GliderIreland - Ireland RC Forum - Flying Model forum in Ireland
Gliders => Scale => Topic started by: Fred on January 03, 2007, 12:49:56 PM
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Hi there,
New year, new projects ! We start with my new dsign, a 1/4 scale Opel Rak. You can find lots of picture and documents here : http://www.retroplane.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=413
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/Jose_Navarrete/Raketenflug-1_600x420_238.jpg)
Sacle : 1/4
Wingspan : 2.50 mtrs
99% wood, the remaining 1% are the aluminium tubes for the tail (12 and 10 mm diameter)
Central Wing section :
Ribs lovers, this model is for you ! 5 formers, and almost 100 ribs ! I can tell you that I'm happy to have a CNC machine ! So, here are all the bits and pieces for the wing :
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/kitaile_391.jpg)
The building of this central piece is not that easy, mostly because everything is built "in the air" ! So, you really need a good eye for everything to be square ! The spars (4 for each wing) are made using 8x8 pine strips.
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/longeronaile_206.jpg)
Then, well, you just have to add all the other ribs ! :wink:
After nearly 2 hours, you have something like this :
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/centraleaile_151.jpg)
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The tail booms are attached to the wing / ribs using 3 pieces of plywood that take the aluminium tube (a picture is easier to understand..)
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/attachepoutre_377.jpg)
Well, now, you can have a break (tea, coffee, alcohol or whatever you prefer !) and have a look at your latest baby !
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/ailecentrepoutre_232.jpg)
So, the central wing part is almost finish. Next, the external wing sections (2)
Fred
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Looks great Fred :D . Looks like an interesting glider, haven't seen that design before. Have you got any other projects going :wink: .
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Well.. for now, this one will be enough ! :P
Next one.. Hummmm.. still secret ! :D
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Secret Eh!! :P :wink:
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Secret.. Well, let's say not known yet ! :P :P
So, here we go with the external wing panels :
So, at least 1 and a half panel is done ! I had a shortage of pine for the spars ! used 10 mtrs, and I need 2 mtrs more...
One panel :
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/panneauaile_166.jpg)
Junction central wing / external panel :
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/jonctionailes_185.jpg)
Tonight, I'll try to finish the remaining wing panel, and the central wing section.
Fred
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Hey Fred, will you be sticking rockets on your model :) .
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Hey Alan,
Yep, that's the plan :D
Only for meetings, for the scale touch !
But I hope that this glider is going to ...glide correctly without the rockets (and going in flames after that ! :lol: )
Well, we'll see... That's going to be interresting anyway ! :D
Fred
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Not a lot of work done yesterday, but things are still moving !
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/ailemontage_139.jpg)
Plan for this week end : TE and LE for the wings and I start building the fuselage or the tail section, we'll see.
Fred
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You call that Not A Lot Of Work! :shock: . That's a hell of a lot of work :D . I only have the balsa ribs of my K8 cut out. I still have to work on the Ply ribs. Damm you and your CNC machine :D .
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Well, not that much really.. Only 2 spars glued yesterday, and the tubes for the wings keys... That's all.
But thanks to the CNC anyway, as without the machine, I'll still drilling holes on the ribs ! (around 200 for the wings...)
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Wow! lookin good Fred! :D :D it's goin to be great!
Just got my phone line working again since before christmas(eircom suck donkey b**ls).Am still a bit shakey from the withdrawal but starting to feel better!
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Welcome back to the Matrix !! :D
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Hi there,
After a Saturday at the slope, a bit of work has been done sunday on the Opel, starting with the fuselage. The pieces :
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/piecesfuselage_268.jpg)
Not a lot ! So, that goes really quickly to assemble :
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/fuselagedebut_174.jpg)
After that, not a lot of work need to be done on it. Plywood sheeting, and space for the pilot, batteries and receiver.. Yep, no servos on the fuselage, they are all in the wings and tail !
First look at the fuselage with the wings :
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/premontage_154.jpg)
Well, looks like the picture... Always a good sign !
