Phoenix Waco F5C Underside Contrasting

This afternoon I took to putting the darts on the bottom, and working up the contrast with the plain red on the topside to help with orientation. I like doing half side in darts because it kinda looks good, and because I don't want to spend a lot of time making the other side symmetric. I will probably add some more white. Still waiting for the RCEXL optic remote cut out.

Sweet.

A great Ugly day!

The Old Man and His Toy

Perfect day! Flew three full tanks before I had to go. The grass was too high, cut a lot, but she more or less she handled it. Ken Osborne was there and tried to fly a large foamie Mustang, but she kept tripping on the grass.

I mailed the Castle Phoenix Edge HV80 ESC this afternoon.  Castle gave me a reference number and I mailed it in. We'll see what they can do.

Phoenix Waco F5C Mostly Done!

A third build day. The Turnigy NiMH Receiver and Ignition packs arrived, as did the fuel dot and vent, and the switches. Still waiting for the RCEXL remote engine cut. I installed them, and the manual choke, and made an access hole in the cowl to allow me to tune the engine needles without removing the cowl, and I completed the plumbing of the fuel system. Just because, I installed the lower wings. In the process I realized I didn't take the wing securing bolt into account when I installed the switches, which is exactly over it...  I was trying to keep the switch out from under the top wing. I got the right wing on after a lot of pissing, gnashing of teeth trying to access the bolt, but did not rise to cussing. I don't intend to remove the wings if I can avoid it. Having all the control electronics in I bound the receiver and programmed the servos and DR/Expo in the DX8. These surfaces have a whole lot of range of motion, so I toned the aileron limits down to 80%, and max rate is 80% of that. Still scary range of motion. With both upper and lower wing ailerons, this thing is going to have some roll authority.

Large bay, very filled. Stressing about CG as I don't want to add any weight with that big 26cc engine up front. Moved everything I can into the bay and out from the cowl.

LOVE that wide stable stance!

I like big butts and I cannot lie! Look at that tail!

The top wing sits quite forward. The cabanes insert at the very front of the bay, so the top wing will sit at least 1/3 to 1/2 a chord forward of the lower wing, and I think the top wing has a longer chord. I plan to wait until I get the remote cut installed and have full access to the bay. I am loving the beautiful, plain red. I am thinking of putting black darts on the underside of the wing, but the problem with red is it too turns black in low light, so not sure if it will improve orientation. Maybe white ones?  I could have started the motor, but I am in no rush.

Phoenix Waco F5C 26cc Build

I started the Phoenix Waco F5C build the other day. I purchased the ARF from Tower Hobbies. I had bought a used RCGF 26cc from a SNHFERCC member for a great price, which made this project possible. It came with the ignition, a carbon fiber 18x7 prop and some other extras. I hadn't planned on that big of an engine, was thinking 20cc, maybe, but what's a boy to do when a 26cc engine comes around for an impossibly awesome price? I took the Hitec HS-5645MG and HS-5485MG servos from the MX-Bach I don't fly, using the 45s for the ailerons and the 85s for rudder, elevator and throttle. I had a Sullivan gas tank stopper kit.  I have ordered Turinigy NiMh 6V 2200 mAh reciever and ignition packs, fuel dot and vent, and RCEXEL remote ignition cut out and QuikFire fuel filter.

I have had 2 full build days without interruption and made incredible progress. Only a couple of gripes about the kit. The parts were taped into the box, but they seemed randomly tossed in. Despite that they were all pristine. The parts are of exceptional build quality, flawless. The main gear upper shrouds are made of a brittle plastic (whats that shroud part called, where the strut joins the fuse?) and the paint peels off of them easily. I have never worked with this part before so could have used some instruction manual guidance. Also they don't fit snug, so I had to use a lot of tape to secure them. Not perfect but they worked out.  The wheel pants have no way to be secured other than pressure from the wheel bolt and nut, so I decided to drill a hole instead of cut up to the axle point. Had to squeeze the wheel and gear axle in, a tight butt puckering feat. Also came out nice.

I am stopping for a couple of days as now all I need now are the ordered parts.

I used my own wire stock and tap to be able to use ball links for the control rods.

Nice installation. I used Du-Bro pin-hinged nylon aileron hinges on all the surfaces instead of the stock CA hinges.

The throttle arm needed to be moved to the opposite side. This was made problematic by the limits of the throttle arm. I had to MacGyver an aluminum control horn to angle back a bit allowing full range of motion of the throttle. I'll put a manual choke rod on later, sorta forgot about it with all the work getting the throttle control rod right.

