I picked up a set of inexpensive 335mm CF blades (available from amainhobbies, helidirect, and hobbyking). They didn't fit my 450SE's blade grips, so I ground down the roots by about half a millimeter with a dremel disc and sealed them with CA. Hope they fly ok!

Upgraded the Black and Decker Start-It jump starter to a dedicated 35 Ah SLA which fits nicely into my existing toolbox.

Got heliguard bags for the 450 and 500.

Just installed CF tail blades and paddles on the 450; still awaiting 335mm CF mains.

Got a couple Deans connector housings. They don't fit on to 10awg wire, so I put them on the esc side. I cut some grips into the female connector with a hacksaw.

I created the NIH RC Aeromodelers Facebook group as a way for RC pilots in the Bethesda, MD area to get together.

it was a productive rc day.

manufactured hatcam 2.0, now with laser aiming reticle.

for the 500: swapped a scorpion in for my 500L. had to cut down and chamfer the shaft a bit. also added a detent for the grub screw. put in a 14T pinion and set the governor rpm for 2500.

for the 450: swapped the 450M in for my 430X. went to 14T and set the governor for 2800.

for the variant: swapped out the 10x6 graupner for a 9x5 aeronaut. current draw fell from 45A to 35A, so it should now run cooler and more efficiently.

Gently remaidened the variant yesterday. Found some previously undiscovered damage on the variant 2 wing, so swapped in the variant 3 wing. She didn't want to run upwind so much and was weathervaning a lot in the breeze; still thinking about attaching the rudder. Practiced some long, slow approaches and landed respectably. Used the spoilerons to dump lift and keep the nose high. Kept the prop running at the lowest possible speed, and kept the bank angles shallow.

Uneventful flights with the trex 450 and 500. I'm going to need some better motors and bigger pinions for higher governed headspeeds.

Made a lipo bunker out of a $20 metal toolbox from Ace Hardware. Lined with foam.

Basically done reworking the Variant. Put in a new bulkhead to strengthen the fuselage. Swapped in Align RCE-BL35X. Removed 1oz of lead ballast from the nose and swapped in a 2700 instead of a 2200 mAh 3s pack. Made and installed a plywood firewall to prevent wires from getting anywhere near the outrunner.

With a half charged TP pro power 30c 2700 mAh pack, it pulls about 475 watts on the bench with an aeronaut 10x6 and an axi 2814/12.