I just woundered if any one had noticed this new ARF and wanted to see some more pics of it.

I thought it might be fun for a change to get something other than a warbird. So now that I have it here I'm glad I got it. It's really a pretty neet little plane.

It comes with two assembled wings. No fussing with dehidral here. In fact the wings drop down slightly. I guess you would call this andihidral?

Anyway some pics.

Oily.

The ARF does not come with a motor battery and beer. I just thought I would throw them in for size referance.

The lower wing has two pockets for HS55 size servos.

The rudder is fixed. So don't want to do slow roll outs. Just hit the throttle and climb I guess.

It has a big hatch on the front for access to an enormous motor area.

The only ply I've noticed so far is the motor mount and that hatch. So the fuse and well everything is amazingly light. I'm thinking this will be a lot of fun to fly. So decision time T6 or T15.

I always love to follow the rule with motors. Big is better so better is best.

Oily.

This looks cool. Please keep us posted!

Well got busy with other planes.

But decided I'll put one of these together this weekend.

I was checking though old posts on the Microbipe. And found some info.

The plans that the Microbipe come with have all sorts of info... But recomended AUW is not mentioned. I'm trying to decide wich motor how many servos ect..So if someone knows what the AUW should be please speak up!

Oilman.

Hiya Oilman I have this kit too in the ARTF format. I never got any plans with mine just a very vague instruction booklet including some photos. On the RBC website the flying weight is 500g and on the het 320-500g.

The only mod I've made to mine so far is adding a length of half of carbon tube to the rudder bottom edge. I added this to add some protection and stiffness, as the wood selection in this part was a little on the flimsy side.

I'm using a HET Micro6 3d/Tusami 10 esc, 3s lipos, a Apc 9x3.5 slow fly prop to power mine and will be using 4 servos. I think I will not add the landing wire skid to the rudder though as this appears to light a component totake more than the lightest of knocks and will add a skid instead.

Best of luck with your maiden

Mark.

Hi Mark.

THanks for the reply. Oops I ment to look at the RBC site but kept getting side tracked.

Do you have a link to the HET site. I've searched and searched and never found a link.

As for the instructions booklet I don't really agree with you there sorry. I was quite happy with it. What more info (other than AUW) could you ask for ?

I'm undecided at this point on power. I have all the Typhoon motors (being a reseller) Even the T53D. But becuase the plane was designed with a 70 gram speed 400 in mind I'll probably use a T15/13 that way I can fly on a 3C1P full thottle. Althoughh I doubt I'll ever need full throttle. Just got to weigh eveything now.

Oilman.

Sorry I ment the Het info on the rbc site. http://www.rbckits.com/id73.htm

I built this plane as a kit a few years ago and had fun with it until a radio hit put it in a drainage ditch. Mine was powered by a Rocket 400 with a modified Graupner gearbox and 6x600AE packs - small brushless motors and NiMH or LiPo cells were scarce to non-existant back then. All-up weight as I recall was around 14 ounces. The plane would ROG and land back on pavement or dirt, but I did have a working rudder - I'm surprised that this ARF does not as it not only made ground handling tolerable, but also made snaps and spins possible.

With modern power, ths plane should be a lot of fun. With the short tail moment, you do need to watch the CG, however. I'm tempted to get one for myself.

Regards,
Don

Hi Don.

Thanks for your input. And adding the rudder was no big deal. I tried sloting it and CA hinges. Shoulda just used packing tape in retrospect. But she has a functioning rudder now. It's time to maden now. I hate this part :-)
So you were pretty close to 400 grams. I'm just going to go weigh mine at the hardware store. I put in a huge motor. T15/13 speed 600 equivelent. 70 odd grams. But even so the way it came out it balances just right. I could put a smaller motor bigger battery. But for now I think I'll stick with the WEP reserve. Nothing like brute force in a sticky spot! The instructions advertise there 32 gram T5 motor and a 3c1p. It must be a huge battery to get it to balance!

Oilman.

Just got around to tring this plane again. First attempt at Rog I messed up. Today I hand launched it a few times and all went well. Finaly got up the nerve to try it again today. A friend came down with his video camera so if all goes well you'll get eye candy in a day or two. I removed the T15/23 and 3s1p apoggee 840 and CC 35 installed a T6/3d and kokam 3c1p 1500 and Tsunami 10. I took it too the beach for some relatives that were visiting to see. But just shook my head and said " I dont know this is quite the head wind for a small plane" It was blowing good, white caps out on the water. But the beach has all this tall thick grass to the side so I figured what the heck. With all this grass I can't hurt it. So first hand lanch with full throttle the bipe settled into the grass before I could reach the stick. Added a couple clicks up elevator and threw it again and off she went level hands off and climbing. After it was up 150 feet or so throttled back and started flying. Now lets stop and point out that I'm a really crappy pilot. Dumb thumbs is an under statment. But this plane flew awsome. Really fast but stable. Wich took me totaly by supprise. I thought it would porpose and roll over and dive to its death. Even on one bad lanch with full stick (panic) movements it stayed up. After a short bit I had it flying pretty slow into the wind. Have not found any bad stall tendancies yet. And did I mention it was blowing quite hard. Anyway The T6 was great. But the Tsunami 10 cut out on me alot. So need to get some air flow on it and play with prop selection. I thought because it was designed around a heavy brushed motor I could go with T15/23 and have a hovering, vertical rocket climb Bipe. But with the speed I was getting out of the T63d I think I will stay there then try T620 or T615 next. I highly recomend this plane. I'm pumped, comon next weekend hurry up and get here (I take Sunday Monday off if you were confused about me flying today)
Oilman

Hi

I got a short clip of maiden flight day. LOL it took a while from purchase to flying. But I have lots of planes and projects. Also I was waiting for nonwindy weather for flying this plane. Who would of thought that it would like windy weather! Don't laugh at my flying please I'm a novice pilot.

http://www.oilmanelectricrc.com/oilmansfiles/Bipe.WMV

My friend who was doing the video will try and copy this in a better formate. But still we need practice for video work. Video taping flying objects is hard!

Oilman.

Oilman glad to see that yours flew well, I had problems with my tsunami10 esc so I changes it for a castle creations25, on hols in majorca at the mo and the weather is lously in the uk anyway. Hopefully with maiden mine when I get back.

Mark.

Ya I found so far the Tsunami is most dependable mounted on the outside of the plane.
I hope HET will get around to releasing there 25 amp soon. But CC controlers are nice too I use the 25 and 35 CC on my Het motors too. I want to get some new ones with USB so I can program at the field quickly as I swap parts from plane to plane.
THis weekend I hope to have enough b**** to try some loops and rolls with the Bipe.
Oilman.

Hi guys.

New flight report.

I tried the Bipe last weekend at the same spot same sorta winds. 5-10 knots.

I got it up high and started trying loops and stuff. For looping it tended to stall of to the left if I didn't use enough speed and pull back hard enough. But I'm not very good at this stuff. Had it upside down for awhile. seems to fly upside down as well as it does right side up. Tried some rolls while zoom climbing. I need some more practice at that. Eventualy though lost control of it. Me the controler or the wind ? who knows. Anyway landed it lawn dart fashion. The upper wing poped off and had to make a new motor mount plate. The worst thing though is the motor shaft was driven back and punctured a lipoly cell. DOH!. Well maybe this is an opertunity to try fying it on two cells. :-)

Oilman.