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. >