just stay in the garbage can when your done with it ..

RE: The Whale
 

Dave,

I was wondering when the Blohm and Voss would make an appearance.

Due to the fuselage shape, I would expect it to pull hard left on launch. With the stab on that side it will want to roll into the turn when you pull it.

RE: The Whale
 

I was once told by an old Drag Racer,,, if its ugly, shakes and rattles and makes a lot of noise,,, its probably Fast :D

left dutch roll on take off, left snap to inverted coming out of 1 and a complete snap to the left out of 3 that will scatter the guys leaving you in the lead to take the checkers!


BV

RE: The Whale
 

Much less controversy than the Hauler II:D

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Theres no doubt this is legal, it just brings sanity into question in regards to the builder.

I made the rudder pretty good sized.

My biggest concern is a hard left roll when I make that first full elevator turn.. I was thinking about how I would test fly it, and it will be a gradual takeoff from idle to see how hard it pulls left on the ground to decide how much rudder I need for flight #2. Once airborne, instead of making a standard left turn I will get some altitude and make an immelman turn to see the effects of the elevator pull. The viper Ailerons are pretty small, but I set them up for max throw to try and control this thing after I know what its going to do. I still think there is also going to be some sort of yaw issue with elevator, but I think the roll will be worse.

I just hope to get a few flights in it to try and mix it out before the locals start digging through the trash can. First flight won't be much more than 1/2 throttle, unless its flyable.

All in good fun, now I gotta finish the rest of 2008's fleet.

RE: The Whale
 

I once lost half of my stab in a midair on an older quickie and it flew exactly the same! I finished the race (think I won it) and landed without problems. Maybe roll won't be as bad as you think. Will be an interesting first flight though.

RE: The Whale
 

I didn't think it would be legal,, being "Unconventional"

RE: The Whale
 

Dave
I think FREEWAY designed that one. I am going to call my daughter and have her check up on you LOL

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Just goes to show thiers not much to do in Minnesota this time of the year!!!! :D

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Dave,
When my calller saw your pictures she said : "He has not yet finished the building!"
It was 6.00 am.
Good luck for the first flight.
Claude.

RE: The Whale
 

Jerry,

Daughter agrees with you :)

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Looks like to much Knob Creek. You forgot part of the tail and looks a little crooked. Put the R-200 wing on, it will fly fine.:D

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I bet she will fly good. At one of our races Dub Jett lost one of his stabs on v-tail during a race and we didn,t know it untill they all landed after the race. I have video but am to lazy to put it on computer.;)

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I'll take the wing to make another Hauler My Blohm and Voss flew fine but was nasty to take off

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Its been a while since I've worked with Monokoat / Ultrakote.

Lets just say, I don't miss it :)

Plus this viper wings monokote was terrribly wrinkled. I stripped off the tips, which was a bear as much of the monokote stuck in little pieces. After I got that off, I had to repair the soft balsa trailing edge in a couple places. As soft as this balsa is, you would think it would be lighter.

You got first dibs on the wing Albert.

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That is messed up.. When I first saw it in person I didn't think it would fly but after Dave fed me a couple Wild Turkeys I was thinking about building one myself.. :D

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You know Dave, whales are sensitive intelligent creatures of incredible grace, strength and power. If they ever get Internet access, you’re going to be in deep trouble for this insult.

RE: The Whale
 

Yeah, and there also good for Soap, Margarine, Shoe Polish, Cat Food, and Dolphin Wax :)

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HP,
I saw that Star Trek movie. Ya gotta watch out for those things, Dave after sobering up you might want to name it Kansas or some other strange name that has no consequence.[8D]

RE: The Whale
 

Dave,

Did the Whale ever fly? If so, how did it go for you?

RE: The Whale
 

Roger,

It has not flown, we still have quite a bit of snow on the ground and it will be a few weeks before the field is dry enough to fly.

I'll give a full flight report, regardless if it survives or not :)