Simon Chaddock Posted December 6, 2016 Author Share Posted December 6, 2016 Peter Could do but my mean streak tells me that even the cheapest servo reverser would cost rather more and weigh nearly as much as the servo itself! As expected it was not too difficult to change so it now all works together. It takes a peak of just 1.2A so to be safe it will use an ESC with a 3A BEC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted December 6, 2016 Author Share Posted December 6, 2016 Looking at the Pilatus P-2 do those undercarriage legs look familiar? In their original application they were outward retracting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted December 6, 2016 Share Posted December 6, 2016 Yes, ME 109 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted December 7, 2016 Author Share Posted December 7, 2016 Correct but to be exact it was the "Bf" as the 109 was designed before 1938 when Willy Messerschmitt took over Bayerische Flugzeugwerke and renamed it Messerschmitt AG which resulted in the RLM prefix of any subsequent design being "Me". Not much to show for a couple of hours delicate 'fitting' but the elevator and rudder servos are now in. With the retract underneath that's 3 servos in just 40 mm. The whole lot is only structurally complete when the tail plane is glued over the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted December 7, 2016 Share Posted December 7, 2016 Yes, all right. Bf. However in my youth they were known as Me 109s. and also by less complimengtary names. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted December 7, 2016 Author Share Posted December 7, 2016 The motor bulkhead and the Emax CF 2822 are now in. Phew! Even the spinner seems to be just about the right shape although I am not too enthusiastic about the colour! In keeping with its 'P51' style retracts it is going to have a small 'chin' intake to allow a bit of cooling air for the motor. The ESC will have external fins as I did with the Petiterina. As I am still waiting for the ESC (and the Rx) the next task is to organise the servo wires from the tail so the rear decking and the fin can go on. At this rate I just might just get it complete in 2016! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted December 8, 2016 Share Posted December 8, 2016 Spinner colour looks OK to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted December 8, 2016 Author Share Posted December 8, 2016 Seemed to have spent most of the day soldering but the fuselage wiring is now complete. The position of the battery box and hatch will be determined to achieve the required CofG once the rear decking, fin and rudder are in place. The ESC is in with it finned heat sink sticking out underneath. The two triangular cut outs enable the connections for the retracts (front) and ailerons (rear). So far it looks like the Depron Ballerina is going to weigh just under 22 oz (624 g). This will give it a relatively modest power loading of 110 W/lb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted December 8, 2016 Share Posted December 8, 2016 It's going to soar like a bird, no doubt about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share Posted December 9, 2016 The nose planking. The battery hatch will be cut out once I have worked out where the battery has to go! The rudder with its substantial cutout to clear the elevator tube.. Just the rear decking still to finish. Edited By Simon Chaddock on 09/12/2016 22:06:02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosco Posted December 10, 2016 Share Posted December 10, 2016 Looks good Simon.I might try planking with foamboard on my Skywriter-X. I'll be interested to see how close your weight prediction is to the finished product.Rosco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McG 6969 Posted December 10, 2016 Share Posted December 10, 2016 Well done again Simon, At this rhythm of progress your Foam Lady is going to be maiden before Christmas, I guess... Should I start to get really envious now? Cheers Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted December 10, 2016 Author Share Posted December 10, 2016 Chris Whilst I might just get it complete by Christmas however unless there is some calm dry weather (ha!) a maiden is unlikely At last I have determined the required battery position. With an 1800 mAh 3s it gives a 28% CofG, the same as for the Petiterina. Now I have to cut that pristine nose planking open! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Jones Posted December 10, 2016 Share Posted December 10, 2016 Wot`s the AuW so far Simon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted December 10, 2016 Author Share Posted December 10, 2016 I am still on track to keep to the estimated AuW of just under 22 oz (624 g) with an 1800 mAh 3s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted December 11, 2016 Author Share Posted December 11, 2016 The battery bax with the battery in position. So I started setting up the Lemon 7ch stabiliser and immediately ran into a problem using the DX6i. I want to use the Spektrum 'dual aileron' function which uses Aux 1 (ch6) for the Left Aileron. The Lemon Rx uses ch5 (Gear) to switch on/off the stability but of course I am already using that! I could live with the stab on/off working in conjunction with the gear (stab on/gear up) except the Lemon on/off works the other way round to the retracts!! So it looks like I may have to buy a servo reverser after all - or buy a DX9!