Bug HLG

Wow- now it's almost a year later... You wanted to hear how this 
next project went.

Here goes:
I finished "Bug 2" by Summer 2005.  Final weight was 83.3 g.  Wing 
alone was 31.9 g.  This was achieved using contest grade balsa (and 
weighed each sheet to find the lightest!), some of the 
lightening "tips", and a lighter type of covering.  Also used 
thinner CF rods this time.

{My first Bug (shelved - no electronics righ now) weighed about 101 
g at first and now 103 g with repairs.  The wing alone weighs 40.3 
g.}

On Bug 2 the wing is somewhat more fragile than the first, but still 
plenty strong.  The fuse, though, is very fragile because I used 
contest grade balsa and I have "detonated" it many times in 
crashes.  But, I just pick up all the pieces and CA them carefully 
back together.  This works fine even in the most devastating-looking 
crashes.  It actually gets stronger each time, and not much heavier. 
(recently at 85.8 g after 5-6 repairs)  These "crashes" are not 
exactly crashes, just generally stalls and nose-ins from 2'-3' 
altitude.  It's that fragile.

But...Bug 2 really flies great.  It floats nicely, but still loves 
to fly fast.  On launch, the small tail CF (I think 1/8") tube does 
flex a bit, so I'm sure I lose altitude, but it still goes way up.  
Best thermal flight around 2 minutes.  Pretty good from my 1/4 acre 
house lot.  I do use some of the neighbor's air space! :)  That's 
what's great about this - it flies in very small areas - but you can 
still point the nose down a little and it will really cover a lot of 
distance in a hurry.

I still am running the V-tail, no launch peg, and a launch preset 
switch on my TX with some "up" and some rudder on it. The CF wing 
rods are run to the wing tip-that's what I hang onto when I whip it 
up there.

Next I plan to try the Lipo cells.  I built an extended nose on this 
one so that I have some CG adjustment room for the lighter battery.  
I have also switched servos.  The Bluebird BM306's I had in there
(6.6 g each with no horn) have failed now after many flights.  I 
think the launch stresses are hard on them.  (Brought it down on the 
last flight with only one servo working! - Yikes.. but no crash)  I 
am trying the Draganfly $9.99 micro servos (6.8 g each with no 
horn).  Cheap, but I don't think these will last all that long.

Does anyone have any servo recommendations?  I am sure HS55 are 
great but they weigh 7.6 g each.

3/16/04--- In BugHLG@yahoogroups.com, "abra32001" <esojala@a...> 
wrote:
>
> I wanted to relay some of my experiences with this great model:
> I have switched to a 4-cell 50 mah battery and now have the weight 
at 
> 101 g, or 3.5 oz.  I did not have good luck running 3 cells with 
the 
> the GWS nano rx.  (Worked ok, but got jitters after 9 minutes due 
to 
> low voltage).  I have obtained a stash of Contest grade balsa and 
am 
> now starting a new build.  
> 
> Also may go to Lithium cell.  By the way, is a voltage reg needed 
for 
> lithiums? and unrelated do you folks unplug/plug the batt into the 
rx 
> for on/offf or do you use a micro switch and charge jack between 
rx 
> and batt?  I am afraid of wearing out the rx connector pins. 
> 
> Meanwhile, this one flies great!! I can literally fly it in my 
> suburban back yard-- just chuck it up and circle around over the 
> house and yard.  I can even get a little slope lift off the back 
> fence!  What a kick.
> 
> 
> 
> --- In BugHLG@yahoogroups.com, "John" <gldrgidr@m...> wrote:
> > Lone Star Balsa is highly recommended on the Ezone.
> > www.lonestar-models.com
> > 
> > Let us know how you do.  Right now 103 grams sounds very good.
> > 
> > 
> > John
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > --- In BugHLG@yahoogroups.com, "abra32001" <esojala@a...> wrote:
> > > Where can you get Contest grade balsa online?
> > > 
> > > I have built a bug to 103 grams (flies very well) and now want 
to 
> > go 
> > > for one close to 70 grams.
> > > 
> > > I plan to follow some of the "Adding Lightness" tips.
>