Well I bought an Ender-3 V2 3D printer and so far so good. I've been through about a dozen versions of the F-16 file as I try to figure out how this works

There are 3 basic steps:

1 - Build the model in Blender using 3-view drawings and photo reference
2 - "Slice" the model using Cura to prepare it for 3D printing
3 - Print the model and see how it comes out, then back to step 1

The model is about 9.5" (245mm) long and prints in one piece standing on its tail. The missiles on the wingtips are proving difficult to print cleanly since they are so thin but I'm almost there. For the money, I'm pretty impressed with the quality and consistency of the V2.

The biggest lesson learned so far is the need to exaggerate details like the canopy frame and exhaust nozzle segments because the printing process smooths out tiny edges.

The first print used transparent PETG which is horribly effective at highlighting all the issues with the model.

The rest of the models used various brands of PLA. The silk silver color looks fantastic and would be perfect for an F-22 or F-35

Has it really been 10 years since my last 3D design? Life does sneak up on you!

I made this today in Blender which is a free polygon modeling software I have been using a lot lately. AirX pointed out that 3D printers are getting quite affordable & delivering fantastic results so I may have to give that process a try with this model.

I'm thinking a very small EDF with a wingspan around 12" - 14" - something quick to print and easy to throw in the car or backpack for a quick flight.

EDIT: had to find a new link for the original video, and found this while I was looking :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4d4F...eature=related


Fighter DET video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0PWip0hR2c

Click and drag during the video to change angles, amazing!

http://northstudio360.yb.nl/nimmobay...c=config_embed

-Matt

Unload Lift Offset Rotor concept from Boeing - very cool.

But it does remind me of something...

I made my son an Iron Man costume for Halloween this year - out of fanfold! It's not just for airplanes.

-Matt

P-51s in sloooooow motion... very relaxing.... zzzzzz

P-51's Amazing 600 FPS Slo-Mo Footage (5 min 10 sec)

-Matt

Well, my EF-16 is wrecked! I was flying downwind to set up for a landing when it pitched down suddenly and stopped responding. Went straight in from about 50 feet at half throttle and made a hell of a thud!

ESC, rx, servos, fan, and battery all work fine after the fact although the latter is pretty banged up - don't think I will use it again.

So, it seems like it was a radio problem which is really sad with a brand new Berg 4L. Never had an issue with one before today.

Maybe because I was flying directly away with the tx and rx antennas parallel? Or some other freak glitch. Probably time to go 2.4 anyway.

Everything behind the LE is in decent repairable condition although the scraps of the forward fuse are pretty badly bent and compressed. Replacement airframe kits are pretty cheap...

-Matt

Put together a Phase 3 EF-16 with my son over the last few weeks and flew it this weekend.

I had some pretty good jitters since it had been a while since my last flight, but everything went well.

My son - 4 years old - surprised me by requesting some maneuvers he had seen at an airshow this summer. With sound effects and hand gestures, he explained what he wanted. 4 point rolls!

You got it, 1-2-3-4!

He was a very satisfied customer, because after all it's "his" airplane.

The custom camo paint scheme looks nice on the ground but is very hard to see in the air - duh! Have to relearn that one every couple of years.

A few strips of high-vis tape are in order before the next flight.

-Matt

Just declassified... interesting color scheme.

F-117 First Flight (1 min 16 sec)

Sketchy in every sense of the word...

Pics from July...Continue Reading

How long until Hobby Lobby becomes the official distributor of Hobby King products in the U.S.?

Seems inevitable to me, cheap stuff finally meets respectable customer service and vice versa.



-Matt

May 15, 2009 - cause unknown, pilot was not injured

EDIT: new link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB5CXlEALJ0

Boeing recently showed their F/A-XX concept (edit - now NGAD, Next Generation Air Dominance) which is a proposed sixth-generation Super Hornet replacement. It's a tailless design with highly shielded exhausts and very simplified surfaces for reduced signatures. No doubt something very similar to this has flown already at the infamous "operating location near Groom Lake".

Sixth generation aircraft will build on fifth generation technologies seen in the F-22 and F-35 to include things like:

- Directed energy weapons like lasers and high-powered microwaves
- Stealthy data networking
- Cooperative jamming/electronic attack
- Strike/reconnaissance integration
- Hypersonic kinetic munitions
- Embedded distributed sensors
- Tailless, highly stealthy airframes
- Optionally manned, remote crewed operation

Boeing F/A-XX walkaround (0 min 49 sec)

Made some progress on the flat foam speed entry. This will use up some of the colored 5mm foam I have lying around - blue and yellow in this case. Contest rules prohibit laminated parts so the canopy is just a decal. That's easier anyway.

Winspan ~15", loading ~18oz per

Motocalc opinion makes it sound pretty intense. Undivided attention of an expert pilot and all that - I'll have to settle for myself . Top speed will hopefully exceed 100mph.

-Matt

Су-33 неудачно зашел на посадку (0 min 17 sec)

I have a little free time for building the next couple of weeks.. we'll see what happens.

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show....php?t=1172758

-Matt

Stumbled across this site a few days ago while doing some research at work, very interesting:

http://www.quantcast.com/rcgroups.com/demographics

Can't say I was too surprised. Wonder how they get this data?


-Matt

"The list of things I've never done just keeps getting longer..."

Was poking around in my RC directory tonight and stumbled across a few more relics.

-Matt