Flying for Real..

[DaveB]

I'd certainly feel more 'comfortable' with a canal at least 4 times wider than I have for the SCub and to fly something like the Cat.. something many times wider than that

It seemed like such a good idea when I bought the float kit but having the wind 'on the nose' is critical (for takeoff if not landing too) on water and either the canal isn't wide enough or the wind isn't compliant enough to give me the breathing space I need. It's a darned shame that I don't have enough tarmac for 'gear' takeoff/landing and the grass, while cut short, isn't short enough. In the event.. I've removed the gear from the Cub and hand launch/belly land it. No more nose-overs but it's not an ideal situation

'Clear blues' here today so I may drag the Bixler out before I go to work

ATB
DaveB

[TSR2]

Just take your lawn mower up to the common Dave and cut yourself a landing strip

[DaveB]

You may laugh but that's something I've considered doing.. one reason why I've not yet got rid of the petrol mower

ATB
DaveB

[DaveB]

Getting bored!

Put as many batteries as I have through the Bixler the other day (it was still summer last week ) and thoroughly enjoyed it but I'm starting to look for something else. I put an AR600 into the Mustang yesterday (which is a bit of a waste on what is out of the box, a 3ch aircraft) and have set up dual rates for it (ready for it's next spectacular crash!!!). Hopefully.. the wind will lay off a little over the next couple of days.

Still nervous about taking the SuperCub up with it's sticking aileron servo

Thinking about getting the E-Flight Mig15 Unfortunately.. my itchy plastic is coinciding with car insurance and bike insurance so it may not happen.. yet anyway. It may not happen at all as I can't really decide what I want other than it has to be a belly-lander due to my flying area.

Hope you've both managed to get some air time in anyway

ATB
DaveB

[Vc Ten]

Dont really know what to suggest mate Had a quick look at the Mig bit small IMO but I know the limitations of where you fly The stabilizer will help no doubt but cant help thinking it will get much smaller in a few seconds and will end in tears In fairness the Bixer is prob the most suited model you have but I know its easy to get bored with then especially if theres no longer a challenge to fly it I The old version of the stryker would suit you well, hand launch and land anywhere and big enough to see in the air even when shes a way out very stable in flight even in a bit of a blow The new Q version is more of a handfull, much quicker ( the throttle works both ways i know) and more twitchy than the old version maybe just cos of the speed, but needs more room the land safely, one of the problems you face flying from the common
Il take a look around and see if I can come up with some suggestions Prices seem to have shot up or is it me not spending for a while
ATB
Dale

[DaveB]

Hiya Dale

Yeh.. the Mig is a mite small (ultra-micro) and goes like sh1t off a shovel.. perhaps too much so ASX3 (apparently) handles 'reasonable' wind ok but I'm just not sure. The Bixler2 is better than the v1 I have (internal pushrods, uprated engine-esc-battery) but I don't really want to buy more of the same. When the v1 finally lets go or gets destroyed.. I'll think about replacing it with the v2
Not considered a Stryker at all. I'd forgotten there was ever a v1 and I didn't fancy the lunatic v2 (Q) version you have Will have a look around to see if there are any older versions knocking around

I agree on prices. I've not bought anything for a while and was expecting to see prices had dropped. The Mig is a little cheaper now (depending on where you buy it) but other stuff seems to have kept pace with inflation

I still fancy a helicopter btw.. I just don't fancy setting one up though
EDIT: Not a single F27C for sale anywhere Actually, that's not quite true.. I did find one, secondhand, in Canada I have found the UM F-27Q Stryker common over here mind you and it can be got for a bit less than the Mig too. Equally manic from the youtube vids I've seen

ATB
DaveB

[DaveB]

A morning of two halves..

Good flying conditions this morning so I grabbed the Bixler and Mustang and went over the common. The wind was such that I was able to use the smaller area at the back of my house (idle git) Threw the 2200 into the Bixler to prepare me for the P51 (the Bix is a bit nose-heavy with the 2200 and needs to be 'flown'). Successful landing.. changed models on the DX6i.. connected the battery.. PFC's.. launch.. deck! It didn't go in particularly hard and was almost flat (thank goodness as it had gone on a LH turn). I'd set the dualrate to the lower deflection and having thought about it.. the only thing I can come up with is that I didn't have enough airspeed for control authority. Picked the model up and noted the wing attachment screw was a little loose (again) so I nipped home and tightened it. Walking back around the corner, I noticed one of my repairs had started to come adrift.
Had a feeling this might happen. I didn't use epoxy for the repair (I needed too much and didn't want it to go off before I'd finished).. instead, I used Foam2Foam which I've since found to be rather brittle. A good filler and plenty of other uses but a repair like this really needed epoxy. So.. not sure what to do with it now. Effecting any partial repair is going to be difficult.. the best way to do it would be to break the repair and clean off the Foam2Foam then repair it again with epoxy but I'm not sure I really want to bother. Piece of sh1t!

In for a penny, in for a pound.. I unhooked the SCub from the ceiling and threw a battery into it. The RH aileron didn't move until I manually exercised it but it appeared to be ok so caution to the wind and launch. No problems

Took it back home and dragged the Bixler out again (didn't want to chance my luck) and threw the part used battery out of the P51 into it followed by my remaining 1300. It's still nice outside and I may go out again when the batteries have recharged but the wind is picking up a bit.

