Well, it was inevitable, after ~60 flights, I pranged my SB3d. I've been getting better and better, flying it with more control throws than Doug recommends, no expo or D/R and a Hacker B20 12L in front. Just getting the hang of hovering too. 'Get to the point!' I hear you cry.
I've mastered the plane, I am perfectly comfortable doing anything with it, except, as I found out today, flying it over a tin roofed baseball dugout, which I found makes some fantastic radio interference! the plane dropped out the sky, cartwheeled and bounced off the nose. After that sickening crunch, I was actually not even upset! the first thought that went through my mind was 'I can do a re-build thread, and those wonderful lads on EZone can join along and put in pointers so we can all learn from this'.
I'm excited. A little dismayed that I am grounded for a few days (I love that hacker!)
So, here goes with the damage. Fortunately no electronics were harmed.

Another shot detailing the fuse better
(BTW, these shots were taken with my GSmart Mini3, which I think is truly surprising. I have daylight bulbs on my painting desk, and the combination meant absolutely no light level touch ups on the photos!)
more tomorrow!

Check out these threads for crashed and rebuilds.

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...hreadid=117475
https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...0&pagenumber=3
https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...0&pagenumber=4

I keep thinking of that Monty Python line: "It's just a scratch!"

Definitely looks rebuildable. Thin CA is your friend.

Doug

Ouch Biggles, at least it looks like an easy rebuild.

Speaking of baseball fields, don't try to fly on the other side of a chainlink backstop. It seems the radio waves don't pass through chain link very well. You can guess how I learned this little tidbit.

BC

Here's mine. All fixed except for covering. I find that Probond glue is ideal for these type of repairs. Really light and expands to fill gaps. If you don't have some, get some. Soooo much better than epoxy.
-David-

Uhhh, David,
You might want to take a look at the pic posted. I don't think you've got it fixed yet!

JT

DW, you're right. That Probond really did the trick

m

Hey, DW where did you get that cool cowl? Looks like the bottom of a pop bottle.

AA,
searched far and wide and this fits perfect:

Painted inside so it is bulletproof. Attached with two pieces of spongy foam, covered with small square of lite-ply. Glued on either side of plane and cowl screwed to them. Foam needs to be spongy, kinda like stuff they make kids flip-flops out of, so you can squeeze cowl over them. No failures at all yet even though fuse has taken a beating!
-David-

Very creative DW, nice job. That really gives the switchback that extra something it needs!

-Alex

Well, I took it out for it's new maiden last night and it worked fine, I was going to post pictures but didn't bring my camera. I took it out at lunch today, nice and warm, no wind, and after about 10 minutes of flight, the plane suddenly flipped and piled into the ground. I wasn't doing any aerobatics, and there is only three possible scenarios for what happened:
1: Sudden gust of wind, there were a couple while I was flying, but they didn't seem bad.
2: The 3d wing spacers that are supposed to be glued to the fuse, were glued to the wing so I can fly both wings, I noticed that one of them had broken free.
3: At the exact moment that I went out of control, there was a park maintenance guy, who fired up his lawnmower (Does that cause noise?)

Oh well... How many times can you re-build a SB?

Some types ignitions can cause RF interferance.
I remember when I was a kid, I had a shortwave radio.
Sometimes the radio would emit a popping sound as a car passed by. Dad said it was the spark plugs firing.

Why is it I can remember something 40 years ago, but not what I did a week ago?

Sorry about your SB,
Bil

According to Doug, the 3D spacers indeed go on the wing otherwise, how would you be able to switch wings? Hence the plane's name.

mw