idigrc2

After four nights I have it all framed up, just have to take the engine out of my race plane to finish the pod. Went ahead and put the tank on c.g. Couple more nights and it will be ready for covering.

Strykaas

Wow. Do you plan to use any kind of perry / cline pump ?

idigrc2

The ys has a pump built into it already

Yak Dude

I've been watching everyone build the Northstar and looking at the different mods, taking in consideration the pros and cons. I started my Northstar in Oct. Here are some pictures if they upload as I'm new to RC Universe. I tilted the top half of the fuselage in 25 degrees and left the ailerons straight and changed the elevator. Raised the engine pod 1 and 1/8 inch to allow bigger prop. I'll be using a OS .55. I'll be using a Mac's muffler, 2 ounces lighter than stock. Fuel tank will be in the pod along with a servo for the elevator. Other changes I did was not to fiberglass the bottom, I ran a longeron down the center of the bottom of fuse and glued on 1/64th ply a friend gave me years ago. Very strong and still light. I'll update as progression happens over the holidays.

Yak Dude

Try this picture thing again.

Yak Dude

I have added the strakes and made winglets. They are angled out 30 deg. Now comes all the small fillets to smooth the joints and final sanding.

idigrc2. Where is Anderson CA close to?

idigrc2

2 hours north of sac, just south of Shasta lake

Yak Dude

Got it. Close to Redding. I used to live in Marysville before 1992 for 5 years. I got my pilots licence and flew around that area. I was just wondering because I didn't want to be the only Northstar in this area for float fly events.
Any more progress on your plane? I'm working on a little filler and fitting the engine cowl.

757jonp

My Feedback: (48)

I'm just about finished building a Northstar too, one that I started about 10 years ago! I didn't like the idea of being limited to a 10" prop, so I also raised the engine .75", and moved it foward 1.5". I still had to cut a relief in the fuse to swing a 12" prop safely. One other mod I made was to put the elevator and throttle servo (mini) right behind the fuel tank. I'm going with a OS 55 AX feeling that I needed the power those are reputed to put out. I had to add about 18 oz to the nose to get the CG right, which brought the total weight up to a little over 7 lbs, not to happy with that.

I don't see any reason why raising the nacelle forward and up would cause any real problems, but if I built another of these, I'd move the whole tail fwd like someone mentioned previously. Challenging build to say the least.

Deadeye

I haven't been on this thread for a while because I had a problem landing this thing on it's maiden. I crunched it up pretty good to say the least, and it's easily the most painful crash I've ever had...don't know WHY, but it is what it is.

She turned out great, and flew great, and I F%^&ed up the landing. Total pilot error. Misjudged the approach speed of my first delta wing. I should've stalled her high up, but I don't know if that would've helped. She came in at what I thought was 25 MPH or so, but it was more like 50. Thought I could run her fast into the longer grass at the end of our runway, slow her down a bit. She bounced (rough field) right when it was slowing into the taller grass. 5 feet straight up, and crunched on it's ass. Tail group is all busted, front fuse is fractured. I'm sick. I keep it covered in a dark part of my unfinished garage. This happened first half of November, and I've still got that kicked in the gut feeling. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I wanted a spacebar in front of me to 'reset' the flight. It wasn't there.

Fixable, yes, too painful right know, though. It looked so cool!

Anybody else get that worked up over their well engineered, kit built bashed planes? I've crashed before, but this one is the worst...and not even my worst crash. It just hurts the worst.

russram

Deadeye shame that your first flight turned to custard but that.s the name of the game with RC planes. I.ve own 5 NS and 4 have come to greff in differant ways but don.t be put as these ships are tops when you have a handle of them. With landing you need to do a long shallow approuch as slow as possable. They pitch there nose up as they slow down and will settle down on the water as they sink down. putting them down whilst they are still flying will turn to custard as they bounce off the ground then stall and with no ellavator responce at slow speed you can only watch as your 7lbs ship tumbles to a stop. When you get it right they look so cool as they settle down great. Mind you I have never had wheels on any of my ships so it is always a water landing and my site gives me a huge landing area, i think i would be a lot more worried about landing a NS on a limited runway. Hope you get to put your together in the near future and get it back in the air. Cheers and merry chritmas to all from New Zealand Russell R

Yak Dude

757jonp try putting on a Mac's muffler. 2 oz lighter than stock = 4 to 6 oz less in the front. Lets see some pics.
Deadeye, I feel your pain. Your plane has a very sharp covering job.
Here, on X-mas Eve, are a couple of pics. I built the engine cowling out of balsa instead of using the plastic.

757jonp

My Feedback: (48)

<b>Deadeye</b> Sorry to hear about the botched landing and resulting damage. I finally got a decent day to try mine out on it's maiden flight 2 days ago, in fact I made 5 flights with it that day! I had quite a handful there for awhile until I got it trimmed out, needed a bunch of "up" trim. But once we got that somewhere close she settled down pretty well. This thing is FAST! And I haven't even got the engine broken in/tuned yet! It just happened to be a calm day (for a change), so landing hot wasn't a issue.

