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Hobby Lobby's Alpha F86 EDF Review
Kevin Petrilla takes a thorough, in-depth look at Hobby Lobby's latest import, the Alpha F-86 EDF.
Introduction
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| Wingspan: | 29.5" |
| Wing Area: | 201.5 sq. in. |
| Weight: | 16 oz. |
| Length: | 29.5" |
| Servos: | Hitec HS-55 |
| Transmitter: | Hitec Focus ss 3 FM |
| Receiver: | Hitec electron 6 |
| Battery: | ThunderPower 1320 3 cell li-poly |
| Motor: | MPJET 25/25-26 Mk 2 Brushless Motor |
| Current Draw: | 10.6A |
| Watts: | 110 W |
| Power to weight ratio: | 110 W/Lb. |
| ESC: | Jeti Advance PLUS 12 Amp Brushless Controller with program card |
| Manufacturer: | Alfa Model |
| Available From: | www.hobby-lobby.com |
Since there is a bunch of information available on the internet about the history of the full scale F-86, I won't rehash the details here. Some of my favorite sites for F86 info are http://www.boeing.com/history/bna/f86.htm and http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/ac/pg000106.htm
What I will let you know about is how impressed I was when I first opened the box to reveal the kit contents. To say the F-86 looks good would be an understatement. This airplane looks great and has many of the scale details molded into the finish that one might not expect in a foam model. The model is made of polystyrene foam with a slightly tougher surface layer. Most of the surfaces that would come in contact with the ground during landing are also covered with a thin sheet of what appears to be abs plastic. The overall fit and finish of the model is very impressive. Every once in a while I get an ARF model that I feel I could have done a better job constructing or finishing. The Alfa F-86 is not one of those models. Alfa Model is well known for their great looking and flying scale models, the F-86 is a continuation on that tradition.
Kit Contents
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The complete kit contents, including airframe, fan, decals, and accessories.
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Airframe and ducted fan. (note: wing comes in two pieces)
For the purpose of this review, Hobby Lobby supplied all the accessories necessary to complete and fly the F-86. Thick odorless CA was used to assemble the model except where otherwise noted.
Kit Contents
- Airframe
- Alfa Model 60/15 mk.2 electric ducted fan unit
- Decals
- Instructions and exploded view plan
- Misc. parts for assembly
Kit Requires:
- MPJET 25/25-26 Mk 2 brushless motor (or similar) or speed 300 brushed Motor
- Electronic speed controller
- 3+ channel transmitter
- Micro receiver
- 3C Li-poly battery pack
- 2 micro servos, such as HS55
- Motor hook-up wire
Assembly
The first step with any new model is to read the instruction manual completely first. The manual itself does not include any pictures of the actual model. There is a separate diagram sheet that has an exploded view of the airframe and its components. The manual is very thorough but is not always easy to follow. Given that the instructions are not always as clear as one might like, I've chosen to cover much of the assembly here to help all of the future Alfa F-86 owners.
Fan Assembly
The Alfa Model 60/15 mk.2 electric ducted fan unit is supplied with the kit. The fan unit is designed for speed 300 brushed motors or similar sized brushless motors. The fan unit comes with two sets of motor ribs molded into the motor housing. (The ribs help to center the motor in the housing.) The taller set of ribs (narrow) are for speed 300 motors, the shorter set (wide) is for the MP JET brushless motor. Since I would be using the MP JET motor, I removed the taller set of ribs with a Dremel grinding wheel.
The next step in the manual calls for the mounting of the duraluminum plug to the motor shaft. The plug is used to mount the fan rotor to the motor. The manual calls for the plug to be mounted to the motor shaft before installing the motor in the fan housing. I chose to mount the motor first because it would be easier to ensure that the proper rotor to fan housing gap would be achieved. It is recommended to remove the sticker on the motor case before installation. Next, I slid the motor into position in the motor housing making sure it was flat against the front bulkhead mount. I was surprised to see that the screw holes in the motor didn’t match the holes available in the mount. The manual notes that motors that cannot be secured by screws should be tack-glued to the ribs in the motor housing. I was a little leery of this at first but after running a little thin ca down the ribs it proved to be very secure.
