Cliffwhacker

[Andy G.]

Hi all. Most of my current building projects are up together and I'm looking around for the next one. I rather like the look of the free plan in this month's mag, Cliffwhacker. Haven't seen any mention of it so far on the forum so wondered if anyone else has started to build one or is tempted to?

[Phil May]

My 17 year old son is new to sloping and fancies a go a building it but he wants to build it from 2mm correx sheet....should be interesting.

I'll keep you informed.

Phil

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Gøran Haugland]

I have startet building this model.
Never had or flown a sailplane before..
So far a bit of the fusalage is ready

Progess will be posted here: http://teamhaugland.com/wp/?p=382

[A.A. Barry]

No Cliffs around my aera, perhaps a little motor up front, would be a big help

Barry

[Sean Murray-Smith]

Hi,

I'm building one in order to return to slope soaring after many years of powered flight. I mentioned in another forum that the plan states that the sub trailing edge is 1/4 x 1/2, but, in reality, it is 1/2 x 1/2. Then I noticed that a recess had to be cut to fit the rear dihedral brace. Unless you have a balsa stripper on steroids, this can be difficult. If, however, you cut 2 pieces of 1/4 x 1/2 then cutting the recess with my standard balsa stripper is a doddle. Obviously Alex thought of this, but forgot to write it up on the plan.

Cheers

Sean Murray-Smith, Adelaide, South Australia

[Rosco]

Hi Sean,

just saw this thread and had a squizz only to notice you are a fellow Adelaidean on here. I'll be interested to see how you go as I'm not a sloper myself but know a few who are into it and I'd be interested to see some footage of it flying somewhere in South Oz.

I had considered building it but getting out somewhere to fly it properly probably wouldn't happen often.

Rosco

[Steve T]

I thought of building it as per the plan with a hook under and bungee launch. What do you lot think?

[Sean Murray-Smith]

My Cliffwhacker (with mods) is just about ready for covering. I have filled the balsa on the tail feathers using dope and talc and I shall do the same for the fus. I am covering the wings in bright yellow Solarfilm (or similar) and spraying the fus bright red. Extra detail will be courtesy of my artistic advisor (my wife, Anne) Flaps are oversize, but that's all I had in the shed. Sellick's cliffs here we come!

[Alex Whittaker]

Better built than the prototype!

[Sean Murray-Smith]

Thank you Alex; flattery will get you anywhere, so please don't stop.

I have now covered the wings and will be spraying the fus and tailplane tomorrow. All up weight with an airborne battery pack and all servos is only 24 ounces. That is before spraying the fus and tailfeathers,but that shouldn't add much. I am using all Hextronic HTX900 servos as I thought they would be sufficient. If, however, I rekit the model after maiden flight, I may reconsider.

Watch this space.

Cheers

Sean

[Sean Murray-Smith]

Well, the little lady is complete. I am having difficulties uploading photos, but as soon as things settle down in the ether I shall post.

I am going to be flying with a 1300mAh Lipo and a UBEC; Orange 6 channel receiver and I needed 2 ounces of lead in the nose for balance. All up weight is 32.8 ounces which gives me just about 10 ounces/sq foot so she might even thermal. (In the Summer in Adelaide I can get a concrete block to thermal). I shall keep trying to upload the photos, especially of the maiden flight.

Now, where did I leave that cliff?

[Sean Murray-Smith]

Hi

I am having terrible problems loading my photos to this thread. The system keeps telling me that the website has a problem. The photo is a .JPEG and about 5 Meg in size, so it should load (All my others did). Does anyonone have a solution?

Cheers

Sean

[Martyn K]

I use Irfanview (free Graphics viewer/editor) to drop all my images to 1024 (longest side) before I upload. Saves a lot of pain and time and keeps the management happy.

Its very easy to use

Martyn

[Sean Murray-Smith]

Thanks Martyn, it works a treat.

Here is a photo of my completed Cliffwhacker. On the weather settles I shall chuck it off a cliff

[leccyflyer]

I was very impressed with my clubmate Terry's Cliffwhacker yesterday, in a blustery NW wind, she was both very stable and fully aerobatic. Terry was really enjoying throwing the model around and the landings were rock solid - the Cliffwhacker is a keeper. Unfortunately that blustery wind did eventually cause a nasty insertion into a big clump of gorse bushes and a shredded wing. I'm sure that she'll soon be repaired and back on the slope.

Here's a few snaps of the Cliffwhacker in action up in the sunny, windy, wet, dry, hailstoney, sleety Aberdeenshire hills - and that was all in the space of an hour or so. The expression "all weather fighter" springs to mind, but you don't expect it all in a single flight.

Edited By leccyflyer on 26/04/2015 07:48:58

[buster prop]

I'm building one as well. Have got the fuselage 'box' built and am now well on with the wings. It's going to be the flapped version. One query though.. in the article Alex said he used pegged flat paper type hinges for wing control surfaces. Now, if they are made from stock TE planed to the angle shown on the plan with the edge against the wing at the top how is there room to bury the hinge? Other than that all OK, hoping to get it flying later in the summer. Nice pictures btw.

[Sean Murray-Smith]

What I did was to bottom hinge the flaps as they are only going down then centre hinged the ailerons and sanded the aileron to a curved section.

[buster prop]

Thanks Sean. I was beginning to think along those lines as well. The hinging method suggested is fine for the tail surfaces but I may do as you did for the wings, or film cover first and use strong clear tape to top hinge the flaps and ailerons and finally cover over the tape with matching film. I did that on another model and it worked well.

[Samantha Thomas 1]

Hi has any one gone electric on the cliffwhaker ? Please

[Steve Terpstra]

So, I've read the articles, studied the plan sheet and watched the video, and it will be a next winter build. Alex deserves a pat on the back and a big "Atta boy" for his design. Here he has designed one of the most versatile models that I have yet to come across . Glow, electric, or non powered. With or without ailerons etcetera. It appears that he has tried to do his best to offer a glider that would appeal to most builders. I've never tossed a perfectly good model off of a cliff before so this one will get electric power. So many plans, so little time (sigh)

Good job Alex

[Samantha Thomas 1]

I too want to build a Cliffwacker , I live close to the Presceli hills, does anybody have any experience of flying there,

Also sugestions of motor, prop, battery etc , many thanks David.

,

[Leslie Crane 1]

I just maidened my Cliffwhacker yesterday but was disappointed. I have built it well - in my view - with no obvious errors or inaccuracies especially as I used the wood pack but it seemed a little light for the conditions and I will need to add the extra lead on the CofG. Flew better when wind moderated a bit but no matter what I did I could not get it to roll in either direction even moving ailerons to 125%. Have had a number of suggestions from site members in the 'all things flying' section but so far am disappointed in the performance after the write-up. Did look good in the air tho

Les

[Andy Green]

Hi Les

What servos do you have for the ailerons?

I'm thinking are they powerful enough to move the ailerons against the air when flying.

Andy

[Leslie Crane 1]

They are Hitec 81's the same as in the mag write up so should be OK. If anyone thinks I should have more powerful please suggest replacements but they seemed plenty powerful against my finger pressure today