FT Storch Coroplast version

by jeanbat | June 2, 2015 | (19) Posted in Projects

Introduction



Hello everyone!


To start let me introduce myself, my name is Jean-Baptiste aka Jeanbat, I'm French and I'm 23 years old. I make model airplanes since I was 11 years old and I am a fan of the show on Flite Test.
For my first article on this site, I'd like to present an original project: an FT Simple Storch made with “Coroplast”.
For those unfamiliar with this material, it is a bit like cardboard, but plastic, and so much more resistant and rigid. In France it is often used as a building license or as advertising panel (so we can get it for free for our models).


Here we go!

The construction

Of course I first printed the plan, that stage is not very exciting ...


I did not say, but cutting the Coroplast has an interesting feature, it’s easy to do some solids folds or hinges using this kind of homemade tool:


This is actually two carpet cutter blades, spaced about 1 mm, which allow to remove just a plastic thickness, as in this picture:

 


Which directly gives us a strong articulation:


Once this is mastered, we can cut and prepare the different pieces of the model:


Then begins the different steps like the foam version of flite test:


Hint: sometimes Coroplast does not necessarily folds like we wanted, we can then add foam boards in order to guide the folding:


Then you can made the wing, still doing this like Flite Test, but being careful with the different thickness of the material, it must be taken into account in the cuts of the foams longerons.
(You can see that I get my Coroplast in a French sports shop :P)


In order to strengthen the attachment between the two half wings, I added two “wings keys” (we call it like that in France…), I think it is a little stronger than Flite test solution ;)


Then we can close the wings and glue them together with a template to always have the correct dihedral:



Here then another change I made:
I do not use the power pod, so I stuck a 5 mm ply wood engine support , with hardwood reinforcements. These reinforcements also serve as support for the battery and for magnets in order to have a removable cover on the front:


With this change I am sure that my battery and motor support is strong, and I can set up my battery on the plane without returning it.
Then we glue the underside of the fuselage:


And presto! Go for an evening painting!


Then construction of the landing gear:


And servo installation:


I do not like to set my wings with rubber bands, mine is secure with two screws:


Maiden

Now it's time for the first flight,
The plane is about 1 313 grams in flight order, with leds and extra battery for night flying.

The story of the first flight:
My "corostorch" has quietly taken off over a 10 meters groin ...

As expected, it flies quietly Mid gas (my engine is about 300W), in fact I have never risen above mid gas, even taking off!

After a few low passes to the camera man, I take the altitude to test the flaps. First click ... wow it climbs, a small pass then test the second step (the flaps are now almost 80 °) it does not climb much more but it slows a lot, I almost stall.

An easy touch and go then the following pass I landed, it's cold and I do not know about the battery tension ...
I was afraid to bounce back with the not amortized landing gear but actually everything is okay, it happens slowly enough to have time to aim and flare.


Here's the video of the first flight:


After the first flight, I printed and added a glass roof:



CONCLUSION:

Thank those who read me, and excuse me for my English mistakes :)
I hope that this subject will interest you and that you will discover an interesting building material (especially for combat aircrafts :P)
If you have any questions do not hesitate, I'm interested in your feedback on this first article.

Jeanbat.

COMMENTS

SnapPunchRobert on June 5, 2015
Excellent man. Excellent.
Log In to reply
phiggs54 on June 2, 2015
Jean-Baptiste,
Wow! Great article, project, and modifications to the FT plan. Your plane looks great. That material is used here in the USA a lot for realty (for sale) signs and also political campaign posters. I guess a lot of those will be missing after FT'ers read your article. :) i assume that hot glue works on the Coroplast the same as on foam board? Do not apologize for your English, it is bette r then a lot of us that speak English as our first language. I look forward to seeing more articles on your builds posted here. (And you have sn awesome name)
Log In to reply
jeanbat on June 2, 2015
Thank you for your comment phiggs!

