Outrunner Posted February 22, 2020 Share Posted February 22, 2020 Hello. After reading the Whippiteer thread I was enthused to have another go at getting the hang of flying an autogyro. It might be a while before the Whippiteer plan is publish so I've decided to build a Whippit, Rich pointed to the RC Flyer magazine from August 2014 that has the free pullout plan of the Whippit which I already have tucked away. I thought I also had tucked away some EPP foam but this turned out to be 6mm depron. Hmm. So I decided to build a model based on the Whippit using a liteply frame with depron skinning keeping all the dimensions the same. Not being a true Whippit I'm calling it Whippish being a ripoff of a Whippit, I hope you don't mind Rich If there is any interest I will post some photos of (slow) progress and hopefully I can try to fly my Whippish this spring when the flying field has dried out. Phil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Harris Posted February 22, 2020 Share Posted February 22, 2020 Phil, Sounds great , looking forward to your build log Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrunner Posted February 23, 2020 Author Share Posted February 23, 2020 Rich Thank you for your approval! Iv'e made a start and I will try to post regular updates and hopefully some flying shots! I scanned bits of the plan as a PDF and enlarged by 143% and printed out the formers full size (the plan with RC Flyer was reduced to 70% full size). This photo shows the underside former extended the full length of the fuselage as I using 6mm Depron and not 9mm EPP. The cut out for the battery pack was extended to take up to a 2200ma pack if need and the cutout for the rudder servo moved back. Must get a new cutting mat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrunner Posted February 23, 2020 Author Share Posted February 23, 2020 Fuslage crutch now cutout and building can commence. I'm making it up as I go along so I can't cut all of the peices out yet but I'm sticking to Rich's overall dimensions and angles if that makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrunner Posted February 23, 2020 Author Share Posted February 23, 2020 First of 3 firewall formers, I will add the other two later. Battery box and mast holder built. Rotor mast drops in. Sorry about the mess! Ready to start filling in the gaps with Depron. Edit. Added photo, Edited By Outrunner on 23/02/2020 09:46:40 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis Watkins Posted February 23, 2020 Share Posted February 23, 2020 That is not a mess, but just modelling activity Watching with interest as have never built one of these But have seen a young man fly one, low level, like a scene from " Mash " Edited By Denis Watkins on 23/02/2020 09:59:16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrunner Posted February 23, 2020 Author Share Posted February 23, 2020 Denis, I have flown an autogyro, very briefly a few times before the crashes! I have a Rotorshape that I was going to try and fly again but I can't find the rotorblades so I decided to build a Rich Harris Whippit, or something like it anyway. Phil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Harris Posted February 23, 2020 Share Posted February 23, 2020 Agree with Denis, its all WIP, certainly not messy as you can still see it! I like to see these builds by folk as you always see better ways of doing things, one such is your battery box that runs to the bulkhead. I will borrow that idea if you dont mind? You'd be surprised at just how many Whippit inspired autogyros people have come up with over the years, some fine examples, I must get an album together of their efforts if there is interest? If this rain holds off I'm off up the field later with mine as I am going to try shorter blades looking forward to more build photos Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrunner Posted February 23, 2020 Author Share Posted February 23, 2020 Sure Rich, no problem using the battery box onto the bulkhead idea, after all I've copied your ideas! It will be very interesting to see an album of Whippit inspired autgyros please carry on. I will post some more photos later. Phil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Bertram Posted February 23, 2020 Share Posted February 23, 2020 Phil, your workspace is positively tidy compared to mine. Watching your build with interest. My Whippit has been through the wars somewhat! Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrunner Posted February 28, 2020 Author Share Posted February 28, 2020 Been doing some more work on my Whippish.... Starting to fill in the gaps with layer of Depron Holes for servo's and cablesFollowed by more Depron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrunner Posted February 28, 2020 Author Share Posted February 28, 2020 Weight check Not sure if that's good? Tail pieces tried for size Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrunner Posted February 28, 2020 Author Share Posted February 28, 2020 Got these bits from Coolwind. Very nicely made and good value for money. Not sure what the round bit is for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrunner Posted February 28, 2020 Author Share Posted February 28, 2020 Fitted an Airtek 2836/1120 outrunner. Should produce about 280 Watts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrunner Posted February 29, 2020 Author Share Posted February 29, 2020 Rich. I've scaled up the rotor blade dimensions from the RC Flyer plan and it gives me a rotor blade size of about 61mm by 400mm. Is this correct. I've got some 1/4" X 3/8" spruce and cut some 1/4" X 2" balsa to make up the blade but looks huge. Is this right? Many thanks. Phil. Edited By Outrunner on 29/02/2020 15:46:02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Harris Posted March 1, 2020 Share Posted March 1, 2020 Phil, Looking good! Your not far off at that, just put the rule across my blades that I use on the depron 'type 2' 440mm long, 60mm cord, 6mm thick, mounting hole is 420mm from tip inwards. Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrunner Posted March 1, 2020 Author Share Posted March 1, 2020 Rich After gluing the blades together and trimming the ends they are 415 long by 60 wide, is this too short?' I'm working on the blade profile at the moment. I will post some photo's later. Phil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrunner Posted March 1, 2020 Author Share Posted March 1, 2020 I enlarged and printed the blade section then stuck this to a piece of thin ply Then marked around template onto end of blade blank, as Rich recommended I'm making four blades Nice new blade in the David plane and roughed out the profile Roughed the leading edge Now the trailing edge and ready for final sanding I'm following Steve Jones blog within the Atom Special thread on blade making, this has been really helpful, thanks Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Harris Posted March 1, 2020 Share Posted March 1, 2020 Phil, I find blade making quite satisfying, your shorter blade length should be ok but I can calculate the rotor disc loading once you have an idea of the AUW? Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrunner Posted March 1, 2020 Author Share Posted March 1, 2020 Rich I'm enjoying making the blades, it much nicer working with ply and balsa than depron. The model is now painted although it was a bit of a disaster, I will explain and post some photos later. I can come up with a close estimate of all up weight tomorrow as I have everything to hand and I'll put all the bits on the scales. Thanks again. Phil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrunner Posted March 2, 2020 Author Share Posted March 2, 2020 Rich I popped all the bits on the scales and with a 3s 2200 Lipo it weighed in around 717 grams and with a 3s 1500 Lipo it was about 658 grams. Out of interest do know what sort of weight Whippit's coming in at? Phil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrunner Posted March 8, 2020 Author Share Posted March 8, 2020 The blades are nearly finished. I started with 4 blades. One blade got sanded a bit thin so then there where 3 little pink ones Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrunner Posted March 8, 2020 Author Share Posted March 8, 2020 I had some enamel spray paint sitting in the cupboard, flo red and flo yellow, perfect for a nice bright colour scheme. I tested on some scrap depron to see if there was any reaction, it was OK on the shiny part of the depron but the cut edges reacted. So I had a bright idea, I got at tester pot of the brightest red emulsion paint I could find and painted this all over but it came out a bit dull, so I then tried spraying the flo red but the can gave up. So then I tried spraying the flo yellow but it just looked like a boil has burst over the red paint and looks awful. Ho Hum, it's fairly bright so hopefully I will be able to see it in the sky. The pilot is ready to go.... Should be finished soon. Phil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrunner Posted March 12, 2020 Author Share Posted March 12, 2020 Getting close to finishing now, all the gear is just got to connect rudder cables and fit a prop. I can't find any mention of balance point on the plan, anybody know where this should be? I can't do the usual finger under the mainspar trick on an autogyro! Hopefully the weather will calm down a bit so that I can get down the flying field. Phil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Harris Posted March 13, 2020 Share Posted March 13, 2020 Phil, Looking good Regarding the CG, if you hang the model finished ready to fly from the mast it should have a nose down attitude. This angle or hang angle as we call it should be between 12 and 20 degrees using the tail plane as the horizontal datum, somewhere in the middle is ideal. Clearly, the greater the hang the more rearward tilt is likely needed to be added to the rotor disc. Once trimmed a good test to take it up and chop the throttle, it should descend with a forward glide, if it hesitates, rotates then weather cocks into wind it needs a little more nose weight. Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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