...going to plan so far I had hoped to have the raptor ready for a first-flight today, although that turned out to be overly optimistic.It also turned out very mist at the field, so I wouldn't have flown the Raptor anyway with visibility that poor. So far I have installed the fuselage linkages and servos, and hooked up the tail surfaces. I have also managed to complete the installation of servos and covers on one wing, including the slightly tricky task of feeding the servo cables through the wing spars. Fortunately, with the generous sized cutouts and and improvised threading tool (control wire with a hooked end) this proved less troublesome than I had anticipated.
One thing worthy of note is that extension cables need to be firmly plugged in, given that the cable has to be pulled past obstructions. After one let go during the process, I taped up the connection with electrical tape to make sure it stayed fast. So I hope to have the other wing fitted out soon, then I should be able to connect everything up for a functional check. I've set up the V-tail mixing on my radio, (right=rudder, left=elevator) although I still need to check whether either of the controls needs reversing, and to make sure the tail does what it's supposed to...
...better but bigger With the Raptor glider being ARF, I'd spent some time reading posts regarding what kit people had used to complete the build. As far as servos were concerned, most people used higher-spec ball-bearing servos and, just to be sure, I decided to follow suit. The servos arrived, each separately boxed as well as being bagged inside; over-packaged if ever I saw it. However more annoyance was in store as I discovered that the bearinged servos, in order to accommodate the extra gear, had the casings extended downwards, with the result that the swish new servos were too deep for the laser-cut mounts, with the Raptor having the servos installed on their sides. The cut-outs are in fact the exact size of the Turnigy TG9Z servo but, due to these being apparently sensitive to binding & alignment, I was only going to use for the flaps. So, after renewed reviewing of servo specifications & sizes, I decided on the best servo for the job; smaller, stronger, cheaper and very familiar. The faithful HXT900...
...too much of a good thing I recently received a box of goodies containing items to finalise the Fox glider; a 32mm carbon spinner, a pair of carbon 9.5x5 folding props and a new battery. The reason for changing from the standard setup was that the R2hobbies spinner has an inboard pivot which prevents the prop from folding, and additionally I thought the standard 10x6 props too large.
On the weekend I had a chance to get the Fox out for a trial run with its new hardware, and got something of a surprise; the setup, powered by a 25-5-C 1800 Nanotech, developed that much thrust that it put the Fox into a turn at full throttle, and caused a vibration past about 80% throttle. Consequently I've decided to try out a set of Walrus props I've got in the spares drawer. These are about 8x5 and I think should be a little more suitable. Anyhow, I've got the Fox set up and will give it another test flight soon...
...what gets your spirit soaring People's reaction to the planes varies a lot; some people are mildly interested, some could be mildly annoyed at the disturbance of the peace, whilst others are obviously captivated by the magic of flight. You can never really be sure, so I tend to keep the planes quiet and flying away so as not to cause disruption.
This morning I met a couple who arrived with their dog for some early-morning exercise at the field; talking to them as I headed back to the car with Canadair in hand, they'd been captivated by the sight of the water bomber flying around the morning sky. And, the other day, I spoke to an ex-pilot out walking his dog, who'd enjoyed the speed and grace of the little Fox glider as it enjoyed an evening flight against a dramatic backdrop of clouds...
...exquisite tranquility Yesterday evening was a rarity; the gusty weather of the afternoon abated whilst there was sufficient light to fly. Additionally, and most compellingly, the greasy cloud cover of the day have developed into a beautiful array of shapes colours and textures, enough to have me grabbing the Fox glider and heading for the door; delicate balances like this don't last forever.
Despite remnant players from the afternoon cricket match and a boisterous Retriever pup being walked on the field, I decided to get the Fox up so, with a bare minimum of preparation (no pre-flight video!) I had the Fox purring sweetly into the lovely evening sky. Flying was an absolute joy, scenic and incredibly tranquil; the only detraction was having to cut the flight a little short as, with the field mostly ringed by trees, having enough power on tap to clear them is imperative. Nevertheless, darkness was encroaching by the time the Fox bumped over the cricket pitch for a landing, and I headed for home with the lingering delight of having experienced something special...
...hopefully better visibility The biggest issue I have with the Stinger, apart from the super-sensitive aileron setup I had on the first flights, is visibility; the Freewing version has classic sport-jet stripes on the white wing whilst Hobbyking, for their Mk2 version, unfortunately decided on a bespoke black-and-lumo full-body decal. While including a scorpion graphic was kinda groovy, the overall effect is a 21st century take on camouflage. Unsurprisingly, although you could easily see the Stinger in the air, I've found picking the orientation, particularly wing angle change, to be very difficult. Even the tiny Rarebear is much easier to see. And, given that the Stinger is always a little touchy to fly, in combination with the camo decals, it's virtually heart-stopping.
Consequently I've embarked on a degraphic exercise; first of all I removed the decals off the tail-fin, working on the premise that this is the most visible feature on the Radjet. Unfortunately with the Stinger this was unsuccessful, so I've just finished clearing the second wing, making it look rather naked. While this may not be optimum, I haven't the enthusiasm to stripe it and I'll try it out first to see how it goes; and judging by how easy it is to see change on angle on the Rarebear tiny white wings, I think it will be a big improvement. Then, at some stage in the future, if I come across a suitable set of stripes, I'll pimp up the Stinger so that it looks a little less bland...
...an interesting turn of events From the first few flights it was apparent that, in my opinion, the little Fox was over-propped, especially running just an 1800mAh battery. Also, the R2Hobbies spinner setup is very dodgy - the inset pivots mean the props cannot fold flat as they foul the fuselage by a mile, and the prop mounts only fit a 6mm base, meaning the props have to be filed thinner to fit, weakening them considerably. I discovered this first-hand when, landing the Fox with the prop still windmilling because of the unbraked ESC, a sudden snap indicated that one of the prop blades had given up. Consequently I've ordered a new 32mm carbon spinner and a 9.5x9 carbon folding prop to match, slightly smaller than the original prop to spin a little more freely. I've also ordered a 25-50C 1800 nanotech battery to give the Fox a little more grunt than the pedestrian pack it's running on at the moment. However the biggest surprise came from the spare parts shelf. Hunting around for a replacement prop, I came across some Walrus props, about 8.5 size, which I thought might do in the meantime, and filed these down to suit the Fox's mini-mounts. As well as being a bit smaller, the Walrus props are also cranked forwards which help the props to clear the body and fold better. Not expecting too much, in fact virtually expecting the rework white plastic blades to disintegrate at the first hint of full throttle, I was amazed at how sweetly they worked, with the Fox humming happily through the cool morning air...
