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Model Forum / Radio Controlled / Air Models / November 2008



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Winging it - so to speak...

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Ed Cregger - 30 Oct 2008 09:15 GMT
I can't stand it when there are no posts on my favorite group, so I'll just
talk to myself for a while to keep the bit count up.

I see that Tower Hobbies has a new (to me) Electrifly model, the good old
Big Stik in a traditional .40 size (52" wingspan) powered by an outrunnder
motor. It has a nice look to it. Why can't they ever capture that stance and
flair for glow models?

I still have an Electrifly .40 sized trainer (electric powered) NIB that
hasn't been flown as yet. Winter has snuck up on us down here in northwest
GA and has curtailed my flying for 2008, as if I did any flying before this
date in 2008. <G>

The older I get, the more I think about flying and the less I do. Frankly,
if I didn't have a two car garage full of ARFs, I'd probably contain my
flying to just my Real Flight Sim. No mess to clean up. No club politics,
etc. Plus, I can fly the sim in the middle of the night if I so choose.

Oh well, guess I'll check the amateur bands and see if anyone wants to talk.
Later.

Ed Cregger
The Natural Philosopher - 30 Oct 2008 10:55 GMT
> I can't stand it when there are no posts on my favorite group, so I'll just
> talk to myself for a while to keep the bit count up.
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> Oh well, guess I'll check the amateur bands and see if anyone wants to talk.
> Later.

Well its time to get down to building your won model then. A 6 month
labour of love, starting from a piece of paper and a pencil.

Strangely enough, more people seem to be doing it judging by RCgroups..

> Ed Cregger
Ed Cregger - 30 Oct 2008 15:53 GMT
> Well its time to get down to building your won model then. A 6 month
> labour of love, starting from a piece of paper and a pencil.
>
> Strangely enough, more people seem to be doing it judging by RCgroups..

----------

I have to admit that I do enjoy building my own designs the best, most of
the time. The old noggin' has been dry for ideas, with a few exceptions here
and there.

I have this thing about flying a model with the most IC engines. I wonder
what the record is, if one exists?

Ed Cregger
Martin X. Moleski, SJ - 30 Oct 2008 15:12 GMT
>I can't stand it when there are no posts on my favorite group, so I'll just
>talk to myself for a while to keep the bit count up.

I can't give a full report on my hangar.  I've got
to pack for a trip to Chicago and get ready for
today's class.

I haven't been building or flying as much as I did
during my first decade back in the hobby (1995-2005).  
Excuses abound.  But I enjoy this group, too, and
am glad to contribute to threads that fit my
interests, such as they are.

                Marty
Signature

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Ed Cregger - 30 Oct 2008 15:55 GMT
>>I can't stand it when there are no posts on my favorite group, so I'll
>>just
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Marty

------------

I go through spells. Sometimes the spells last years. I'm sure you know what
I mean. I'm beginning to get "the itch" again. Problem is, my shop is full
of ARFs and the wife's business inventory. I'm going to work on clearing
(selling) that stuff out this weekend. I love each and every ARF I have, but
I'll never get around to flying them. Besides, I've got the urge to build
again and that is something that doesn't infect me very often.

Ed Cregger
The Natural Philosopher - 30 Oct 2008 16:11 GMT
>>> I can't stand it when there are no posts on my favorite group, so I'll
>>> just
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
> I'll never get around to flying them. Besides, I've got the urge to build
> again and that is something that doesn't infect me very often.

Sell em all and git bilding ed.

ARF's can be bought anytime. A 40 foot spruce goose cant.

> Ed Cregger
Doug McLaren - 30 Oct 2008 16:32 GMT
| No mess to clean up. No club politics, etc.

Electrics at the park are like that too!  Gliders too, though the
hi-start or winch is even more trouble than dealing with glow fuel.
It's better if several people share the hi-start/winch, but then it
turns into a club (which isn't a bad thing, but many don't like it.)

| Plus, I can fly the sim in the middle of the night if I so choose.

Electric planes with lots of LEDs ... you haven't really lived until
you've had a UFO report filed on your plane!

(Ok, guess I haven't lived yet, not that I'm aware of, but I have had
some really strange looks.)

| Oh well, guess I'll check the amateur bands and see if anyone wants to talk.

CQ CQ CQ DE AD5RH ...

Or you could just post to the Usenets.  Or get on Bitnet Relay, or IRC
(if you're not quite that old-school) ...

