Side Effect

[kittyfritters]

The working name of this model is 'Side Effect'. I designed and prototyped it this week to a special request. In "backyard testing" it seems to perform as well as the Sig Cub but is a bit smaller (18 inch span). It will get a thorough test tomorrow after I have done my official flights at the Sig Cub Flyoff Challenge. Possible production...More later.

KF

[kittyfritters]

It flies well (I treed it this morning, but I had my pole!) but I will make a few changes before production. (Of course I will!) There will be bit more dihedral (Just a bit, with swept wings you don't need as much.) and some components will be reduced in size along with a lighter prop with a stronger prop shaft. I think I can get 5 grams off of it. Look for it in the "Specials" section of my web site, along with a Dave Gee design "Climber", in about a month.

[staubkorb]

That is one cute model! Too bad shipping is so high, or I'd grab a bunch to put on my table at the local model markets (flea-market in name only) when they again start up. I'd probably have to pay Customs also.

[Balsa-naut]

I've been checking the site for the Side Effect listing. Looks to be an easy build with the laser cut parts.

[kittyfritters]

Not quite finished with the development yet. Will be on my web site in December along with some other "postal contest" models in the works.

KF

[kittyfritters]

Here is another result of the discussion of new postal contest models that I had with Dave Gee. The working name of this is Meow.

Meow_1_Smaller.jpg (180.13 KiB) Viewed 11743 times

The first flights were indoor at Stonehurst. Once I had established the turn for the room (53 feet wide) and found out how much rubber it needed to get near the ceiling (20 feet) but stay away from the lights it was giving consistent 40 second, ROG, flights with stability as if on rails. Outdoor testing this weekend at which time I will have the third design resulting from the discussion to test also. At least one of them and maybe all three will make it into kit.

KF

[kittyfritters]

Here is the third design to come from the discussion between myself and Dave Gee. The working name of this one is Ascender but Dave thinks I should name it after something sharp. I've drawn a printed skins similar to the one that I did for the Side Effect. It flies as expected the only trim required was a slight increase in wing incidence.

Ascender_Smaller.jpg (221.56 KiB) Viewed 11285 times

Dave's design is called the Climber and is very much 1930's nostalgia.

Climber flight.jpg (192.43 KiB) Viewed 11285 times

All of these models have an 18" (45.72 cm) wing span. Now the problem is which one to release, or all of them?

KF

[staubkorb]

I feel that all three should be offered. Diversity is always nice, allowing the targeted market to make a choice. My personal fav is the Climber. It shares a Cloud Trampish layout (my favorite sport/general flyer), and looks to potentially be a much better performer.

[kittyfritters]

I flew the second and third designs at the O.F.F.C. ROG Unlimited contest this morning. I didn't have my revised Side Effect there since I had not finished covering the wing. While they were not competitive against indoor models half their weight (I finished 6th.) I was able to make them to turn inside the room and get consistent 50 second plus flights.

Flown the way they are intended, as outdoor models for newbies, people who have difficulty building with 1/16" sticks and just plain fun flying, they fly very well. I will have all three of them, plus Dave Gee's Climber on my web site in a couple of weeks...as soon as I can decide what to name the ones I flew today. (Note: Dave Gee will be posting a video of the twin tailed one where I didn't quite get it to turn in the room. He called it "The Flight That Will Live In Infamy.")

KF

[kittyfritters]

The name that the twin-tailed one got is Skinny Bomber. The kit is available at my web site https://hjlmodels.com.

Here is a video, https://youtube.com/shorts/giBa3NWKSoQ?feature=share.

KF