<b>predmech</b> Thanks for the tip. If it got to be a real problem, I was thinking about a Mac pipe to shave some weight back there. I'll know more as I get familiar with it, but to me, the plane acted like it was pretty nose heavy. I've got some weight inside the nose, the rest is bolted on externally, so it'll be easy to change.


So far, I'm pleased with it!

Deadeye

Thanks for the sympathy, guys. I'm trying my hand at building the electric version [link=http://modelaero.com/Merchant5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=M&Product_Code=POL-1&Category_Code=AM]Polaris[/link] right now. I'm gonna use that to get used to a delta wing, and also part of the healing process .

Jon,
NICE covering job on yours! 3 or 4 of my planes are black. Classy. Glad the maiden went better than mine.

757jonp

My Feedback: (48)

<b>Deadeye</b> That's some sharp covering jobs you've got too! I would think that black and gold would be hard to see in the air though. The white is Monokote, the black is Tower's el cheapo stuff, the colors are Monokote trim. I find that Towerkote works real well, shrinks real tight, rarely ever comes loose.

I flew again today, getting more familiar with it. Smooth flyer, but kinda different too. Doesn't really stall like a "normal" plane, just kinda mushes. Do a loop, it takes a long time to get that nose rising. Rolls like a bandit. Put it in a dive and you get some serious speed buildup in a hurry. Not a bad handler, just different. Ground handling is great. (I'm flying off a grass runway, custom landing gear low to the ground.) Lands great, takes a fair amount of runway though. Easy to "harrier" with it, but I'm not confident enough to try that down low yet. I thought the rudder looked pretty puny, but it seems to have good authority, better than I expected. Flaperons would be great help slowing this beast down? 55AX w/ a 11x8 3 blade seems to drag it around nicely!

idigrc2

After taking some time off from the holidays and being sick I got back to working on the north star. Just have to make the servo hatches in the nascle, build the rudder and get some new alieron stock, glass the bottom and a final sand down and I'll be ready for covering.

Yak Dude

Your plane is looking good. I stuck both servo's in the tail for the elevator and engine. 2 Hitec HS-81. They are mounted on a tray, then the tray slides in the back of the pod and 2 screws on each side to hold it in place. I get some pic's for all to see. I've been working on covering the airplane for the last week. Take your time so it come out good and waterproof. Pay attention the order you put on the pieces so the water doesn't pull off the covering.

idigrc2

Finished the rudder tonight, what a pain in the butt that thing is to build. Debating on tapering the ailerons like on the plans or leaving them full size.

Yak Dude

I left my ailerons full size. Added more rudder and elevator size. Here are pictures of the 2 servos for the pod. The 1st one is a rear shot. The 2nd is the right. 3rd is left. and so on. The right aft servo is for the throttle and the left forward with the hole in the back plate is for the elevator. To remove the block from the pod, just disconnect the push rod from the elevator and leave it on the servo. Disconnect the engine side of the pushrod and slide the unit out about 1 inch, then disconnect the pushrod from the servo and leave it. Slide on out and unplug the servo connections. The 2 servos and removable block weigh 1.6 ounces, same as one standard servo.

Deadeye

Now THAT is impressive! Where were you 6 months ago?

idigrc2

Slick setup, I might just do that instead of making hatches on bolth sides. I will still need a hatch up front to get to the fuel lines

HeavyDD

Sweet looking NStar Deadeye, Everyones colors look very nice. I am in need of a paint job that looks fast standing still. I bought one pretty rough but it was never used just not stored nicely. I like the idea of full alirons Mine need mounting anyways. And I have to figure out the motor cowling and I like the rear servo idea aswell. Keep the good ideas coming guys.

siddus74

Predmech,

Im not a fan of this plane, but hats off to you for that removable servo housing, looks a really good fit. I take it one servo is for the throttle and the other the elevator? I see you have the HS 85's are they the MG's? I used to use them all the time, now I use the waypoint 092MB for the throttle and the 150Power's for controls. they are small light both MG and powerful and they are relatively cheap as well . . . check out 'aircraftworld'

Scott.

Yak Dude

ididrc2, I didn't make a hatch for the fuel lines. I use a simple trick to just pull the lines in from the back when I install the tank. Just slide two metal pushrods from the front holes where the fuel line go through and pull the lines when you install the tank. This works on almost any airplane. Keeps the plane strong, simple and fuel proofed easier.

I used balsa wood for the engine cowling instead of the plastic. Same weight and lots cleaner. Same technique to build as doing the cowling on a Super Sportster or similar planes.

I'm covering my plane like a Coast Guard aircraft. I had this idea before I saw the little foam plane. I'll get some pic's on of what I've got done so far.

idigrc2

The only problem with that is that my fuel tank is in the wing on cg and there are two hard lines sticking up in the rudder inside the nascle