Well........

[claybird]

Are there any micro planes that are equipped wiith ailerons? I am bored with rudders and elevators. Is there a good RTF kit for under $200?

Thanks for all the help!

[Mike Taylor]

There are lots of micros with ailerons. Here is an Estes' 'Spicy Wings' model with ailerons, elevator and motor control. AUW is 28 grams. This one uses a KP-00, RFFS and two magnetic actuators. This is an electric powered kids' FF model for ~$10 at your LHS or toy store...

[Mike Taylor]

And here is a Half-Fast Freddy built from the pull-out Fly RC plans. It was supposed to be blown up 200%, but this is built directly from the plans. WS is 11 3/4", AUW ~30 grams with 2 x 145 LiPolys in series, Cirrus MJ RX & 2-cell ESC, 2 Falcon 1.7 gram servos, and Kenway 4:1 N-20 motor with GWS 5x3 prop. It is (almost) capable of a true hover, and it will prop hang for a short period. Loops from level flight, rolls faster than I can keep up with...

[Mike Taylor]

Here is another one - a seld designed 'Sticky Pete' based on Glen Webers 'Parkflier "Pete"' FFF plane, scaled to 16" WS, N-20 power, 2 cells and RFFS with 2-cell adapter. Fuselage is 1 mm Depron, fullt-symmetrical airfoil, wing and tail from balsa with laminated curved wood, covered with RA MicroLite. Very nice flying model with good low speed flight and plenty of power and momentum for loops, rolls, inveted flight, etc. AUW is right around 30 grams. This has been powered with pager motors, M-20 and now the N-20.

[Mike Taylor]

Here is my first "Pete" from half-sized Parkflier Pete plans from foamfly (see 'GPW's free plans' in the image gallery). Built from 1 and 2 mm Depron, RFFS, 2 BSD standard actuators. Has flown on 1 or 2 LiPoly cells with M-20 or N-20 power plants. A very good design (a flatter airfoil thatn on the plan works a little better in some cases) and capable of extremely tight turns. The single surface depron wing flattens out near the tip, and tip-stalls are non-existant...

[Mike Taylor]

And then there is the full-house Albatross built from a DPCModels rubber FF kit. Uses 2 x 170 mah LiPolys, MJ RX and ESC, 1 MJ servo in the top wing for ailerons, and 2 Falcon servos in the fuselage, geared N-20 motor. This one is above what I consider 'micro' at 18" WS and 2 ounce AUW, but it has flown very nicely. It has shock absorbing LG based on the full-size aircraft's bungee cord system, and the struts, top wing and fuselage center section top are removeable (magnetic retention - magnets are visible in photo) to access the gear inside. Japanese tissue covered with 2 coats of Krylon clear.

[Mike Taylor]

None of these are RTFs, of course, but if you want to fly micros you need to do some building.

My current project on the building board is a peanut scale (13" WS) Pitt's Special from 1970's Model Builder magazine plans, full-house R/C with a projected weight of 1 ounce (first one I built in the 70's was rubber FF, and it weighed 3/4 ounce). It has a JMP Servo Combo radio, 3 Falcon servos, M-20 motor with Kenway 4:1 gears and a single 145 LiPoly (or 170 mah if needed for balance).

[bohica247]

Hi Mike
When using the magnets to hold the wing etc... do you place magnets on both surfaces, or just one mag and a small peice small metal.

Robert

[Mike Taylor]

Robert,

I use pairs of magnets for maximum power and minimum weight. The magnet to magnet attraction is huge compared to sticking to a random piece of metal...

The 'large' magnets that hold the flying surfaces together are 1/8" by 1/16" and weight 75 mg each. I also use 1/16" bt 1/32" magnets for hatches and such, and they are almost weightless (not really, but I can't weight them one at a time). I use the rare earth magnets from Forcefield / Wonder Magnets. Here is a direct link to the products page with the cool magnets. I use #47 and #48...

http://tinyurl.com/2tujp

Here's a picture of the FunCraft Spitfire with the wing removed. Notice that there is no wiring connect to tear out in a crash. You destroy the magnetism with heat, so you can't solder to them. I use copper foil tape from the stained-glass shop to solder the wiring to and the sticky side of the tape to stick it to the magnets. When the magnets snap in place, the electrical connection made...

[Al C]

First I have seen of such a connection - great idea!
A

[Dave Robelen]

Great work Mike,
Thanks for sharing all the neat ideas, and the inspiration. Someday try one of the micro brushless motors to transform those warbirds into "yard fighters".
Regards, Dave