Author Topic: Tow Plane conception  (Read 60137 times)

Fred

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Tow Plane conception
« on: October 08, 2014, 16:30:47 PM »
Alright, just to keep you up to date with what is going on in the continent  :D

After seeing the efficiency of the Tow planes in Falaise, especially the "non scale" ones, we decided to do our own, based on the "JeanDule", itself based on the "Bidule", originally design by the Eauze club in SW France (near home :) )

Simple box, 3m WS, dual rudder like my old Bison.
All wood build, design for engines starting at 60cc, up to 100 cc...
So that should pretty much tow everything in Ireland  :P

We are still at the development stages, but here is a 2 views of the beast:



Nothing fancy, just something that works!

More as we move forward into the project  :D
Education is important, but flying RC planes and gliders is importanter!

Happy Days

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« Reply #1 on: October 08, 2014, 20:09:51 PM »
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__25202__Turnigy_dlux_250A_HV_14s_60v_ESC.html

https://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__19964__Turnigy_RotoMax_100cc_Size_Brushless_Outrunner_Motor.html

Oh, for goodness sake Fred,…..if you’re gonna build a new model for towing then at least come into the 21st century and power it properly.
Who, in their right mind, wants to fiddle about with dangerous hydrocarbon fuels and 20th  century  reciprocating internal combustion engines? :roll:

I don’t know how much a 100cc two stroke would cost these days, but the above equivalent motor & ESC comes to £334, (or a little less if you wait while ordering and HobbyKing will offer you a discount. 8)

You don’t need me to tell you of thje advantages,….do you? :P

L. Keith
Try not to run out of airspeed, altitude and ideas....... all at the same time.

andrew wallace

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Tow Plane conception
« Reply #2 on: October 08, 2014, 20:55:17 PM »
Not to take anything away from Fred one of my winter projects is building a Titan Tug i have the fuselage made and the foam wings cut i'm waiting on the wing tube coming so i can make the wing two piece and i'm making the tailplane removable it can take up to 100cc engine but i'm hoping to go for 80cc wing span is 96" and all up weight should be around the 20lb mark which will leave me able to tow almost anything  :D


this is the titan with it's designer Steve Vine

sorry Keith i'm happy with petrol hard to beat the smell of two stroke oil burning  :D  :D
i\'m an ordinary man nothing special nothing grand

Happy Days

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« Reply #3 on: October 08, 2014, 21:16:05 PM »
Yeah, and wiping the unburnt oil off the side of the fuse….. :lol:  :lol:
Try not to run out of airspeed, altitude and ideas....... all at the same time.

Fred

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« Reply #4 on: October 09, 2014, 07:48:57 AM »
Well, looks like we are going to have a few decent tugs for next season!    :)

Keith, electric power did cross my mind of course (the future is electric!), but in this case, I will go Petrol.
The guys in Falaise with the Jeandule managed to do 25 tows on a 1.5L tank!
Electric is a huge investment! Motor, ESC, battery packs (and big ones! at least 10 cells), a proper charger etc. All that for maybe 5 or 6 tows if lucky on a single charge...

I reckon in Ireland this will be more than enough seeing the poor aerotowing activity, but then, I can't have all that money sitting in a shed 99% of the year. And the plan is to develop the activity, petrol power is simply "easier", and unless something break, almost non stop. Perfect for training / discovering the activity if you see what I mean  :D

By the way, here is the idea, after I got the authorisation to match the Big Titan and got the go ahead from the Britanny guys and the JeanDule:





And I also have a 1/4 scale Piper Cub now as well  :D

All we need now, is a field and a few gliders with a tow hook... Easy Peasy!  :P
Education is important, but flying RC planes and gliders is importanter!

Happy Days

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« Reply #5 on: October 09, 2014, 08:43:28 AM »
Hmmmmm! :evil:  

(little Keith walks away, mumbling under his breath.......)
Try not to run out of airspeed, altitude and ideas....... all at the same time.

Fred

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« Reply #6 on: October 09, 2014, 08:47:25 AM »
:P  :lol:
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andrew wallace

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« Reply #7 on: October 09, 2014, 08:55:03 AM »
:lol:  :lol: don't like the look of that rubber prop Fred  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:
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andrew wallace

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« Reply #8 on: October 10, 2014, 11:19:01 AM »


this is the fuselage of the titan it's made from 4 sheets of 1/8 balsa and there's a 1/16 ply doubler that run's down to almost half the lenght of the fuselage there is also 3/8 triangluar balsa along the bottom and middle of the fuselage. the bottom is sheeted with 1/8 balsa and the top is a lenght of 1/2 inch  balsa



wings are cut from foam and the width is 18 inches and each half is 48 inches long. Once the wings are veneered i'll cut out the ailerons this big models dosen't need flaps  :D




waiting on a 30mm wing tube so i can continue on with the wings i'm making it a two piece wing to make it easier to transport  :D  :D
i\'m an ordinary man nothing special nothing grand

Fred

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« Reply #9 on: October 10, 2014, 11:25:50 AM »
Looking good Andrew!  :clap:
Education is important, but flying RC planes and gliders is importanter!

selleri

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« Reply #10 on: October 14, 2014, 19:39:07 PM »
Hmmmm, and here I was thinking about some stik building!    :?:

Although electric would be nice it just isn't practical for serious towing sessions at the moment.
Turboprop on the other hand!!!     8)

Titans are nice, flew one over in England many moons ago, almost too much fun!
Sverrir - Icelandic Volcano Yeti

Fred

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« Reply #11 on: October 30, 2014, 09:10:56 AM »
Alright, some little modifications to the plan.
Fuselage slightly shorter (2m long without the cowl. Perfect for wood strips :) ) and lowered the fuselage a tiny bit to look better.

I have also added a cowl. This one is from an Extra, and I think it does look the part.

I like the look, so time to finish the plans  :D

Education is important, but flying RC planes and gliders is importanter!

andrew wallace

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« Reply #12 on: October 30, 2014, 09:54:39 AM »
Hey Fred if you're stuck I'll cut the wing for you  :D
i\'m an ordinary man nothing special nothing grand

Fred

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« Reply #13 on: October 30, 2014, 11:50:52 AM »
Cheers Andrew :)
So far, built up wings planned to keep the weight down, but we'll see.

Any movements on the Titan?  :D
Education is important, but flying RC planes and gliders is importanter!

Happy Days

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« Reply #14 on: October 30, 2014, 12:53:48 PM »
Why semi-symmetric wings Fred? Don’t flat bottom wings produce more lift at slow speed? :?:

L. Keith
Try not to run out of airspeed, altitude and ideas....... all at the same time.