by Balsa-naut » Thu Jul 21, 2022 4:47 am
Well, I've been out flying a few times this year. Over the winter, I built four stick planes, a replica SFA World Tour Flyer, a 12-inch wing span Cloud Tramp, a 57-Minute Wonder (Flying Models—March 1992), and a Poly-Wog (OuterZone plan oz4371). The flying sessions have so far been mostly trimming sessions on a few days with fair weather.
The World Tour Flyer is almost trimmed out, but hasn't had many flights since the weather has been marginal for flying. WT Flyer circle climbs to the left, but glides mostly straight. On the last flight, the wing did separate from the mount on landing, but it was a clean separation and a simple fix. Glued back in place and should be good as new. Has not been out for a flight in about six weeks time.
The 12-inch Cloud Tramp has been more of a problem. Mostly issues from the amount of down and side thrust or lack of side and down thrust. It's stalling under power and flying straight ahead. Mini-Tramp has been to the bench for a thrust adjustment, but hasn't been out for a check flight since then. Considered lowering the trailing edge of the stab, but Mini-Tramp seems to be flying a bit fast to try that, so it got a thrust adjustment.
The Poly-Wog was a bit tricky to build with the cambered polyhedral sheet wing. The build article says to hold the wing parts with your fingers until the glue dries. Experience says some effort may have to be applied with a different construction method, especially with PVA glue. The weather was cold back when Poly-Wog was finished, but I couldn't help but try an indoor flight onto the sofa. Of course this doesn't end well. Deep stall and tail first landing onto the floor, breaking the fuselage stick immediately in front of the tail. That was repaired. First trim flights outdoors, glides OK, but stalls even with low power. Used a pebble stuck into the clay at the nose to tame the stall, but the glide was too steep. Back to bench, added down thrust. Poly-Wog is set up with a hand carved 5.5 inch (ca. 14 cm) diameter prop with a 6.6 inch (ca. 17 cm) pitch. The prop was unbalanced which caused in-flight vibrations. The vibrations were fixed by doping a bit of tissue on one tip and gluing a bit of wire on the hub opposite of the freewheeling clutch. Out to the park, low power flights, not terrible, but needs improvement. Last flight that day was an open right hand spiral dive resulting in a broken motor stick in front of the wing mount. Back to the bench for gluing and wrapping repair. Back out for more trimming. Actually had a nice flight with about 4 climbing circles and a decent glide. The very next flight on a bit more winds was a spiral ending with a broken motor stick just behind the prop mount. Back to the bench, more gluing. Back to the park. First flight, low power, right dive, broken motor stick at the nose again. Well, maybe that motor stick isn't up to the job? So, out to the big box “hobby” retailer to buy the one straight, dense, but hopefully sturdy, in stock motor stick. Removed wing, tail, and prop from the broken fuselage and glued them to the new stick. Prop carefully aligned? Check. Out to the park, 50 winds on the prop, good little climb going to the right and gentle glide, nothing broken on landing. Repeat, 50 winds, same pattern, nothing broken. More winds, almost a complete circle, nothing broken. Out comes the winder, 150 winds, climbing circle and a half, still nothing broken. Worked up to 400 winds with a climbing circling flight, nothing broken. Called it a day; trim held true on a few brief park flights a bit later on. Poly-Wog seems ready to take more winds on the motor.
The 57-Minute Wonder has been showing some odd flying habits and has had the least amount of air time until recently. It was built with a wooden 6-inch prop with narrow, thin blades. So, out for the first flight at a small park. 'Twas a nice little putter climb and smooth a glide to a landing which broke the prop. So, back to the shop, glued and covered the prop with tissue for extra strength. Of course, I couldn't resist a little indoor flight onto the bed, so, um, yes, first glide, OK. Second flight a bit short, into the side of the mattress, and broke the repaired prop. The carved prop was binned, and a 6-inch plastic prop took its place. Time passes and outdoor flying starts. Ol' 57 wants to climb right and glide left. More time passes.
Did some park flying this evening with Ol' 57 using finger winds only. On one flight, the motor came off at the prop and hung straight down from the rear peg. I expected the stalling to begin, but instead had a flat glide. Since the wing mount is just taped on, the wing was moved up on the stick about 3/8 inch, which seemed to be a large move since The 57 has a 2-inch wing cord; big stabilizer at work I would guess. Had a couple of good right-left flights and called it a night. Undecided on attempting to trim for right-right, left-left, or just leave as is.
So, the Poly-Wog and SFA World Flyer are behaving with moderate winds. The 12 inch Cloud Tramp needs a check flight and 57 Minute Wonder needs more flights and some thought exercises.
Last year's builds, a Cloud Tramp and a Delta Dart (OuterZone oz7931) still fly well enough to cause concern about tree landings and flyaways. Boxy Bipe had its landing gear moved forward to prevent motor bunching at the front hook, but wasn't climbing well on the one too breezy day it was out. Boxy requires more flights in calm breezes to see if the wing needs to go forward or if it requires less down thrust. Happy Days.
