2m Raptor Glider

...sleek thermal rider

I've been searching for options to replace the Phoenix after its disastrous crash. It may be repairable, however with its foam wings already susceptible to deformation in the warming weather and combined with a massive crash repair, I don't think it would be flying very straight.

Hence looking at composite gliders, although one soon realises that carbon wings are very expensive, with a two metre ARF carbon glider in the region of five hundred smackers.

The Raptor, therefore, provided an intermediate solution, with a fibreglass fuselage and fibreglass/balsa combination wing hopefully providing more durability than EPO, and the ARF package coming in at just over a hundred bucks.

It'll need six servos, more expensive metal-geared bearing units being recommended, and I'll probably use the spare Phoenix motor I have along with the carbon prop which survived the crash.

To that just needs to be added an appropriate spinner and we should be good to go using a trusty 2200 3S pack to get the Raptor soaring into the air...

Fox Glider

...should be good.

I've splashed out on a 1.5m PNF Fox glider, a fibreglass fuselage and balsa creation from R2Hobbies, available for the very modest sum of just over a hundred bucks all up.

So what's the catch? Well apparently there's an issue with the tail plane angled too low, causing the Fox to be nose-up which apparently causes instability. The upshot is rework required , with the full fix being cutting out the tail plane mounting slot, raising the incidence by 3mm and then filling the gap with a wedge of balsa.

A lot of work, yes, however at the end you get a speedy and maneuverable composite glider, which can also double as a speedy slope soarer.

Not a bad deal...

Canadair New Motors

...more speed!

I fitted the Canadair with three-blade props of 7x4.5 on the basis that dropping a size from the standard 8" twin-blade props is recommended. However, in this case, the originals are big paddle-props so a change to regular three-blade props of the same size would probably have been a better equivalency.

An issue with the bearings in one of the motors, which I was unable to remove for replacement, had me shopping for new motors and I came across the more powerful 250W version of the specified motor. Being the same size and weight, although with a lower quoted current draw, it seemed a natural choice, now that I had a better appreciation for the performance of the Canadair having flown it.

Also, given that the 7x4.5 props were undersized for the original motor, the higher kV rating, 1650 vs 1400, suits them very well, and the Canadair seems happy with the new combination and generates an impressive turn of speed at full throttle...

Trainstar Monster Wheels

...nice!

The first time I ever took the Trainstar to the field, someone remarked that I should put bigger wheels on it. I replied that the wheels were quite big already, to which Sensei replied, "Bigger wheels equal bigger fun".

Having recently started flying the Trainstar from the field again, in what I think will be its summer metamorphosis, I got a rush of blood to the head and decided to get the bigger wheels. The standard units on the Trainstar, installed in spats, are 75mm and looking at what was available I decided on a pair of 100mm foam wheels.

Now 25% larger doesn't seem that much but, to quote one of the reviews, the wheels were much larger than he expected. Ditto. I think it's the square law, or something like that, but it translates into a substantially larger wheel.

The wheels, of the same variety that I fitted to the Canadair, are very light and firm. However, because they are very much over-size in the case of the Trainstar, the firmness will be exaggerated.

However, with a springy undercarriage and landing on grass, I don't expect this to be an issue at all...

Rarebear Slow Prop

...shows how good the original is!

I recently had a minor incident with the Rarebear; the result of me somehow reversing the elevator, probably while I was adjusting settings on the transmitter. The result was the Rarebear nosediving straight into the turf, although fortunately with the ground being very damp there, the damage was limited to a broken prop.

Unfortunately I'd used the last of my Funfighter props on the Radjet, which now uses the same propulsion system as the Rarebear.  The only alternative were some APC style props which I'd bought based on reviews, so I got one out the bag and fitted it to the Rarebear.

This morning, a lovely cool and calm start to the day, I took the Rarebear along to try it out.  Flying on the 3S 1300 battery the Rarebear is usually pretty quick, although manageable, so I was quite amazed at how much slower it was compared to flying with its original prop.

While you would think there wouldn't be much difference between a 6x4 and a 5.5 x 4.5, it just shows what a brilliant combination the original prop and motor are together...

Floater Jet Ground Take-Off

...unlikely but groovy

Some while ago, while trying the throttle with the Floater Jet on the ground, it occurred to me that, since the Floater has a high-mounted prop, it would be feasible to take it off from the ground. Theoretically anyway.

Without undercarriage, however, and just a smooth-bottomed fuselage, control on the ground wouldn't be very good. Also, as my first attempts showed, the Floater can tend to skid around, especially if the controls aren't all centred, as I sometime have them in order to keep it trimmed straight for power flight.

Nevertheless, as you can see from the Floater's take-off run, ground launch is possible and a novel change to the usual hand-launch. And its pretty cool as well...

Ride on a Radjet

...high-speed fun

For some while I've been meaning to get an on-board video with the Radjet but, given the weather and choice of planes on the day, I still hadn't got around to doing it. 

The Radjet it the fastest plane in the fleet, now running the Funfighter motor and prop as well as the mini 4S battery. It's also that plane which is flown with most abandon, given it's rock-solid behaviour in the air. It's twin-tailed configuration and bold markings also make tracking its orientation easy, so I'm always confident that I know what it's doing. 

My one concern was whether the camera, mounted just forward of the tail fins on the curve fuselage, would be secure enough, considering it was only in contact with a narrow strip of velcro. Consequently I was a little conservative in flying the Radjet and happily the Mobius was still there when the radjet touched down...