Aloft Forums
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Soaring USA gift certificate (Strega purchase?)
Konrad
Very Strong User
As much as I'd like to blame this on RCRCM. In all fairness I can't! I was painting this fuselage and all was looking fine. Only to find that I came up 2cc short of paint! As this is catalyzed paint one really doesn't want to remix a batch mid stream.
Last edited:
gp49
Very Strong User
Time for contrasting color (how about some old fashioned flames!) as a reminder to mix more paint next time.
Konrad
Very Strong User
Thanks gp49!
Planes are elegant unlike the boxy turtle shell cars of the 40's and 50's. Flames have no place on aircraft.
On a 32 Coupe maybe?
The idea of a dark blue with green fade did cross my mind. But the rest of the ship's art work is black with classic hard lines. But as I will be mixing some more yellow paint for the wings I think I'll keep everything flowing the same from an artistic point of view.
Planes are elegant unlike the boxy turtle shell cars of the 40's and 50's. Flames have no place on aircraft.
On a 32 Coupe maybe?The idea of a dark blue with green fade did cross my mind. But the rest of the ship's art work is black with classic hard lines. But as I will be mixing some more yellow paint for the wings I think I'll keep everything flowing the same from an artistic point of view.
Last edited:
Doc James Hammond
Very Strong User
Thanks gp49!
Planes are elegant unlike the boxy turtle shell cars of the 40's and 50's. Flames have no place on aircraft.
The idea of a dark blue with green fade did cross my mind. But the rest of the ship's art work is black with classic hard lines. But as I will be mixing some more yellow paint for the wings I think I'll keep everything flowing the same from an artistic point of view.
Or...(Help...Scream!) you wont need to repaint it?
Talk about planning for disaster...!
Doc
Konrad
Very Strong User
You mean like having the nose prep'd for being a lawn dart! With RCRCM products one can't plan for success. So it is best to plan for the inevitable....
Konrad
Very Strong User
Well the F3F racing season has started here in the San Francisco Bay Area. This means that the carnage is starting to pile up at Konrad's residents.
I had a blast with these Stregas unfortunately I broke both ships by the end of the 4th round. These were all pilot error. I know it's hard to believe!
The Yellow Strega hit a rather large rock as a result of my landing away from the landing zone. Read; back side turbulence drove ship into the ground. This snapped off the V-Tail just ahead of the V-Tail mount. The fuselage broke in tension with a secondary mid boom buckle (compression). I was pleasently surprised to find that there was carbon in the lay up 360° in the V-Tail mount.
I have to be honest I hit hard. Much to my surprise my earlier repairs all held up fine. I think this is a testiment to the use of proper materials.
The White Strega suffered a rather high speed landing. That is with the lessons learned with the Yellow Strega I was not going to come in low over the back side and suffer the rear rotor. So I came in high and slow with the nose pointed up. At about 20 feet up I went into full crow. Well as a result of some trimming errors, I had poor elevator comp values, the White Strega dove for the landing zone. I got her leveled out but must have been going 40 mph by the sound of the onlookers and the size of the red bark rooster tail Strega was making in the landing zone. This damaged a flap.
First layers of epoxy are drying as I type. It looks like I'll need more than 2 ships per race. So I had better get to finishing the repairs to the RedShift. I look forward to knocking down my time this season. To show you how bad I did my best time today was 51 seconds in air where we saw a lot 40's and 39's.
I had a blast with these Stregas unfortunately I broke both ships by the end of the 4th round. These were all pilot error. I know it's hard to believe!
The Yellow Strega hit a rather large rock as a result of my landing away from the landing zone. Read; back side turbulence drove ship into the ground. This snapped off the V-Tail just ahead of the V-Tail mount. The fuselage broke in tension with a secondary mid boom buckle (compression). I was pleasently surprised to find that there was carbon in the lay up 360° in the V-Tail mount.
I have to be honest I hit hard. Much to my surprise my earlier repairs all held up fine. I think this is a testiment to the use of proper materials.