Signature

Doug McLaren, dougmc@frenzied.us
What's this message on my screen,
 so blue, so blue, what could it mean?
Could you, would you press Delete,
 Ctrl and Alt and then repeat.

rich - 30 Oct 2008 19:22 GMT
If you've never done it before...just build an electric foamie.  Your own
design or one of hundreds for free on the 'net.  All new techniques; All new
flying weights and power requirements...

You could probably swap one of your ...."build-me-later"..... ARFs for the
motor; ESC; battery  etc.  Foam is as inexpensive as you can get.

You might even find a local gymnasium that would let you try her out in the
dead of Winter.

In just a couple of days. .....

......Viola......"de plane...de plane!!!!"

.  Rich
Ed Cregger - 30 Oct 2008 20:38 GMT
> If you've never done it before...just build an electric foamie.  Your own
> design or one of hundreds for free on the 'net.  All new techniques; All
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> .  Rich

-----------

I bought a foamie several years ago, complete with ESC, servos, motor and
low temp glue gun. It's out there in "the pile" as the wife likes to call
it. I'm looking forward to experiencing such a model.

Remember the early competition fun fly models of two decades ago? I was one
of the early pioneers flying maneuvers that made others run for their cars.
They were positive that I'd lose control of it and hit one of them. Never
did. Never even came close. One of my first 3D type ships was the Florio
Stunt Wagon. I used to get a kick out of flying control line Stunt patterns
just a few feet above the ground. That was a lot of fun.

Ed Cregger
rich - 30 Oct 2008 22:14 GMT
Well, I am new at this,  very new...

....but......building one yourself from nothing but a pile of Blu-Cor foam
and a free plan...( or no plan)... is a lot more satisfying for me ... than
building something from a box...no matter if the material in the box is the
very same, pre-cut, Blu-Cor foam....

While my present squadron consists of way too many foam ARFs...my goal is to
build better planes without using an ARF at all.   I've seen enough pix on
the 'net to know that it can be done. I just have to increase up my building
( and flying) skills first.

This discussion reminds me of my mother-in-law...some 50 years ago. She
would NOT build a "Box-Cake"....she had to use real flour; add the eggs,
etc.   No "Betty Crocker " for her!

Her cakes were pretty good, too.

Have fun.,

regards, Rich
Bob Cowell - 30 Oct 2008 22:51 GMT
>Remember the early competition fun fly models of two decades ago? I was one
>of the early pioneers flying maneuvers that made others run for their cars.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
>Ed Cregger

Whatever you do,,,
don't do what I just did,,,,

I swore I would never do it,
I looked at the ugly noisy things,  and shuddered every time.
I looked at the cost,  and knew they cost WAY too much
I looked at the repair costs and KNEW that was WAY too high.
I looked at the time spent in maintenance,  
and knew that I didn't have that much free time.
I figured the cost per hour would rival flying the full scale SR-71
but then ,,, alas,,, one day I saw a "good deal" on an electric one
and I figured,,, What the heck,  it would be a hoot to try at least once.
So,  I spent $x  on one, and waited for the brown toy truck to deliver it.
Then I spent my "free" time for the next week doing all the "pre-flight" checks
and stuff,
and a few hours limbering up my thumbs on the flight simulator,,
At last,  the day arrived,  with only "moderate" breezes (well,,, moderate for
THIS part of the country anyway,,,)
So I carry the lot out to fly,
Plug the battery in,
check everything out (again)
and,,,,
the FIRST thing I learn is that if you prep it according to instructions,
it is W A A A A Y nose heavy
Kinda reminded me of a line from Blue Thunder (the movie)
So after fiddling around for a while,  moving the battery etc,,
I got it to where is was only slightly nose heavy,  and once again attempted
"flight"
Things actually went pretty well for a while till a honey locust tree took
exception to sharing space with it, and smacked it to the ground.
So,  back to the internet,
order $X worth of spare parts,  and wait again,
got the parts,
replaced the broken ones,,
and over several evenings managed to get about 16 minutes of "flight"
Got brave last saturday,  and went out again,,,  fresh battery,  the wind wasn't
TOO unreasonable,  and I was having a really good time,
UNTIL
the wind got it again, and I "landed" sideways
which pretty much totally destroyed the landing gear.
So,,,
Back to the internet AGAIN,
order ANOTHER $XX in parts,
and wait for the brown truck again.

I'm thinking only bachelors (who don't have any aggravation in their lives)
or nerds (who don't have an actual life)
should have these things.

