Convair XFY-1 (Pogo)

[Ed Couch]

Stated earlier in year while working on Wright Flyer #3 that I had a Tailsitter on the back burner. After working all the buggs out of the little Wright Flyer I finally found the time to work up the Convair Pogo. Test flights were this afternoon and all went well with the third flight being a vertical takeoff into forward flight and almost successful landing, fell over on touchdown but nothing was hurt. Come off power a little to fast, just need a little work on the pilot side of house. Aircraft C/G needs to be moved further aft before next sortie. Specifications are as follows:

Wingspan: 25 inches
Vertical fins: 22 inches
Length: 30 inches
Weight: 12 ounces with 3/1200 lite pollies
Motor: GWS 300/D drive
ESC: Great Planes 10 Amp
Servos: 4 (2 Hitec 55s/2 Cirrus 6.2s)
Receiver: GWS
Transmitter: Futaba 8 channel
Contruction: Blue foam/1/64th Plywood
Paint: Silver/Black, Spray can from Micheals Art/Crafts (for painting flowers)
Spinner: Custom built (1/32 Plywood) like ones used on Roadkills Series Models

Lots of hours to go before I can get the landings down right but model is not a bad flyer and transistions to hover with next to no inputs from me. Nice.

[Ed Couch]

Picture two shows other side. Will get flying shots as soon as I can, hopefully sometimes this week. Lost voice two days ago and this is about only way to communicate. First flight took place at the Ft Worth Convention Center prior to Brahmas Hockey game.

[kgmorris]

Ed,
Great looking Pogo! must see it fly.
Fly Low and Slow
Ken

[Bob H]

Ed,
Great looking Pogo! You ALWAYS come up with the most interesting models! Any plans available?
Bob H

[Ed Couch]

No plans for immediate future, maybe we can do something after design proven out. Right now I'm tickled the dang thing even flew and its the best dang profile in flight I've seen in a long time. Flies slightly nose high with big fan turning. Need someone to do Lockheeds Salamander next though. ed

[Fred Sanford]

Ed,
Fantastic job! You're the man! Hope you'll consider a "builders plan" for us.
Fred

[oforberg]

Outstanding job.....what are your control surface setups?

[Ed Couch]

Control surfaces are as follows: Rudder top and bottom are dual servos (one for each surface) giving normal rudders setup. Negative 60 percent on the expodential, 120 percent throw (about 40 degrees deflection) and 80 percent set up on dual rate (low). Elevons are about the same on throws and expodentials, elevator throws are about 100 percent on the radio. Flying maximum elevator throw and slowed the ailerons to 80 percent roll for first few flights. Bird extremely nose heavy, second flight battery moved several inchs aft but more is needed. Too much up elevator in at this time to hold level hands off so moving C/G a little further aft for next flights when I can find time. ed

[Ed Couch]

Servos, ESC, receiver layout. Control rods are carbon fiber .07 rod with wire Z-bends and shrink tubing. Tye wraps used to tidy thing up a little.

[Ed Couch]

Shots got reversed but nobody is perfect least of all me. This may be a little better.

[Ed Couch]

Last shot is of castor style landing gear. Flexible rod housing fit exactly into 1/8th inch carbon tubing. Wheel is 1/2 Dubro Mini with castor bent from wire that just fit into inner flex sleeve. Held together by piece of flex sleeve glued to wire on opposite end from caster and wheel. Whole assembly glued into 1/8th rod at required depth. Gear castor very nicely. Thats about all there is to it. ed

[Alfredo Rubio]

Ed..... this is a scale 3D plane!!!!!!!!!!!! very nice project, I really hope to see in the next future a vertical take off and transition to level flight!!!!!!!!!!! I like very much your plane, congratrulations, a very original plane!!!!!!

Regards.

[Ed Couch]

Alfredo, don't think I will be doing much 3D work with it like you can with Garys and Mikes JARS, wing loading a lot higher but thats all ok never meant for it to be. Maybe a loop and roll every now and then. As with the Flyer the idea is to duplicate a little history and go on from there. But we will see once things get trimmed out and a dozen or so flights under her belt. Glad everyone is getting a kick out of it anyway. The smaller full bodied version with counter rotating props may be the one most would want to build but lets crawl before we run. I still need more flight time anyway as we all do. Have two more hockey games coming up this week so will get time at the Convention Center to work on hovering with a 120 foot ceiling where I do have a little recovery room when I fall over, plenty of room to fly out of problems.

Here is another little footnote on the Wright Flyer. Gary and I were flying the other night at the Center and I had the flyer with me so decided to launch on skids off the ice. About 25 or 30 foot into the takeoff run she lifted off the ice with no inputs from me and flew a good flight, did it again just for the heck of it. Got ya there Orville! ROI (Rise off ice) cool. ed

[Alfredo Rubio]

The ROI I am sure looks great!!!!!
wath is your WL? is the Flyer whos looks in the video launched by Gary????

I like your way, to re-creat history with air models good for you.

Regards.

[Ed Couch]

Alfredo, don't quite understand "WL"?

Gary and Mike have launched for me quite often with excellent results and both launched on the video at Lockheed/SWAC. Good folks and great pilots both. For these flights the little Flyer was placed on the ice and I went to max military (full throttle) and she headed out, steering was excellent with the rudder and she taxied back after landing. No big deal, did it with my ornithopter last year a few times and that was a hoot also. No friction makes for nice takeoffs.