The White Strega suffered a rather high speed landing. That is with the lessons learned with the Yellow Strega I was not going to come in low over the back side and suffer the rear rotor. So I came in high and slow with the nose pointed up. At about 20 feet up I went into full crow. Well as a result of some trimming errors, I had poor elevator comp values, the White Strega dove for the landing zone. I got her leveled out but must have been going 40 mph by the sound of the onlookers and the size of the red bark rooster tail Strega was making in the landing zone. This damaged a flap.
First layers of epoxy are drying as I type. It looks like I'll need more than 2 ships per race. So I had better get to finishing the repairs to the RedShift. I look forward to knocking down my time this season. To show you how bad I did my best time today was 51 seconds in air where we saw a lot 40's and 39's.
Last edited:
Doc James Hammond
Very Strong User
Crikey Konrad - I think you should name that Strega "Timex" Takes a licking and keeps on ticking...the horrible thing about this kind of model is that you gradually iron out all the bugs - sometimes literally - and it becomes the best flying model you have.
Best not to paint it...you'd never mistake it in the air.
I love it.
Frank N. Stein.
Best not to paint it...you'd never mistake it in the air.
I love it.
Frank N. Stein.
Konrad
Very Strong User
Horrible thing?
But yes, these Strega are getting better with each repair. Such as the airfoil is closer to design, there is now fiber across the LE joint, there are hard points at the wing root, the control system is much safer, the fuse nose is adequately supported with Kevlar, the servo tray is a full nose tray, there is now carbon tying the boom to the wing root, and then there was the decalage issue. Most model start to get heavy and/or flexible with each repair. These are still on the up slope of the repair/modification cycle. Goes to show how poor the base line was!
Strega is teaching me a lot! Not only how to fly F3F but also how to repair these ships. Also she is teaching me how to land at the SLoT. As to paint I'm also learning how to use the new (to me) water based catalyzed urethane paint.
As to the best flying ships I have ,there may be some truth to that as they are the only slope ships I have in fly conditions. Ok, within a hour of work flying condition.
While the RCRM Strega is a horrible model these two have served me well teaching me a lot of what to do, and not do. For somebody that doesn't need as much schooling as I, the take away would be; don't buy an RCRCM product.
All the best,
Konrad
But yes, these Strega are getting better with each repair. Such as the airfoil is closer to design, there is now fiber across the LE joint, there are hard points at the wing root, the control system is much safer, the fuse nose is adequately supported with Kevlar, the servo tray is a full nose tray, there is now carbon tying the boom to the wing root, and then there was the decalage issue. Most model start to get heavy and/or flexible with each repair. These are still on the up slope of the repair/modification cycle. Goes to show how poor the base line was!
Strega is teaching me a lot! Not only how to fly F3F but also how to repair these ships. Also she is teaching me how to land at the SLoT. As to paint I'm also learning how to use the new (to me) water based catalyzed urethane paint.
As to the best flying ships I have ,there may be some truth to that as they are the only slope ships I have in fly conditions. Ok, within a hour of work flying condition.
While the RCRM Strega is a horrible model these two have served me well teaching me a lot of what to do, and not do. For somebody that doesn't need as much schooling as I, the take away would be; don't buy an RCRCM product.
All the best,
Konrad
Last edited:
Konrad
Very Strong User
Guys try to learn from my mistakes (that is why I post. It is also why I have so much material to work with).
I've been having a lot of issues with the flaps not centering in the same spot depending on which way I move towards the center.
It was so bad (1.5mm plus) that I thought I had a bad servo. Well, it came down to the fact that the glass top wing skin are flexing and not returning to the same position. I added a lot of stiffness to the servo mount by adding an epoxy slurry to make a shear web. This bound the bottom skin to the servo tray holding the skins and tray solid and rigid.
I've been having a lot of issues with the flaps not centering in the same spot depending on which way I move towards the center.
It was so bad (1.5mm plus) that I thought I had a bad servo. Well, it came down to the fact that the glass top wing skin are flexing and not returning to the same position. I added a lot of stiffness to the servo mount by adding an epoxy slurry to make a shear web. This bound the bottom skin to the servo tray holding the skins and tray solid and rigid.
Doc James Hammond
Very Strong User
Surely that model MUST be running out of things to go wrong!
