Screamin_Injun

Just finished her last night. Havent got to fly her yet. Kinda nervous cause I haven't hand launched a plane in forever. Powerplant is OS .46LA. I extended the wing 6 inches and widened it 2 inches larger than the original plans to counter the increased weight. CG is about 1.4in from LE. Hand painted the graphics with $.44 acrylic paint from Walmalart and clear coated it with a flat finish to keep fuel off it. Also, I didn't have mixing so I did the elevator version. WISH ME LUCK! [&:]

Clean

Slick.

One warning though, flat usually isn't fuel proof.

Screamin_Injun

Well thats what I thought too but the guy at my local hobby shop sold me this clear coat for train modelers and said it would work...so well see. Ill let you know.

carlosponti

My Feedback: (1)

top flite makes an enamel clear that is fuel proof. i bought a can at realm(LHS) and i used it on a friends heli canopy after i painted it.

acam37

My Feedback: (16)

Take the plane to your local sign shop and show it to them and they will probably give you any scrap sign vinyl that they have.

The lady at a sign shop here where I live was so impressed with my spads, she gave me all the vinyl I'll ever need.

MrGreenSpeed

Cool Sickle
Good luck on the maiden flight.
Jeff

Screamin_Injun

Well first off...the flat clear coat worked beautifully. In fact, while trying to start the ole .46LA, unburned fuel dripped onto the paint and it didn't smudge a bit. Second off, the maiden flight was awesome. The winds out here today were gusting to over 30. A friend of mine tossed it into the wind but I couldn't get enough speed fast enough and the wind literally turned it over twice in about a second like a dead leaf. But being a SPAD it just bounced. I restarted the motor again and we decided to throw it with the hurricane class winds and WOOT! it took of like a bullet. I had never flown anything this fast! The roll rate was super fast. Loops weren't as fast as I thought they would be but they were solid. Had to trim it to pull up a tad but other than that....flew great! UNTIL...(sad violin music in background) I went inverted...started an inverted loop. Finished the loop and BLAM...the stinking LE of the wing pulled apart. LOL! Came down like a helicopter and the battery fell out the rear of it. Even cooler was that the TE held on and it hit the ground super soft from the autorotation affect. Only real damage was a broken yardstick I had used to support the LE. Found the battery about 60 yards from point of impact but no damage to the battery. I was mad at myself for not supporting the LE better but was so excited I got to fly it for about 8 minutes I just laughed it off. Ill have her up again in no time, with lessons learned.

smokingwreckage

You've been INFECTED!!!!

Sweet plane!

Clean

I'm glad the flat held up, usually they don't. The guys at Rustoleum and Krylon told me the different formulations that they use to keep it from going yellow or to keep it flat tend to leave open poors or just not be fuelproof. But you're using a different type of laquer or acryllic. I'm sure we'd be interested in know EXACTLY, 'what you got.'

Muldoer

Got a pic of the damage? I'm curious as to how a Leading Edge comes apart in flight...

Screamin_Injun

Well Clean...Im at work but Ill post the brand name of the clear coat when I get to the house. And Muldoer...I could show you a pic but its kinda boring. Basically though the LE of the wing pulled itself off the two screws that held it onto the fuse. When it pulled off it folded and formed a perfect gyrocopter, you know...kinda like those seeds that fall of maple trees, and slowly descended.

MrGreenSpeed

I hate when that happens![:@]
Glad there was no damage[8D]
The Sickle and Draco are great Spads for windy days.
And once You have built one; building the next one takes half the time
Great flight report.[8D]
Jeff

Clean

Work?

NO excuses!!

Guess we'll wait.

Screamin_Injun

Work was boring...but anyhoo. Heres the stuff I used. Says its to be used in an airbrush but I just painted it on with a brush. Only used one coat and it was crystal clear after it dried. Later guys

Square Nozzle

My Feedback: (1)

Sickle suggestion. I've built at least 4 Sickles and suggest that you epoxy 1/8 X 3/16" spruce or bass wood strips into the flutes in the coro at both the leading edge and trailing edge in the area where the fuselage slot is. The strips are about 1" long and pushed in so they're flush with the edge of the coro. Install a wedge shaped piece of wood between the wing leading edge and the fuselage bottom to prevent the coro from crushing into the fuselage. Now install strips of 1/4" plywood into the fuselage interior where the wing attachment screws will penetrate. The wing screws penetrate the reinforced coro, the L.E. wedge, the fuselage wall and the plywood. It will not come apart again.

dwc

Screamin: Very sharp Sickle, really a nice paint job. Hope you enjoy it mine's a blast. I built one a few weeks ago and probably have about 6 flights on mine. It's currently my favorite Spad. Very quick and maneuverable.
Dan

Screamin_Injun

Thanks for the tip John. Ive got all that stuff you were talking about and will definately repair the wing with it. Sweet Sickle DWC. How do they fly with the mixing? Heard it was less stable. Was so glad there were plans for a non-mixing design cause I have a lower end TX.

dwc

It flies very well, stable on the high speed runs and corners very quick.
Dan

Globemaster3c17

Sweet Sickle, love that paint job too. I've been interested in building one myself, keep getting distracted with other planes though. Looks like you're having fun, even better!

Smooth Spanky

Hey Dwc:
Where did you get the yellow prop...or is it just a painted prop?

Thanks.

Gringo Flyer

My Feedback: (18)

I have been thinking about a sickle for a little while now and after this post I think I have to go ahead and build one. I have a Magnum 36 that I think would be perfect.

By the looks of it, this plane looks like an easy build even compared to other SPADs.

What about speed. How fast are we talking? I have a corospit with a TTpro 25 and its pretty fast but I would like something faster... and maybe a little more stable.

Also, are you guys using standard servos or micro? I have a couple of HS85mg. Would that be enough?

dwc

richiekolp
The brand is Kavan. I don't remember where I got them from it was a couple years ago. I bought them when I was flying my pizza box a lot and wanted something very durable. They turned out to be not very durable and they flex so much they don't pull very hard either. The Master Airscrews are actually more durable. I still use them on the first few flights of a new plane because I don't care if I break them.
Dan

Screamin_Injun

Well Gringo...I guessed my speed to be about 50-60. But Im still spinning an 11x6 too...so it might go a little faster with a 7. This little plane is suprisingly stable and turns like its on rails. Never really got to land it though..LOL! And I don't know too much about micro servos but I've only used standard in all my spads. Took this still shot of the launch from the flight I described above. Window's movie maker rocks! Thought it was neato. Later guys [8D]

Screamin_Injun

Okay I know I keep posting over myself but was just gonna show you guys my new Sickle. I call this one "Sickle...the resurrection." Added another 2in to the wing length and added more support to the LE this time. Thought about adding winglets to the tips of the wings. Anybody ever tried that?

dwc

Screamin: Another winner looks great! Gringo: I am using standard servos and with a GMS .32 I am guessing around 85- 90 mph with a 9X6 prop. When I get a chance I'll get some audio and run it through the Spectrogram to see how close I am. My Bulldawg was running close to 100mph and this looks about 10 or 15 less.
Dan