Depron Vampire

[Neil Straker]

The DH Swallow edf was a success, so as I'm passionate about DH aircraft, next up was the Vampire. I'm on MKII now. MKI proved that the idea would work, but due to several self induced problems, it turned out much too heavy and was warped all over the place :eek:

So, I present MKII:

http://www.electrifly.uk.com/vamp/ky.jpg

[Neil Straker]

Here's the prototype, it flew, but had some issues!

http://www.electrifly.uk.com/vamp/dup.jpg

[Neil Straker]

here are some pics taken during the construction of MKII:

http://www.electrifly.uk.com/vamp/groove.jpg

http://www.electrifly.uk.com/vamp/holes.jpg

http://www.electrifly.uk.com/vamp/imp2.jpg

[Neil Straker]

A few more:

http://www.electrifly.uk.com/vamp/neat.jpg

http://www.electrifly.uk.com/vamp/S2.jpg

http://www.electrifly.uk.com/vamp/S3.jpg

[Tomcat Fan]

Mk IIs pretty sweet....nice lines, smooth curves.....oh damn, there's a plane there, too.

[Synwpn]

wow! and the vampire is lovely too! :)

love the design. simple and elegant. with the depron doubled to give you the contrast in color, it allows your to hide the carbon fiber spars inbetween?

[Neil Straker]

Yes, spot on. It also allowed me to 'hide' the servos in the wing. Makes for a much cleaner wing.

[Tomcat Fan]

The big problem is, the whole plane's hiding the woman. :mad:
I have no idea how nobody's concerned about that.
Forget hiding the carbon spar.

Nice aircraft design, though. :D

[Ralph A. D'Amelio]

Very nice 6mm or 3mm depron

[Neil Straker]

6mm depron throughout with a bit of 2mm liteply for the boom. Strangely, the white 6mm depron is thinner than the black. I'll find a pic of the boom construction...

[Neil Straker]

The boom was made up from a lamination of depron/liteply/depron. I also added some carbon tows at the 'weak' point, a bit like this:

http://www.electrifly.uk.com/vamp/boompart.jpg

[monkamarm2000]

very cool! and really like that double depron trick! I suppose this wing is alot less flexy with this setup?


Barry

[monkamarm2000]

oh and anything as far as clear, or is it straight depron?

[Neil Straker]

I've found the 'black' depron to be much more 'flexible' than the white. So, I thought I'd try a laminate of the two :)

Compared to the 'Swallow' which was flat plate black depron, this is much more rigid... without having to add cf 'stiffeners' to the l.e.

:)

[Neil Straker]

While I was doing this I was also building a SA Diddlebug! I was really impressed with the interlocking laser cut parts. So I tried the same thing with depron:

The boom fits onto the wing like this...

http://www.electrifly.uk.com/vamp/boo3.jpg

http://www.electrifly.uk.com/vamp/boo4.jpg

http://www.electrifly.uk.com/vamp/boo5.jpg

If you see what I mean? :(

[savall21]

Are plans going to be available?

[Neil Straker]

I think I'll see what it flies like first, but yeah, I don't see why not

[Synwpn]

heh. i'd definitely build one. i dont suppose the model will come with the plans eh? :)

i think i'm going ot need to order some thin depron!

[Hepdog]

WOW if only I could get Miss Minouge to "pose" with any of my planes.....

I don't which is done better, the plane or the "photo" ;)

Foam laminations are the cats meow. What do you use for adhesive and how do you find the weight increase?

[savall21]

When are you going to fly it? Post some video if you can.

[Neil Straker]

WOW if only I could get Miss Minouge to "pose" with any of my planes.....

:D :D

I used Zap-O on this one, the first time I've used it. Normally I use the 'glueless' method to laminate the wings, but this one needed a bit of time to get all the holes and grooves lined up... I didn't seem to add much weight.

I'm hoping to get out with it this weekend if the grotty weather we are having decides to go away.

I'll take some video of it - but only if it's any good! :)

[Neil Straker]

I forgot to mention, power = Mega 16/15/4 with a Jeti Jes 30-3p and 6x4 prop

[Mick Molloy]

How did it fly ??? is a plane available yet??
I found this thread while looking up info on laminating depron, I am planning on doing a depron alpha jet (the profile version not the scale version).
How strong was the depron after laminating, is the light ply needed?? could you get away with using carbon toes only ...

Thanks
Mick

[Vernon Hunt]

It's all flat! Well, except for the woman holding the plane! I like the woman more than the plane. Stick to the women, more fun!

[Mick Molloy]

I should be so lucky!!!

[Neil Straker]

The MkII flew very well. It was a bit of a handful though, due I think to being a bit too small. I have some ides for a slightly larger version but other projects have got in the way...

I used the liteply on the fuselage and the booms in an attempt to add some strength, as they were the bits that broke on the first one. The wing was laminated from 2 layers of 6mm with a cf spar sandwiched in between. It was very stiff, hardly any flex, but it was quite a small span and had a wide chord at the root.

The model met it's demise when it cartwheeled in. Both the booms snapped off and there was other damage - but the wing stayed in one bit!

I did get some video of it, but it's such poor quality that it's not worth posting! lol

[PIV]

So I guess Kylie wasnt in the Video, damn. Maybe carbon tubes would be good for the booms.

[adaptabl]

Post another picture(ditch the model and the clothes(She can keep the heels)).


Oh yes, This is a PG site. Too bad.

[Mick Molloy]

Rent the Deliquents DVD she gets her gear off in that......

So in hind site do you think the lite ply was required?
I plan on either 3mm 6mm 3mm sandwich or 3mm 3mm 3mm depron with some carbon toes then vacuum bag the lot with very light glass.

[Neil Straker]

On this model I'd say the liteply in the fuselage was definately needed. In the booms it would have probably been better with a cf rod (more flexible). However, as you're glassing your model...