The RA Cores BluFO Review
The RA Cores BluFO Review
The BluFO Designed by Joel "MetroGTI" Dirnberger
It didn't mind 10 MPH winds! |
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| Wingspan: | 25" |
| Length: | 26" |
| Weight: | 17 oz. |
| Servos: | 2 x 9gram Servos |
| Prop: | GWS 8x4 prop |
| CG: | 12.20" back from the nose |
| Battery: | 1000 to 1300 mAh 3S lipo |
| Motor: | Emax CF-2812 (1600 Kv) |
| ESC: | 18 amp ESC |
| Designer: | Joel "MetroGTI" Dirnberger |
| Available From: | RACores.com |
I was at Joe Nall this year taking photos of vendor area. I stopped to chat with Jim from RA Cores and the RMRC guys were there. He had a built BluFO on the table and I said, "What is that?!" The RMRC crew gave me multiple reason why I needed one. I walked away with the kit comprised of pre-cut EPP that is unpainted ($29.95) and the completer kit (Emax CF-2812, 18 amp ESC and 2 x 9gram Servos) for $34.95. That's a pretty doable deal!
| RA Cores BluFO - RCGroups.com (11 min 45 sec) |
Here is some history on this bird:
Joel was inspired to come up with his design after he took some liberties with the original Blue Foam Wonder. He stylized it even more and developed a better flying aircraft to boot. The name reflects that the originals were built out of blue fanfold foam. Several additional variations have evolved including an EDF version and the float plan.
Build Photo Tour
The build is very straight forward. I kept an eye on the instructions to make sure I didn't make any huge mistakes. There is also a full build thread on this craft right here on RCGroups.
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This is what you get. The EPP is pre-cut and easy to pop out. I walked off without a prop but used one I already had. Now all you have to do is build it!
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Here are the pieces.
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I highly urge you to use Foamtac for this build. It will make your BluFO stronger.
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The main body is comprised of multiple CF strips (included).
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Before you add any fins get your paint job on the main part of the fuse. I did some simple racing stripes.
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Looking good!
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I added some color to the fins and canopy.
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I should not have painted under the canopy. You need your velcro to stick. I suggest you do not paint inside this area.
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I drip thin CA on wood hinges to make them stronger.
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Beacon Power-Tac worked great to mount the firewall.
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This was the final placement to get the 12.2 inch CG just right (note there is a camera on the nose).
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The camera is on a mount so I can swivel down if needed.
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I got it all lined up and added a drop of medium CA.
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I cut some longer shrink wrap sleeves. I slid them over the CF and wire after I got everything right. I then hit the shrink wrap with a lighter and let it dry.
FPV Setup
I used my favorite camera from ReadyMadeRC, the Pro700N and a TS832 video transmitter. This video camera gives a great picture and can be tweaked from the back. The thing I appreciated about the TS 832 was that it showed me the exact channel I was on. I have found with my "auto search" video receivers that I never know if I'm really on the right channel. Knowing the exact channel is important (you will find that out when you get out a little ways). The TS832 tells you the exact channel.
The BluFO had lots of room. I mounted the cam up on the nose and wanted to mount the vid TX inside the canopy but the size (weight) meant I had to mount it farther back to get the CG right. In the end it all worked well and the airframe did not mind the weight at all.
Glamour and Flying Shots
Conclusion
The build on this was very straight forward and could have almost been done without the instructions. I tried to over think a few things but realized that my RC common sense was all I needed to answer my own questions. My biggest suggestion is to stick with Foamtac during the build.
The take off release was super easy, even when in the goggles. The BluFO wants to climb out. Flying was uneventful. I do think our 10 MPH winds were a little too much for this bird. It flew in that wind fine but would have been a lot more fun with less wind.
FPVing around the BluFO was low stress and fun. If you are looking for lightweight, EPP winged platform that is simple to launch check out this bird from RA Cores!
Last edited by RCG_Jason; Dec 08, 2022 at 01:23 PM..| Thread Tools |
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Thread OP
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It is listed in the review in the spec box at the top:
http://www.racores.com/H-Blu-O.html |
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Quote:
http://racores.com/H-Blu-O.html#BluFO |
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Latest blog entry: Here is the Wigens in it's final paint...
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Shawn Campfield as well as his UK friend Rory have created a BluFO model for RealFlight. Check it out on the Knife Edge Software site
https://www.knifeedge.com/forums/ind...-eaa_ea.28041/ |
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Latest blog entry: Here is the Wigens in it's final paint...
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In one of the BluFO threads was a link to an obsolete page on my website. The Depron products are no longer available, just the EPP BluFO. The correct page is:
http://www.racores.com/EPP-BluFO.html Jim |
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Latest blog entry: Here is the Wigens in it's final paint...
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