RC AIRCRAFT BUILDS Gliders The Bigger the Better

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    • #7926

      To paraphrase our little amphibious friend Mr Kermit “YET ANOTHER FLAMIN BIGGER GLIDER” and this one is a doozie.

      It’s on order (I got a price I couldn’t refuse – delivered Express from a Hobby Shop in NSW) so it shouldn’t be too long arriving however the required “BIG” battery (5000mAh – 6S) is on its way from Down-town China and could be up to 4 weeks.

      If it flies as well as I hope I think I will probably sell the 2.6m ASW 28 and maybe the 2.3m Fox to make room for it.

      Anyway here is a video to tempt you in the meantime.

    • #7934

      Wow, what a machine 👌

    • #7936

      Very nice Pred, look forward to the videos. You seem to suffer from my disease, its just not fair when they hang those prices in front of you.

      • #7939

        Ah well, you only live once & unfortunately none of us are getting any younger so I have decided to sell the planes I rarely (or no longer) use & buy the ones I want to fly.

        Not quite sure how I’m going to get it in the wagon yet. Methinks it will need to be dismantled every time for transport.

    • #7942

      My problem apart from being a sucker for a good price (well in my eyes) is I dont sell anything, against my nature. I have a number of yacht kits still sealed in their boxes which I was going to do builds on SS but that did not happen and I lost all enthusiasm. Should get my mind into selling them as they will never get built. just a case of testing the waters I guess.

      • #7967

        I don’t particularly like selling things either but as I’m no longer working there is not as much disposable income as there once was. Plus I’m running out of storage room so selling a few of the rarely used items solves two problems and allows me to keep experimenting with new builds etc.

        Works for me !

        I find that while some things will sell on Gumtree (usually in the local area), RC Trader is the best place to sell both planes and boats but you need to be prepared to ship them. Easy if you still have them in the original boxes. You could be sitting on a goldmine Tug !!

    • #7995

      Well well a very large box has arrived.

    • #7997

      Better watch out Pred it could be a FROG clone.

      • #8000

        We already have one of those, showed up at the field again today flying “Fly Baby”

        Spitting Image, don’t you think !!

    • #8002

      I had a little bit of time to spare today so started sorting out the new FMS MDM-1 Fox 3metre glider.

      Just enough room to get around it in the Rumpus Room

       

      It does all pack very nicely back in the supplied box but requires breaking down into its 5 parts to do so. I really don’t like pulling things apart for no good reason  so I don’t like that option if there is any other way.

      This is the difference in size of the canopies between the 2.32m Fox & the 3m Fox

      Before too much assembly (there are only 5 parts anyway, fuselage, tail/rudder assembly, tailplane & two wings) I needed to work out the best way to transport it.

      It will fit in bits and if I make some sort of cradle to support it all that needs to be removed are the main wings, the complete tail assembly can be left in place as there is enough length & height in the Outback to fit it (just).

      Anyway the Rx & ZOHD Kopilot have been programmed along with the radio & now just waiting for the 3D printer to spit out a small stand for mounting the electronics on. Down in the bottom of the fuselage is too hard to work on.

       

    • #8003

      That’s huge! Are you sure there’s going to be enough room left in the sky for other planes?

      • #8007

        The wingspan is about the same as Andrew’s big glider, it’s just that the fuselage is so much bigger.

    • #8008

      You are going to need a bigger house.

    • #8009

      • #8010

        Now that’s what I need, all the toys would fit in that along with Kamp Kermit !!

    • #8047

      The 3m Fox is ready for her Maiden Flight, just need a decent day now to try it out.

      Got the RunCam 2 installed temporarily inside the canopy in place of the pilot for (hopefully) a true pilots eye view.

      There is a bit of distortion from the canopy moulding so I’ll try it for one flight before stuffing round with a Pan/Tilt mount & remote control for it.

      If the video is too distorted I’ll just go back to a wing mount camera.

    • #8077

      I now own the 2.3m fox and it’s ready to fly with vario etc setup. Here is a good wheel option.

       

    • #8078

      But our runway a bit rougher than that one

    • #8079

      First trial fit of the glider in the partially completed launch dolly.

      Now to fit the spacers to hold the floor in place & cut and fit the axles & all 4 wheels.

    • #8086

      Finally (apart from a lick of paint & a few lightening holes – if needed) the Fox Dolly Trolley is finished & ready for our next fly day.

      With the addition of a front & rear foam block the trolley also doubles as a carrier for transporting the assembled fox (with main wings removed) . Just enough length to fit in the Outback without having to move the front seat from its normal position.

       

      Bring on some flying weather but in the meantime I’ll install the variometer, removed from the old Fox 2.3, & connect the flight battery telemetery.

    • #8091

      No more hand launching for you. It looks spectacular, just like the plane!

    • #8147

      Dolly Trolley – take two, raised the angle slightly & added a couple of wing stop posts.

      The problem seems to be with the original design that the bumpy ground dislodges the glider from the dolly trolley before it gets up to speed. I’m sure it would have worked fine on a paved or mown runway but not so in our sheep paddock.

      Hopefully this simple mod will fix the problem.

      May need to fiddle the post heights a bit but will just have to wait till our next Fly Day to find out.

    • #10214

      After unceremoniously removing the tail (twice on different flying days) I thought that perhaps the “Dolly Trolley” needed a mod or two.

      During the last mishap my rear mounted camera captured the problem, it was caused by me using far too much up elevator to get airborne rather than launching into the wind (which is not always easy where we are) and allowing the Fox to get airborne by itself.

      Anyway, if I now forget and crank on too much up elevator the auto lift function built into the “Dolly Trolley” should now take care of it.  May even try it this coming Thursday.

    • #10217

      Looks like that should work really well 🤞

    • #10219

      Well done Mike.

      That design look really good.

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