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MP JET 25-25/26 MK.2 brushless motor.
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Motor mounted in the fan unit. Note: Motor mounting holes don’t line up.
After the motor was mounted, I had to go back and attach the duraluminum plug. I needed a way to easily set the gap between the mounted rotor and the fan housing. I decided to mount the plug to the rotor first with the included rotor screw. Next, I set the rotor/plug/screw assembly onto the motor shaft to see how much gap I would need in order to keep the rotor from rubbing the housing. Although the rotor was rubbing, I wouldn’t need much of a gap to eliminate it.
For my shim, I used two pieces of thin cardboard cut from a used DU-BRO accessory package. I cut a v-shaped slot into each shim and slid them around the motor shaft. I test fit the rotor assembly onto the shaft to check my clearance. It worked perfect. Now I needed to attach the assembly permanently. The kit comes with a small tube of green "glue" which is used to attach the duraluminum plug. Before gluing the plug on, I roughed up the motor shaft and also the inside of the plug to help ensure proper adhesion. After gluing the plug/rotor assembly to the shaft, I set the whole fan unit rotor side down on a flat table and let it dry overnight. The next day I removed the paper shims and spun the rotor with my fingers to see if the rotor was rubbing the housing. Everything was smooth. I proceeded to finish the fan assembly.
I used the included (with motor) motor connectors to attach three pieces of MPI 18 gage wire to the motor. The fan unit comes with a spinner and tail cone. Both pieces are snapped into place and held with thin CA. I decided to forgo the CA on the spinner because I wanted to make sure the whole assembly would balance properly (I checked the balance of the rotor previously and found that it was balanced as provided). At this point I bench tested the fan assembly to make sure there wasn’t any vibration. During the first run-up, the fan unit vibrated at about 3/4 throttle. (Note: make sure not to squeeze the fan housing while testing the rotor balance. If the housing is squeezed out of round, the rotor blades will rub the housing while spinning.) I tried the spinner on the fan at different locations to see if I could get the vibration to go away. I did get the vibration to decrease but it never went away until I removed the spinner completely.
I modified the tail cone by cutting out the rear to allow air to freely exit the motor housing.
Fan Installation
Before the fan can be mounted, the thrust tube must be installed to the fan unit. The thrust tube simply slides over the end of the fan unit and is held in place with tape. I routed the motor wires through the side of the thrust tube, through the bulkhead, and into the cockpit area. Next, I installed the fan unit to the wood bulkhead just behind the wing saddle. The bulkhead has three indentations that mark where the fan screws are inserted.
There are two pieces that make up the complete intake. I attached the first intake piece directly to the front of the fan unit. The second part of the intake (and nose cone) is slid through the front of the fuselage until the nose cone is mounted completely. The two pieces did not mate up at first so I slid the smaller intake up until the gap was sealed. I held the two pieces together with tape. The instruction manual mentions using double-sided tape or small drops of glue between the intake and the fuselage. I decided to use a piece of tape on the nose instead of glue because this section will need to be removed if motor repairs or exchanges are ever needed.
(Note: I decided to install the speed controller before securing the intake and nose cone. I wanted to make sure I had the proper length of wire before completing the intake and mounting the battery tray.)
Wing
The wing halves are joined together with a wood brace providing support and the correct amount of dihedral. I marked the center of the brace and installed it half way into one wing half with 5 minute epoxy, making sure that the brace runs all the way out and touches the wood spar. I then slid the other wing panel over the brace and glued the wing sections together with epoxy.
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Dihedral brace installed. Note: Make sure the brace touches the wing spars on final assembly.
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Dihedral brace position.
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Wing sections.
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Wings glued together.