Crikey!
Doc.
Crikey!
Doc.
Konrad
Very Strong User
LOL,
We are now getting to operational issues and operator issues. But yes this centering problem was primarily as a result of the top glass wing skin not being adequately supported. Such as misplaced and undersized carbon stiffener. I added a carbon patch but I failed to follow good assembly practice and tie the two wing skins together. I had assumed that my patch was more than adequate, wrong!
I think what exacerbated this was that I added some 5300 compound to stop some of the hinge failure I suffered from my last poor landing.
We are now getting to operational issues and operator issues. But yes this centering problem was primarily as a result of the top glass wing skin not being adequately supported. Such as misplaced and undersized carbon stiffener. I added a carbon patch but I failed to follow good assembly practice and tie the two wing skins together. I had assumed that my patch was more than adequate, wrong!
I think what exacerbated this was that I added some 5300 compound to stop some of the hinge failure I suffered from my last poor landing.
Konrad
Very Strong User
Just got back from flying the SLoT in light lift with both repaired Stregas. The White and Red Strega only needed repairs to the delaminated flap. She flew fine with no trims needed.
Now what surprised me was the Yellow and Black Strega. On this ship I had torn off the V-tail. I had little expectation that the V-tail would have indexed to the fuselage the same. Well the cruise mode trim was the same as it was prior to hitting the rock that tore off the V-Tail.
I'm happy to say this, the Yellow and Black Strega is getting real close to flying as well as the White and Red Strega. Now what concerns me is that I don't know what i've been doing to improve the handling of the Yellow and Black Strega. The White and Red Strega still flies ever so slightly better. But it is getting more and more difficult to notice the differences in thier flight characteristics.
Love the landing zone and what looks like consistent placement of the ship in the landing zone.
Now what surprised me was the Yellow and Black Strega. On this ship I had torn off the V-tail. I had little expectation that the V-tail would have indexed to the fuselage the same. Well the cruise mode trim was the same as it was prior to hitting the rock that tore off the V-Tail.
I'm happy to say this, the Yellow and Black Strega is getting real close to flying as well as the White and Red Strega. Now what concerns me is that I don't know what i've been doing to improve the handling of the Yellow and Black Strega. The White and Red Strega still flies ever so slightly better. But it is getting more and more difficult to notice the differences in thier flight characteristics.
Love the landing zone and what looks like consistent placement of the ship in the landing zone.
Last edited:
Hill Hobbit
Very Strong User
Shame you have so much trouble… my beloved Typhoon is 11, yes 11 years old! No damage whatsoever incurred despite having flown it way more than any of my other models, although it has taken a back seat lately having got myself a Stormbird Forza for hooning around. I have a couple of mates who really want to take it off my hands.
Konrad
Very Strong User
They want to take the Typhoon off your hands? Sell it and run!
All kidding aside I assume the the Typhoon is a "carbon" lay up.
Flying the Redshift I too love how the aerodynamic philosophy found on the Forza is working.
All kidding aside I assume the the Typhoon is a "carbon" lay up.
Flying the Redshift I too love how the aerodynamic philosophy found on the Forza is working.
Hill Hobbit
Very Strong User
Nope, it’s a stock glass version.
The Redshift derived wing and section on the Forza really work very, very well. My Forza obviously comes into it’s own in good lift, but thermals nicely with camber as long as the speed is kept up ie camber plus down trim to suit.
The Redshift derived wing and section on the Forza really work very, very well. My Forza obviously comes into it’s own in good lift, but thermals nicely with camber as long as the speed is kept up ie camber plus down trim to suit.
Doc James Hammond
Very Strong User
Actually if you dial in some reflex, the section will really get its head down.
Just 1, or 1.5mm up at the TE is enough. Sometimes its like turning on the motor in good lift.
Doc.
Just 1, or 1.5mm up at the TE is enough. Sometimes its like turning on the motor in good lift.
Doc.
Hill Hobbit
Very Strong User
I find that 1mm reflex on my Forza is quite enough for the afterburner effect, and for sustained inverted in reflex I then need very, very little forward stick with the CG at 100mm.