X-Treme build

[JohnPearson]

Hi guys

Just purchased a new model from Puffin Models (www.puffinmodels.com) called the X-Treme, a so called slope hot liner. I will keep you up to date on this build over the next week, so to get started, here are some details on the model:

The X-Treme has a lightweight epoxy glass fuselage, foam wing skinned in wood veneer bonded with epoxy, and balsa tailplane finished in polyester Oracover. The wingspan is 2.3m and uses the RG15 wing section. The two piece wing has both the ailerons and flaps ready hinged. The tail uses an all moving cruciform tailplane, unlike other hotliners.The X-Treme has a functional rudder allowing true stall turns to be performed, along with other manoeuvres that require the use of rudder.

On opening the box, the model was very well packaged, with the small parts taped to the box sides (good idea). The quality of the kit was very good, with a good finished fuselage with carbon strips on the high stress areas, also a great set of wings with a fantastic finish. Here are a few photos of the model:




All the parts that come with the kit (ARTF kit)


Closeup of the fuselage

I think this could be a quick build, opened tonight ready for Sunday  :?:  :?:

[Happy Days]

I’ve had my eye on an X Treme, John. I’ve got a smaller version which I’ve been flying with great enjoyment, the Filip 400. (2 channel). I was thinking that the X Treme would make a good “upgrade” .

You said your’s was a hotliner,………..I thought hotliners were hybrid gliders. :?:  (Gliders with a propulsion system in them.)  I don’t see any provision for a prop in the nose of your model.

Will I see you flying this little beauty on Big L tomorrow, John? :wink:

Keith.
p.s. I don’t know if you would consider this John, but my Fillip has a weak spot on the fuse. It’s just in front of,  and to the sides of the area where the wing locating pin enters the top of the fuse. This weak area extends forward to the top rear part of the cockpit. I’ve found that a little reinforcing here comes in handy in case of any “Unorthodox Landings”
Not that you’re likely to experience such things :roll:

[JohnPearson]

Hi keith

Puffin models call it a hot liner, in the kit you get the bulk heads for the electric conversion model, therefore if you want to go electric, cut the nose off and add the bulk heads and motor. The plans cover the electric conversion too, in great detail.
Thanks for the tips on the weak areas, I checked this out, and the wing area at the front and sides of the fuselage, are reinforced with carbon, looks solid.

Hope to have it for the next event at big L, then maybe give the hot pilots a run for their money :lol:  :lol:

[billscottni]

Looks good John.

Can you tell if there's any sort of spar in the wing? The fuz looks a nice shape, not too restrictive for fitting servo's in to.

Will it be ready to fly this Sunday :twisted:  :twisted:

[Richard Boyd]

Hi John, she looks really good !
You kept that a secret lol

Richard

[billscottni]

Hi John, she looks really good !
You kept that a secret lol

Richard

Yea, but wait till Roisin finds out!!

[Fred]

Sooooooooooo John...
Finished, first flight done, and starting the next one already ?    :mrgreen:

No, seriously, how are you getting on ?  

[Happy Days]

Come on John, don’t be greedy and keep all the excitement to yourself, tell us how she flew.

If she performs really well I might get one for my burpday.  (Which comes round each year with boring rapidity. ) I’m not sure whether to get a Starling, a Whisper, or an X-Treme. :?:  In fact,... I don’t know what I want. :?  :?  

So,……. does she fly well? is she aerobatic?   and most important of all does she make that SSWWWiiiiiisssssssssshhhhhhh sound on low passes???  Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!

Keith

[billscottni]

Hi Guys,
John flew with NIMSA at the weekend, but NOT with the Extreme she's not finished yet.

He was pulling turns so hard with his Middle Phase that he's creased the wings in two places :shock:

Need to get him in to F3f with flying like that!!

[JohnPearson]

Well guys

Thinking I could get this model finished in a few days, not so!, 'she who must be obeyed' had other ideas, yes she spotted the new model!!therefore the x-treme is still on the work table, maybe I will get it finished other Easter.
As for last Sunday, the flying off the slope was fantastic and yes, Bill is not joking, I did damage the wings with the fast turns, spins and 1/2 pipe aerobatics across the slope.

[bearpjk]

Hey John
thats the way to fly , yankin and banking all day!!
Stick in a full span carbon spar and do it again........... :clap:

[JohnPearson]

Well, I got a little work done on the X-treme tonight, with the mounting of the servos into the wings. I used Hitec’s 82MG 's 3kg, which fit perfectly into the thin wing section. The only problem which I encountered during this process, was the size of the servo wire channels, the tube was very small, so much so, that I had to run the servo extensions down the tube without the plugs, then, I add these to the ends of the wire when complete. The only other change I made from the plans, was the fitting of different control surface horns, to those supplied with the kit, I did not like how they fitted onto the surfaces (two spikes and some glue).

O.K. some pics







update soon!!

[JohnPearson]

Hi all
Worked on the model over the last few evenings and I am glad to say, that she is finished, well almost, just the radio to set up.
The rest of the build was straight forward, after finishing the wings and drilling the two holes in the fuselage for holding the wings on.



The servo tray was fitted and two MG16g servos added for the elevator and rudder.



The kit provides two snakes to operate these two control surfaces, however I only used one snake, for the rudder and decided to use the old balsa control rod system for the other, simple to install and gives a very positive control response to the elevator.



I connected up the bell crank for the elevator and glued on the back plate for the rubber with 2 ton epoxy, then added the rudder, connected the snake rod, then checked that add was working with free movement.





That’s it, all done, a simple model to build and with a weight of less than two pounds, light also, however I still will have to add some lead to the nose to get the right balance.



I will hopefully get a test flight soon and update you all on her performance.

[Fred]

Looks really good John !  :clap:

[Richard Boyd]

Some pictures from the Extreme maiden yesterday at Downhill beach.
The Extreme flew fantastic !!!!