After the epoxy was dry, I gave it a little stress test to see how it would hold up to some positive pressure. There was a little flex at the joint, so to be safe I decided to install a small strip of fiberglass to the bottom of the wing with thin odorless CA. Hobby Lobby confirms this addition is not needed, and I was unable to find any notes of wing joint problems on RCGroups, so this added security was probably overkill.
Aileron control is provided by a single HS-55 servo mounted in the center section of the wing. Before the servo can be mounted, the foam that covers the servo compartment must be cut away. The manual calls for the servo to be glued in place but I chose to install the servo on a 3M mounting square. The control rods for the ailerons are preinstalled and terminate in the servo compartment. I ran the control rods through the provided ez connector and then installed it on the servo output arm (I hooked up the servo to the radio system first to make sure it was centered). Next, I lined up the trailing edges of the ailerons and wing and then screwed down the ez connector to hold the control rods in place. Note: All control surfaces come with the control horns already attached.
Horizontal Stab
Before the horizontal stab can be installed a small piece of the rear fuse must be cut away. The horizontal stab as provided is one piece with the dihedral preset. I installed the horizontal stab in the stab slot on the fuse and secured it with glue. Next, I reattached the foam tail section that I had previously cut free.
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Rear fuselage.
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Tail piece removed.
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Horizontal stab
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Horizontal stab installed. Tail piece reinstalled.
Radio Installation
With the aileron servo previously installed, the rest of the radio installation was very simple. I secured the aileron servo and receiver to the battery tray using a 3M mounting square. The F-86 has a split elevator so there are two control rods that terminate at the rear of the battery tray. I hooked up the control rods to the elevator servo via the included ez connector and made sure the elevators were matched across their horizontal plane before I tightened the ez connector. The battery was installed near the front of the battery tray with a strip of heavy duty Velcro. At first, I mounted the speed controller up in the nose of the fuselage, but later I moved it to the free space along side the battery to help keep it cooler.
Safety Note:
Be sure to install the pushrod retaining tubes!
There is one very important step that must be done before completing the model and that is installing the push rod retaining tubes. I installed the tubes on all control surfaces with gap filling CA after roughing up the end of the push rod with sand paper. Without these tubes you are likely to lose control of the control surfaces.
Finishing Touches
The manual does not recommend running the receiver antennae completely inside the fuselage due to metallic pigment in the paint. With this in mind, I decided to run my antennae down the full length of the fuselage and out a small opening at the rear just above the thrust tube. In flight, my antenna trails behind the aircraft about 18 inches.
The canopy mounts on the fuselage with a sliding "tongue" system. The rear of the canopy is slid into the rear of the canopy opening first. Then the canopy is slid forward engaging the forward canopy tongue under the forward canopy opening lip. On my model, the inside lip of the canopy (on the models left side) hangs up on the side of the fuselage. It takes a bit of wiggling but it will fit into place.
I decided to fit the wing next so I could balance the model. I hooked up the aileron servo to the receiver in the fuselage and attached the wing with the included nylon bolts. The wing fit perfect on the first try. The blind nuts for the wing bolts are pre-installed in the fuselage. The center of gravity is marked on the bottom of the wing with two small indentations. I lined up the indentations on my home made balancer and much to my surprise it balanced perfectly.
With the airframe completed, it was time to fire up the motor. I hooked up my trusty Watts Up meter and took some static readings of my power system. On a fully charged 3 cell Thunderpower 1320 battery, the power system pulled 10.6 amps and 110 watts (at 12.34v). That is 110 watts per pound. That should be enough for fairly spirited flight.
Power!
With the airframe completed, it was time to fire up the motor. I hooked up my trusty Watts Up meter and took some static readings of my power system. On a fully charged 3 cell Thunderpower 1320 battery, the power system pulled 10.6 amps and 110 watts (at 12.34v). That is 110 watts per pound. That should be enough for fairly spirited flight.
