Here are some really interesting little planes from
our friends in Califonia, USA.
They are generally designed to fly outdoors and go
fast, so don't be shocked by the wing loadings!
A nice wide range of planes here too.
The control system is more expensive and difficult
to produce at the current time, but if we wanted to I am sure we coudl
use little motors instead of coil actuators - I dont think the actuators
would work at 25 mph !
This from Matt ...
* I have in my office about 20 pieces of 2.8 gram lithium polymer cells
rated at 55 mahr for 10 minute discharge rate, 3.3 V average voltage. Totally
awesome cells. Problem is they were custom made, and very expensive.
Two of those power the 12 gram "Microbat" 3 channel RC ornithopter we made
for US Government. Flies for 6 minutes using 2 gram pager motor with
ball bearing gear box. 25 micron SMA muscle wire for bang-bang rudder
and elevator, proportional throttle.
* For the F86 idea, I did make a semi-scale Mig 15 a few years back which morphed into a F86. It was peanut scale. Custom ducted fan. 5 cells. 5 channels. Rudder, elev, throttle, ailerons, retracts. Tricycle retracts worked with individual 37 micron muscle wires with magents to help keep them locked up and down. Model weighed around 50 grams but didn't fly particularly fast indoors. It never flew quite right and got beat-up so I retired it. Put the fan unit in a foam F4 Skyray, which flew okay, but never got around to painting it. I still have the main retracts.
* I would love some Depron material and notes on finishing the blue foam models.
* For glue the best I have used is an instant glue by Satellite City in my home town. Their " Hot Stuff UFO thick" will not melt any foam. I use it exclusively on all my models. Also foam safe accelerator "Insta-Set" works best with that glue. Made by Bob Smith Industries in California.
* For thin foam sheets I use some .5 and 1mm extruded white foam sheets. They have a fairly smooth skin. Best to make a female and male mold and put the whole thin in an oven at 275 degrees F, makes very nice wings and bodies. We use this for the spy planes. A little too much work for regular models.
* I'd love to come for a visit some time. Haven't been to England
for a couple years, should be due some time in the future. Where
are you relative to London?
Thanks
Matt