I Wonder?

[metalbuggy]

Finished, and have been flying my Sig Wonder for about 3-months now. I extended the firewall 1" to put the back of the spinner as per plans. Mounted an AXI 28/14/10 with an 8x6 apc/e, on Kokam 3cell, 2000mAh, 15C. Used 2 HS-55 servos, and fiberglassed the front hold down for the wing, and switched to fiberglass dowels epoxied into solid wood filled between ribs. I also added triangle stock inside and out of where the stabilizer and fuselage meet. I went with 1/16 on the bottom and also glassed that. Flies excellent, and is lighter than my friend's with no mods and a .25 2-stroke! Originally it ballooned under power, once dialed in, it tracked very well. On the 3rd weekend of flying, my "test pilot" was trying to get it to " wonder bob", a maneuver at stall speed,about 50' up, when it rolled over and was driven STRAIGHT into the ground. At 150yds away I heard a very disturbing (and fairly loud) thud. As I ran over hoping to just have to rebuild the wing and nose, there it lay in one piece, unscathed sans a broken prop and dirt filled nose cone. Amazed everyone at the field. Let me know if you need pics. :D

[metalbuggy]

Oh by the way, that is the first kit I have ever built.

[ray foley]

pics of the carnage site, yeah, yeah. ;) Oh wait, no carnage? :(

That is a seriously strong machine to survive that abuse. There is another school of thought which says build to fly not to survive a crash. This yields a lighter more nimble plane but one that would not tolerate such abuse.

Keep building more kits, you will learn so much more than what is learned just assembling arfs. And someday try your hand at modifying or designing and scratch building you very own dream machine. That is really challenging but so sweet.

build more, avoid arfs, deforest Equador. ;) Have fun.

Ray Foley

[metalbuggy]

Thanks Ray, I will do my best! :)

[big bird]

nice one, nuthin like coming out of a crash unscathed...

I've had a few in my time, some I've been as lucky as you, more often I've had more damage...

be careful who you let fly it!

big bird

[fhhuber506771]

The Wonder is one of the anomolies of aviation where it is not only strong... it is still light. :D Great little thing... lots of fun :cool: and No FEAR!

[GrrrAmps]

I can't remember if any of my planes ever made a "thud" when they hit. It's usually more of a crackling/splintering sound followed by dead quiet.

Congrats on not breaking anything too bad.

[Tram]

I've got one of these built, that I need to finish covering and pour some electrons through her.. I need something that will really motivate it.. ;)