Completing the model - Decals
The model is finished in a brilliant silver paint that provides the backdrop for the many variations of decals that are included. I decided on the "HUFF" scheme. I gained an admiration for these markings after watching a turbine HUFF fly in the Heart of Ohio jet scramble a few years earlier. The decals are water-transfer. I have applied numerous water-transfer decals before and still found it difficult because some of the pieces are rather large. The manual says to radial cut some of the decals that are going to be applied to double-curvature surfaces. Even after cutting them I still managed to rip a few of the decals while applying them. The decals are a bit fragile but they make up for it in their outstanding appearance.
Editor's Note: The manufacturer recommends a product called Gluto Glue to ease in application of these water slide decals. Per Hobby Lobby, "This is a water based glue similar to wallpaper sizing. By applying a thin coating of this to the area where the decal will be placed (it can be spread on with your finger), the decal will be much more easily slid into position without the problem of tearing. The biggest bonus to this system is that when the decal dries, the adhesion to the model is greatly increased."
Flying
The time had come. I couldn’t have asked for a better day. The first flight would take place at the site of the 2005 Heart of Ohio jet scramble (TORKS - Grove City, Ohio), how perfect. After arriving at the field and plugging in the battery (charged the night before), I went through my normal pre-flight routine. I made sure all control surfaces were moving in the right direction and did a range check of the radio system. Everything looked fine so I headed out to the grass strip. There was a very slight breeze coming from the west. The temperature was in the high 60's.
The model can either be launched with your hand in front of or behind the wing. I chose to launch the model from in front of the wing because I could get a better grip.
I ran the F-86 up to full throttle and gave it a gentle toss into the breeze. Much to my surprise there was no loss of altitude after launch sometimes associated with jet type models. The F-86 climbed out easily.
It needed a little bit of up elevator and right aileron trim to fly straight and level. I decided to take the model up to about "three mistakes high" to get used to its flight characteristics. I flew around in a lazy figure 8 getting used to the controls.
I did notice that the ailerons did not always seem to bring the model back to level flight after the aileron stick was brought back to neutral. It was a bit bothersome but easily corrected in flight. (Removing, oiling and reinstalling the pushrods should easily resolve this.)
My "three mistakes high" altitude didn’t last very long; I decided to bring it by for a low altitude high speed pass. The fan has a very high pitched sound that is exaggerated during high speed dives.
The model tracked perfectly, I would estimate the speed in a dive to be in the mid-sixties (mph) but that is only a guess. In level flight the speed might be in the mid to high 50's. The F-86 is quick but not so fast that an intermediate pilot would be uncomfortable.
After my high speed run, I pulled up into a large loop. The loop was smooth with no tendency to fall off after I pulled out over the top. I decided to gain some altitude again so I could test the stall tendencies. I pulled the throttle back and slowly eased in some up elevator. The F-86 came to a virtual crawl before falling off slightly to the side. The recovery from stall was very easy; I simply added power and slowly pulled back on the elevator. I tried a few aileron rolls next. They were easily executed and appeared just slightly off axis which is good for a low wing aircraft.
Those who know me well know that I like to fly inverted quite a bit. I set up the F-86 for an inverted pass and flipped it over on its back. It immediately began to nose dive. I fed in a little bit of down elevator but it was getting too low so I flipped it back over. I went back around to try it again. This time I started out much higher before I flipped it over. The F-86 takes much more down elevator to fly inverted than I am used to, but after I was comfortable with that, inverted flight was very easy and predictable.
At this point I had been in the air 12 minutes. I noticed the power was beginning to sag so I set up for a landing. Once over the runway, I pulled back the power and slowly fed in some up elevator. The F-86 handles very well at slow speed. The model slowly descended, set down on the runway, and skidded about 10 feet to a stop. The F-86 is one of the easiest planes to land that I own. Upon landing, I had a few comments on how smooth the plane appeared in the air. I agreed, this was one of my easiest first flights.
Flight Video/Photo Gallery
Downloads
Conclusion
As I write this review the F-86 has flown 5 times. All flights have gone very smoothly. The F-86 is very smooth in the air and tracks well. It really is a pleasure to fly. Launches and landings are easy and uneventful. I do however find at times that I would like more power. The power system is adequate for spirited flight but there are those times when I would like those loops to be larger or that speed run to be faster. The F-86 will easily perform basic three channel maneuvers (aileron, elevator, and throttle).
