More progress

A-10 retracts (0 min 13 sec)

Retracts in action!

Looks great.
The retracts have a nice sound.
One question though: Can you steer with the front wheel or do you configure the motors accordingly ?

well done
Cheers
Olli

Awesome, especially with the retracts and all!!!

Thanks guys, the front retract is non steerable, not planning on taxiing. Just short take offs and landings

3mm depron pieces added to wheel shrouds, and ailerons rounded and spackling/lightweight filler applied.

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A-10 park jet build (0 min 32 sec)

This is the colour scheme I want to paint the Hog in.. It is called European Camouflage one. Was used in the 1980's, and its how I remember it when I first saw it.

I also think I'll finish sanding it to shape, and glue the vertical stabs on. I then want to try a flight test without the engine nacelles, as I need to understand if I need to add a correcting thrust angle to the props. It will be much easier to adjust with them off.

Originally Posted by Clickety

This is the colour scheme I want to paint the Hog in.

Nice. Attached is what I think is an attractive Euro scheme (I'm biased). I can send camo patterns as well as decal scans for those markings. England AFB, 1979, 76 TFS.

PM me if you'd like.

Gene K

Epoxied vertical stabs on, epoxied magnet into canopy, made lite ply retaining tab. Tested 3s battery performance and it has around 80-90% static thrust. Tested 4s battery and it has around 120-130% static thrust.

The vertical stabs are pretty comfortable in the airflow from the props.

It feels like the props will need a thrust angle to push the nose down, but the elevators have a big impact on pitch as they are in the airflow so I might risk a test flight.

That's looking sharp! I'm looking forward to the flight report, I bet this is going to look great in the air. What did you use as a thrust angle? 0 degrees? With the authority of those large elevators you will probably be able to correct it, so I also would go for it .

Thanks Robert, yeah zero degrees. I'm beginning to wonder if I should put on 3 degrees just to be safe.. Might make it easier to handle for the maiden

My buddy / launcher John, is away at the moment and it's a family get together weekend, so I'm postponing launch until next weekend. Meanwhile I'll do a bit more research into thrust angles and double check the a-10's CG position to minimise risk on maiden flight.

OK, did a few tests to get a better idea of the thrust and weights of this bird are.

Without battery, it currently weighs 680g. With battery 850g.

3S testing at full power:

Total thrust = 850g
Thrust / weight ratio = 1:1 thrust.
Drawing 210 watts at 20A

Thats around 6 minutes on a 2200 3s battery.

4S testing at full power:
Total thrust = 1420g
Thrust / weight ratio = 1:2.5 thrust.
Drawing 430 watts at 30A

Thats around 3 minutes on a 1800mah 4s battery

Certainly don't have a problem of being underpowered!

These Cobra motors and 5" HQ props are quite amazing!!