FT Design Build Modifications

I’m relatively new to RC airplanes compared to many here, Flying just over a year and building about as long.  About a dozen or so FT designs so far both scratch and speed build kits, plus a few modified planes based on FT design and one or two started with a piece of DTFB and ending up with delta wing using no plans at all.  Maintaining the 4 Horizon planes in my hanger is fun too, in spite of my apparent learning curve disability where it comes to flying them!

All I can say is I really like the FT concepts.  Looking around the internet results in plenty of very nice designs, but many have long or complicated build times in comparison (Maybe someday, when I don’t crash so much).  Over the last year I’ve learned a few things about the FT planes.  Specifically, where they break for me.  It’s no fun fixing the damaged pod for the fourth time, or adding support after the fact. I bang up landing gear.  I also like planes that can not only take off from the ground, but are steerable also. 

So for this FT Mighty Mini Sportster here are some modifications to do as you put it together.  They aren't really anything special or new, but I thought if they were here in one place for others to see maybe someone could use them.  Nearly all of these can be used on other FT planes besides the Mini Sportster in these examples.

1. Paint Before Building 

It is so much easier.  Flat surfaces, easy masking or taping.  Don’t use Minwax or Camp Dry yet.  Hot glue doesn’t stick to either one. Be aware poster board rounded 'turtle' decks distort the pattern if you use one.




2. Steerable Tail Wheel

No, not the best solution or implementation of a not the best solution, but on a Mini it isn’t so bad.  The rudder has a high strength to weight and on other Mini builds has held up well for me. Place, trace & cut.  Insert wire and glue then tape.  Not quite sure what I was thinking as I bent this one.  Three sides of a box is usualy fine. ;0  

Oh well...  The steerable tail wheel ‘solution’ I used didn’t work well. After only a few flights the rudder begins to delaminate and while it didn’t fail completely it was only a matter of time. So I searched and found this by hursto75.  

http://flitetest.com/articles/landing-gear-with-steerable-tail-wheel

It is a far better solution than mine. I used a gift card and 1/16” ply, with CA and Hot Glue. 

3. Support the Elevator

One of my first builds was an FT Simple Storch, and it was great, but the elevator warped on me because the connection between the sides is thin relative to the surfaces.  So now I add a little bit of support. That's .32 wire, and looking at it, it's problebly 1/4" or so longer than it needs on each end. The bevel isnt cut yet, but the wire needs to be right up next to it or even into it a bit to clear the rudder.




4. Magnets

In the plans, the top deck is attached with a paper hinge and bamboo pin.  That works great and weighs less. but I wanted a canopy, and that covers the pin.  Easiest way was to add magnets.  These happened to be out of a dead motor, but they are available online.  I cut the paper, pressed in the magnet to size the hole.  Then put a drop of hot glue in the hole and pressed it in with my finger and wiped off excess at same time.  Do it fast and rub it off and it doesn’t burn (much) at all.  Tape to keep them in place.




5. Landing Gear

I admit this one may not be for all.  If you fly well or don’t wish to add the weight, this isn’t for you.  For me however, I hope it beefs it up enough to survive while I learn how to return to earth more gently, or aviod the earth before I'm ready.  The added supports inside the fuse transfer shock to the wing.  The card transfers the shock to the supports.  Easy enough and likely good enough just like that, but I also added a second card on the exterior.  Overkill.  Maybe. 




6. Power Pod

This is one of the more common mods in some variation or another.  Adding it after the fact is a pain. Gift cards are strong, thin, light and add great strenght to reinforce the holes the BBQ skewers go through.  This is how I hid the reinforcement to make the exterior fuse look cleaner for this paint design.  I just didn’t want the 'motors' hanging out this time and they usually cover the cards.

They were installed between the fuse and nose doublers.  No pictures of it, but I also added 4 individual card squares inside the pod.  The BBQ skewers are tight, and the pod survives my inevitable oops moments without the holes becoming ovals and things begin falling out.  I peeled the paper inside the nose doubler and pressed the reinforcement in to make room.  Nothing is glued at in these pictures save the support.  Install the nose doublers normally as per the build video.




That's it, a few simple but effective mods to the building process and our builds should live a longer life, if we do our part anyway.

JD

If you are interested in what it all looked like after building and before the maiden click the
link to the Forum posting with full pictures: http://forum.flitetest.com/showthrea...Mini-Sportster!