- Poly-Wog crash.jpg (55.22 KiB) Viewed 30916 times
Well, I've been out flying a few times this year. Over the winter, I built four stick planes, a replica SFA World Tour Flyer, a 12-inch wing span Cloud Tramp, a 57-Minute Wonder (Flying Models—March 1992), and a Poly-Wog (OuterZone plan oz4371). The flying sessions have so far been mostly trimming sessions on a few days with fair weather.
The World Tour Flyer is almost trimmed out, but hasn't had many flights since the weather has been marginal for flying. WT Flyer circle climbs to the left, but glides mostly straight. On the last flight, the wing did separate from the mount on landing, but it was a clean separation and a simple fix. Glued back in place and should be good as new. Has not been out for a flight in about six weeks time.
The 12-inch Cloud Tramp has been more of a problem. Mostly issues from the amount of down and side thrust or lack of side and down thrust. It's stalling under power and flying straight ahead. Mini-Tramp has been to the bench for a thrust adjustment, but hasn't been out for a check flight since then. Considered lowering the trailing edge of the stab, but Mini-Tramp seems to be flying a bit fast to try that, so it got a thrust adjustment.
The Poly-Wog was a bit tricky to build with the cambered polyhedral sheet wing. The build article says to hold the wing parts with your fingers until the glue dries. Experience says some effort may have to be applied with a different construction method, especially with PVA glue. The weather was cold back when Poly-Wog was finished, but I couldn't help but try an indoor flight onto the sofa. Of course this doesn't end well. Deep stall and tail first landing onto the floor, breaking the fuselage stick immediately in front of the tail. That was repaired. First trim flights outdoors, glides OK, but stalls even with low power. Used a pebble stuck into the clay at the nose to tame the stall, but the glide was too steep. Back to bench, added down thrust. Poly-Wog is set up with a hand carved 5.5 inch (ca. 14 cm) diameter prop with a 6.6 inch (ca. 17 cm) pitch. The prop was unbalanced which caused in-flight vibrations. The vibrations were fixed by doping a bit of tissue on one tip and gluing a bit of wire on the hub opposite of the freewheeling clutch. Out to the park, low power flights, not terrible, but needs improvement. Last flight that day was an open right hand spiral dive resulting in a broken motor stick in front of the wing mount. Back to the bench for gluing and wrapping repair. Back out for more trimming. Actually had a nice flight with about 4 climbing circles and a decent glide. The very next flight on a bit more winds was a spiral ending with a broken motor stick just behind the prop mount. Back to the bench, more gluing. Back to the park. First flight, low power, right dive, broken motor stick at the nose again. Well, maybe that motor stick isn't up to the job? So, out to the big box “hobby” retailer to buy the one straight, dense, but hopefully sturdy, in stock motor stick. Removed wing, tail, and prop from the broken fuselage and glued them to the new stick. Prop carefully aligned? Check. Out to the park, 50 winds on the prop, good little climb going to the right and gentle glide, nothing broken on landing. Repeat, 50 winds, same pattern, nothing broken. More winds, almost a complete circle, nothing broken. Out comes the winder, 150 winds, climbing circle and a half, still nothing broken. Worked up to 400 winds with a climbing circling flight, nothing broken. Called it a day; trim held true on a few brief park flights a bit later on. Poly-Wog seems ready to take more winds on the motor.
The 57-Minute Wonder has been showing some odd flying habits and has had the least amount of air time until recently. It was built with a wooden 6-inch prop with narrow, thin blades. So, out for the first flight at a small park. 'Twas a nice little putter climb and smooth a glide to a landing which broke the prop. So, back to the shop, glued and covered the prop with tissue for extra strength. Of course, I couldn't resist a little indoor flight onto the bed, so, um, yes, first glide, OK. Second flight a bit short, into the side of the mattress, and broke the repaired prop. The carved prop was binned, and a 6-inch plastic prop took its place. Time passes and outdoor flying starts. Ol' 57 wants to climb right and glide left. More time passes.
Did some park flying this evening with Ol' 57 using finger winds only. On one flight, the motor came off at the prop and hung straight down from the rear peg. I expected the stalling to begin, but instead had a flat glide. Since the wing mount is just taped on, the wing was moved up on the stick about 3/8 inch, which seemed to be a large move since The 57 has a 2-inch wing cord; big stabilizer at work I would guess. Had a couple of good right-left flights and called it a night. Undecided on attempting to trim for right-right, left-left, or just leave as is.
So, the Poly-Wog and SFA World Flyer are behaving with moderate winds. The 12 inch Cloud Tramp needs a check flight and 57 Minute Wonder needs more flights and some thought exercises.
Last year's builds, a Cloud Tramp and a Delta Dart (OuterZone oz7931) still fly well enough to cause concern about tree landings and flyaways. Boxy Bipe had its landing gear moved forward to prevent motor bunching at the front hook, but wasn't climbing well on the one too breezy day it was out. Boxy requires more flights in calm breezes to see if the wing needs to go forward or if it requires less down thrust. Happy Days.[attachment=0]Poly-Wog crash.jpg[/attachment]