Steve Dunne Posted November 10, 2021 Share Posted November 10, 2021 (edited) Well, at last, after 16 months in the build, my KeilKraft Falcon from a Ben Buckle kit is complete! Today was a calm day at Greenmires, our North Yorkshire flying site, and so a fine day for a maiden... I was somewhat worried that take off would be skittish, due to the very forward undercarriage, but it was really just a pussycat! The model weighs 8lb 5 oz, no ballast required with the cg at 130mm, just 5mm behind the plan cg. Engine is an OSfs56a, turning a wooden 14"x4" prop. Took off at half throttle, and spent most of the flying time at 1/4 throttle. Eventually tried a few aerobatics(!!), it loops reasonably, barrell rolls interestingly?, but the stall turns are excellent! A few pics, with many thanks to club photographer Nigel Castle... Edited November 10, 2021 by Steve Dunne 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Dunne Posted November 10, 2021 Author Share Posted November 10, 2021 and a few more... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Dunne Posted November 10, 2021 Author Share Posted November 10, 2021 and more... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Dunne Posted November 10, 2021 Author Share Posted November 10, 2021 anf finally, with a loop... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Hooper Posted November 10, 2021 Share Posted November 10, 2021 That's a lovely thing! Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Posted November 11, 2021 Share Posted November 11, 2021 Lovely - worth the wait ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J D 8 Posted November 11, 2021 Share Posted November 11, 2021 That pilot on board just knows it is going fly well Very nice and great pics from Nigel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Dunne Posted November 11, 2021 Author Share Posted November 11, 2021 ? Thanks all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomtom39 Posted November 11, 2021 Share Posted November 11, 2021 Wonderful Steve. Your pictures have persuaded me to get me to get mine finished and ready for the next flying season. I started mine quite a few years ago , ended up being distracted on other projects . I have also been able to find a NIB OS fs60 open rocker to fit into this (hidden in a tea chest from a house move some 30 years ago). So thank you for the timely reminder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Dunne Posted November 11, 2021 Author Share Posted November 11, 2021 OSfs60 open rocker... Very envious. I had one forty years ago! It should be a marvellous power plant for the falcon! Steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomtom39 Posted November 11, 2021 Share Posted November 11, 2021 Having been re-united with this gem . I've not got past the kissing stage. The wife is most jealous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
911hillclimber Posted December 4, 2021 Share Posted December 4, 2021 Just caught up with this plane. What a real cracker! And it has a pilot, nice change. Makes me look forward to 2022 when I hope to be competent enough to fly my BB Buccaneer. The plane looks really good, an inspiration to a newbie!. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Davis Posted December 4, 2021 Share Posted December 4, 2021 45 minutes ago, 911hillclimber said: Just caught up with this plane. What a real cracker! And it has a pilot, nice change. Makes me look forward to 2022 when I hope to be competent enough to fly my BB Buccaneer. The plane looks really good, an inspiration to a newbie!. You are probably already competent enough to fly the Falcon Hillclimber, after all, it was designed as a free flight model so it will be very stable. I wouldn't advise flying it in a wind though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted December 4, 2021 Share Posted December 4, 2021 Hillclimber, the bloke who built that knows the structural limitations of the airframe if he looped it, and still had it after the loop. A loop done without wing stress is not as easy as it sounds. It is easy to steer round the sky, but, 1. it weighs half a stone or so, it has energy to dissipate. 2. it’s a free flight model, loops were not in the designers mind. Lovely thing, but know it’s limitations before you pile half a soul of hours into making one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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