A note of caution: I flew the F-86 on a rather warm day (92 degrees) and was caught a little off guard by how much the performance had decreased. The flight speed was slower and the performance in loops and climb out was about 2/3rds of what it normally was.
Overall, The F-86 lives up to the reputation that Alfa Model is known for. The F-86 definitely continues the tradition of great looking and flying models.
Hits
- Scale appearance.
- Fit and finish.
- Decal appearance.
- Flight performance. More than adequate power for experienced-beginner to intermediate pilots.
Misses
- Ailerons don’t always return to center.
- Decals are somewhat fragile.
- I would prefer balancing marks on the top of the wing instead of bottom (Prefer to balance low wings upside-down).
- Manual sometimes hard to follow.
- Foam dings somewhat easily.
- Intermediate/advanced to advanced pilots will probably want more power than the recommended setup.
- Canopy sometimes hangs up on the left side of the fuselage during installation.
Provided Accessories
All accessories provided By Hobby Lobby worked flawlessly. I was very impressed with the Thunderpower prolite battery pack. It seemed to hold its voltage very well under load. The JETI speed controller is easily programmed with the program card. The radio system also worked perfectly with no glitching, although it would be nice to have dual rates on the transmitter.
Discussion
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Oct 24, 2005, 06:25 PM
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Austin, TX
Joined Nov 2004
336 Posts
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great review!
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Oct 25, 2005, 08:55 AM
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ohio
Joined Aug 1999
3,333 Posts
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Thanks for the compliment.
One thing I wanted to address since I received an email about this. I was asked if the ailerons not centering were a servo problem instead of an aileron problem. The hs-55 servo does center properly. I can then move each aileron up or down independently without the servo or servo arm moving. As noted in the review, it is not always apparent when using the ailerons but it does present itself a handful of times in a typical flight. |
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Latest blog entry: Up next for RCG review ... P-47D-40...
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Nov 06, 2005, 12:51 PM
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Joined Nov 2004
128 Posts
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HS-55 may be great on the bench but obviously is not great in the air. Replace with HS-56 and your problem will likely be gone - way better centering, ball bearing output shaft, and a lot more power to overcome any drag in your linkage when returning to center...
I love this plane - but since I fly from blacktop/pavement - and belly landing a jet doesn't appeal to me anymore (Kyosho flyer from way back) - I'm holding out for a retract version. |
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Nov 06, 2005, 07:01 PM
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ohio
Joined Aug 1999
3,333 Posts
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as noted above the servo centers properly. there is some slop in the linkage system that prevents it from returning to center properly every time. you can move the ailerons up and down without the servo or servo arm moving. i plan to remove the linkage pods from the bottom of the wing to secure the pushrod/linkage system better.
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Latest blog entry: Up next for RCG review ... P-47D-40...
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Jun 28, 2006, 09:32 AM
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Cincinnati
Joined Jan 2006
2,057 Posts
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How do I make it faster
I am interested in a DF plane and do not want a flat foamy. I like this one but have two complaints. I'd want it to go faster and would prefer something a little larger without spending $400 on just the plane itself. Any thoughts?
Carl |
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Jul 25, 2006, 04:04 PM
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Detroit, MI
Joined Feb 2006
67 Posts
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I am building one of the F86s and have some questions:
1. My rear cone piece has two vanes with holes for the wires. Should I route all three wires through one vane and cut the other vane off? Or is is better to leave it on? Run two wires through one and one through the other? 2. What is that little flat washer for that is included in the fan package? I can't find any reference to it anywhere. |
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Jul 25, 2006, 06:13 PM
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Cincinnati
Joined Jan 2006
2,057 Posts
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I read there was no difference between having the esc in the exhaust stream and not having it there and was suggested to leave it in the exhaust pipe. I left both fins on and ran the wires out the back of the cone piece. Used servo tape to adhere the Esc to fan wall and ran 2 power wires and receiver wire out the slit in the exhaust duct. I have the himax 2025-5300 motor and phoenix 25 esc. Static test showed 17.5 ampsa nd 195 watts with 2100mah 20C polyquest pack.