The RCGF 26cc engine in place. I had to move the motor back on the mounts about 1 cm. I had to make modifications to the firewall for the engine mount, but they were easily made as access to the back of the firewall is direct, a little Dremel sanding to make room for large washers . I had fuel proofed the wood on both sides and inside the fuse with 15 min Epoxy diluted with alcohol. The engine fits, whew...

I centered it much better, this was the first dry fit to see just how much would stick out and to center it.

The cylinder stayed in the cowl! I cleaned up the area around the spark. I don't know how the cowl will fare with the cyljnder head right on it. Its tough fiberglass.

And most critically it doesn't stick out too far!

I picked up some 6-32 stainless screws, T-nuts and neoprene washers to hold the cowl, drilled and installed them, then marked the cowl and drilled it.

It fits perfectly! I chose not to use the false motor front wanting a lot of air. The cowl is well vented as the air flows though a huge vent underneath the fuse behind the cowl edge, and around the cowl edge. Plenty of air! This is the 18x7 Falcon carbon fiber prop Joe tossed in with the engine I will start with.

Side view, looks good for compromising the size. I squeezed a 26cc into this 15cc cowl and the few mm's extra out front ain't no thing.

The wheel pants look sweet. Here's hoping they survive! If you look closely you can see the tape holding the strut shround in place. I will clean that up later with new tape.

I decided not to use the stickers that came with the kit. They are brittle and broke easy, and I kinda liked the plain red. All that is left in the build is installing the engine electronics, the fuel dot, vent and QuikFire fuel filter, ignition and reciever packs, installing the wings and firing the whole thing up!

This maiden will definitely require man diapers as I will either piss or poop myself...

Align Trex 600 FBL Pro Flight Ready!

This morning I solved the rudder authority issue (I had failed to turn the GYRO on and set it... it was on INHIBIT).  Without the blades, I put in the 12S and gave her a slow start up run to let the gears learn to love each other, took her to full and nothing flew off, took her to about 80% and let her run, all of the odd screeches and noises settled down, nothing smoked. I checked the balance weight on the two tail blades, installed them and spun her up for vibration and authority check, and there be a LOT of power there. Balanced the Align blades (usually spot on, needed a touch of tape) and installed them.

She is now ready for her maiden!

Trex 600e Pro, Trex 600EFL Pro, Trex 500e FBL (HK)

Clean workbench, time to start the 26cc Waco!

New Day, New ESC, New Problem

From our Its-Always-Something Department.

I removed the Hobbywing FunFly 100A HV ESC from the MX-Bach, and installed it on the Trex 600 EFL. Programmed it, installed, and ran perfectly. I noticed the the tail/rudder range of motion was far short of the end points. So I put the SpektrumAR7200BX into program mode, looked to program fine, but the endpoints still weren't being met. The servo works fine. Its set properly in the BeastX: 333hz and 1520ms centering pulse. I reinstalled the new firmware using StudioX. I've tired rebinding, and have reprogramed the BeastX several times. I changed the control horn to the disc that came in from Amainhobbies yesterday, set at the center most hole for the ball (its a mm or 2 closer to center). Nothing. Monday I'll contact ech support.

UPDATE (10/2/16): Well, I figured it out... Last night as I fell to sleep I realized I hadn't turned the GYRO on in the DX8. This morning I checked, and I had not, it was set INHIBIT. I turned it to ON and set it at 35%. Voila! I now have full rudder authority.

Heli Maintenance Day

Spent the early afternoon changing the feathering shaft and dampers on the Trex 600e Pro and retuning the CCPM, on the Trex 500 (HK) replacing the main blades and the badly bent main shaft. Realizing as I write that I should have checked the feathering shaft too, oh well. I also sought to reproduce the uncommanded right roll, but it didnt come up. I decided to recheck the BeastX programming and made a few adjustments including finding that the Point J geometry test failed, so as I did on the Trex 600 FBL, I moved the ball links in and voila, it gave me the blue light of happiness!

Both the existing 600e and 500FBL are flight ready again. Later this afternoon I will pull the Hobbywing FunFly 100A HV ESC from the MX-Bach and get the Trex 600FBL flight ready.

Trex 600e Pro. Nailed the 0 pitch both sides.

Trex 500e (Hobby King Frame) is ready! Hope I have solved the uncommanded roll issue.