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted December 11, 2016 Share Posted December 11, 2016 Argh!! Very frustrating Simon. I'm sure I read somewhere that it was something like that happening that caused Van Gogh to go loopy and cut his ear off. It's left my head in a spin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McG 6969 Posted December 12, 2016 Share Posted December 12, 2016 Apologies but it reads a tiny bit like ancient Greek to me, Simon... and I always thought Van Gogh's muse used to be a Taranis, Colin. Now on the other end, if you are able to find a DX9 with a similar price tag to that of the reverser, I would go for the TX... Cheers Chris Edited By McG 6969 on 12/12/2016 08:26:40 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted December 12, 2016 Author Share Posted December 12, 2016 It would appear there is choice - stability or retracts but not both (at the same time). Given my rough field, particularly at this time of year, I have to decide which gives the better option for its maiden and if the stability option is taken do I leave the undercarriage up or down? I suspect it will be 'stab on' and 'U/C up' with a hand launch/belly land. Although this option gives an increased chance of minor Depron damage it reduces the chance of anything major - like ripping the U/C out! However if it proves to be as well behaved as the Petiterina it should be able to accomplish normal 'wheels down' landings, even on the rough grass, although its reduced power to weight is likely to require a longer take off run increasing the chance of a nose over or U/C damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted December 13, 2016 Author Share Posted December 13, 2016 Very calm if not a little wet today so I put the battery on charge to maiden the Depron Ballerina. A final check, this time with the prop on, and the ESC started playing up! It ran fine at full power but at lowish setting and at random it would simply stop but would always restart once the throttle had been set to off. I almost decided to risk it but then a rain shower started so put the battery back on storage charge to take away the temptation! All my own fault really as it was an ESC I had in my spares draw and it already had a 'fingered' heat sink on it. So with a bit of surgery and transposing the heat sink and connectors the replacement goes in. Took the old ESC apart - to make sure it never gets used again! It had a heat sink on both sides but it did show an alarming manufacturing 'feature'. The heat sink on the BEC side sits right over both the input and output soldered connections basically relying on the heat conducting pad for insulation! As it only touches two components I cannot understand why they just did not make the heat sink smaller to positively avoid the soldered connections. It won't be problem with the new ESC as it only has a heat sink on the MOSFET side - but then again that might mean its BEC will overheat! Edited By Simon Chaddock on 13/12/2016 15:07:21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 These things happen. When I tested Destiny the needle valve kept vibrating closed. Luckily that could be fixed on the field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McG 6969 Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 Well, fine that you could detect it before your maiden, Simon. I'm really wondering now what's to happen when I will be trying to install Bella's internal leccy thingies... Good luck for the 'first trip' anyhow. Cheers Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted December 13, 2016 Author Share Posted December 13, 2016 The new ESC and the nose all put back together showing the 'chin' air intake.. As I hoped 'ready to go' the Depron Ballerina weighs just under 22 oz - actually 21.55 oz (610.9 g) to 4 sig figs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosco Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 Very nice Simon, I'm looking forwards to a maiden Vid.Weight is good too.Rosco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Chaddock Posted December 14, 2016 Author Share Posted December 14, 2016 Gentle breeze this morning so it had its maiden! - wheels fixed up, stab switchable. Sorry no video. Hand launch no problem. Wind direction very turbulent so it was quite a handful when the stab was turned off but it all smoothed out nicely with it on. As expected it does not have quite the same 'push' as the Petiterina but it still climbs at a good 60 degrees. Did not have the brake on so I was concerned about the prop with a belly landing but directly into wind the landing was ridiculously slow so all quite innocuous. U/C now reconnected so next flight will be stab on/wheels down, stab off/wheels up and there will be a video. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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