Photo in above review shows the little washer going on the small bolt used to attach the fan to the motor. I didn't use it. Didn't notice until later. Good luck with your plane. I would suggest you make sure and mount aileron servo to wood in the wing as above indicates. Mine came loose from servo tape prior to gluing to wood using little wood spacer. I had no problems what so ever applying the decals. Followed manual. dip in water for no more than 5 seconds then gave say 10-15 seconds or so to sit while I rubbed a little water where the decal was about to go. Went on with not one decal ripping and I did not cut any decals "radially". http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...12#post5804120 http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...13#post5800411 two more forums for you to look at. Carl |
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Jul 25, 2006, 08:42 PM
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Detroit, MI
Joined Feb 2006
67 Posts
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Thanks, Carl. I don't like the servo tape anyway and always try to epoxy the servos in place.
I am using the MP Jet setup and 12 amp esc and 18 ga wires as Kevin did above. Does that seem light? I'm kind of new at this so I am sticking to the recommended setups for now. I don't see any washer in the above photos  However, since the hole in the rotor is countersunk slightly to take the head of the screw, why bother? I just took some sandpaper and smoothed off the edge of the countersink area so it was all the same height and installed the screw.It doesn't make sense to me that 3 wires in the exhaust stream don't make a difference. I'm ok with running them throught the fins in the cone. I'll check out the links you posted. |
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Jul 25, 2006, 10:54 PM
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Cincinnati
Joined Jan 2006
2,057 Posts
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cliffster, 18 ga is probably fine. The motor I used is good to 25A and I was suprised at how then the wires were. Guess it is okay.
If you look at the above motor/fan combo picture labeled. "Fan unit with motor and rotor installed." Click on this photo to enlarge and you will see the washer. I enlarged many of the photos to get correct positioning of servos etc. I found that I needed to use both this build thread and the included directions to build the jet. Neither were totally complete. I had trouble with getting the two elevators to act as one until I used 5 min epoxy on the control cable guide guide tubes where they exit the fuselage to anchor them to the fuselage to remove any flex/movement and also used CA to secure both in the front where they both go through the wood where the fan unit is screwed into. This got the elevators to act as one beautifully. I also took the aileron control wires out of the guide tubes and coated with 3 and 1 household oil. Because above mentions ailerons not recentering correctly I used a servo control arm that had very small holes (hs-55 servos) and made the appropriate hole just barely large enough to accomodate the control wire connector. Little oil here to allow good movement. I have no issues with my plane. Someone mentioned adding glue to the control wire guide tubes to halt extra movement and that wouldn't be a bad idea. I also did not glue the battery tray to the top of the wooden guide rails but about half way up the guide rails for more battery space under canopy. Make sure you maiden in a large and open area. Carl |
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Jul 26, 2006, 08:07 AM
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ohio
Joined Aug 1999
3,333 Posts
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"I am using the MP Jet setup and 12 amp esc and 18 ga wires as Kevin did above"
Cliffster... understand that this is hobby lobbys recommended setup..and that is why it is used in this review. It is a great starting point for this airframe for someone with little or moderate experience or if you prefer a light setup. If you are more experinced and are looking for more speed you will want a more powerful motor. I now have a himaxx 2025-5300 motor (cc25amp conotroller..apogee 2480 3cell battery) in the f-86 and it is much quicker.. leave the cone off of the back of the fan unit (tape the three wires together to slightly decrease drag)..this will allow your motor to get the airstream over it and run cooler..also if you are having vibration problems with the fan unit leave the spinner off..this usually helps. |
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Latest blog entry: Up next for RCG review ... P-47D-40...