Yes I used hot glue except for the engine support and reinforcements where I used cyanoacrylate and epoxy.
Log In to reply
stephens on June 2, 2015
That looks like a fine build.
I have a friend that ran for office last year, I may have to see if he has any signs left.
Log In to reply
FliteTest on June 2, 2015
Great job on this Storch! :)
Hope to see more articles from you in the future.
Log In to reply
wolverin0309 on June 2, 2015
wow great work Jean! it flies like a dream! cant wait to do my own build. and don't worry your English is fine.
Log In to reply
Thorsclaw on June 2, 2015
Great article I am thinking about using coroplast for a larger gasser plane and this is a great source of info
J'etudie la francais au lycee. Vous etes tres courageux pour faire cette article dans une autre langue.
Log In to reply
Cazzwell on June 3, 2015
I own a sign company in western Pennsylvania and we go through coroplast like a baby drinks milk. You should be able to pick up a 4ft by 8ft sheet of 4mm for no more than $20.
Depending on the size you make, you may want to consider 6mm or 10mm.
It would be cool to see a 16ft wingspan from two 8ft sheets and a trimmer motor.
Log In to reply
Thorsclaw on June 4, 2015
Thanks for the info I saw some at the craft store but now i will have to see if getting it from a sign maker might be better if anyone is interested in plans for a coroplast gasser
http://www.spadtothebone.net/SPAD/ultraspadstick/
Log In to reply
RickPeck on June 2, 2015
Nice article and nice plane. Thanks for taking the time to share.
Rick
Log In to reply
darneto on June 4, 2015
awesome build, keep up the good work and fly safe

Log In to reply
c.sitas on June 2, 2015
Very good of you to post the article. It mentions many little details. I like this . The only sad part of this build IS, I have to wait for an election to find the material. Good luck my friend and many more good flights to you. You picked the right plane ,for sure.
Log In to reply
Krivak957 on June 3, 2015
Thank you for a very good article. I gave it 5 stars.
Log In to reply
ModellflugBub on June 3, 2015
Bravo pour ta contruction Jean-Baptiste, sais-tu où en trouver dans les magasins de brico, et comment tu as fait pour l'avoir eu de chez Décathlon, y-a-t-il une d'autres matériaux comparables ?
En tout cas bonne continuation dans tes constructions.

Log In to reply
jeanbat on June 4, 2015
Bonjour, pour l'avoir chez décathlon j'ai demandé quand ils avaient prévu d'enlever leurs affiches, et si je pouvais venir les récupérer, puisque de toute façon ils les jettent après...
Log In to reply
ModellflugBub on June 4, 2015
Merci, et dans les magasins de brico, on peut en trouver ?

Log In to reply
jeanbat on June 4, 2015
Je sais pas je n'ai jamais été voir car avec tout ce que j'avais eu à décathlon j'ai pu faire plusieurs ailes volantes et quelqu'un de mon club en a même fait un piper de + de 2 m en thermique... Et j'en ai encore!
Log In to reply
TriTriAgain on June 2, 2015
Wow, I really like your detailed paint scheme! And the flight characteristics look very nice. Could you tell me what the weight of the plane is without the battery? I'd like to compare it with foam-board version.
Log In to reply
jeanbat on June 2, 2015
I think it's about 1 kilogram.
Log In to reply
endfim72 on June 5, 2015
I work in transportation. We have to collect coro signs during elections as using them on right of way is actually illegal. Just a month ago I sent a huge pile to the dump. I'm regretting that decision now. At least next time I'll look forward to the political tightrope that is election time outdoor advertising.
Log In to reply
russcox on June 2, 2015
I ran for office in my town a few years ago and saved a bunch of signs. Now I know what I'm doing with them. Thank you.
Log In to reply
Darwil on June 2, 2015
Very nice, and I suspect that it will fly ok if it gets a bit windy!
Correx is great for building planes that need to stand up to a bit of abuse and they do it very well.
One of my favourite correx model is the corrowot, it captures the best features of a Wot4 with the benefits of a correx model plus you can power it ic or electric.
Keep up with your adventures into using correx, it's a great material to work with!
Log In to reply
lecrote on June 4, 2015
Good article and beautiful plane ;-)
I do mostly SPAD (simple plastic airplane Design) and few FT plane.
I would say that Gluing coro with hot glue is not the greatest/strongest solution
Go to spadworld.net for info on coro building and Gluing. To glue coro to coro you have to flash it with a blue flame. After that with proper Medium CA if you try to unglue it the coro is tearing.
Or you could use goop glue.
For french guy's go to my site spadquebec.ca for info and help in french for SPAD building ;-)
Best advise you be 2mm coro for the wing with flute running chordwise.
Amicalement!
Et bon vol
Log In to reply
donlew on June 2, 2015
What is the total flying weight? Are you using the same electronics as used in the original version?I have built quite a few planes out of Coroplast and 4 mil. is generally about twice as heavy as foam-board. Coroplast also comes in 2 mil. thickness here,but it's very hard to find,almost all signs here are made from 4 mill.
Log In to reply
jeanbat on June 2, 2015
The total flying weight is written in the article, it's 1313 gr with extra battery for leds (and without it's about 1200 gr). My engine is the EMAX BL 2215/20, very similar to the original version.
Mine is made with 3 mm Coroplast
Log In to reply

You need to log-in to comment on articles.


FT Storch Coroplast version