So.. a nice bit of flying with the Bixler and SCub and a fair bit of disappointment with the bloody Mustang. Dunno if I should just retire it

Postscript:
I've attempted a botch repair on the section of fuse that had started to open on the Mustang with epoxy. Probably floggin a dead'un really as that bit'll end up being the strongest part of the entire repair and the rest will fail Should push come to shove.. I can always pick up another fuse.. painted but without decals and electrics for £30 so I may do that as I really like seeing the Mustang in the air. My problem has always been getting it there
Had the Bixler out again for more fun and games Just as my last battery had expired and I'd landed, a young wench delivering Yellow Pages came trudging past me dragging a wheelie shopper behind her and pushing a rather large pair of babies lunchpacks in front of her She asked how long the batteries lasted and while making the reply.. I thanked my lucky stars I'd just landed

ATB
DaveB

[DaveB]

Ta da!...



Latest addition to the hangar.. the HobbyKing AT-6. I took this shot next to the Mustang (now bereft of it's AR600) to give you an idea of scale. It's slightly smaller than the Mustang, a fair whack lighter and a whole pile cheaper

Build quality is typical HobbyKing (so-so). First thing I did when taking the fuse out of it's bubblewrap was to take the canopy off and 2 of the 5 washers glued to it remained stuck to the magnets on the fuse. A fine start Still.. the epoxy was out in short order and they're now firmly in place. No doubt the other 3 will part company in short order.

I can't see it taking too much of a belting. There's a very thin carbon rod in the horizontal stab and nothing in the wing at all so flying it into trees (unless you fly it in backwards) is a defininte no-no.

Don't confuse this with the AT-6 Funfighter also available at HK. It has a smaller engine/ESC and takes up to 1000mAh 2S lipos. I've seen 3S 1300's shoved into the Funfighter and this model will certainly not take anything of that size I have 4 1000 2S lipos which should give me enough time to have a bit of fun

It's 3-ch (5gm servos) but looks agile enough to be vaguely aerobatic. Not had a chance to fly it yet.. the winds are still far too high here but as soon as they drop.. I'll give it a run.

ATB
DaveB

[Vc Ten]

Nice one mate you haven't hung around getting another model
Looks quite alright from the photo As you say you get what you pay for at hobby king
Was looking at something similar Steve Webb's the other day bit bigger I think it was but think it was £ 65
Just back from the field with chippy she's still going strong Had the cub out monday evening with its new wooden prop had satisfying first flight but then had problems with control on the ground Found a spring had disapeared from the tail wheel linkage causing full right pedal
Been experimenting with different props on the cap running a 16x8 wooden zinger at the moment looking for an old fishing spring balance so I can anchor the model and tie the balance to the tail to give me some idea of the thrust
Atb
Dale

[DaveB]

Hello Mate

Actually.. I waited quite a long time.. long for me that is

I searched everywhere for a 27C Stryker and there just aren't any knocking around these days. HK were (still are I think) doing free delivery from the UK warehouse and you know how they knock a few bob off if you loiter on any particular product for more than a min or so.. well.. add that to the few cents I had in credit and the T6 cost just over $70/£43 give or take. I looked at the cost of the PKZ stuff and there's no way could I or would I spend that sort of cash. I'd have had trouble justifying £90 for the Mig (without batteries) and didn't want to get into trouble. SWMBO knows I used the wrong glue to repair the Mustang and as I said to her today.. I could have spent £30 on a new fuse plus a few quid more for an engine mount (something I may well do in future) but for now.. a few quid more has given me something different to fly and it's new

I'm hoping to get a bit of mileage out of it but it's build quality doesn't shout longevity. Top end looks similar to the Cub from what I've seen on video and it should be a lot more agile than either that or the Bixler which is great for lazing around but nothing too fancy due to it's inherant stability. There's not a great deal of wing surface on the T6 so I can't expect much gliding It's small enough for me to hold it firmly for hand launching (something that can't be said for either the Wildcat or Mustang) although I have to admit I'm a little nervous about the maiden

I've made an adaptor for my Overlander 1000mAh batteries so I can use them on the T6 (which comes with a pi$$y JST connecter) and I'll probably make one for the 1000mAh Zippy's so they can be used in the ASW28 (Deans) so I have some crossover Funny.. the leads on the Zippy's is 20AWG and on the Overlanders, it's 18AWG. 20AWG looks strong enough to be servo wire.. just

The wind dropped to decent levels late on and I guess I could have gone out but chose to stay in and watch the season finale of NCIS.. what a waste of time that was

Glad you're getting some time in with the Chippy, CAP and Cub. I'd love to see them all fly one day.. the monster Cub especially You could probably fly it off the common ok Are you any closer to getting the camera rig sorted for it? That reminds me.. I must try and get my hands on one of those keyfob camera's like the one Eddie uses

Talking of buying things.. I really want to get rid of the SAAF markings on the T6 and replace 'em with some roundels. I'm not averse to the SAAF but RAF roundels will look a treat on it. Must start looking EDIT: some on the way

So.. 4 batteries charged which should give me at least 24mins worth of flying time (in 4 lots). Wind is forecast to be a bit frisky in the morning but the weekend is looking good.

ATB
DaveB