New R/C Air plane Idea

[tmetal]

It sounds like you will get a PDF file emailed to you once your payment is received. Just copy the PDF file onto a flash drive and head over to your local Kinko's or a store like it. (of course you will have to pay again to have it printed out at one of those places)  Most of the time you can get one of the employees there to help you enlarge the plans to meet your specific wingspan wishes. Your other option is to try and print it out at home in a tiled formate and then tape it together then cut out the pieces, that is what I do.
 A few more tips - use foam safe contact cement/glue when you can instead of hot glue (hot glue is very heavy by comparison), you can find carbon fiber rods in many weird places like old tent poles, dollar store kites, and old arrow shafts, when using packing tape be sure to bond it to the foam by lightly/quickly rubbing a iron set on low over the surface of the tape after applying it to the foam. Buy and use a fire resistant battery bag if you are planning on use LiPo batteries. Don't use normal spray paint on the foam, the propellent will melt the foam. Paint the top a different color from the bottom to help with orientation in the air.  Always to a functionality check on the plane before tossing it into the air.

By the way check out this link for a picture of my plane with the airsoft tank gun on it. Its on page 53 post number 790. http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=975833&page=53#post11364993

[F22RaptorDude]

It sounds like you will get a PDF file emailed to you once your payment is received. Just copy the PDF file onto a flash drive and head over to your local Kinko's or a store like it. (of course you will have to pay again to have it printed out at one of those places)  Most of the time you can get one of the employees there to help you enlarge the plans to meet your specific wingspan wishes. Your other option is to try and print it out at home in a tiled formate and then tape it together then cut out the pieces, that is what I do.
 A few more tips - use foam safe contact cement/glue when you can instead of hot glue (hot glue is very heavy by comparison), you can find carbon fiber rods in many weird places like old tent poles, dollar store kites, and old arrow shafts, when using packing tape be sure to bond it to the foam by lightly/quickly rubbing a iron set on low over the surface of the tape after applying it to the foam. Buy and use a fire resistant battery bag if you are planning on use LiPo batteries. Don't use normal spray paint on the foam, the propellent will melt the foam. Paint the top a different color from the bottom to help with orientation in the air.  Always to a functionality check on the plane before tossing it into the air.

By the way check out this link for a picture of my plane with the airsoft tank gun on it. Its on page 53 post number 790. http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=975833&page=53#post11364993

I go to Hobbytown USA for 5 min epoxy, and carbon rods. Paint also that wont melt foam is available. I'm thinking of Painting my schools colors and sticking the mascot to a wing and flying it at the next football game if possible.

On another note I was thinking of a hinge system for a skid that folds back for landing and the servo will move it forward and lock it down for flight. I don't want any wear and tear on the belly. and if it works out i might try to put some landing gear in with it if i can find a compact one.
Btw the sheets i'm getting for the planes body, how much are they?

[tmetal]

It has been over a year sence I bought foam. It took me that long to run out of it. IIRC it was somewhere between $20 and $30 for a stack of foam that was folded into 4ftx2ft pieces and measured around 30ft long if you unfolded the stack.  Also I was mistaken about this blue fff (fan fold foam) being available at Home Depot, you can only get it at Lowes around here.  There are many different kinds of foam that work just as well and they all vary in price.

*edit
Sence I am throwing web links all over this thread I will add one more.  Proof of how easy it is to to onboard video. I use a $15 pocket cam to film this flight of me flying my stagger wing.  Its close to 10 minutes long...srry.  I spend a lot of the flight seeing how low I can fly and not crash, I think I even run down my son a little in this one also. He thought it was funny as hell. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKEttDFCuQI&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

[F22RaptorDude]

Foam is going to take awhile to get if its around 20-30 dollars. But if there's a ton to spare i might get the planes for an F18 and paint it blue. but i need to take it one step at a time and concentrate on the F22. Also i checked out your video, you fly nice, much better than me lol

[tmetal]

I made 6 different planes with the foam I had as well as using about a third of it for what it is suppose to be used for. I had the plans printed out for a star destroyer from star wars but ran out of foam. Oh well.  Thanks for the complement. the plane in the video got destroyed last week. It suffered a rcvr failure after launch and went from straight and level 60 ft off the ground to full power, straight down dive and wouldn't accept any radio commands from me. That was my favorite plane in my hangar at the time. 

[F22RaptorDude]

What kind of Radio do you use? I have the DX6.... and can you find a source to what went wrong?

[tmetal]

I use a futaba, don't remember the model # though, it can go up to 7 channels but isn't a GHz frequency.  As far as what went wrong goes, the rcvr died for some reason not sure exactly why. I just pulled all my gear from the stagger wing and plan to use it (minus the old rcvr) in my next build.  I still need to do a full run up on the motor to make sure it isn't screwed up, it hit first and the plane was going full out when it did hit.  Go to you local Lowes (if you have one) and price the single 4ft by 8ft sheets of blue foam, they will be much less expensive. Probly around $3 a sheet, if I had to guess.

[F22RaptorDude]

I want to go for it, i need to make a call and work out a loan idea with my parents to get the parts.

[F22RaptorDude]

No matter how i look at it, its going to be expensive. Need a new motor cause the one i have no will overspin with the 6X4 prop of F22 uses. Thats roughly 35 bucks. I still need the foam, epoxy, plans, tape, and that motor, plus the carbon rods. All ive done so far is realized i can't use the motor i have now and i've calibrated my DX6 to the elevons. Optional rudder is available and i will build on that after i log 5 hours of flight time.

[tmetal]

Yeah the initial cost can be big, but once you have all the equipment you can keep building cheap airframes. If you havent already check out hobbyking.com for cheap motors.  I have flown a plane similar to what you are going to build (Su-27 instead of a F22) and unless you just really want it there is really no reason to have rudders. Slow or fast these type of profile prop-jets fly fantastic with just elevons. I really liked the one I had because I could fly it out of my back yard and land it easily at my feet, just point them into the wind right over your desired landing zone, cut throtle to match the wind and full up elevator and watch the thing float straight down for a gentle pancake landing at your feet.

[F22RaptorDude]

Looks very similar in appearance at first glance. My dad is a lil worried about the prices but i told him once all the stuff was bought i can afford to crash my plane all i want cause  all i would have to do is print out that part of the body. I see how this is so cost effective. I'm way in over my head as well, i was thinking of a missile launch system that seemed very interesting when i drew it out and explained it to my friends who don't know anything about planes...

[Penguin]

You're kidding about the missle launch system, right?  You do realize how delicate a system that is, and given your flying style, anything not nailed down is going to snap right off.

-Penguin

[F22RaptorDude]

You're kidding about the missle launch system, right?  You do realize how delicate a system that is, and given your flying style, anything not nailed down is going to snap right off.

-Penguin

Its kinda like the bomb on the Ju87, but it will have a bomb bay with closing doors. When i press a servo the doors will open, the rocket on a swing will come down coming in contact with an exposed wire and ignite then  i just flip the switch and everything closes. I'm still in the planning process but it seems to have the possibility of working. But i seriously need to fly alot before i do that.

[dirtdart]

You will also need a foam cutting bow.  I used a Radio Shack project box, 12v transformer, and a dimmer switch.  This will allow you to heat the wire to what it takes to cut the foam at the density you purchased without burning or melting it. 

[F22RaptorDude]

You will also need a foam cutting bow.  I used a Radio Shack project box, 12v transformer, and a dimmer switch.  This will allow you to heat the wire to what it takes to cut the foam at the density you purchased without burning or melting it. 

oh god how much are those? I'm hoping my grandfather has one.