interceptor
 

het mav,

I just bought a digital cam this week & I just tried to snap a few pics for ya to see the interceptor.However it keeps saying that the file/pic is too big to post here..I read the cam manual & it says nothing about downsizing the pic and I would imagine theres a way I could make it smaller on my computer but i know hardly nothing about computers..So maybe someone here could help me figure this out here - thanks

steve

Re: interceptor
 

You need to resize the pic with a piece of software on your PC. I would assume the camera came with software and that should be able to do it, but if it doesn't then you need something like Photoshop etc. to resize the files.

You better get it figured out as we are all waiting on pics of the whole build! :D

Starfire or Interceptor
 

Ben the only way that thing could go as fast as a Viper is ,,,, well you know where!

Tim

Speed the big debate...
 

This past year at Michigan jets. Jeff Hol???? Had a radar gun. He clocked my Aggressor 3 with full doors and BVM .91 and Viojet. Guess how fast..... A wopping 136 MPH!!! He said he shot it on a straight and level pass. (absolutly no dive entry) I did't even know he was doing this.

Seems like everyone thinks their planes go 200 mph. Is that a magic number? Your not a real jet pilot until your plane has made the 200 mph club? Thats funny. Just for old time sake there should be a speed contest at every event for DF flyers. (High speed and low speed) I bet Mr. Jackson would win the low speed! I it could be fun! Would it be legal????? Bring back DF!!!

Anyway....

I had an interceptor 3 years ago, it was not even close in speed to my Aggressor 3.
The interceptor was not a bad flying plane I never had to do any major fixing to it. But if I never flew another one I wouldn't care!

I personally would never again buy a sport jet that has an underchambered airfoil. Underchambered airfoils create moments about the pitch axis that cause pith change with speed. Sure you can design a tail that compensates for this but....it's not that easy.

I would recomend the star fire over the interceptor. But right now my favorite DF Sport jet has to be the Maverick pro. A lot more money yes. But a year from now you won't care. If you were to crash either a cheap plane or an expensive plane you would still feel sick!

Good luck!
Dustin

reply
 

Hey dustin

you say you were clocked at 136??? well ummm i think the dude better his gun checked cause that jet will go alot faster than that esp with tight doors,unless the jet is extremely heavy...we have had this speed discussion a zillion times on here as terry will chime in , darrell & steve from TGA would access the claim & a ton of other interceptor owners all over the globe...interceptors are in the 150-180 range in level flight all day long( all depending on power /weight/cleaness of course) ..Now im not a bvm fan(no offense) but a aggressor 3 will blast by faster than 136 with full doors,its a given unless its a heavy jet or a unreliable power plant/substancial draggy fuse...2 interceptors were clocked this year at a recent event on 2 back to back runs .One with a os77 -full doors,and another with a os91-full doors.The 77 version did 157 level and 178 in a dive & the os91 interceptor did 182 level and 212 in a dive....terrys was clocked at 187 level as he will acknowledge. this 2 jets i speak of were witnessed at this event by steve & darrell themselves...now my only point here is that while i agree everyone seems to throw out the magic 200mph # everytime ,these jets are what they are ,these are confirmed speed runs at sanctioned events.A interceptor was also clocked at florida jets this year at 178 level with a well calibrated radar ...these speeds are documented numerous times ...I am gonna have my cop buddy run out to field one day as he said he will gladly do,my soon to be complete interceptor will be clocked and i'm sure it'll get the same speed range results...starfires have been confirmed a gazillion times too in the 150-180 level range...it stands to reason that most aggressors ,mavericks ,vipers are gonna be in this range allday long as well, being that bvm makes a sweet ass motor which is a mean piece of machinery and he has a well egineered awesome fan too.I personally would rather have a 135-150 jet anyday over a 160-180 jet that was a squirrelly thang and was unstable,but the really fast ones built good seem to have the best of both worlds so its all good. Ohhh mav i'll work on those pics man :o) I know you want a interceptor badly too LOL...mine was the best present i gave myself all year ,well hmmm next to the AD Rafale mom just bought me for xmas(thanks mom for the early present)Happy flying and merry xmas everyone!! keep it a safe one!!! :D

Steve
___________________________________________
"THE FENTRESS JET GANG"-Va Beach

Got it!
 

I picked up an Interceptor today at Top Gun. I just got done getting it out of the box. Looks pretty good! All the formers are installed. You have to cut the flapps and ailerons out of each wing. Still a lot of work to do, but most of the pain in the A@@ stuff is done. I will update my web page as I build it if anyone is interested.
Thanks for everyones input,
Craig
Craig's Page

Re: Got it!
 

Yes please! FYI the WWW link in your profile doesn't work and in fact is different to the link you just posted.

Re: Re: Got it!
 

Fixed. That was my old link.

Starfire lover
 

Steve
I have flown with Dustin he is a heck of young pilot and beleive me his planes are much faster than 136mph. I agree that gun must have been a little off. I also agreee everyone thinks their doing 200 mph all the time. Dustin's just another BVM elitist(just kidding) couldn't resist.
Scott

Thanks I guess???
 