Back to the wings for a while, and it's time to glue the LE (10mm balsa) and the TE (1.5mm plywood) :
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/fuselagepartiecentrale_731.jpg)
Then, we do the same on the 2 external wing panels, and we can do a final setup and have a look back on the beast :
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/opelpreview_214.jpg)
Well.. Not bad at all ! And the more I look at it, the more I think that can have a decent flight !
This week, it's time to work on the tail (elevator and rudders) section ! More ribs !
Fred
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Wow! you really do work fast Fred! looks good.Bet your glad you built that cnc machine!
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Bet your glad you built that cnc machine!
Me ? Noooooooo :lol:
And I'm still using 1 or 2 hand tools ! Ok, that hurt a lot my delicate fingers, but that remind me the good old time ! :lol:
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mmmm yeah i believe you! :D :D
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:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
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Hello there,
Back to the building, and this time with the elevator section.
Not a lot of pieces for the fixed part :
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/stabkit_648.jpg)
And we glue everything together ! The central rib id made in 3mm plywood and will received a mini servo for the elevator :
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/stabmontage_123.jpg)
Then, the stab TE is closed with 1.5mm balsa, and the LE made as usual with 10mm balsa. A balsa block is cut for the stab ends, and will later receive the rudders. Et voila :
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/stabfini_115.jpg)
Tonight, rudder or elevator.. We'll see ! :rolleyes:
Fred
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:shock: Damm it I wish I could build that fast. I must post some pictures of my progress on my K8. Its a very very slow build compared to yours. Or maybe its slow because I was lazy over Christmas :D .
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Hey Alan,
Little by little !
I'm only working 1 or 2 hours a day on the machine. But you can do a lot in 1 hour already !
And Thanks to the Irish television who shows only rubbish stuff, I spend more time in my garage ! :wink: :wink:
Fred
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Hey Alan,
Little by little !
I'm only working 1 or 2 hours a day on the machine. But you can do a lot in 1 hour already !
And Thanks to the Irish television who shows only rubbish stuff, I spend more time in my garage ! :wink: :wink:
Fred
And it helps when most of the parts are precut for you :D.
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am always a little worried when i visit fred that i'll be built into some glider or machine,he builds so fast!.don't put your hand down anywhere or you'll have a wing or stab built on top of it while you look away!! :D :D
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:lol: :lol:
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:lol: :P
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Hi there,
Here we go again, this time with the fixed rudders. First, cut the parts. The plywood is used for the aluminium tubes brackets (not sure of that word..) : (http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/kitderives_143.jpg)
Then, nothing really difficult. Just a puzzle to assemble :
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/deriveassemble_133.jpg)
Just to have a look at the beast, and have an idea of what the finalize project is going to look like, I've setup the elevator/rudder on the booms. we can see a close up of the rudder / aluminium tube junction. Easy and simple ! :
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/derivespoutre_362.jpg)
And a general view :
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/derivesplaneur_224.jpg)
Well, so far, I'm happy, and the machine is looking really good. I even start to like it !
The glider seems to be light so far, and that's good as not a lot is left to be done (sheeting, and all the moving things (rudder, elevator , ailerons..).
Almost there !
Fred
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wow! thats some fine building Fred.lookin' good.you'll love it really when it's all grown up.it might even fly! :wink:
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Thanks Joe :D
Yep, and it's pretty light, so, I'm more and more confident for the first flight..
We'll see anyway ! But fingers crossed !
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Hi Fred
just to let you know that from now on I will have an eye on you in the GliderIrland Forum, too :mrgreen:
cheers
Stephan
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Hey Stephan, welcome !
Damn it, i have to stay polite and don't say bad things about Retroplane so ! :D :P
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Hey Stephan, welcome !
Damn it, i have to stay polite and don't say bad things about Retroplane so ! :D :P
... and Germans :D
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I'm screwed ! :)
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Hi there,
I finally received my plywood for the Opel !
0.8mm plywood for the fuselage, and 0.4mm for the wings.