A mistress,
or another wife,
or possibly even an ex-wife
would be cheaper.
and quite possibly more entertaining ;-)

the preceding was written partially in jest,
and partially in fact,
I hope somebody gets a giggle out of it.

and if it offends someone,
I don't want to hear about it '-)

bob

AMA  569137     IMAA  22586
MIL-TDD-41
Sanity does not run in my family,,,it FLEES
Six_O'Clock_High - 31 Oct 2008 03:44 GMT
Hey guys,
Don't do what Bob did, it really isn't THAT hard!  In case you have
wondered, I started out where he did but have changed.

I was in west Texas a few weeks ago where the SLOW wind for the weekend was
over 20 mph and saw a Parkzone (I think) F4U Corsair and T-28 READY TO FLY
electric birds doing touch and goes.  I gotta have one!

I also saw some foam hacked F-15 electric park flyers that were awesome IN
THAT WIND!  I gotta have one!

The F-15 should fly by this time next week since all the little bits and
pieces (outrunner, ESC, battery, nano servos, fancy charger and etc) are
here now.  This thing is a profile ship that IN THE AIR really LOOKS like a
F-15 rather than those powered kites most of the older electric stuff is.
The F4U is on back order.

Ed, get new stuff because it is several generations better than what it was
only 5 years ago.  I have been wowed and am a fresh convert.  That does not
mean I will change to electric, rather I have added electric flight to my
repertoire of things to do to have fun.

Jim Branaum
AMA 1428

>>Remember the early competition fun fly models of two decades ago? I was
>>one
[quoted text clipped - 80 lines]
> MIL-TDD-41
> Sanity does not run in my family,,,it FLEES
Ed Cregger - 31 Oct 2008 07:13 GMT
> Hey guys,
> Don't do what Bob did, it really isn't THAT hard!  In case you have
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
> Jim Branaum
> AMA 1428

----------

Hi, Jim.

That electric combo that I bought was supposed to be leading edge at the
time, which means it must be seriously outdated at this time, no doubt.

Like you, I'm not quitting other types of modeling to go with electric. I'm
just adding electric to the pile.

The idea of designing and building my own foamies has been with me for quite
a while. The expediency (instant gratification) appeals to this old man too.

While it is a bit windier here in Georgia than it used to be in NJ, it isn't
as bad as Kansas or elsewhere. At least one does get a windless day a few
times a month, most of the year.

I get a kick out of the 4D foamies that folks are flying. I used to wonder
why I did not hear of someone flying in that manner, after flying heli sims
in 3D.

Ed Cregger
Bob Cowell - 31 Oct 2008 14:17 GMT
>Hey guys,
>Don't do what Bob did, it really isn't THAT hard!  In case you have
>wondered, I started out where he did but have changed.

Really??
I didn't think very many people started out herding helis

you missed some vital clues and ASSumed I was talking about a foamie
Six_O'Clock_High - 02 Nov 2008 02:46 GMT
>>Hey guys,
>>Don't do what Bob did, it really isn't THAT hard!  In case you have
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> you missed some vital clues and ASSumed I was talking about a foamie

I don't know of any electric helicopters that do well in the wind.  However,
I have one of those old 'shock' flyers and its follow on and their hand cut
replacements and have never been impressed with them.  In fact, your post
sounded just like I felt with them.  Sorry if I offended you, I just didn't
want another to try to have fun with stuff that really wasn't very effective
when there is stuff out there today that is wonderful in that medium.  Well,
I guess not for helicopters. .  .

Not counting the charger, the F-15 will be in the air complete for around
$75 and that includes batteries for TWO 15 minute flights.
Doug McLaren - 17 Nov 2008 04:27 GMT
| I don't know of any electric helicopters that do well in the wind.

The big ones do.  You get a 0.60 sized electric helicopter, and it'll
do as well in the wind as an 0.60 sized glow helicopter.

Or maybe you're just saying you're not aware of any R/C helicopters
that do well in the wind, whatever the power source ... though the
bigger ones aren't so bad.  I guess it depends on what sort of wind
you're talking about.

Signature

Doug McLaren, dougmc@frenzied.us
You can tune a piano, but you can't tuna fish.
You can tune a filesystem, but you can't tuna fish.
-- from the tunefs(8) man page

Ed Cregger - 17 Nov 2008 06:42 GMT
> | I don't know of any electric helicopters that do well in the wind.
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> bigger ones aren't so bad.  I guess it depends on what sort of wind
> you're talking about.

---------------

Frankly, I was surprised at how well my .30 sized Raptors tolerated gusty
winds. Granted, you need collective pitch. Fixed pitch machines zoom all
over the place.

Ed Cregger
 
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