Hey Scott, I resemble that! Just kidding, I just enjoy flying!!!!! I burned about 4 cases of fuel this summer (I don't have a local runway) ... 1 whole case at Michigan Jets. 21 flights, 20 were on bvm stuff. No elitist i don't think. My oldest flying plane is my first DF, a Byron F-16. Im still in the stone-age of DF how could I be an elitist???

Craig
Good luck with the new Interceptor! Keep it light, and have fun. I may have the spring air retracts and Glennis w/b's from mine. If you are interested let me know. They are almost brand new <20 flights. Never smashed, the current owner of my old Interceptor didn't need them.

Dustin

Starfire or Interceptor
 

Dustin,
Thanks anyways. My friend has the wheels and brakes from his crashed Maverick and I allready have the retracts.
Thanks,
Craig

Starfire
 

Dustin
I don't feel sorry for you. Having a few ducted fans and going to college. Back when I was in college I had to max out my credit cards just to get an Eagle II. Well back to sanding on the Bobcat. You elitist. LOL
Scott

Starfire or Interceptor
 

Steve,(Blueskies21)
Did yours have the servo pockets in the wings cut-out?
Thanks,
Craig

Starfire or Interceptor
 

Mine came with out the servo pockets routed out.

They leave them to the builder so they can make'em fit whatever servos they are gonna use. :D

Starfire or Interceptor
 

Dustin,
The both YA Starfire and the JMP Starfire IIC have an undercamber airfoil.

Starfire or Interceptor
 

Dustin, et al,

I don't know about other sport jets, but I can tell you that the Y/A Starfire doesn't have pitch-change issues related to speed at all. None--not even with a lot of turbine thrust behind it. What it does do, however, is glide very, very well. :-)

Sorry if I offended anyone...
 

Sorry guys. I don't want to bash any plane or try to push to sell another. Im just sharing my limited experiences. I know the starfire has a great history. I never have had the chace to fly one. I had an Interceptor, I have since found planes that fit my flying style better. When my Interceptor was new, I thought it was the greatest thing in the world, and it was. My dad and I learned a lot with that plane! I almost had a Starfire (twice). I do know from working with highly underchambered wings, that they cause moments about the pitch axis. This moment gets worse the faster you fly. The starfire probably has a stabilizor that counters this moment as speed increases. (Better than the interceptor) Im not the only one who noticed the pitch change. So please don't accuse me of bashing here. Neither the Interceptor or Starfire have severly underchambered wings, so the moment induced is not that great. It may not be a factor. In either case both are great entry level performance jets! Any jet is better than no jet!

Here is a topic I would like to discuss: (If you guys want to)
How does the distance from the flaps to the C/G Or maybe CP affect the way a plane flies (Lands)? I wonder if wide chord wings cause the nose to be pushed down when the flaps are deployed. I always thought that a plane should balloon upward, when the flaps go down. Basically will a wide chord wing with flaps need up elevator, and a short choard wing with flaps need down elevator?

I have/had two planes that prove this theory. Does any one know for sure??

Lets get more of these DF's back at the jet meets! Get'em flying.

Happy holidays!
Dustin
BTW
Here is a Pic of the plane I designed with a highly underchambered air foil. The plane lifted 24.1 lbs of lead. Powered by an OS .61 ~100 inch wing. Check My WWW Button

Pitching
 

Has anyone had pitching problems with the Interceptor besides Dustin?
Thanks,
Craig

Starfire or Interceptor
 

Flaps down = up elevator to maintain the same glide path. the nose will pitch down on the Interceptor. HOWEVER, if you employ "Crow" no elevator input is needed. Itwill just SLOOOOW down. :cool:

Starfire or Interceptor
 

Hey Dustin,

No, you certainly did NOT offend me. The posts you've made in this thread have been anything but 'bashes'. I hope I didn't come off sounding like I thought you were bashing the Starfire. I didn't think that at all. My post was just an FYI about one particular jet that has undercambered wings and no pitch-change characteristics with speed changes.

I value the opinions and experiences of other modelers, even if/when they're unfavorable (as long as it's fair). When I first saw the noticeable camber in the Starfire's wing, I was concerned that it would impede its high-speed performance. Obviously, those concerns, as well as any regarding pitch changes, were put to rest after the first flight. Maybe the solution is in the tail? I don't know...

Thanks for your last post, though. It shows you care about how your words effect people. Happy holidays to you.

Starfire or Interceptor
 

1

Starfire or Interceptor
 

2

Starfire or Interceptor
 

3

Starfire or Interceptor
 

4

Pitch problems
 

My first Interceptor (I've had 3 of them) had a tendancy to "hunt" in pitch, it was not unstable, just slightly annoying in that the trim would change following an extended dive or climb.

I solved this problem on mine by getting rid of the fixed stabs and elevators and giving it a full flying stab. All 3 of my Interceptors had full flying stabs and were solid as a rock in pitch (two of them are still flying under new ownership).

The Interceptor's airfoil has a lot in common with the Starfire's ;)