I've started with the fuselage flanc, to finish (for the time being) with the bottom fuselage. That still give me access via the top section to the fuselage interior to install the pilot seat and so on before closing the fuselage definitively. Easy to do, but no mistakes allowed with the plywood, but by going slowly that do a perfect job !
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/coffragefuselage_197.jpg)
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/coffragefuselage2_203.jpg)
For the struts, I've cut the space for them after I've glued the flancs. Easier that way, once again if you are carefull (using a small router) :
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/haubanfuselage_135.jpg)
And that's it for now ! This week end, I'll finish the fuselage and start to cover / do the sheeting of the wings.
Fred
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How's the project going Fred.
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Hi Alan,
Almost there ! I think this week, will be my last one on the Opel :(
Here are some pictures :
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/frontfuselage_133.jpg)
Plywood, it's beautiful ! I think I've just fall in love with this material ! So much easier to work than the balsa !
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/vuefuselagecote_718.jpg)
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/vuefuselagecote2_136.jpg)
I just have to finish the sheeting under the wings on the fuselage, but I leave it like that for now as I'm doing the servos wirering.. Just in case.. But nothing is glued yet.
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Your right. Plywood is so much easier to work with than balsa. Its great. A pitty it is not as easy to cut as balsa.
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More...
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/vuetail_409.jpg)
1 servo / rudder. you can also see the rubber, used in kites that has been modified to connect the 2 tail booms. Almost like the real one ! And simple !
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/vueplaneur_172.jpg)
This week, I just have to keep concentrated to all the moving parts (rudder, elevator and ailerons) and finish to install all the electrics cables and so on. After that, that's the finishing.
ARTF !
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Hey Alan,
On the size I've used, it's even easier to cut than Balsa ! I've used scisor for most of my cuts :D
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:shock: A scisor. It must be some special scisor.
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No no, normal ones.
But the plywood, at 0.8, and 0.4mm it's almost like paper !
Really easy to cut !
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Hmm. Thats a good idea. I might try that. I have to sheet the wings of my K8 with that thickness Plywood. Thanks fred :D .
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Scissors. Such a simple idea yet works brilliantly. Why oh why didn't I think of that?
:shock:
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Hey Carl, welcome to the forum ! :D
Yep, scisor, with that thickness of plywood, it's hard to find a better tool !
I've found this trick playing with scisors (don't do that at home kids ! :P ) and some piece of woods... Then, I saw the light !
Very handy as I use lots of plywood for the Opel.
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Well, after a lonnngg break on the Opel (almost 2 weeks without gluing wood... :( ) back to work ! ARTF !
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/opeljardin_122.jpg)
Just to give you an idea, here is the model, ready for transport... You need a bit of space, but no other solution at that size / scale.
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/opeldemonte_669.jpg)
So, this week, last week on the machine ! Just to do the electronics, covering and finishing... May be not fully ready to fly next week end, but that will be really close !
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Looks great :D . How are you going to paint it?
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Thanks Alan ! :D
All the hollow surfaces will be covered with Oratex "antic".
All the plywood is going to received a layer of varnish. And I should arrived at something like the first picture of the thread.
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WOW!! :shock:
That looks really good Fred.Really good! :D
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Thanks a mill Joe :D :D
You should see it in real now ! :wink: :P
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Hello there,
Well, the Opel project is almost finished ! Ready to fly !
Now, waiting for the good opportunity (next week end should be the good one), I can concentrate on all the small details... Cockpit, rocket pods, wires and so on.
And thanks again to Anthony for the lettering !
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/opel1_210.jpg)
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/opel2_122.jpg)
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/opel3_972.jpg)
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And to finish :
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/opel4_945.jpg)
(http://www.retroplane.net/forum/images/uploads/loopingfred/opel5_192.jpg)
Next, in flight pictures !
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Sweet Fred =P~ =P~ . Looks great. You have inspired me to keep going with my K8. Starting to get a bit lazy now. Don't think it will be ready for the MACI flyin on May 6.
