February 2015
I failed in using the iron for the airfoil. Instead, I sliced with NT cutter and then sanding block to finish the airfoil. For a 5 mm think airfoil, not bad, much better than the WBP-1 Flying Plank.
For the fuselage template, I used a folded sheet of paper and marked out the port side (the plan shows the port side-view)of the top of the fuselage, the sloping side and then the fuselage side. I marked out where the slits are to be and cut out the template. Following the paper template, the fuselage components were cut from 3mm foam, the slitted sides were then cut to chamfer and the folding lines grooved on the inside with a large balled scriber. I bought this scribing tool from BangGood, it was sold for nail painting.
The laminated cowl was first wrapped with plastic film. A strip of paper was slitted on one side, rolled around the cowl form, slitted edges rolled to the centre.
On 31 Jan 2015, I stuck a 5gm lead to the nose and chucked it. There was no glide but I chucked again with full power. It dived steeply and the model made a cartwheel, breaking the port wing panel. But this is easily glued back on with UHU POR. I removed the nose-weight.
On 2 Feb 2015, it was too windy, but I let loose the 38 gm model on the lightest battery and it flew. At times, it nosed up, so some nose weight might be required and I think by swapping to slightly heavier) battery it would be sufficient for trimming. The model was flown around and landed nicely enough in one piece without damage.I didn't make the second test flight that day because the electrical wire might have fractured and one of the pin could be pulled loose from the connector. Thang is better at soldering and this kind of stuff so I had asked him to repair it as a favour to me.
Even though the motor is weak, it seems to be sufficient on the first test flight. Next time, for similarly constructed wing, I would let in the 1mm carbon fibre spar, wing tip to wing tip.
Now I should make two dummy free wheeling propellers. The ones in the picture are GWS 3"x2". I require only 2" diameter free-wheeling propellers.
Then I got two small propellers from Thang, he got them from BangGood. The orange GWS 3"x2" propeller was sprayed black. Flying weight is <38gm. I flew it in very strong wind, it didn't tip stall. This is a RET, so turning was not so easy and due to the strong blustery wind and my limited rudder throw (intentionally to make full use of the rudder servo range), it takes awhile to initiate the turn. However, I can foresee that in calm weather when the maximum of its ability will not be tested, it ought to fly well enough.
October 2014
I think I have had enough fun with the WBP-1 flying plank and would like to use the same gear to a new model. The weight of the gear (motor, esc, receiver, battery and two servos, propeller and battery extension) is <15gm. The small 3" propeller and minimal thrust limits choice of model. I think a model that can fly like a powered glider is the ticket.
I came across a rubber powered D 332 plan by Dave Stotts and . The Dewoitine D 332 has three motors and it could be modelled into a simple RET model with one motor and two dummy motors. I like the distinctive trousers and the radial cowlings which adds detail and the simple lines of the plane.
I would like to do the entire model in 3mm and 5mm foam.
- 20" wingspan would provide about 50 sq inches. It is lesser than the WBP-1, but it should be enough. Enlarge the Dave Stott's plan to 20", i.e. 133%. Wings from 5mm, the rest from 3mm depron/KT foam.
- Cut a rectangular blank for the wings. Iron the wing to form a flat bottomed airfoil. Cut to planform shape. Iron the washout and tidy up the wing. Make a wing saddle template from paper.
- Do up the twin nacelles and trousers from 3mm foam. The wheel is from 2mm craft foam with plastic tube hub and paper disc. Make a loop from 0.2mm pvc sheet, insert axle through the loop and wheel and trim to length, gluing the axle to the supporting loop. Glue in the loop supported wheel to the trouser. Make 2. Then glue the to wing.
- Spray the fuselage blanks silver, then cut to shape. Use the wing saddle template for the right seating profile. Adorn the blanks with the logo, Emeraude, windows, F-AMMY, letterings. Assemble the fuselage, do the removable top hatch and engine cowling, firewall with motor and use hot iron to shape the edges, slot for tail feathers. At this stage, the bottom is uncovered. Apply matt black to the top deck and touch up the fuselage.
- Transfer planforms of the stabilisers to 3mm foam and iron to shape. Hinge the surfaces with 3M tape. Spray silver and adorn with panel lines and letterings. Make the horns from 0.2mm pvc sheet. Glue the hinged feathers to fuselage. Hook up the pushrods, make the exit holes, install the horns and servos. The servos are glued to the fuselage sides from the bottom.
- Glue the wing to the fuselage and close the bottom of the fuselage with more pre-painted foam blanks. Iron the edges and touch up the completed model.
- Install the esc, receiver and battery and it is ready for test flight.
