Flying for Real..

[DaveB]

What a great looking model. It's nearly as noisey as the real one too Looks very stable Wonder why they effed about with the landing bit of the vid. I wanted to see it touchdown

Dale.. hows that for your next project
ATB
DaveB

[Vc Ten]

love the vc10 but 7 years in the build?? must be bloody brave man to fly her afer all that effort
One of the guys down the strip had a turbine powered trainer last year but wrecked the fuselage afte a rough landing. Hes just took delivery of one of these http://www.dbsportandscale.com/vampire.htm His wren engine is being checked over at the factory, after the impact it was giving the impression of a flame thrower
Look forwrd to seeing it complete
ATB
Dale

[DaveB]

Hello Mate

The price isn't bad but I couldn't be doing with all that building and the thought of a prang is just too much It does look quite docile though. Wonder if it's as docile with a turbine strapped in there!

ATB
DaveB

[Vc Ten]

not seen a docile turbine model yet
Dale

[DaveB]

No.. hard to believe isn't it. The model in the vid is EDF so probably doesn't tell the whole story
ATB
DaveB

[DaveB]

Well.. it was only going to be a matter of time.

Winds fair this morning so lifted and shifted with the Mustang. Nice first flight. A mixture of blue sky and cloud, the Mustang looked a treat. Landed at the beep and put the second battery in. Straight forward launch but realised I hadn't turned my timer on. Looked down to find the button and when I looked up.. the Mustang was in a LH turn heading for the deck. Despite frantic attempts to pull up.. I didn't have enough alt and she went in hard. Much as it pains me.. it's my fault. Rule 1.. never take your eyes off the model! Had I not panicked and tried to find the start button on the timer but waited until I was at a safe alt at a safe attitude.. no problem. Sadly.. this is one passtime that doesn't tolerate mistakes. Poke fate in the eye and it'll bite your ass!

I dare say glue could win the day once more.. the models I got off Dale are testimony to how badly one of these things can be beat up and repaired but at the moment.. my heart isn't in it. The fuse is snapped at the battery compartment and the wing has pulled out from underneath. My previous repair held tight so that's something I guess!

Not decided what to do yet.. try and repair the fuse or cut my losses and go for a new one. The wing around the mounting point has a chunk pulled out but again, glue could fix that. I could also continue to 'watch' the MkII Spit on ebay but I don't think that would be well received

There.. I feel better already

ATB
DaveB

[VEGAS]

Oh flip Dave.

Don't be too hard on yourself mate. It happens.

From what I've been following reading your posts youve taken to this hobby very well.

Confidence building nicely and then this happens.

Everyone I know who flys has this sort of day.

Like you say. It only takes a second of a distraction.

Mine is the bloody dog!!

If its any consolation I came in too fast this morning and landed hard.

Far too hard. My starboard wing now wears a 1cm battle scar.

Particularly miffed as its the first one in what was, a brand new condition model.

The first one always the worst. Like the scratches on my mountain bike.

Keep your chin up mate. All part of the fun and experience.

Something you will probably not do again in a hurry.

[TSR2]

That's a nightmare Dave. I think that's why id find flying soul destroying... Unless I had some National lottery winnings. At least some suitable glue should get her up again.

Does there come a point where the glue repairs affect the flying of the model, I.e. Weight off centre etc?

[DaveB]

Hi Chaps

Well.. you can't keep a good man down and as there's not one at home, I've had to make up the numbers Having hung out the washing this morning, I couldn't walk past the shed without revisiting the broken bits. The more I looked, the more a repair seemed possible.

To all intents, the fuse break was clean as was the damage to the wing mount so.. I took all the bits indoors and looked at what I had. No holes.. no missing bits of foam. The impact had pulled the ESC from it's little hole in the nose and dragged the wires out though all 3 bullet connectors to the motor were still intact. I've taken off the cowl and removed various forna and flora and pulled the ESC wires back. There's a titchy tiny crack on the underside of the cowl airscoop but now I've washed the cowl.. you can hardly see it. It's less than a centimetre and will be fine.

If you ever have to take the cowl off Eddie.. you'll see the motor is offset to the left by around 4 or 5mm.. I guess to counter torque effect off the engine.

Anyway.. I've made another 'special' mix of epoxy and lobbed the fuse together. The chunk pulled out of the front wing fwd of the engine mount has also been glued so now, I wait. Before this, I always had in the back of my mind, the previous repair might let go separating the wing from the fuse. Now.. all I have to worry about is the wing parting company with the fuse and the engine naffing off on it's own The repair doesn't look too bad and overall, the model will still look ok when it's put together. There's little or no visible damage outside the main breaks. I'll be more inclined to fly the arse off it now (he says) and perhaps try things that I was scared of trying before. We shall see

Ben.. as long as you keep everything pretty much straight.. that is, around the centreline.. these things will take any amount of glue. Of course, however hard you try.. a prang is a prang and what might have been perfectly straight before will never be quite the same again. I look long and hard at the SCub and Wildcat I got off Dale and wonder how they still fly after the damage they've suffered but they do. They may not be as 'crisp' as before but they still go Repairs become more difficult when the foam defragments but as long as you have all the bits, you're in with a chance. Just imagine if this had been a balsa job. I'd have had 2 options.. the bin or a rebuild.

The thing with both is that you can't afford to take your eye off em and they command your complete attention. The Mustang went in with around 85-90% throttle dialled in doing gad knows what speed. The feeling you get when you know what's gonna happen isn't a nice one and I walked home with the fuse in two parts and the wing under my arm. A dollop of glue later and immediately things start to look better. It IS a complete pi$$er though and unless you're willing to take the risk.. stick with a boat or a car mate. If I keep this up.. I'll be looking at suitable boats for the canal

ATB
DaveB

[VEGAS]

These models have a habit of coming back for more don't they Dave?

Probably why this hobby has become so popular of late.

Foam is very forgiving. I've seen a chap on YouTube resetting a warped foam fuselage in boiling water!

The hot water manipulates the foam to almost 100% it's original shape.

Roger the motor mount mate. It's the same with the Wildcat when I removed that to replace the cowl.

Had five lipos this morning. All of em on charge again after allowing to cool down of course.

Lots of storms heading our way so I think a teatime flight will be out of the question.

Glad you managed to repair it.