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Wow!! :shock: looks feckin brilliant Fred.Nice work. Can't wait to see it fly :D
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Thanks guys ! :D
If you are around this week end for the maiden voyage... Can be a good occasion to see me shaking ! :mrgreen:
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It looks great 8) . I will make sure to be there for the maiden flight.
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So Far the weather looks good for this weekend. SW winds. Hope you get your Opel flying Fred. I hope to be there to. I hope I'm not putting presure on you now, am I :D .
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Well... I may have to change all my plans for the next month !..
Since this morning, I'm the proud father of a little Aoife ! :D :D :D
Tired now..
Baby and mother are well !
So, we'll see for this week end... If the weather is perfect for the Opel, I may take 1 hour to do the fly test...
You can send me a text if you are coming, and I'll let you know my plans.
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Congratulations =D> =D> =D> :D :D :D . Thats Great. Have a good rest now.
I'll give you a text if I'm going to Kilakee. But Saturday is the only day I can go.
Again congratulations :D .
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...and I've a second on the way next week. I'll never get my 1-26 finished. We can both kiss goodbye to flying this season!
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Congratulations FRED :D
See You & Wight next season!!! :D
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Hi Fred. Did you fly your Opel yet or are you waiting for the MACI Glide In this Sunday.
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Hi Alan,
Still waiting for the first flight !
Waiting for a decent wind to avoid any risks (the machine need to be like new for Retroplane :D )
I'll bring the Opel with me at the Nationals...
We'll see... :?:
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:D :D . Hi Fred. I see your Opel got a mention in Chris Williams Scale column in the latest Q&EFI issue (June). Nice job :clap: :clap: .
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:D
Cool !
Do you have a scan to send me ?
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The Opel has flown ! :D
Well, back from Retroplane 2007 ! The Opel did is maiden voyage the saturday of the meeting.
To tell the truth, the real first flight was a bit.. desapointing !
Launch, went straight, but the glider did not want to go up !
Flew like this for 5 minutes, and then land... We've just look at each other with Joe, thinking that this thing will never fly (well... 100% scale, the original did not much better ! :wink: )
Analyse of the flight, then, that was obvious that the CG was a bit too much forwrd...
Removed around 40 grs of lead (the only piece of lead I was able to remove...) and off we go again...
And we saw the light, right after the second launch !
What a flight !
the 40 grs made a huge difference, even if the machine is still nose heavy.
Just the trim at the ailerons to be touched, everything else is fine. Rudders are really powerfull (rudder Joe, rudder !!! :lol: ) and the shape of the glider in the sky is really uncommon ! Really looks like a WWI bomber with the two tail booms !
I flew lots of low passes, just for the pleasure (and the photographs :wink: )
So, here are a few pictures... A video will follow soon (and more pictures...)
Enjoy !
The launch... Where you try to think if you forgot something !
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Fred/opellaunch.jpg)
In Flight
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Fred/opelvol1.jpg)
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Fred/opelvol2.jpg)
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Looks Great Fred :clap: :clap: . Wish I was there. I heard reports that Retroplane was rained out the first two days. Is that right. Just like Ireland then :D :D.
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Well, we had a bit (lots in fact...) of rain 2 days before the event, then, a bit of rain Friday morning, Joe flew first on Friday evening with the L213 (boooooooohhh ! :lol: ).
Saturday : flying all day
Sunday : Prices in the morning, then 1 hour of rain, then slope for the afternoon ! Just 10 minutes of rain during the event on sunday. Lots of people left, but around 30 stayed, and we were able to fly for the remaining of the day (with an even better wind than the previous day :D )
Monday : Flying in a new slope in the afternoon
So, not bad !
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Joe flew first on Friday evening with the L213 (boooooooohhh ! :lol: ).
:lol: :lol: :lol: . I thought such gliders were banned :D :D .
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Yep, Joe have no shame at all ! :lol:
Well, that was the friday, so, before the official meeting...
First one to fly !
He made me proud that day ! :P
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:D
Already done Chris !
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Fred/opelfire.jpg)
Well seriously now, I have all the bits, I just need time to put all that together now ! But I'll do it soon !
