I found this in a box in my attic.

I abandoned this Vapor Brick project a few years ago... it just didn't have enough power to climb. 1S battery technology has come a long way since the 110 mAh SU26m battery days, so next calm day I'm going to give it another go.

If it flies more than one circuit around my field, I'll finish detailing it. I have a few of these and may even pursue a 2S ducted fan version

Update 10/.14/12;

Still not enough power to climb...glides great with perfect control, but has a 15:1 glide ratio @ full throttle.

Maybe a 2S pixe7 setup to overvolt the motors....

My first attempt at a hatcam video. After work I tried to get out before the sun set, but the wind was still up with a cold front blowing in.

During a low pass i noticed the wing was cracked and bending upward, so i called it a flight.

AS3X converted Sbach in 10mph winds... with a broken wing (3 min 40 sec)

August 9 - 11 is the Sandhills Open Road Challenge, in Arnold, Nebraska, one of the the most fun automobile related events in the US. This is our 11 year competing in the SORC, which includes two separate, two leg, high speed open road rallies (a 24 mile on Thursday and a 56 mile on Saturday) with speeds up to 140 mph and a 1 mile standing start speed event, where we hope to top 160 mph this year. The Event Usually sells out in a couple days after they open registration, 9 months early. Since we are "lifers" (we bought our number for $100 in 2003) we are guaranteed a spot. I think the SORC sold a lifetime number last year for $10K.

The fastest car in the standing mile will likely go over 220 mph, on a 2 lane highway, sanctioned by the Custer county sherriff.

We have won the 115 mph class at the SORC in 2007, 2010 and 2011 and are going for a fourth win and a Three-peat in 2012. ORR competition is very tight, with the object to average your exact "target speed" over the course, without exceeding your maximum "tech speed", which at the SORC is 140 mph for us and Class we are competing in.

At larger, higher speed Open Road Races, the Tech speeds are can be much higher: our tech speed is 168 mph at the Big Bend Open Road Race.
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I've had the parts to build this for years, but it sat on my shelf taunting me, so I slapped it together. 4 Channels adds about 2.5g (3.5g with a 160 battery) to the weight, so it flies OK, but won't break any time to climb records.



It was pretty windy so I couldn't really dial it in, but the tailerons and Differential thrust all worked and I was able to keep it out of the trees for a few circuits.

When its calmer, I'll try to fly a few batteries through it.

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I had a short test Flight today, but it was too windy. The Plane popped into the air after a 2ft roll, so I'm going to put a heavier battery in it to keep the nose down and not be blown around as much by wind.

Here are the latest pictures:







I'm planning to do a full build How-to on my Ag Champ bash when my if my Tail ever shows up and I can finish it off



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Wow. This plane has nasty tip stall characterists but keep the speed up and you'd swear you were in Normandy in 1944. This little bugger is on rails at speed, but best of all, its still in one piece. My front/side yard w/trees isn't big enough to enjoy it. 2 Soccer fields minimum.

Rudder is very effective at flipping the plane over (and the ailerons aren't enough to get it back), so I put in 65% rudder expo. To reduce tip stalling, I dial in 35% up on flaperons and flew it that way.

I put in a Throttle to Elevator mix to keep it flatter when screaming around so it wasn't climbing to a stall.

It glides like a brick, so I'll be landing at speed.. or at least like the space shuttle (the real one, not an RC version)

The EPP construction is incredible. I had 6 Monster, vertical, Nose in crashes while trying to figure out take off trim, with no damage.

Mounting a camera on it and flying it in a bigger area seems totally feasible. Maybe I'll even mount it on a servo slaved to ailerons or rudder.

Next PowerFLY Twin engine build (maybe P-38) I'm doing differential thrust, as the rudder acts more like ailerons than the ailerons.

After getting it dialed in, I broke out one of my Sukhoi XP's to relax... which kind of gives an idea of how the Mossie flies.

AUW ready to fly weight came out to be 101g with a Hyperion 2S 240 mAh. I don't know what it weighs in 2 channel mode, but I guess its pretty close to this.

I did some high speed taxi tests on the driveway and highspeed is an understatement. This thing is going to be a rocket sled. It appears to have UM P-51 Power to weight.

If I don't destroy it in the first couple flights, the motors will probably burn up after a couple hours. They squealed at low speed right out of the box. When that happens I'll need to engineer some more scale looking nacelles. I'll switch to 1S when that happens, too.

I'm using a Pixie 7p brushed ESC, but I need to wire in a 1N4004 diode into the BEC plug (to get the Voltage of the AR6400 down to 4V):

Here is the Template for modifying the foam. Glue the templates to cardboard, then cut them out.

I've working on this off/on for a year, but am getting much closer to flying it. Radio bits are in, only one aileron to make/hook up, then I just need to wire up the ESC, paint it and bolt it back together....Continue Reading

Model: Estes 4123 Air Force One (Fuselage is actually a 747-300)
Wingspan: 43"
Length: 40"
Scale: about 1:65
Radio: DX7 / AR6100
ESC: 2 X GWS ICS-480 (15/25 amp) - going to try differential trust by mixing rudder/throttle.
Servos: 3 or 5 HS-55 ( 1 elevator, 2 Aileron with 2 flap optional)


May 24-26/08:

Sanded off the old paint, put on a base coat of white

I've made left side window decal templates and JAL decal sheets. Need to make right side windows

carved recesses for the Elevator servo, battery and right wing aileron servo and cut and hinged right aileron.

Fabrication:

1. Still need to install left aileron/servo -Done
2. cut/hinge elevator. -Done
3. need to install control horns -Done
4. Think about flaps - left room, but will maiden without


Painting/finishing

1. Need to sand/paint tail - done
2. Need to make right side windows templates -Done
3. Need to buy clear sticker sheets -Done
4. Need to sand/paint engine nacelles -Done
5. Need to touch-up paint wings - maybe later

Electronics

1. need to get my 3S Lipo batteries -Done
2. need to get my 2nd speed control -Done
3. need to wire in speed controls to motors/batteries with proper connectors -Done
4. mock up the radio so the servo throws are in right direction -Done
5. need to try 2 ESC's with a Y-harness... then compare it to... -Done
6. need to try program DX7 for differential rudder control with the 2 ESC's -Done<= Works...Continue Reading