Sirocco 30" Bipe Build Thread..!

I thought you folks might be interested in the build of the Sirocco 30" bipe designed by Kip Jackson...the PDF file acn be downloaded for free at http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showp...&postcount=152.

I started out needing a bipe for 3D and this litle plane really caught my eye...the massive ailerons and huge rudder with a 15" wide horizontal stab looks like it will fit the bill.

I am building this first one from Bluecor as I do almost all my planes brfore commiting some Depron to a build, plus Carl is out of 6 mil. white anyway. I had the plans printed full size at Kinkos but a tiled PDF file is a few post down from the original post.

As you can see in the pics the fuse sides are very tall and should make for some killer knife edge to say the least. I ordered an Axi 2212/26 with a Jetti 18amp esc from Hobby Lobby for the bipe with 2s 1320 TP's should yield plenty of power for all out 3D. The next Sirocco I build will be in 6 mil white & grey Depron and will certainly look a lot better than the Bluecor but thats a whole nother thread...so check out the pics of the build along the way and all comments are surely welcome.

Plans cut and ready to bring this plane to life:

Parts cut from Bluecor and ready to dry fit..:

Here it is dry fitted and the only mods needed are the N struts are about 1/8" to wide in the front...also the fuse 90* stiffener tabs needed some TLC.

Ok guys...is that some serious rudder..or what..? I may wait to assemble it until I get the Axi in my hot little hands because I hate to have to do hack surgery just because I was a little to impatient..

I think while I am waiting on the Axi I will cut a Sirocco from 6 mil. grey Depron that I have just because it's so sweet to work with..!

Boss

[j_z_123]

WOW thats an awesome looking plane..I love that rudder

Jon

[colbyweb]

Which AXI are you planning to use Boss? I have a Himax 2025-4200, do you think it would be too much for this bipe? Thanks

The 2025 would be a great EPS for this plane...I do almost all my flying low and slow and sitting in torque rolls so the motor I choose was the Axi 2212/26...David at Hobby Lobby talked to me for over an hour about the 34 and the 26 and the 26 will likely take 2s and 3s with 11 or 12 " props better than the 34 will...it's a hotter wind so I am hoping 2s lipolys will do ok with large props...we'll just have to see what ends up the best combo. The Axi is not going to give me the crazy vertical I get with my Himaxx 2015/5400 on a GWS 350C-D on 3s but thats way more than is needed except for showing off the power. For my style of flying the Axi will probably give me a less touchy feel at hover which is what I like.

Boss

[colbyweb]

Well, I always design my own planes and haven't built from someone else's plans (or kit) for many years but I think I will build one of these. Any idea yet how much heavier the bluecor version will be compared to depron? I only have 3mm depron but I have LOTS of bluecor. Please keep me posted on the AXI performance. I have an AXI 2820/12 and have been thinking seriously about getting a smaller one for park flyer sized planes. At this point in the AXI evolution it is extremely difficult to choose the correct motor for a particular design. Thanks

The weight difference is not that much...exact numbers I don't have for you...maybe someone else will chine in on that. I often use others plans to do a build if I like the design...but I also design my own planes too. This just looked to good to pass up and RCAV8TR13 (Kip Jackson I think) was kind enough to share it with us so I just had to build one. If the planes flies well as I think it should I will do a white and grey mix of Depron on the next one for sure. I just wish I could get some fan fold that's flat and not wavey.

Boss

[colbyweb]

I hear you. I've been following RCA's threads for a few months now and his exploits always capture my interest.
Fan fold -is- somewhat heavier than depron, but it isn't a lot. Would be nice to have a comparison before I embark on building this from fan fold, since I don't mind buying more depron.
Also, try ironing your fanfold. Works like a charm
I'd recommend the household iron since you are doing a large area and keep the heat low, it doesn't take a lot. The film on the foam has a heat ativated adhesive and is heat shrinkable but you have to watch it because of the little pin holes. When the film around the hole shrinks you find yourself with a LARGE hole
But really, try ironing it, it will get most of it out.

Now he tells me... Just kidding...thanks for the tip about the iron. I am headed to the garage right now.

Boss

[colbyweb]

I guess I should have added (hope I'm not too late) but you need to iron it with the skin ON. It will still be much better after you peel it. I just did a pile of it myself, but had to use a hobby iron.

I just finished cutting a wing for the Sirocco aout of grey Depron and the weight difference is 4 grams. The FFF is 34 grams and the grey Dep is 30 grams...so it looks like a total weight savings of 12-14 grams for this plane.

In oz.'s thats a savings of .1411 ounce per wing...

Boss

[colbyweb]

That really isn't very much is it? Well drats, I was really hoping depron would save more weight than that. On the other hand, it's nice to know fan fold isn't going to make it overweight. However, -IF- you want your model to look nice, you have to do -something- to the fan fold. Be it paint or some kind of covering, you have to do something and that adds even more weight. I've recently discovered that transparant colored gift wrapping plastic (like what they use for easter baskets) works wonderfully, and it weighs almost nothing. Local wally world had it on sale for 50 cents a roll the day after Easter, and I bought 4 rolls. You have to stick it down with 3m77 or something similar though which isn't a problem for me. It also heat shrinks and it appears that ironing it down after adhering it with 3m77 it really locks down. Finished an airplane (mostly fan fold) that way yesterday and I am very happy with it even though I used a hodgepodge of colors that really doesn't look very good. The color scheme "clashes" though which kinda helps visibility in the sky.

[RCAV8R13]

Awesome! Sirocco has her own thread. I love it!
I took some pix tonight. I will post all of them here.
I am doing some tests on a new decal system. These are temporary tatoos. They are much more durable and the application methud (which was really the problem with the other water transfer decals) is much better. Basically the tatoos are the water transfer decails, but upside down. You print your design reversed on the transfer paper (text is sometimes difficult to reverse in some drawing programs). The tatoo kit comes with sheets of sticky film that has a backing on both sides. It's realy just the sticky stuff, no film. You peal off the backing of one side of the sticky film and lay the decal down on top of. You just made a sticky back decal that when applied will be right side up but covered with the water transfer paper, which you soak off with water. When done the ink will be under the clear film of the decal where it is fully protected and has a nice shine to it. If done with Epson Durabright inks it will be UV stable and so will never fade.
I blew it when I built the proptype by putting the rudder and elevator servos in the tail. To get the C.G. right I had to put the battery up next to the motor. I much prefer to have my planes ballance with out the battery. That way I can mount the battery on the C.G.. This does two things: 1. It reduces the moment of inertia of the battery so the plane isn't "slinging" it around on a long moment arm. 2. It allows me to change the battery weight without changing the C.G.. Therefore I moved the servos forward on the plans before I posted them. Put the servos there and you should be able to put the battery where it belongs.
This is awesome, a Sirocco thread, I'm stoked.
RCAV8R13