ROOKIE PILOT

Just finished my Indy 400 and decided to share a few photos.

KenVW

OK,
so the photo in post#18 is of your Indy 600 then? I must've missed that. I already have the torque rods in place for the internal servo. Guys I fly with thought it might benifit from flaperon programming with the dual aileron servos.
I have 4 standard servos for the plane and would have to buy others for the wings should I decide to go that way.

whats your opinion since you have both.

I will post photos when I get it covered....although it will look much like scotts' (I hope) as the covering scheme really grabbed me.

thanks for the reply
Ken

rookie, yours looks awesome too!

Stripes

My Feedback: (19)

Ah Ken, you caught me. Yup it is and yes I would use them on the 400 too.

Stripes

My Feedback: (19)

Love your plane. It's really good. I see you used servos in the wing too! Very nice. Scott will be happy you retained the checkerboard tail too.

KenVW

Well, I ordered 2 small servos for the wings. I have the fuse covered, checks on vertical stab , tail covered, rear hinges in place and the rudder control rod hooked up to the servos.

Lookin pretty good. I will post a photo when finished.

I may have missed this somewhere but how much throws do you guys have on your control surfaces? Hi & Lo rates

Ken

KenVW

oops, first time posting a photo. I tried several times & it didn't show up in the preview so I didn't think I was doing it right.
sorry for the duplicates.

This photo is from our mall show last saturday.

Ken

Stripes

My Feedback: (19)

Oh ho, your plane looks good.

I ran down to the basement and measured the ailerons at 5/16 high rate. The low rate is about 3/16 which my radio shows as 60%.

The elevator is 3/8 on high rate and 1/4 on low rate, again 60%.

HelloScott

INDY 400 parts are now available as a short kit! These parts are available from Laser Works (www.laserworks.com). They make a lot of really neat short kits for other designs too, but don’t provide full kits with hardware, etc.

To find the INDY 400 short kit, just go to http://lazer-works.com/misc.html and you will find it there. Current cost is $43.22. I’m told that the parts are “perfect� and the short kit will save you a lot of time cutting them out. I think will buy one from them and build a back up INDY 400. They can also scale up and down if you want to try a different size INDY 400… say an INDY 600 or INDY 800!

Scott Black

waross

After I finish my Balsa Nova build I plan on doing the Indy 400. I liked when I saw the article last summer. I haven't missed the Indy 500 for the last 19 years. First went when Al Unser won back to back in 71 driving Johnny Lightning.
I decided the Indy 400 would be a great fit for an old engine I found in my box of junk. Forgot I even had it. Bought years ago at Indy R/C and had it in a super sportster. It's a Brat .25, if you know the engine it was only distributed by two folks and one was Indy R/C. Indy engine, Indy plane....perfect combination as a tribute to the greatest spectacle in racing....

I think I might trim in it in Rick Mears colors

KenVW

Well as promised, here are finished photos of my INDY. It's my first totally scratch built plane though I've done kits & arfs and a scratch built wing for a lazy fly mustang that had a tree trunk encounter.

I did decide to put in wing servos. I havent flown it yet but am anxious, but our spring weather just turned to below freezing again []
Mine did come out tail heavy and with the battery under the tank, I still had to add weight under the engine. I didn't have enough 1/4" balsa for the horizontal stab so I laminated 2 pcs of 3/32 with a pc of 1/16 cross grained in between to create balsa ply. I figured it would be stronger & more stabe too but I suspect heavier with the glue. I added triangle stock to the rear stabilizer too. I tend to beef things up more than I should ( I am a mechanical designer & I can't seem to help it)

I'm gonna stick a voltwatch in the canopy when I get one.

Scott, thanks for the plans...I didn't mean to copy your scheme, its just sooo cool.

Ken

KenVW

Well, it made its maiden flight last evening! I had one of our more experienced pilots help. He took off and with a few clicks of trim handed me the radio. It flies nice with the os25fx, where you point it, rather quick, lands quicker than I'm used to but thats just me.
my other planes are the slowpoke 40, Lazy Fly P51, and UltraStick 60/saito100. They all "float in" if you want, and land really slow. I did land it a few times in a stiff crosswind so when I get more used to it this plane is really gonna be fun.

Last eve was rushed before sunset, and I was jittery too (nervous & cold), I'm looking forward to spending more time with INDY.

ken <><

HelloScott

Ken, your plane looks just super! I love the color scheme...of course you knew I would! Looks just like the one I put in Model Aviation magazine.

The INDY 400 is a "slippery" design. Really cuts through the air well. That makes it faster than a trainer on landing, but also keeps the effect of cross wind less too. Once you get used to it, you will like its attributes I think...

Its almost the "Month of May" in Indianapolis. People around here are starting to get some major race fever. This year's race is May 27th. It will be on ABC live. Put your INDY 400 down in front of the TV and enjoy the feeling!

Keep the photos coming guys...I love seeing them!

HelloScott

Been a while since I checked in on this thread. You guys still building Indy 400's and flying them? If so, please post a photo here and let me/us know your comments. I'd love to hear from you.

Scott

Stripes

My Feedback: (19)

Flew mine last week. It's a great flier.

HelloScott

I'm delighted you did Ken! I spent a lot of time trying to come up with something I liked that was different too.

Scott
www.IndyHobbies.com

Tmore

My Feedback: (1)

Does anybody have a copy of the construction article for this plane that they could scan and email to me? I am just getting back into the hobby, and digging through all my old stuff Ifound a copy of that plans that Ihad bought from the AMA several years back, however Ican't find a copy of the article. I would appreciate if somebody could send it to me.

[email protected]

UPDATE: Scott reached out to me and sent me the article...thanks a bunch! Iwill upload some pics when Iget the plane built.

buzzard bait

Nice design and nice builds! Wouldn't scaling up 12 1/2% be an Indy 500? You'd have 25% more area, so 500 sq. in.

To get 600 you'd scale up by 25%, right? Then area would increase 50% to 600. Seems a little more reasonable for a .46. Or maybe you guys are just real power hounds!

Jim

HelloScott

There have been INDY 600's built! Here's a photo of one. I think that they took the plans to their local Kinko's type place for enlargement.

I've now heard from guys all over the world who have built an INDY 400. Its been a pleasure to get this design published.

Scott

HelloScott

Sky Bench is working on making the INDY 400 into a kit. 🙂 more news in the future.