54" F4D-1 Skyray

[RCjetdude]

Looking good Michael. Glad to see you've picked this back up.

[Kloverzero]

Well well, been quite a while since there was anything new to report on this fine lady, but there is now!! A lot of things and projects have kept this one on the shelf for a while, but she is stoked up and moving forward again!! I decided against the A-4 retracts. They were very deep, heavy, and there was no good way to have them retract into the scale position without some serious work. I opted for a set of Turnigy retracts that I have had in my bin for quite some time that have never been mounted on anything. I have them retracting into the wing (sorry for you ultra scale buffs out there), so while they are not scale, at least it does have landing gear, and I do not have to attempt a hand launch of an unproven design on a maiden flight!! So, with those in, and the servos mounted for the elevons, all the wires run, duct work completed, and everything tested thrice, I have started sheeting the bottom of the plane!! I have to run some shaping ribs on the wing tonight before they can be sheeted, but I hope to be working on the nose section by next week!!

[Kloverzero]

Been kinda busy around here, so I haven't gotten a whole lot done, but except for the first bay, I have all of the lower fuselage structure done. Just need to be sanded now,

[Kloverzero]

And got some more done last night, switched ends of the plane though!!

At this point, I do not know if I am going to put the retracts in it or not. I made a stick that symbolized the size of the mains for the A-4 and they are kinda too big. I am thinking about just engineering some grips into the belly, and hand launching.While this is a scary prospect for a scratch built, and otherwise unproven model, I am hoping it will be okay. It will also significantly cut the all up weight down

[Kloverzero]

Last nights progress, the duct is finally almost finished!!

I will be ordering the retracts tomorrow (A-4 rotating mains). I hope to have the rest of the lower fuselage structure complete before they arrive, so I can start concentrating on the electronics installation.











More to come!!

[Kloverzero]

Last week and a half has been rather crazy around here, so I didn't get anything done. Blew the dust off it last night, and got started on the lower fuse. The rest of the ducting is not going to be any fun at all, but I will tackle it tonight after I get the Freewing 64mm F-22 that cam in today built and ready to go!!

[Kloverzero]

Success!!

Then I flipped it over and set the formers on for effect!!

[Kloverzero]

Alright!! I have the top of one wing done and attached to the fuselage!!! It is starting to become something now!

I cut a slot on the inside of the center sheet right next to the two main riblet line so that I can route it out from the bottom and put longitudinal spars in, as well as the lateral spars that will span across the fuse.

Hoping that I can get the other wing half done tonight, and get it sheeted and attached as well!!









She really shows her 54" length in the last photo!! Hopefully I will have a new set of photos tomorrow!!

[Boots Whirlygig]

Can't wait to see the finished creation take wing!

[Corsair nut]

Ansolutely love it! Perfect!!

[OV10]

When you get the PDF just PM me for my email to send the file that way versus a piece of hardware by snailmail ;)
I've seen your mug and it didn't :Scared:me the first time but I will keep an eyeball peeled for the article

[Kloverzero]

You are the Herr Frankenstein of bringing life to BlueFoam :Cool:
Still monitoring your :ov10thread for the plan PDF ;)

Don't worry Charlie, I will send you a PM when I have them ready. I am out of paper, and can't afford a roll until Friday. Once I get that, I will get them done. I am also just going to put them on a thumbdrive and send them as a PDF, and you can then take the file to your local print shop and have them printed. I also submitted a picture of me with the OV-10 to Model Aviations Focal Point section, so keep an eye out in upcoming issues for my ugly mug and beautiful model!!!

[Twowingtj]

Nice work!

[OV10]

You are the Herr Frankenstein of bringing life to BlueFoam :Cool:
Still monitoring your :ov10thread for the plan PDF ;)

[Kloverzero]

Okay, so here is what I managed to get done over my little "staycation"

The upper duct is in. I opted to go with the 3/16th foam, which put the duct at the perfect size for the 80mm fan. This all that this thing is going to need!! I also got the lower formers drawn and cut from the intakes back, and got the fan mounting plates installed.

Before I start gluing all of the lower formers on, I think I will tackle the wings. I have decided to make it a solid unit, the wings will not be removable. They also, according to my 3 view, have no dihedral or anhedral, so I felt it best to build the tops while I can still have the plane flat on the board. This will ensure that everything stays straight and true. Once I have the internal structure complete for both of the wings, I will glue them to the fuse, and then sheet the tops. I can then flip the model over, and route in the spars.

The front section looks a little wonky at the moment, as I want to sheet the sides of it in one piece, so I am waiting until I get the bottom formers on for that.

So, here you go!!

[Kloverzero]

Help, I have purchased a couple iFLY 1806 2300kv motors that do not seem to turn up as they should. According to my calculations, 2300x7.4 they should turn up around 17000rpm and they are no where near that. What could the trouble be?
Any assistance will be greatly appreciated. Thanks Bob

HI Bob, and welcome to HobbySquawk.

Your calculations are correct, however, the kv x V = rpm is for the motors without a load on them. With the fans running, it will be considerably lower. This is completely normal.

We always welcome questions here, however, posting them on someone else's post that is unrelated is not the place for them. Please use the "New Topic" button in the future for any questions that you may have about any subject. That way, your question can be seen by everyone, and not just the people who are watching a particular post.

I hope the answer helps you, and have fun looking through the posts here, and commenting on anything you see that interests you!!

[Oldensly]

Help, I have purchased a couple iFLY 1806 2300kv motors that do not seem to turn up as they should. According to my calculations, 2300x7.4 they should turn up around 17000rpm and they are no where near that. What could the trouble be?
Any assistance will be greatly appreciated. Thanks Bob

[Corsair nut]

Ive dont depron ducting before. If the inlet area is atleast 100% or more, it typically holds just fine. Or fff for tgat matter

[Boots Whirlygig]

The lightweight glass would be good on the intake ducting. That 90mm fan may try to ingest them, or intake the intake and spit them out the tail pipe! :Scared:;)

[Boots Whirlygig]

https://www.hobbysquawk.com/forum/rc-airplanes/the-hangar/55047-the-sig-king-kobra-batplane

He is just making fun of me and my 18 pound King Kobra....

But seriously, as light as this airframe is, 3/4 oz fiberglass cloth and alcohol thinned epoxy would add considerable strength and little weight. Stay away from the Bondo which is a 6 oz HEAVY weave cloth!