And we'll have a good laugh ! :wink:
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Hi friends, last sunday I have visited the flightmuseum of Oberschleissheim near munich. In the maintenance they are refurbished a
original "Opel Rak". Annother pictures are from "Horten IV"
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Ren%E9/Opel%20Rak.jpg)
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Ren%E9/Horten%20IV_1.jpg)
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Ren%E9/Horten%20IV_2.jpg)
The quallity is like a gsm-phone.
greetings René
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Sorry, one picture I had forget.
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Ren%E9/Horten%20IV_3.jpg)
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Thanks for posting those photos, Rene - that looks like a very interesting museum!
Chris
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Hallo René,
Thanks a lot for sharing the photos (Horten... =P~ )
For the Opel, strange, compared to the original photos, the lettering is the oposite of the original one, like the Opel Rak in the landesmuseum of mannheim :?:
Any idea what the tube frame is ? :?:
mfg
Fred :D
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Hi Fred, I´m sorry, looking only for Rak. Next week I will phone to museum and I will give you answer. I have look for word "tubecase" and I have learnd it will be in German "Gitterrohrrumpf" tube= (Rohr) case =(Behälter)
God weekend to all, your René
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Hi There,
In flight video of the Opel is now available !
Taken during the Cork / Kerry Fly-in the saturday.
enjoy !
http://www.gliderireland.net/images/videos/OpelRak.wmv
13 Mo - 2.30 mins.
Fred
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Here's the Rak movie from YouTube
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/v/Z8w19WYxC7Q[/youtube]
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Hi Fred,
I would like to know if you finally managed to use powder rockets on your Opel Rak, and how you calculated their power regarding the weight and drag of your model... I am looking forward another project quite similar...
A+
Mat
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Howdy Mat'
Nope, only did a test of the pod with 4 rockets, but on static, not in the glider (just in case!) and never went to test in flight! (even if I finally managed to find a system to fire the rockets remotely :D )
For the weight ratio etc, no ideas! I go with the noise and smoke, like the real one (that ended up in flame after a 15 seconds flight...)
Sound like a fun project for next April!! :D
Fred - Crash and burn... Litteraly! :D
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Ok, so maybe you could tell me which rocket you choose to make noise & smoke??? :lol: And where did you find it??? I am really a beginner in this kind of motor/engine...
A+
Mat
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Hey Mat,
Does that mean you have a project that involve flames, noise, smoke, and hopefully a big bang? :D :D
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You're right, Fred... A model coming from east, very far east... In fact it will be a little bit the same problem as you: build a glider, and then try to motorize it with a rocket motor...
I just hope I won't verify the big bang theory!
So... what was your solution on the Rak???
@+
Mat
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I see! :D
So what are you preparing?? :D
For the Rak, the solution was so simple!
I used an old ESC for brushed motor!
Job done! You can light the fuses remotely. Basic, cheap, but wayyyy cheaper than the solutions I found on the net! (youcan buy modules that are programmable, to light all the fuses at the same time, or 2 by 2, etc etc, but cost of such module is about 100 euros or so (at the time)...
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hey fred
was reading through this thread and was looking at the lay out of the model
did it take a lot of lead to get it to balance with such a small fuselage and two long aluminium booms and twin rudders, how many servo's do you have on the tail is it one elevator and two rudder ?
:D
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not a lot of lead and 3 servos :)
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Yeah, same as Ralph :)
I can't remember yhe amount of lead I put, but not a lot.
3 servos. 1 for the elevator, and 1 for each rudders :)
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:shock: that's amazing :shock:
how does the model fly :D
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Have to bring that one back!
I received earlier, a video from Italy, showing the Opel Rak.. Fitted with rockets :D :clap:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/v/C297OQCzWPU[/youtube]
Me like it! :D
Well done to the builder! First example I see fitted with them :clap:
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The Opel Rak and island models get a wee mention on scalesoaring.co.uk website :D :D :clap:
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Thanks Andrew.
Ka3 in a US mag also this month someone told me.