Here is my newly covered LT-25. Hot colors. This is my first attempt to cut curved covering. I don't know if any of you Sport Plane guys get over to the training forum, but yes,
there is a "building and flying" thread on my LT-25 there.

I modified the nose a little to cover it. I use Ultracote Bright Yellow and Transparent Red.

Heres the specs

Mega 22/30/2
Superbox 4:1
14x10 APC prop
16 cells, Panasonic 3000mah Ultra Metals
Jeti 70 Opto ESC
40 amps static
90.8 oz AUW
4 HS81mg servos
UBec
Quantum 6 receiver

Kelvin

I added a little more balsa so the nose is a tad longer but the motor is in the same postion as before. The photo seems to make the nose look longer than in real life. Must be the camera optics. Access is from underneath. I just loosen the pushrod motor clamps and jockey the motor out. The AeroVee motor mount has some sandpaper glued on for the motor to rest on to prevent twisting. I can't move it with my hand so it should hold.

Kelvin

I had to move the batteries back to balance it correctly since the transparent red is so much lighter than the opaque H-L Oracover Blue and White I had before and I added a little weight to the nose mod.

The batteries are held in with velro and each end of the bottom 8 cell stick. The top 8 cell stick of batteries is velcroed to the bottom battery pack. I glued a ply bar from one fuselage side to another above the batteries below the wing to prevent the batteries from lifting off the tray.

I small velco strap is a safe guard just in case the batteries happen to slide forward.

Kelvin

I added this fairing to the wing to smooth things out.

Awesome cover & detail job..
Looks like a pro did it

Steve

I modified the hatch. I got rid of the hinges and went with rare earth magnets. I figured with no profile, like the E3D hatch, this hatch should stay on and the force of the forward air stream will push it down, at least thats the theory.

I haven't flown it yet. Maybe Saturday. The weather forecast is good for Saturday.

I've check all the controls and all I have to do is buy a new spinner. The one on it is from my E3D.

I need to do a little covering touch up here and there and that darn battery strap is not sticking to the former and I'm using med CA.

Oh, my old weight was 92.5 oz so I saved something going to the lighter covering. I really like Ultracote. This is the third plane I've covered using Ultracote; Kwik-e, E3D and now the Lt.

Well, I'm running out of projects. I know in a couple of days I'm going to get antsy. Guess I'll look into getting a BL motor for my Kwik-E.

Kelvin

Great job Kelvin ! Your LT-25 will be the envy of everyone at the flying field. I suggest you take an APC 15x8e prop with you. It will pull just a couple more amps at full throttle (you can throttle back) and it gives quite a bit more thrust. It will be plenty fast (about 50 MPH top speed) but the vertical pulls will be much stronger than with the 14x10 Try both and tell us your impression.
Also, I suggest a "ramp" to send those batteries up and out in case of an abrupt stop breaks them loose......instead of into the controller and motor.
Ed

How whould I do that. It would have to be heavy duty to deflect 33 ozs of battery. Do you think it would go through the firewall The way it is now? I was hoping the strap I made would help prevent it.

I'm a little concerned with ground clearance with a 15" prop. There is 2" clearance with the tail down and about 1/2" clearance when the tail is up but on take off it just pops off the ground.
I need to work on the landing gear and will try bending it a little for more clearance. I'll look for the 15x8 prop but I know right now nobody near me carrys that size.

Thanks for the kind words.

Kelvin

Kelvin
excellent job! Great attention to detail. Should be nice to watch in the air.

-- Kyle

Hi Kelvin
Great job - my refurbishments never look this good!

I never worry about restraining the battery in the event of a crash - 2lb of nicad will go through everything in its way. Be philosophical about it - secure it for flying purposes, lay back, enjoy

If you need a taller undercarriage, all you really need to know is:

www.tntlandinggear.com

A custom sized one to your dimensions will be around $25.00.

Get out and fly lots - time to start looking for that 16 cell low wing aerobatic now.

Regards

Dereck

Here is an interior shot of the battery tray area. One of the problems mention earlier was battery access now that the CG had changed. Before the batteries were forward of the LE former and I could strap it down with an overlaping strap. With the tail being lighter or the nose being a little heavier I had to move the batteries back. Now there was no way to insert batteries from the hatch and be confident they would stay in position with just a little velcro. If I used too much velco it was difficult to insert the batteries and impossible to remove them without taking off the wing which I didn't want to do.

So I came up with this solution; a ply retaining bar glued to the fuselage doubler near the wing cradle. A piece of velcro carpet is stuck on to it to cushion the battery. An 1 1/2" long velcro hook on the end and front of the tray with matching carpet on the battery. The rear ply box prevents the battery from moving sideways and the top ply retainer prevents it moving up and the small strips of velcro prevents the battery moving forward with the yellow strap as a safe guard. The weight of the tray with velcro and the ply restraint is about 1 oz.

Trying to tighten that front strap is a little awkward getting my fingers through the wires.

I can't wait for new battery technology. The LT weighs in without batteries at about 53 oz. 2lbs of batteries, whew!

This LT may not be as powerful as Frank's B50-13s powered version but I'm getting close. It will be interesting to see what I can do with it now that I've been flying the E3D for a while now.

Thanks

Kelvin

kelvin: that looks great! nice job

Originally posted by Dereck
Hi Kelvin


Get out and fly lots - time to start looking for that 16 cell low wing aerobatic now.

Regards

Dereck

The LT has been a test bed for trying things out. From bushed 10 cell to BL 14 cell and now 16 cell.

Actually, my next project is converting a Kyosho 40 Spitfire ARF. I have already purchased the plane. I'm going to have to wait a few months to start purchasing the motor, ESC, radio, retracts. The E3D project tapped out my model funds. But there is hope. I'm refinancing the house and should save about $150 a month.

Speaking of aerobatic planes, the ads for the Great Planes Ultra Sports + has caught my eye. Hacker B50-13s 16 cells maybe add retracts. This is a kit so I could do some lightening. I'f I hadn't bought the Spit I might have taken on this kit. I might just do this anyway.

http://www.greatplanes.com/airplanes/gpma0390.html

Ed Lyerly's thread on the Accord 63 interested me also.

A flying colleque, Black96z, has a Hacker powered Venus so I prefer to get something different.

Kelvin

Kyle and Greg thanks for the compliments.

Kelvin

Would this be the plane in the background upper left of your previously posted pic?

I like the new colors way better.. Great looking job of covering & detail.