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Jul 26, 2006, 08:28 AM
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Detroit, MI
Joined Feb 2006
67 Posts
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Thanks again for the info, Carl. This forum sure is handy
 . I have been flying an Alfa F4U-1 that is a very nice flyer, even after 2 crashes (pilot error) where I considered scrapping it, but managed to put it back together. I just gathered up all the pieces and glued'em back together. Seems to fly fine.Epoxying the aileron posts, elevator tube exits, and the tubes at the servo ends is something I learned on the Corsair. And oiling the wires/tubes. I will do it again for sure. I have a big area that I fly the Corsair in, so that shouldn't be a problem. Yes, I am using this thread and the manual to get the F86 together. Maiden flight question -- With the controls set up as noted, do I need to bother with the test glide? (Finding tall grass is a problem) My Corsair launches nicely (with a tad of left roll due to the prop torque) at 1/2 throttle with a little bit of upward throw (30 degrees above horizontal). The F86 should go full throttle and exactly level or a little bit of angle up? I tested the fan this am. Although it looked like a lot of clearance with no power, something must have centered and the blades just barely touched on one spot of the casing. I pulled the rotor off and did a series of relative positions, finding that 180 degrees from start appeared to be the best, however, the clearance was next to zero. So, I used a bit of sanding film (measures about 0.1 mm) and ran the blades past it and the casing. Now I have visible clearance, it is more than 0.10 mm, but probably not more than 0.2 mm. Is that enough? I ran the fan up through about 1/2 throttle and it seemed fine with no vibration. Thanks for your continued advice. Cliffster |
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Jul 26, 2006, 08:42 AM
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Detroit, MI
Joined Feb 2006
67 Posts
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Kevin,
Thanks for the note. I'm sure, for the time being, the MPJet setup will be a handful for me. I love the Corsair and I am just beginning trying to do crisp 4 point rolls and inverted flying, 3 or 4 mistakes high, of course! I am looking forward to flying the F86. I regard all new planes as trainers -- the SECOND one will be the nice (no crashes) plane to show off. BTW, my trainer was/is the T-Hawk, which I have had for 2 years and still like very much. Cliffster |
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Jul 26, 2006, 08:52 AM
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Cincinnati
Joined Jan 2006
2,057 Posts
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Kevin, your battery is slightly larger in capacity than mine. My polyquest 20C 2100mah weighs 6.25oz and on this motor/fan set up puts out 17.5A and 195 watts. I put a buddies 2100 15C Apex pack on and it sounded faster. I tend not to believe lipo manuf. claims of C ratings and go by what people have tested. I want the strongest pack that will fit without too much weight. 25A / 250watts would be awesome. Plane weighs 19oz RTF.
Watt is the amp, watt output from your pack? Does it fit without major mods? Did you put the esc in the battery area or leave in exhaust stream for cooling? Mine doesn't seem as fast as I had expected. Was told esc in exhaust would make no difference other than keeping it cool. Upon recharging an exhausted pack and looking at time versus mah used, I average 10A used at any given time. Carl Cliffster, I did not test glide for fear of a crunch before even flying. I give a decent throw slightly above horizon but not nearly enough to cause stall. Full throttle. with the hopped up motor the plane hardly drops any altitude. I couldn't say what my clearance is. At first I was rubbing on one spot so twisted motor slightly and reglued. Also slight sanding on wall as opposed to blades. |
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Jul 26, 2006, 09:25 AM
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Detroit, MI
Joined Feb 2006
67 Posts
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Carl -- I assume the L-H video is the stock setup that I am using and it looks like a slight angle hand launch as you suggest, with almost no altitude drop. Also, I plan to install the drop tanks and I hope they will help protect on landings.
I will leave off the fan front and rear cones as Kevin suggested and I am using a Castle Creations 4L Rx that only weighs 4 gm. So I will be offsetting a good portion of the drop tank extra weight. Will work on the wings and elevators tonight.......... Kevin -- Any suggestion on minimum rotor clearance? I look to have about 0.2 mm or 0.25 mm. Cliffster |
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