yeah i had to do that mod too - replaced the missing foam and used a dowel to mount a tail wheel freely swivelling on wire

Yeah, those batteries are kind of a game changer, Lance. Opens the motor up nicely!

Didn't know that Microdan had moved to the Yak, Neil. Heckuva nice plane. My old Flash is kind of getting a case of brittle foam so the glue content is getting a bit higher, but not impossibly so ...

Dave

Originally Posted by timocharis

Yeah, those batteries are kind of a game changer, Lance. Opens the motor up nicely!

Didn't know that Microdan had moved to the Yak, Neil. Heckuva nice plane. My old Flash is kind of getting a case of brittle foam so the glue content is getting a bit higher, but not impossibly so ...

Dave

If you want to retire your Flash, the RCF Yak 55 is the bomb. It's similar to the Yak 54 that you saw at RSA years ago, but has the newer wing with bigger ailerons. (Which I think they may be using on the current generation Flash as well.) I've got mine set up with digital servos and the MicroDan that you wound for me, and I love it. I must have 500 flights on it, at least.

Neil

A friend had his Flash at the park last weekend and had the LG mod. He used two pieces of plywood, one on top and bottom with some heavy duty CF LG. Put through bolts in and it's VERY sturdy.

Anyone try GensAce lipos? they have a 10% off sale and the 450 25c are about $4.00 and the 1000mah 25c are about $7.20. I ordered seven so I'll see how that goes. Ordered Monday and received them today . Orders over $50.00 ship free .

Saw the new Flash on Twisted Hobby's website. Very Nice! Is anybody else selling the RCFactory kits?

I have bought a bunch of GensAce batteries, and they have all been great. Price is very reasonable, and I have never had one fail.

Neil

After a couple flights with the Flash today, I prepared to hand launch again. I should have waited for the wind to calm, but I thought it was not too bad. A gust caused it to veer. I was able to save it from hitting stuff behind the flight line, but crashed out in the field. Knocked the motor off. Hopefully I can get it glued on straight and all will be well again. The CF strips are still intact, but the four foam pieces next to the motor came off. I started flying the Flash this Spring and so far tore off the LG and motor. Not too bad for a 3D plane. Many don't last too many months. The LG repair was a great success and it has been standing up well to landing in the grass. Hopefully the motor will go on as well.

I started glueing the foam pieces back in place. Tomorrow I will probably finish the repair when today's glueing dries. Besides the pieces that were tore off there was a crack along the fuse where the verticle part of the lower fuselage met the horizontal part of the fuselage.

For more strength, I made the firewall the full width of the black side pieces, cutting off the pieces ahead of the firewall. Adds a lot of strength to the nose.
I also use 1/8 in. aircraft plywood.

Gord.

I am just going to glue it back like it was. The strength was ok. From altitude with power a dive to the dirt. Something will break. The front came off and a little glue and all will be ok. If The front would have held then the fuselage in the middle would of broke. I had a Insane Foamies Yak and that is what happened to it. Of course I did it like six times in three years to the Yak. Not bad for 3D even on days with 18 MPH gusts. Who wants to wait for those perfect days to fly.

ok my next upgrade for this bird is a brand new 2g HITEC 2,4Ghz compatible Rx courtesy of Simon Chambers (on these forums) ... once i mod the servo wires to fit it should knock another 5 or 6g off my total weight

This weekend I finished the repairs to the Flash that I crashed from altitude nose first. I flew my Eflite Cap while the Flash was down. So today after flying my small Extra Slick I felt the conditions perfect and tested the Flash. Flew 3 flights and it was like before the crash. I was instantly in tune with the Flash after a month down time and it flew as well as before. No difference. It is hard to tell where the break was. After the crash there were a couple little pieces of foam that had tore loose. In the wind one got away. When I repaired the nose of the plane, I took a little piece of scrap EPP and tore it to the right size. I then put Foam-tac on the foam and pressed it in place smoothing it. Can't tell where the piece is. Looks like all the rest.

just tried the 350 mAh nano-techs from Turnigy in the Flash

I went from a 45g Scorpion with 1200 Hyperions to a 30g MicroDan with these little 350 nano-techs

(18g weight lost off motor + mount ...and 75g lost off battery)

all I can say is WOW ... floats like a feather climbs like a home-sick angel

still have to do the Rx change to the 2g FrSky ... but that's for another day ...

the weight loss totally transforms this plane - the down lines and the up lines are now just about same speed ... and everything else in an eerie slo-mo

It is pretty cool isn't it? I don't think the other two grams will make much difference, but it's hard to stop once you get started. I know!

Dave

yeah maybe this is becoming an obsession haha ... the last few grammes will have a tiny effect... but it's not just 4g off the Rx it'll be another 4 or so off cables too ... hehehe

not sure of the exact weight but she's definitely under 400g flying weight

i get 4 and a half mins flight time from the 350's so I fly with 4 packs... the plane has really come into its own in this guise ... it has always been a great flyer but it's a whole new level of 'smooth' and consistency ... seeing the upline and down line identical in pace, and the turn at the top graceful and weightless and slow... mesmerising ... normally people see it and think "oh that's nice" ... ...now i get "oohs and aahs" ... quite amusing

Hi,
I am nearly ready to buy a RCF flash as first light airplane -> I was flying 1.4m balsa plane some years ago. Now I am mainly flying helis and a 60cm quadcopter

What would be a good beginner setup for a flash build (circuit, loops, rools) because there is too much motor choices on hobbyking/same for 9g servos .

What is the best prop size for a flash?

Does a better beginner model exist now? compared to 2009/2010

hi milliotseb, this is a really great plane... i've been flying mine for a couple of years and still absolutely love it

originally mine was flying at about 460g... now she's flying at 367g exactly - (soon to be 361g)

as a basic set-up i'd recommend decent 9g servos - i've been flying HXT900 which are super cheap and perfectly adequate... the rudder servo needed replaced once but the others have all been perfect

I use a very light 15amp Kontronik esc which i happened to have but any 12-15 amp will be fine - turnigy plush is always a good choice and they are affordable

motor wise it gets tricky ... my set-up used to be heavy with 1200mAh 3s lipo and a 45g scorpion motor...this set-up works quite well but what i have now is IMHO vastly preferable

now I use MicroDan 2505 3D 1200kv motor which draws about 10 amps with a 9x5 HD (GWS) prop

you could use an equivalent ICBM (inexpensive chinese brushless motor ) but the MicroDan is in another league IMHO and tips the scales at 30g odd. At $55 its not exactly cheap but you'll be laughing.


i wouldn't go any bigger on the prop for reasons of ground clearance... a bigger prop will chew grass and thereby shorten the bearing-life of the motor

with the little MicraDan you can run Turnigy nanotech 350mAh 3s lipo for about 4- 4.5 mins flight time as its only drawing said 10amps ... a bigger motor like the scorpion will draw 15 to 17 amps which will require an appropritely sized esc and a battery that can deliver same.

as it is, this is an super lighweight set up and it just floats like a feather yet can pull unlimited vertical ...hope this helps, have fun