Middle Phase 2

[Jonathan M]

Paul

Get yourself the free version of Picasim for your phone or better the free or almost free Windows version for your PC so you can connect your TX with a dongle. This trained my brain and my fingers superbly for learning to slope soar, first with the RE trainer then a choice of aileron models and different sceneries.

**LINK**

I also flew my little RE Elf DLG on gentle slopes in light winds, then the foam Libelle with ailerons (rubbish as a DLG - and I really hate foam things - but good on the slope in moderate conditions).

So, by the time I came round to actually building my Middle Phase, I had no need for the beginner's dihedral wing that came with the kit and purchased the aileron wings separately from Chris Foss. Down the line, once you're used to flying the MP with just rudder and elevator, you could always upgrade yours similarly.

In the meantime, it would probably be sensible to build the fuselage according to spec with dowels and wing-bands - to save the grief on choppy landings!

Jon

[Alan H]

I have Picasim on my PC and find the flight dynamics to be very realistic. Much better IMHO than Phoenix. A superb sim for slope soaring, I was sufficiently impressed to make a donation.

[Jonathan M]

Just a note to add to anyone referring to this build-thread for their own MP:

After another hard landing (negligent operator misjudged pesky rotor behind landing area) the servo-bearers and cross-bearers for the wing-nuts came away again from the fuselage sides.

This time I decided to mechanically fix all of them in place either side using 3x20 countersunk screws (first drilled pilot holes and countersunk just below the surface of the ply sides), then roughened up all adjacent internal surfaces and gave everything a good dose of slow-setting epoxy with micro-balloons. My aim is that - should the worst happen- the nylon wing-bolts should simply shear as designed, rather than fuselage innards come away yet again!

After this photo was taken, the holes were patched (un-filled in case I ever need to take the thing apart) with little squares of black covering film. Looks like new again!

[Sussex Pete]

Posted by Jonathan M on 08/01/2018 19:23:06:

Today...

Finalised the fit of the servos in the wing-pockets (excess aileron leads coiled and taped to servo side where there's a bit of room) and drilled 1.5mm diam pilot holes.

Trimmed the pocket surrounds for an exact fit, and down slightly so that the 2mm thick plastic covers sit as flush as possible.

Selected the two denser strips of the four lengths of supplied stock for the leading-edges (the remaining two will face the trailing-edges).

And glued up using PVA and masking-tape (used lower-tack tape than the blue 3M stuff as I don't want to risk tearing up fibres from the veneer when I peel it off).

I'm a late-comer to the thread, about to start my own MP2 build, and I want to thank you immediately for solving the aileron servo mount - and cable routing - for me! I've picked up loads of other good ideas from your build, too - never too much detail 8)

[Sussex Pete]

Posted by Jonathan M on 19/03/2018 20:26:00:

Next up was fitting the rudder gubbins. The horn flange and back-plate needed trimming away (this time at matching oblique angles, but pictures only show the first rough trim), then had a little manual play with the snake - clearly the odd angle that the snake approaches the rudder is weird, but it seems to work well enough with no distortion or stress on the whole assembly:

You're not the first to hit a mismatch between a rudder hinge line and a snake direction 8) Here's my solution using a ball-joint clevis on my Kamco Kloudrider (and apologies for the sideways pic - can't seem to rotate it here!)

[Wilco Wingco]

Does anybody have a copy of the MP 2 instructions. Just bout a used one off e-bay and need it for set up, cofg throws etc. Also the tail is held on with rubber bands but cant see how and the aileron servo os mounted in the fuselage???. 

Cheers.

Mike.

 

[Jonathan M]

Mike, I'll see if I can dig out my own instructions.

 

The fuselage-mounted aileron servo is the original design, nothing at all wrong with it at all, except that with my two wing servos I've been able to programme in spoilerons on the throttle-stick (full up is normal, full down is max up travel on both) to help fasten the model down on landings in tight areas.

 

My tailplane is bolted on with M3 nylon bolts... I wish I'd banded it on instead!!

 

Jon

[Jonathan M]

Basically the rubber band goes from under the fuselage at the LE of the tailplane, up and over the fin etc, then down through the 1/4" deep x 1-1/4" wide rectangular hole cut at the rear of the fixed part of tailplane, then down and into the angled slots just under the very end of the fuselage.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

[Wilco Wingco]

Thanks Jon. I was wondering how it worked. I have a very old MP that I put 2 servos in the wings like you. On this one I am very tempted to install flap servos for crow?. As for the rubber bands, they so seem a bit fiddly and a pain to put on, my old one has the tail glued on, so i might just try the 3mm nylon bolt route. 

Mike.

[Jonathan M]

You could do the crow, but frankly if you're going to go down the route of adapting the wing etc I reckon it would be better to just fit two servos, one for each of the full-length ailerons (I fitted HS85MGs in hollowed-out pockets, which are small but more than strong enough for the job).  I've never had a model with flaps so have never used crow, but the spoilerons do a very good job of dumping lift, slowing the model a bit and getting it onto the deck when needed.  The other thing about having separate aileron servos is that you can then mix in a bit of snap-flap - I did this mainly because I wanted my MP to be able to fly inverted slightly more easily, which works a treat.

 

Re the tailplane, I don't think I'd be happy with a glued-on one- its too vulnerable in my view, so either bolts (carry lots of spares!) or rubber bands.